The Effect of Consciousness on the Body

The extent by which consciousness can take control over the body is remarkable. Biofeedback research, for example, has shown that individuals can learn to control brainwave activity, affect cardiovascular and respiratory functioning, reduce skin temperature, and voluntarily modify many other autonomic processes of the body. 

John Basmajian, M.D., Professor Emeritus, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Canada, who is a pioneer in biofeedback research, demonstrated that people could learn to consciously control individual neurons and muscle cells. Single cell control through consciousness offers the possibility that one can affect any part of one's body, knowing how this works. 

(source: www.stmarys.org/body.cfm?id=133)

Meditation Found to Increase Brain Size

January 23, 2005

People who meditate grow bigger brains than those who don't. Researchers at Harvard, Yale, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found the first evidence that meditation can alter the physical structure of our brains. Brain scans they conducted reveal that experienced meditators boasted increased thickness in parts of the brain that deal with attention and processing sensory input.

(source: www.harvardscience.harvard.edu/medicine-health/articles/meditation-found-increase-brain-size)

Using the Mind to Heal the Body: Imagery for Injury Rehabilitation

Dryw Dworsky, Ph.D. & Vikki Krane, Ph.D. 
Bowling Green State University :

Being injured is no fun! Often it means that athletes and exercisers are in pain and they are not able to participate in the sport they love. Often when we think of being injured, it means that we need to wait for the body to heal. However, what if you learned that you might be able to speed up the healing process? Research suggests that maintaining a positive attitude and using mental skills are related to a shorter rehabilitation.

(source: www.appliedsportpsych.org/resource-center/injury-&-rehabilitation/articles/imagery)