Brain activity is greater during meditation than during periods of idle rest, refuting the idea that meditation is used to empty the mind – according to a study by neuroscientists from Norway and Australia*.

Scientists from The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, The University of Oslo and The University of Sydney used functional magnetic resonance image scanning to see what goes on in the brain during Acem Meditation – a mindful relaxation technique based on modern psychology and research.

Acem is a non-directive meditation technique which involves the mental repetition of a soothing, yet meaningless sound combining vowels and consonants. At the same time it allows spontaneously-occurring thoughts, images, sensations, memories and emotions to pass freely through the mind.

The method is thought to facilitate mental processing of emotional experiences, thereby contributing to wellness and stress management. Fourteen experienced practitioners of the Acem Meditation technique took part in the study.

The predominant resting system in the brain is called the ‘default mode network’ which is responsible for our wandering mind. Interestingly, the research found that this wandering mind mode is activated on a greater level during meditation than when the mind is resting normally.

The study highlighted that the brain simply activates different networks when it rests, compared to when someone concentrates or attends to an external task.

The default mode network is considerably less active when the spontaneous flow of wandering thoughts is restricted by a more concentrated focus of attention during concentrative meditation – not common to non-directive Acem Meditation. The areas of the brain which are less active during meditation include those which are involved in processing memories and emotions.

The results were published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

* Xu J and Davanger S et al. Nondirective Meditation Activates Default Mode Network and Areas Associated with Memory Retrieval and Emotional Processing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2014