It is generally accepted that a high IQ is a sign of genius. However, the intelligence quotient can be increased – for example, with the help of meditation.
Intelligence is of two kinds: crystalline and mobile. Crystalline is the ability to apply information, skills and experience previously acquired. Such intelligence increases with age and is highly valued in Eastern culture.
Fluid intelligence is the ability to solve new problems and apply logic to difficult situations. This type of intelligence is not related to the amount of knowledge, but depends on creative and innovative abilities, awareness and strategic thinking.
Many people know how to improve crystalline intelligence: you need to read a lot, listen to useful podcasts – in general, study continuously. Fluid intelligence, however, is not about facts and figures: it is the ability to work on something new and unknown.
It used to be thought that fluid intelligence was an innate trait that could not be acquired or improved. Recent studies have shown that there is a way to increase it – meditation. It not only has a beneficial effect on mental health, but also reduces stress levels, improves mood and promotes emotional balance. It also makes us smarter.
During meditation, we focus on the breath, music or mantra and give the brain a break.
The psychologist and physiologist Siegfried Othmer has been researching the effect of meditation on the human intellect for thirty years. Those who practiced meditation showed a 23% improvement in IQ scores. Positive changes in IQ were sometimes observed in those subjects who did not meditate. However, a follow-up study, which was conducted a year after the first, showed that the participants who meditated had long-term positive changes. They also experienced improvements in creativity, concentration, and awareness.
Why does meditation improve IQ? The main reason is that this practice slows down the activity of the brain, increases its plasticity and the ability to self-reorganize. When we meditate, we focus on the breath, music, or mantra, and in doing so, we give the brain a break, and in return it starts to work better. It is especially important that the study participants who showed an increase in IQ were not yogis: positive results were observed in them after only four days of practice.
To achieve a positive effect on health and intelligence, you need to meditate for at least 12 minutes a day.
Participants meditated for 20 minutes a day, about the same amount of time we spend eating lunch or dinner. They spent 80 minutes in four days. Many people know that meditation is useful, but getting started is not easy, just like starting going to the gym. One of the many applications or programs can help with this. The classic mindfulness meditation is simple: you sit with your eyes closed and focus on your breath. You can do this in silence or turn on calm classical music or a track with the sounds of nature.
It is believed that to achieve a positive effect on health and intelligence, you need to meditate for at least 12 minutes a day. Daily short-term meditations are much more useful than long-term practices that are performed twice a week or occasionally. The beginning of a new year is the best time to take care of your health and give your brain a rest.