The results appear to be promising, and the uses of mindfulness in the military appear to be growing. The article touches on the work on Martin Paulus, a neuroscientist at University of California, San Diego, who uses MRI scans to see how meditation affects the brain. He says meditation increases activity in the insula. An active insula suggests improved ability to handle trauma and stress because it makes the body’s physical and emotional signals more clear. “Once you’re aware of the signals, they have less power over you,” he says. “Think of it like a thermostat: If you aren’t feeling what’s going on, you can’t adjust to it.” Read the Washington Post article.
