Can meditation change your brain? A new study out of UMass Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital has found that a type of meditation — called mindfulness training — actually increases the gray matter in brain cells. 

 I spoke recently with study co-author James Carmody, a psychologist at UMass-Worcester. He explained that mindfulness training is a relaxation method by which people watch their own thought processes unfold. it’s thought to reduce stress and create a sense of well-being. He says this is the first research to show the direct impact of mindfulness on the brain structure.