About This Website

This website has been developed by Dr Peter Malinowski. Find out about the background of the meditation research website. Read about the history, the why and the how of meditation research.

For information how it is financed, please check out our Financial details page.

A bit of background and what we offer

Since the beginning of the new millenium the interest in the scientific exploration of meditation practices – in particular those of buddhist descent – has been increasing dramatically. New studies appear continuously, contributing to the ever-growing scientific descriptions of the processes involved in regular meditation practices and their enduring effects, physiologically as well as psychologically.

As I find myself in the fortunate situation to live at the intersection between science (as trained researcher in psychology and cognitive neuroscience) and meditation practice (with more than 30 years of own meditation practice, and many years as meditation/mindfulness trainer), many friends and colleagues ask me to explain in understandable terms what all this meditation research is about and what the most exciting findings are. This website is a result of these requests: to share  my thoughts on current developments regarding the science of meditation.

In 2019 I decided to write a book that explains the ever-growing scientific evidence about meditation. But very soon I realised that this would be a lost battle: before a book would even go to print it would be outdated! Faced with this dilemma, I returned to my meditation-research blog, realising that it offers the solution: a dynamic resource that explains the science of meditation as it happens; a combination of ‘current affairs’ comments and a curated knowledge base that condenses the state of the art.

In Spring 2020 the time for relaunching the website had finally arrived. Meanwhile also Dr Kat Schneider, a former PhD student of ours, and Dr Shalamanova, had joined, ehancing the knowledge base with profound curated content.

The newly developed site now has three sections:

  1. Our Meditation Research Blog – for running commentaries on the latest developments in meditation research, book reviews and other content we deem worth sharing. The blog, is – and will remain – free.
  2. Our Curated Knowledge Base – a continuously developing resource for researchers, practitioners and everyone else interested in the science of meditation. Access to the knowledge base is subscription-based, with a range of attractive membership options.
  3. Our Meditation Research Lab, displays the research we carry out at our Meditation and Research Lab at the Research Centre for Brain and Behaviour, Liverpool John Moores University.

Dr Peter Malinowski, founder of the Meditation Research Lab at Liverpool John Moores University, discussed (some years ago – in 2011) the practice of mindfulness, it’s benefits and applications. He explains some of the research projects of the group, exploring the effects of mindfulness practice on cognitive ageing and healthy eating.

ABOUT

Dr Peter Malinowski
Founder and Chief Editor of Meditation Research

Related websites

Website of Dr Peter Malinowski 
including CV, publications etc
www.pmalinowski.de