Zen meditation, Length of Telomeres, and the Role of Experiential Avoidance and Compassion
Mindfulness February 22, 2016 Marta Alda, Marta Puebla‐guedea, Baltasar Rodero et al. 87 citations
Meditation experts had longer telomeres and fewer short telomeres than matched non-meditators. The psychological factor most strongly linked to telomere maintenance was the absence of experiential avoidance—the tendency to suppress or avoid negative emotions and thoughts—along with a sense of common humanity, as measured by the Self-Compassion Scale. These findings suggest that how meditators relate to their inner experience, rather than meditation itself, may be key to cellular aging.