Why meditation?

The Dalai Lama is very keen that Buddhism and science cross fertilise each other.

It's only become clear to me recently why this is is important in the context of our more secular lives in capital cities.

In order to actually bring a change into your life, or say, to break a habit; you have to allow the seed of intention to be fertilised, and to grow. This can only happen where there is a place of possibility for this to occur.

This is meditation.

To bring in a little neuroscience; its where the brain actually has a place to allow the pains and patterns of the past to recede: and to fully welcome the neuroplastic change we need the space of emptiness or non thinking to permit the brain to let go of the habits. Then when we do fully intend to change we do not automatically fall back into the old pattern because we have allowed a space to open up where the new seed or the desire to change behaviour can fully flourish.