Meditação, bem-estar e a ciência psicológica: revisão de estudos empíricos

Sitting and silent meditation can be described as a mental training, which has been traditionally associated with well-being. The growing scientific interest in it has helped confirm this association through various methodologies. This work aims to discuss the interface between some of the tenets of meditation and psychological science concerning well-being, as well as empirical results supporting the effects of this practice on positive emotional experiences. It also proposes that this relationship is mediated by three main and interdependent psychological processes: relaxation, metacognition/ mindfulness, and self-regulation. We discuss that the investigation of such mechanisms and the general effects of meditation can contribute to its application in the field of psychology, as well as to the development of the psychological science. Keywords: meditation; well-being; relaxation; mindfulness; self-regulation