This thread has been kicking some serious ass! Nothing to add except, thanks to the writers.
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Stu" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "sparaig" <LEnglish5@> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Hugo" richardhughes103@ wrote: > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "sparaig" <LEnglish5@> wrote: > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Stu" <buttsplicer@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Hugo" <richardhughes103@> > > > > > wrote: > > > snip > What is left is the primitive mind, > > > effectively an > > > > > artificial taste of pre-linguistic consciousness . > > > > > > > > > > > > > That's not the theory that Travis and company are going with these > > > days. > > > > > > > > The "shutting down" isn't of some specific part of the cortext. > Its > > > of the thalamic > > > > activity that serves to merge cortical activity with the raw > > > sensory data > > > > while still allowign the brain to remain alert. The various parts > > > of the cortex > > > > remain active, but they are no longer modified by > sensory-feedback > > > loops > > > > as is the case with waking and dreaming states, and unlike > > > sleeping, the > > > > brain remains alert. So the activity that is going on is pure > > > optimization > > > > of the connections of the brain without distractions from the > > > outside world OR > > > > from the inner world of dreams and imagination. > > > > > > > > Lawson > > > > > > Good point Lawson. Stu's idea here is too pat. It's > > > a nice idea that we are just returning to a more happy > > > primitive state but is there any evidence? Maybe Stu's > > > view is that of a culutural christian who would interpret > > > it in terms of returning to a better time, a garden of Eden. > > I am suggesting that the experience is the same. However the > interpretation of the experience reveals more about the person's > perspective than anything about the experience itself. > > I would not say that shutting down "thought" is a return to a happy > primitive state. Happiness may be a valid interpretation of the state. > However, in a book called Nausea by Sartre he interpreted the peak > experience as nausea. Also valid. > > Therefore, one would have to look at all the possible interpretations of > the meditative state as valid and break them down into various > categories. I think we would find a spectrum of interpretations like > primitive/happy, mythic/godlike, rational/relaxation response and so on. > All valid, all reflective of traits of the individual and his/her > society. Many of us have prolly found ourselves interpreting the state > various ways ourselves. > > The next step is to analyze these various perspectives and understand > the underlying common "truth" to all of them. I hold that the various > perspectives are not equal and some interpretations are more beneficial > than others depending on the interpreters life situation. A dessert > nomad is going to find greater benefit in one interpretation than a > modern western person with an entirely different set of values and > attitudes. > > > > > > > Perhaps it's as unlikely as MMYs idea that we are experiencing > > > more subtle and refined thoughts finally ending up with "pure" > > > thought when to me it seems to be a pleasant kind of fugue state. > > > > Precisely. > > > > Eh, you can see where the impression of "more subtle, powerful > thought" > > would arise. As the brain relaxes, it tends to become more coherent. > > If the thalamus is shutting down its function as gateway to the > senses, > > then any thinking will be in a less active form, and might well appear > > to be quieter and more subtle internally. And in fact, in a sense, it > > just might be, as it would be activity imposed on a brain that is > working > > with larger and larger collections of neurons working in-phase. > > > > I believe it isn't a wrong description to call this the reservoir of > creativity > > and thought. The larger the range of connections involved, the higher > > the processing power, according to neural network theory. > > > > Lawson > > > I thank you for that Lawson. I love how mind research is leading us to > some interesting mapping of brain architecture. As I have talked to > these neuroscientists I have found the jury is out. IMHO the world of > ideas these maps form are far more accurate model than the maps using > sun gods and chakras. > > By shutting down the prefrontal cortex I am saying more or less the same > thing as you are. The management function, which is the primary concern > of the cortex is effectively shut down during meditation. Your point is > well taken unlike unconsciousness there is still "in-phase" activity. > In any event this interpretation of the occasion of meditation still is > interpretation and mostly reveals our predilection for methodological > research as an explanation rather than resorting to the world of > unicorns and moonbeams. > > Our discussion of meditation brings out the inner-geek in us. Its the > post-modern way. True to the skills of yoga (or the practice of > decontruction) we hold the practice before us and observe it, be with > it, understand it for what it is. > > s. >
