Are TM-researchers measuring the wrong or a different thing? > > > Spirituality Spot Found in Brain
"This study, along with other recent neuroradiological studies of Buddhist meditators and Francescan nuns, suggests that all individuals, regardless of cultural background or religion, experience the same neuropsychological functions during spiritual experiences, such as transcendence. Transcendence, feelings of universal unity and decreased sense of self, is a core tenet of all major religions. Meditation and prayer are the primary vehicles by which such spiritual transcendence is achieved. "The brain functions in a certain way during spiritual experiences,"" > & that 'best' hard hitting meditation from > off the David Lynch TM site, http://tinyurl.com/8dh76d > > Would the 'best' for your health also be spiritual in practice like > some other meditation practice? > > Are TM-researchers measuring the wrong or a different thing? > > > <paste> > "Just as there are many kinds of medication, there are also many > approaches that are termed `meditation.' > > The vast majority of the research on meditation has been on > Transcendental Meditationand the findings clearly indicate that TM > works better than other researched mental techniques to promote > health. > > If research shows that a specific medication helps treat a disorder, > it would be irresponsible and illogical to conclude that all > medications help treat that disorder. In the same way, research on TM > should not be generalized to include other techniques also > called `meditation.' We should intelligently choose what works and > what is supported by research. Therefore I strongly support the > introduction specifically of Transcendental Meditation into our > nation's schools and health care systems." > > http://www.davidlynchfoundation.org/research/scientific-evidence- that- > the-program-works.html > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "min.pige" <min.pige@> wrote: > > > > Spirituality Spot Found in Brain > > > > By Robin Nixon > > Special to LiveScience > > LiveScience.com robin Nixon > > special To Livescience > > livescience.com â" Wed Dec 24, 9:19 am ET > > > > What makes us feel spiritual? It could be the quieting of a small > area > > in our brains, a new study suggests. > > > > The area in question - the right parietal lobe - is responsible for > > defining "Me," said researcher Brick Johnstone of Missouri > University. > > It generates self-criticism, he said, and guides us through physical > > and social terrains by constantly updating our self-knowledge: my > > hand, my cocktail, my witty conversation skills, my new love > interest ... > > > > People with less active Me-Definers are more likely to lead > spiritual > > lives, reports the study in the current issue of the journal Zygon. > > > > Most previous research on neuro-spirituality has been based on brain > > scans of actively practicing adherents (i.e. meditating monks, > praying > > nuns) and has resulted in broad and inconclusive findings. (Is the > > brain area lighting up in response to verse or spiritual > experience?) > > > > So Johnstone and colleague Bret Glass turned to the tried-and-true > > techniques of neuroscience's early days - studying brain-injured > > patients. The researchers tested brain regions implicated in the > > previous imaging studies with exams tailored to each area's > expertise > > - similar to studying the prowess of an ear with a hearing test. > They > > then looked for correlations between brain region performance and > the > > subjects' self-reported spirituality. > > > > Among the more spiritual of the 26 subjects, the researchers > > pinpointed a less functional right parietal lobe, a physical state > > which may translate psychologically as decreased self-awareness and > > self-focus. > > > > The finding suggests that one core tenant of spiritual experience is > > selflessness, said Johnstone, adding that he hopes the study "will > > help people think about spirituality in more specific ways." > > > > Spiritual outlooks have long been associated with better mental and > > physical health. These benefits, Johnstone speculated, may stem from > > being focused less on one's self and more on others - a natural > > consequence of turning down the volume on the Me-Definer. > > > > In addition to religious practices, other behaviors and experiences > > are known to hush the Definer of Me. Appreciation of art or nature > can > > quiet it, Johnstone said, pointing out that people talk of "losing > > themselves" in a particularly beautiful song. Love, and even charity > > work, can also soften the boundaries of "Me," he said. > > > > The greatest silencing of the Me-Definer likely happens in the > deepest > > states of meditation or prayer, said Johnstone, when practitioners > > describe feeling seamless with the entire universe. > > That is, the highest point of spiritual experience occurs when "Me" > > completely loses its definition. > > > > "If you look in the Torah, the Old Testament, the New Testament, in > > the Koran, a lot of Sufi writings, Buddhist writings, and Hindu > > writings, they all talk about selflessness," said Johnstone. > > > > We may be finding the neurological underpinnings of these writings, > he > > said. > > >
