Selflessness -- Core Of All Major World Religions -- Has Neuropsychological Connection
Or directly from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081217124156.htm Also http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/message/202563 > > 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. > > > > > > om
