--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj <vajradh...@...> wrote: > > > On Aug 21, 2009, at 10:39 PM, raunchydog wrote: > > > Then how come, "Frontal alpha coherence is not reported in other > > meditation practices? > >
Travis isn't talking about "just" alpha which anyone can demonstrate doing biofeedback, listening to music, daydreaming etc. He's talking specifically about alpha coherence in the frontal lobes of the brain, which no one has found in other forms of meditation or in people just relaxing. He's comparing three types of meditation techniques and TM is the only one that produces "frontal alpha coherence." Since relaxation and other forms of meditation can't reproduce it, it must be unique to TM. The fact that we don't know what it "means" doesn't negate its uniqueness, maybe it just means "something good is happening." "Meditation in the Tibetan Buddhism tradition has been generally described as: "Reasoned deconstruction of the reality of objects experienced in meditation, as well as concentrative practices to create moods such as pure compassion, loving kindness; or no self. This involves focused attention, and control of the mind. It involves concentration. Mindfulness Meditation is described by Paul Grossman as: Systematic procedure to develop enhanced awareness of moment-to-moment experiences. Mindfulness includes two meditation practices: - with eyes closed: attention on breath. - with eyes open: dispassionate observation of body, senses and environment. This meditation involves intention or directing of attention to physiological rhythms, inner thoughts, sensations or outer objects. Transcendental Meditation technique is a process of effortless transcending... As a working hypothesis, let's accept that TM is effortless, and then generate testable hypotheses. One of these testable hypotheses, is: If TM is effortless, then people should quickly master the practice of transcending. Research supports this hypothesis. In the next slide, we see EEG during TM in students of the same age, but with very different levels of time practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique. The one on the left just learned the TM technique, as a new student at Maharishi University of Management. The one on the right has been meditating since he was 10 years old." http://www.fredtravis.com/talk.html > It isn't considered important because it's low integration and common. > Usually meditation will only briefly stay in alpha until it goes to > deeper levels of absorption. > > As one of the primary experts on EEG Barbara Brown said about alpha > "Concluding anything about alpha is perilous." All it means in the > case of TM you are listening to a faint sound, a mantra, you're nicely > relaxed or both. But you can poise yourself as is listening to ANY > faint noise and alpha will shoot up. Big whoop. Many things can get > you into the alpha state, but in deep meditation alpha is passed by. > > > > interesting findings seem to be coming from high-amplitude gamma > > > coherence which was originally found in Patanjali tradition yogis > > who > > > could go into samadhi at will. In Buddhists that EEG coherence, > > which > > > oddly connects the part of the brain associated with integration, > > > continues even when these yogis are not meditating. > > > > > > "And that's the way it is", as Walter Cronkite used to say. > > > > > > > Well, that's the way Vaj says it is. > > > > "What strikes me as uncool is feeling that a cool thing attributable > > to TM must somehow be "countered" because it isn't attributable to > > Buddhism." > > If that's what's happening, that would be uncool. But that's not > what's happening. What's happening is meditation researchers who are > reputable have gained considerable wisdom in different ways of looking > at the brain, and EEG is one we know a lot about already. When the > leading researchers on the planet say TM's claims are exaggerated and > premature (among other things), it would bade well to find out "why". > > Since I had heard rumors of the exaggeration by old staff who had > worked with Maharishi in the original disappointing findings way back > in the 80's, the researchers were basically told "go with the alpha". > They had no choice. They did what Maharishi insisted was significant. > Forcing researchers to report a finding as significant that they felt > (and knew) was insignificant is always bound to catch up with you. And > IMO that's exactly what has happened. > > Boy, was I disappointed when I first heard that. Wake up call! >
