--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, navashok <no_reply@...> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "sparaig" <LEnglish5@> wrote: > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <authfriend@> wrote: > > > > > > I suspect you are both misreading what Lawson had in mind. > > > He isn't stupid, and he knows the TM research better than > > > anyone here. I'm not sure what he means either, but I'd > > > suggest you wait to draw any conclusions until he can clarify. > > > It's very highly unlikely that either of you would be able to > > > come up with something he had missed or hadn't accounted for. > > > > > > > The pattern during TM is one of increased alpha EEG coherence, and that > > starts to level off (but never completely stops changing) after a few > > months of TM , but the longer one has been practicing the more the EEG > > outside of TM practice starts to resemble the EEG during TM practice. > > > > Now, the EEG found during pure consciousness is the most coherent found in > > a given TMer and if you look just at the EEG during PC, there's obviously > > some room for refinement during practice, but the average outside of > > practice starts to resemble the average during, and that was my point... > > > > because, in contrast, the average EEG during mantra-based meditation > > What do you mean by mantra based meditation? TM IS mantra based.
Well, technically, a mantra is used in TM practice, but mantra-based practices are considered focused attention practices, and those tend to show more and more gamma EEG the longer you have been doing them. > > > shifts from relaxed alpha to concentrative gamma as one becomes more > > experienced, and the average EEG outside of such practices also shifts > > towards less alpha and more gamma. > > > > And that is bad or worse? How do you know? > Well, insomuch as these techniques all tend to fragment the brain as a side-effect of the long-term practice, while PC is a period where the brain is idling in a vary coherent way, showing the EEG associated with relaxation and rest, rather than concentration and effort, I have no way of knowing... > In my experience, with higher states there comes a spontaneous concentration, > really concentrated awareness, completely focused and without effort. > Maharishi might say point value. > Well with TM, if you REALLY are in samadhi (pure consciousness), you can't note it until such time as some degree of waking state consciousness reassumes, and by then, you are no longer in the pure state. While the PC signature becomes more and more obvious outside of PC, PC + waking, even during meditation, is still not the real deal. The way that can be spoken about is not the real way. The literal translation, btw, is: the way that can be way-ed, is not a way. In other words, if it is concrete enough to be something you can point to or even attempt to describe, its not the real deal. Calling in "total concentration" or "pure consciousness" or whatever is just a philosophical fiction based on your waking state + PC experience. L
