--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "sparaig" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
All interesting stuff. But it leads to the question: is this quieting (shut-down may be too extreme a pharase) of the thalmus ever seen outside of TM? That is, is it totally unique to TM? I am asking beyond meditation techniques. For example, has it ever been observed under influence of pharecuticals, herbs, heroin, various illnesses, post-extreme exercise, heavy endorphin conditions, traditional or modern medical procedures, some sleep patterns, anesthesia, etc. I am not challenging you or being argumentative. I am sincerely curious. Its fascinating to see interesting correlations of physiology with TM and other techniques. However, if the same thing happens with some other things -- such as brain coherence with epilepsy - it provides some sperspective -- and raises a new bundle of research and philosophical questions. > Contrast this with Fred's theory about samadhi: > > The thalamus is the gateway to about 90% of sensory input into the brain (almost all > visual, auditory and tactile input goes straight through the thalmus while taste and smell > bypasses it) and it acts as a switchboard sending incoming sensory information from the > various senses to the relevant parts of the brain for processing. Those parts of the brain > then send the processed information back to the thalamus which routes them back > through the loop again, modifying the incoming raw sensory input with the processed > input. > > When you sleep, the thalamus tends to shut down, but the rest of the brain becomes less > alert. During samadhi (ala TM) the thalamus tends to shut down, but the brain remains > alert, according to various fMRI and EEG studies. The mind has "withdrawn its senses like a > turtoise withdraws its limbs into its shell" and awareness is left awake to itself without > sensory input--even the "subtle" sensory input from the feedback--to modify it. > > This is radically different than what is found during other forms of meditation, even/ > especially when "bliss" is reported during them. > > It's the dfference between relative and absolute, played out neurologically within the brain. > OR, the experience of this within the brain, leads one to describe the world in these terms. > Either way, its radically different than the high concentration Buddhist meditation findings > that Vaj likes to tout here. > > And the TM-Sidhis MERGE this neural behavior with activity, as MMY says, or so the EEG > findings strongly suggest. > To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/