Meditation and Science (blood, America, experience, service)

[Cynic]

"Using electroencephalograms, Davidson recorded
the brain activity of eight veteran monks while
they were practicing deep meditation. He then
compared their brain waves with those of novices
who had received only a week’s training in meditation."
-scientific american mind, Jan-05



"A gamma wave is a pattern of brain waves, associated with perception and consciousness. Gamma waves are produced when masses of neurons emit electrical signals at the rate of around 40 times a second (40 hertz or Hz), but can often be between 26 and upwards of 70 Hz. By one definition, gamma waves are manifest at 24 Hz and higher, though researchers have recognized that higher level cognitive activities occur when lower frequency gamma waves suddenly double into the 40 Hz range. Research has shown gamma waves are continuously present during low voltage fast neocortical activity (LVFA), which occurs during the process of awakening and during active rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Some researchers do not distinguish gamma waves as a distinct class but include them in beta brain waves." -wikipedia

[Neale]

I know someone whose going to be in something called the "Shamada Project." It is a comprehensive, scientific study of the effects of meditation, headed by the Dalai Lama's translator. I think I got the details right, it's kind of nebulous to me though.

It should be interesting to see the results!

[Random]

Fascinating, though how much examination of brainwave activity as the physical interface or perception and consciousness tells us about meditation in general is open to debate. I meditate myself and I know the benefits of it to me personally, but I believe the experiences that result from the discipline differ for each practitioner. Still, good post.

[Hacker]

I think it's absolutely facinating!
Have you ever checked out www.brainsync.com? They have mediation Cd's that have binural beats to trigger a stimulus in the brain that corresponds to the theta/delta waves that one so eagerly desires during mediation. It may take YEARS for some to achieve this relaxed state, however, these CD's are designed to get you there faster for impatient people like me .(I'm working on it though, and I haven't been mediating and I think I need to start again).

[Hema]

Once during satsangh (Hindu services), our blood pressures were taken before meditation and afterwards, when they were remeasured, they were found to have dropped.

[Aupmanyav]

Bio-feedback. I do not think science has any doubts about the benefits of meditation, of course, we do not know about the limits. I do not expect meditation to make people levitate.