Weight lifting for the brain

[Zerbie]

Daniel, Scotty, and I have been chatting about meditation on the "Beltaine" thread, so I thought we could have a more general discussion here.

Here's an article about brain imaging by researchers on meditating monks versus non-meditators:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2005Jan2.html

Similarly:
http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma8/monkstudy.html

[tymejumper]

I read about that in an issue of Discover Magazine last year. My co-worker is a 4th degree black belt and he had to stop meditating because he would stand up afterwards and pass out. His blood pressure and heat rate went so low, he got 'Syncope'(dizziness, passing out) from it.

If I get stressed, I do rely on it. I took my blood pressure before I did one day and afterwards, I dropped 20 points. I did this for a demonstration for my college class. They thought it was a great relaxation technique.

I find the hardest part is getting my mind quiet enough. I guess I cheat and put soft music on (Enigma actually) and meditate to that. It helps me focus more clearly.

[Zerbie]

Another interesting article.
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neur...b2/Benner.html

[Zerbie]

Originally Posted by tymejumper

I read about that in an issue of Discover Magazine last year. My co-worker is a 4th degree black belt and he had to stop meditating because he would stand up afterwards and pass out. His blood pressure and heat rate went so low, he got 'Syncope'(dizziness, passing out) from it.

If I get stressed, I do rely on it. I took my blood pressure before I did one day and afterwards, I dropped 20 points. I did this for a demonstration for my college class. They thought it was a great relaxation technique.

I find the hardest part is getting my mind quiet enough. I guess I cheat and put soft music on (Enigma actually) and meditate to that. It helps me focus more clearly.

I have lower than average blood pressure also. Experimented til I found ways of working with it. Have found I actually need to add salt to drinking water much of the time. The dizziness stopped. If it comes back, I add more salt until it goes away, and -- it works!

With regard to the salt thing, or the music thing, if it works, do it.

[scott snedeker]

Ok! I get it! biological changes are profoundly dependent on meditation. this I can take AS FACT! i love the conclusion that age does not prevent

I'm on the right path. Mebbe I'm destined for buddhism.

[Alecto]

I've heard people encourage others to try soft, non-verbal music. If it has words in your language or one you know, it's more distracting than anything, otherwise...yeah. I don't think it's "cheating" at all, but then my experience with meditation is not necessarily aligned with any specific religion, "path", or even teacher. ::shrug::

[Daniel]

Originally Posted by scott snedeker

Ok! I get it! biological changes are profoundly dependent on meditation. this I can take AS FACT! i love the conclusion that age does not prevent

I'm on the right path. Mebbe I'm destined for buddhism.

...as I've observered- is that they don't care what you call yourself. Instead, they are more concerned about what one actually does. And meditation falls in the latter category.

I read a NYTimes article- some months ago- about how even a short amount of meditation has a positive and permanent effect on the brain- as noted in the Washington Post article. So there is a physiological basis for it.

And what is interesting to me is that the study that was done in the link provided by Zerbie concentrated on the practice of compassion. And while it did not name the practice, I believe what was referred to was the practice of Tonglen, which has been discussed on other threads here.

Get those gamma bursts going! (grin)

[Gennee]

Meditation does help me to relax, focus, and reflect. I have done it over the years and need to do it more often. WhenI meditate on the scriptures, it seems that they are much clearer to me and uninhibited by my preconceived notions.

Gennee