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Meditation Understanding Consciousness Through Ancient Traditions

Meditation Understanding Consciousness Through Ancient Traditions. C. Alexander Simpkins PhD Annellen M. Simpkins PhD 2008. Introduction to the West. West’s first introduction to Eastern meditation & Eastern religions The First World Parliament of Religions 1893 in Chicago

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Meditation Understanding Consciousness Through Ancient Traditions

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  1. MeditationUnderstanding Consciousness Through Ancient Traditions C. Alexander Simpkins PhD Annellen M. Simpkins PhD 2008

  2. Introduction to the West • West’s first introduction to Eastern meditation & Eastern religions • The First World Parliament of Religions • 1893 in Chicago • Brought great teachers • Vivekananda (1863-1902) • Hindu yogi, practitioner of vedanta • Spokesman for common features in all religions • Opened the way for scientific inquiry

  3. Introduction to theWest continued • D.T. Suzuki (1870-1966) • First visited the US at the 1893 conference • Sponsored to stay in the US to translate classics for Paul Carus, publisher • Influential teacher of Zen and Buddhism for westerners • J. Krishnamurti (1895-1986) • Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (b. 1917 ) • Founder of TM (Transcendental Meditation)

  4. Early Research • Arthur Deikman, (1963) opened the way • Deautomatizing psychic structures • Questionnaire Studies • Identified factors such as self-transcendence, openness, feeling oneness with the eternal (Osis, Bokert, & Carson, 1973) • Questionnaires before and after meditation (Kohr, 1977) • Measurement Studies • Press lever when a thought intruded • Combined with questionnaires (Nuys, 1973; Kubose, 1976)

  5. Effects of Meditation • Alter involuntary processes • Swami Rama demonstrated ability to control internal states(Green, Green, and Walters, 1970) • Dual Effect • Increased beta for alertness & wakefulness (Schneider & Tarsis, 1986) • Along with increased slower alpha & theta associated with relaxation (Bhatia et. Al., 2003) • Improved quality of attention (Lutz et.al, 2004) • Higher gamma baseline across both hemispheres using more of brain • The decoupling of attention from arousal brings about calmer, more receptive attention • Meditators using more of brain (Hankey, 2006) • Increased brain coherence • Broad activation for better mental development generally

  6. Forms of Meditation Researched • Transcendental Meditation (TM) • The Relaxation Response • Following the breath, quieting the mind (Benson, 1978) • Lower blood pressure • Decreased blood pressure in borderline hypertensive subjects who practiced meditation (Benson, Matzetta & Kennchuck,1974) • Treatment for Drug Abuse • Decreased drug abuse with transcendental meditation (Benson & Wallace, 1972) • Stress Reduction- • (Dillbeck, Assimakis, Raimondi, Orne-Johnson, & Rowe, 1986)

  7. Forms of Meditation Researched • Mindfulness • Stress (Kabat-Zinn, 1995) • Mindful learning (Langer, 1989) • Alcohol & substance abuse (Witkiewitz, Marlatt & Walker, 2005) • Qigong • Less neurotic than non-meditators (Leung & Singhal, 2004) • Kundalini Yoga • (Shannohoff-Khalsa, Kundalini Yoga Meditation: Techniques Specific for Psychiatric Disorders, Couples Therapy, and Personal Growth, 2006 • Depression, addiction, sleep disorders, ADHD

  8. Meditation and Aging • Increased thickness of areas in prefrontal regions of the cerebral cortex associated with sustained attention (Lazar, et. al, 2005) • Sensing of inner experiencing • Increased spontaneity • Visual and auditory sensing • Regular meditators in normal lifestyles • Older meditators’ cortical thickness comparable to 20 year olds in these specific areas

  9. Reduction of Hostility • Large studies show decreased violence in a community (Hagelin et. Al, 1999). • TM-4000 participants in Washington DC, June 7-30, 1993 • Statistics from local police showed 15% lower crime rate • Effects remained for 21 days following study • Rhode Island • Decreased smoking, alcohol consumption & auto accidents (Dillbeck,et al, 1987). • Decreased wartime hostility in Lebanon • Collective meditation study (Nader, Alexander & Davies, 1992).

  10. How To Interpret & Integrate Research Understandings • Some have operationalized the methods • Mindfulness Siegel, D., The Mindful Brain, 2007 • Abstracted from any tradition • Makes it useful and researchable • Incorporate schemas from many traditions • Simpkins, Meditation from Thought to Action, 2007 • Keep the context: like gestalt figure/ground, the ground helps define the figure • Many meditation methods from varied traditions shown to be effective • Utilize methods from these many traditions • Allows choice and options to treat different conditions

  11. Great Meditation Traditions Yoga • More than postures • Meaning of the word yoga: to yoke • Ancient Hindu texts: • the Vedas 5000-2000 BC • Upanishads (800-600 BC) • Early reference to the mind and how to control it • Bhagavad Gita (fifth to second century BC) • Krishna guides Arjuna to perform his life’s roles wholeheartedly through yoga

  12. Krishna the Charioteer

  13. Patanjali Outline of Yoga (2nd Century AD) • Yoga Sutras & Metaphor of a Tree with Eight Limbs • Yamas • Niyamas • Asanas • Pranayama • Pratyahara • Dharana • Dhyana • Samadhi

  14. Buddhism • Origins in Hinduism • Began with Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 B.C.) • After enlightenment he was called the Buddha • Theravada • Renounce this life for nirvana • Arhat ideal • Mindfulness • Mahayana • Enlightenment in this life • Bodhisattva ideal • Emptiness • Vajrayana-The Third Vehicle-Tibetan Buddhism • Combines yoga and Buddhism • Uses symbolic practices

  15. Buddha to be Sakyamuni

  16. The Four Noble Truths • 1) Life is Filled with Suffering • Not pessimistic • 2) Recognize the Root of Suffering • Self-centered desires • Impermanence • 3) How to put an end to suffering • Letting go of craving for pleasure and hating pain • Cultivate non-judgmental awareness • Appreciate things as they are • 4) Follow the Eightfold Path • Right views, right intent, right speech, • right action right livelihood, right effort, • right mindfulness, right meditation

  17. Daoism • Ancient Chinese philosophy • Later became a religion • Based in the unformed, mystical guiding principle of Dao, the way • Legendary founder • Laozi b. 604 BC • Wrote the famous Dao De Jing

  18. Daoist Themes • Dao • Undifferentiated, unknowable source for all things • The uncarved block: before it is anything can be all things • Yin and Yang • How the world appears to us • Can’t know up without down, dark without light • Qi • All is moving, flowing, changing energy • Non-Action: Wu-wei • Take no action • Go with the flow and let be

  19. Yin-Yang

  20. Daoist Applications • Healing • Acupuncture & acupressure • Herbal medicine • Painting • Feng-shui • Qigong • Martial arts

  21. Zen Buddhism • Zen came from a blending of Buddhism & Daoism • Bodhidharma (440-528) • Legendary founder of Zen • Also founded martial arts • Return to pure form of Buddhism without rituals and elaborate practices • Taught meditation • Zen traveled to Korea and Japan and then to the West

  22. Bodhidharma paintedby Zen master Hakuin (1685-1768)

  23. Zen Themes • Beyond concepts • Non-linguistic, non-rational, non-analytical thought • Finger pointing to the moon is not the moon • Emptiness: not even nothing exists • Form is emptiness and emptiness is form • Similar to scientific recognition that the world is not solid and real on subatomic level, but it is real and substantial • No-self, no other • Enlightenment is wisdom’s fulfillment • Mountains are mountains

  24. Patterns of Cognition in Zen • Clearing the mind does not clear away thinking, just clears conceptual thought • Concepts are limiting • Continual re-sampling from the stream of cognitive processes • Any cognitive thought is like a sampling • Rather than focusing on any one sample, stay with the stream • Don’t take a cup, dip it into the river and claim, this is the river. • Zen says, don’t just sample it, stay immersed in the river, awarely • Set aside thought or expectation • Each moment is new • Direct perception is possible

  25. Zen Methods • Meditation • Koans • Thought without using reason • Unconscious use of mind • Helps communicate directly the experience of Zen • “Think about nothing and don’t think anything about it • Zen Arts • Cha-no-yu, the Tea Way • Sumi-e • Flower arrangement, gardening, dry gardens • Martial arts • Haiku (poetry)

  26. Samurai

  27. Shriki by Miyamoto Musashi

  28. Sumi-e- The Way of the Brush

  29. Classic Meditations • Paradigm: Empty the Mind and Fill the Mind • Classic Filling the Mind Meditations • Breathing • Counting the breaths • Attention to the breathing • Mindfulness: • Non-judgmental awareness • Mindful of body • Mindful of emotions • Mindful of thoughts • Mindful of sitting now

  30. Classic Meditations • Empty the mind • ZaZen • Daoist emptying

  31. Integration • Raising Qi • Instant meditation • Empty and full, neither and both • Beyond concepts, unconscious • Extending loving kindness

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