A psychological perspective on meditation
The importance of Buddhism within Thai society is reflected virtually everywhere one looks. From ornate Buddhist wats or temples and beautiful images of the Buddha in his traditional poses, to the gracious and peaceful temperament of the Thai people, the influence of Buddhism seems to permeate the culture.
The high degree of respect offered to Buddhist Monks and the reverence accorded Buddhist symbols and rituals are powerful indicators of the continuing influence of this ancient tradition within contemporary Thai society. The central practice of Buddhism, meditation, is practiced on a daily basis by many Thai Buddhists.
The altered physiological and mental states produced by the practice of meditation have been the object of great interest among psychologists over the years. Researchers have extensively studied meditation using devices that measure and record neuroelectric activity in the brain, and modern brain imaging technologies. A summary of the current state of psychological understanding of meditation is presented in this month’s issue of the journal Psychological Bulletin published by the American Psychological Association.
Meditation is viewed by psychologists as a set of practices that can be learned as a means of regulating the body and the mind. Like hypnosis, progressive relaxation, and trance-induction techniques, meditation is used to bring about a state of relaxation and an altered state of consciousness.
Two general styles of meditation have been identified: mindfulness and concentrative techniques. Mindfulness involves allowing one’s thoughts and feelings to occur as they will, while focusing attention on them without judgment or analysis. Concentrative techniques focus the attention upon some sound, image, or sensation. Intense concentration upon the process of breathing is an example of a commonly used concentrative technique.
Researchers make a distinction between a meditative state and a trait. A meditative state refers to the immediate changes in sensations, mental activity, and self-awareness that can occur during the practice of meditation. Trait refers to the more lasting changes in those parameters that remain evident, whether or not the individual is actively meditating at a given time. The regular practice of meditation has been shown to produce both short-term state, and long-term trait effects.
State changes are said to include such things as “…a deep sense of calm peacefulness, a cessation or slowing of the mind's internal dialogue, and experiences of perceptual clarity and conscious awareness merging completely with the object of meditation.” Trait changes include “…a deepened sense of calmness, increased sense of comfort, heightened awareness of the sensory field, and a shift in the relationship to thoughts, feelings, and experience of self.”
A number of psychological benefits have been found to result from training in meditation techniques. For example, meditation has been shown to reduce the negative effects of anxiety and stress upon a person’s psychological and physical functioning. In addition, there is some suggestion that the rigorous, long-term practice involved in meditation training could result in long term changes in the way the central nervous system itself functions. Chemical and hormonal changes could, in turn, bring about beneficial changes in behavioral traits. For example, after exposure to stressors in the laboratory, meditation practitioners have been shown to return more quickly to baseline for measures of heart rate and skin conductance.
Mindfulness meditation training has also been shown to hold promise for clinical practice. Improvement in anxiety, immune functioning, pain, and stress-related skin disorders have all been attributed to the practice of meditation. A form of cognitive therapy which employs mindfulness-meditation training has been used effectively to treat depression.
Those who have practiced meditation over long periods of time are usually quite enthusiastic concerning the value of meditation. In addition to the benefits of relaxation and stress management, they often cite the enhancement of self awareness, understanding, and spiritual growth. As one with limited personal experience using meditation, I must defer to the results of the research and to more experienced practitioners. Perhaps as our knowledge of meditation progresses in the future, we will better understand the scientific basis for the more mystical claims of its most ardent promoters.
The high degree of respect offered to Buddhist Monks and the reverence accorded Buddhist symbols and rituals are powerful indicators of the continuing influence of this ancient tradition within contemporary Thai society. The central practice of Buddhism, meditation, is practiced on a daily basis by many Thai Buddhists.
The altered physiological and mental states produced by the practice of meditation have been the object of great interest among psychologists over the years. Researchers have extensively studied meditation using devices that measure and record neuroelectric activity in the brain, and modern brain imaging technologies. A summary of the current state of psychological understanding of meditation is presented in this month’s issue of the journal Psychological Bulletin published by the American Psychological Association.
Meditation is viewed by psychologists as a set of practices that can be learned as a means of regulating the body and the mind. Like hypnosis, progressive relaxation, and trance-induction techniques, meditation is used to bring about a state of relaxation and an altered state of consciousness.
Two general styles of meditation have been identified: mindfulness and concentrative techniques. Mindfulness involves allowing one’s thoughts and feelings to occur as they will, while focusing attention on them without judgment or analysis. Concentrative techniques focus the attention upon some sound, image, or sensation. Intense concentration upon the process of breathing is an example of a commonly used concentrative technique.
Researchers make a distinction between a meditative state and a trait. A meditative state refers to the immediate changes in sensations, mental activity, and self-awareness that can occur during the practice of meditation. Trait refers to the more lasting changes in those parameters that remain evident, whether or not the individual is actively meditating at a given time. The regular practice of meditation has been shown to produce both short-term state, and long-term trait effects.
State changes are said to include such things as “…a deep sense of calm peacefulness, a cessation or slowing of the mind's internal dialogue, and experiences of perceptual clarity and conscious awareness merging completely with the object of meditation.” Trait changes include “…a deepened sense of calmness, increased sense of comfort, heightened awareness of the sensory field, and a shift in the relationship to thoughts, feelings, and experience of self.”
A number of psychological benefits have been found to result from training in meditation techniques. For example, meditation has been shown to reduce the negative effects of anxiety and stress upon a person’s psychological and physical functioning. In addition, there is some suggestion that the rigorous, long-term practice involved in meditation training could result in long term changes in the way the central nervous system itself functions. Chemical and hormonal changes could, in turn, bring about beneficial changes in behavioral traits. For example, after exposure to stressors in the laboratory, meditation practitioners have been shown to return more quickly to baseline for measures of heart rate and skin conductance.
Mindfulness meditation training has also been shown to hold promise for clinical practice. Improvement in anxiety, immune functioning, pain, and stress-related skin disorders have all been attributed to the practice of meditation. A form of cognitive therapy which employs mindfulness-meditation training has been used effectively to treat depression.
Those who have practiced meditation over long periods of time are usually quite enthusiastic concerning the value of meditation. In addition to the benefits of relaxation and stress management, they often cite the enhancement of self awareness, understanding, and spiritual growth. As one with limited personal experience using meditation, I must defer to the results of the research and to more experienced practitioners. Perhaps as our knowledge of meditation progresses in the future, we will better understand the scientific basis for the more mystical claims of its most ardent promoters.
posted by Michael | Saturday, March 25, 2006
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