Study: Meditation Sparks Molecular Changes In The Body

a reply to: TruthxIsxInxThexMist


I find schizophrenia to be one of the most fascinating illnesses out there. It really challenges our ideas of consciousness and mind.

If we look at what people who have had near death experiences say, they generally refer to the "voice" in the brain as being part of the physical brain rather than a part of our spiritual consciousness.

I would try a combination of CBD oil and meditation. We know meditation can produce positive molecular changes in brain biology and the CBD oil offers anti-psychotic and neuroprotective properties.

Unfortunately, good CBD oil is crazy expensive. The cheap bottles you'll find on Amazon aren't worth buying. The effective stuff costs much much more.

I do think meditation will be helpful. I recommend trying some of the Monroe Institute's audio meditation products. Be sure to wear headphones when listening to them. Some are available around the web if you look for them.

www.monroeinstitute.org...

I think the binaural beats brainwave entertainment may be particularly effective.

a reply to: TruthxIsxInxThexMist

Nay bother, I trust it will help.

One more thing, sorry to drift OP, St John's Wort and Frankincense can offer benefits to the pineal gland.

a reply to: AnarchoCapitalist

Awesome aint it? And this is barely scratching the tip.. I mean while it is incredible, it has not even entered the rabbit hole yet. Next step is to study and explain by science how a strong intention while in mindfuless coupled with visualization can literally transcend physical laws and create miracles. When that time comes, science will prove its limitations.

originally posted by: Aphorism

Any basic exercise can alter the human body; and anyone can and will do this without the need to involve all the mystical connotations that goes with wishful thinking.

What need do we have to assume anything? Consciousness is a completely empty term unless it is an abstract way of speaking about the human body.

Okay, let me try to understand your point of view.

Okay - yes any physical activity will change the electro-chemical make-up of the body for a period of time and cumulatively build up lasting change. Okay, I buy that.

One the meditation front you don't see it as being phsyical and so can have no effect? Am I correct?

Do you think that mental activity alone can create electro-chemical changes?

On to consciousness - do you think that consciousness is meerly a manifestation of the physical body? Do you beleive that all volition is a product of the phsycial body and has no separate substance/reality (empty term, wishful thinking - your terms)?

I want to understand how you think/believe that things happen - the body acts then the mind thinks? Is that what you are saying here? More precisely, the body experiences a perceiption and reacts to it. Am I close?

a reply to: FyreByrd

[On] the meditation front you don't see it as being [physical] and so can have no effect? Am I correct?

No—meditation is a physical activity, meaning a physical agent performs an action. Only physical systems can effect physical systems. Anything else is paradox.

Do you think that mental activity alone can create electro-chemical changes?

That depends on what you mean by “mental activity”. If by mental activity you mean the physical act of thinking (physical because a physical agent is required to perform any activity, and any activity is really a physical object performing an action), then I would say no, as much more than what we call “mental activity” creates fundamental changes in our physical makeup and gene expression—environment for instance.

On to consciousness - do you think that consciousness is meerly a manifestation of the physical body? Do you beleive that all volition is a product of the phsycial body and has no separate substance/reality (empty term, wishful thinking - your terms)?

Well not necessarily. Consciousness only ever manifests as the physical body itself, never as any sort of emergent system arising from the physical body. If it was some sort of system, it would possess properties. In order to perceive, feel, be aware etc., we have to be an organism possessed of the necessary components. None of those components are anything called “consciousness”. The physical body—its arousal, its actions, its speech, its responsiveness etc.—is the only system we ever examine, speak about, and experiment on, in regards to consciousness.

I want to understand how you think/believe that things happen - the body acts then the mind thinks? Is that what you are saying here? More precisely, the body experiences a perceiption and reacts to it. Am I close?

I don’t believe there is a such thing as a mind, not unless it is simply another abstract term describing the body. There is body and its actions only.

Apologies to the OP if this is too far off topic.

originally posted by: Aphorism
a reply to: FyreByrd

[On] the meditation front you don't see it as being [physical] and so can have no effect? Am I correct?

No—meditation is a physical activity, meaning a physical agent performs an action. Only physical systems can effect physical systems. Anything else is paradox.

I'm going to take this one step at a time. Define 'agent' for me please? And then define "physical agent"?

And how is meditation a physical activity. Is it a physical activity in the sense that a 'body' is sitting or do you consider cognition a physical activity? Are you saying that thinking is a physical activity because there is measurable electro-chemical activity in the brain during any thinking?

originally posted by: Aphorism
a reply to: FyreByrd


That depends on what you mean by “mental activity”. If by mental activity you mean the physical act of thinking (physical because a physical agent is required to perform any activity, and any activity is really a physical object performing an action), then I would say no, as much more than what we call “mental activity” creates fundamental changes in our physical makeup and gene expression—environment for instance.

I'm waiting for your definitions of 'agent' and 'physical agent'.

Okay now you are talking outside the individual physical being, correct. That other physical beings (alive or not) do impact other physical beings. This is outside the scope what I'm seeking to understand.

I guess the question is and this goes back to agency is that for something to exist has to have physical presence? Is that what your getting at. So, if that is your belief - then thinking is only (what we subjectively perceive in our heads (LOL)) the electrochemical flows in the brain and nothing more. Therefore all think has to be initiated by a physical experience?

If I may?

Meditation is not a physical act; for it is the absence of at least consciousness of the physical.

A paradox? Probably.

originally posted by: Beyond Creation
If I may?

Meditation is not a physical act; for it is the absence of at least consciousness of the physical.

A paradox? Probably.

My personal experience, in life and meditation, agrees. That's why I'm anxious to hear ahproisms definition of 'agent'.

I really do want to understand what is being said as I find it fascinating - it is a common understanding among strict behaviorists too. Though I believe behaviorists would endorse meditation/mindfullness as being a beneficial - lol - behavoir.

Watching your own thoughts, which is a definition of meditation, without following them, has shown me that many arise without my own volition so perhaps there is something to what ahporism is talking about. That said we still have our will (our agency perhaps).

I love this kind of discussion.

a reply to: FyreByrd

I’m going to take this one step at a time. Define 'agent' for me please? And then define "physical agent"?

They are the same thing spoken about in different ways, like how Venus was called the morning star and the evening star at the same time. We can call it whatever we like. But every action requires something to perform the action. For instance, an action such as falling or rising, requires something to fall or rise. The action of meditation, requires something to meditate. That something is the agent. In our case, it is the human being, which happens to be a physical body.

And how is meditation a physical activity. Is it a physical activity in the sense that a 'body' is sitting or do you consider cognition a physical activity? Are you saying that thinking is a physical activity because there is measurable electro-chemical activity in the brain during any thinking?

Cognition requires an entire functioning body. Without a heart, there’s no human cognition. Without a digestive system, there’s no human cognition. Without a skeleton, or skin, or lungs, or a nervous system, or any necessary bodily function acting in a certain manner, there is no cognition. We learn most of what we need to operate in the world at a very young age, and just like any animal, this requires physically interacting with the world using the body, and is essentially the soil from where all cognition not only originates, but resides. For instance, if we lose our legs, we can no longer gain any new memories, experiences, feelings, perceptions, nor awareness from where our legs once were. That part of the “mind” is gone with the legs, because they are one and the same.

Look into the quickly growing cognitive science of embodied cognition, which I suspect will supersede all sorts of mind theories, and revolutionize the cognitive sciences, psychology, philosophy and finally culture, before too long.

I guess the question is and this goes back to agency is that for something to exist has to have physical presence? Is that what your getting at. So, if that is your belief - then thinking is only (what we subjectively perceive in our heads (LOL)) the electrochemical flows in the brain and nothing more. Therefore all think has to be initiated by a physical experience?

Not quite. Limiting a mind to a brain is impossible. Brains do not think. Only bodies do. Imagine yourself in a room seated beside a brain in a vat and tell me what in that room thinks. Consequently, thinking is not electrochemical flows in the brain. It is not merely one organ that thinks, but the entire human organism.

What is your understanding? Are you like most everyone and say some non-physical nothing is trapped within a physical something using its non-physical, non-apparent, non-demonstrative, immaterial, emptiness, to influence and operate a fully physical, fully self-sustaining, fully animated, human body? What are your grounds?

a reply to: TruthxIsxInxThexMist

Schizophrenia can also be a misdiagnosis for other more milder things that also cause psychosis. ANyway its related to self awareness and self identity. I suppose awareness meditation may help you focus on what thoughts are yours and identifying them as your own rather than feeling you have voices not your own through misidentifying your own thoughts. I may be off but that is best to my knowledge.

a reply to: AnarchoCapitalist

Thanks for the reply.

It may be 'Fascinating' to some but I can assure you it's bloody Annoying. I've lived with it for 20 years now and it's still a problem for me when Socializing or just being in crowded areas (I only travel on the tubes/trains when I really have to or go out near or to crowded areas! I recently bought myself a cycle so I can cycle about and avoid the crowds, cycle to open spaces (not much around in the Cities these days) and get with Nature! Think I need Nature & Wildlife as much as I can.

About this meditation. I viewed your link but I can access much of these Meditation Recordings on Youtube. I had a listen last night for 30 Minutes but I'm not sure of what to say when I'm concentrating with eyes closed. What do I say? What I said last night was 'Please help to clear my mind of these voices' 'erase them' 'get them out of my head, my mind' 'fix my brain' these types of things. Didn't work as I went out today and the voices are still there. I know you and others may not agree but I do believe that some of these voices are actually me reading people's minds, not all but some.

Anyways, any help in what to say would be helpful. Also last night while I was massaging my forehead, I received an image of an Apache Indian dancing around a Fire! . Don't know what that was about.

originally posted by: FyreByrd

originally posted by: Aphorism

Any basic exercise can alter the human body; and anyone can and will do this without the need to involve all the mystical connotations that goes with wishful thinking.

What need do we have to assume anything? Consciousness is a completely empty term unless it is an abstract way of speaking about the human body.

Okay, let me try to understand your point of view.

Okay - yes any physical activity will change the electro-chemical make-up of the body for a period of time and cumulatively build up lasting change. Okay, I buy that.

One the meditation front you don't see it as being phsyical and so can have no effect? Am I correct?

Do you think that mental activity alone can create electro-chemical changes?

Obviously, you've never received a letter from the city council informing you that you are in arrears of property tax of over $5000 and that they have send your name and address to the bailiffs office. All because they didn't receive a data file from the university informing them that you were a full-time student. That can certainly change your electro-chemical status.

a reply to: TruthxIsxInxThexMist

Seriously mate, be very careful what you do.

When you start asking for help or looking for 'higher' guidance you can make your self more vulnerable. I naively followed 'instruction' and I had some pretty unpleasant experiences.

This, and all dimensions eg 3rd, 4th, 5th, astral etc are under the same, if not more complex illusions. Don't assume that because a being is from another dimension that is has any more wisdom or love to offer.

A couple of cleansing breaths is all you need to do WRT breathing techniques. The whole 'concentrate on the breath' thing is counter-productive as straight away you are concentrating. Meditation is about the absence of concentration. As far as what to say, be very careful! If any, the only affirmation I use is 'I have no problem with anything' . This should help settle your mind and your emotions.

The feeling of productive meditation is awesome, but if I'm honest...kinda boring. It's nice to stay in 'the zone' for a while, a place where one is nothing but a spec of consciousness, without any sense of time/space/self, however, that's really as far as it can take you without risk. A couple of times I reached a sort of grid, like a huge solid fishing net, but that's as far as one can go IMO.

Let's imagine that many people were able to productively meditate to the highest capacity, and readily feel the infinite joy of unconditional love and acceptance. What would happen to us as a society? We would realise that we
deserve this pure joy and love, we would realise that there is no such thing as death, and what would happen?
We would be impossible to control without a constant sense of feel and peril. Basically, we are denied our right to know and feel a divine essence as TPTB know it would make us bad slaves.

Do meditate but don't have any other intention than resting your mind and all the trapped thoughts that manifest as illness, mental or physical, if only for a while. If you do insist on contacting another spirit then consider it to be a part of yourself. I don't hear voices like you, however, I have heard things as I awake so I know it is a reality. It's up to you to control these voices but by asking for help from any old dimensional being, you may be making things worse.

Think nothing, say nothing but keep onto your will and your faith in Divinity.

The entire world is collapsing. Not just the physical but all of it. WWIII is going to happen. There will be great suffering in the near future so now is the time to really find some inner peace and understand to what you really belong.

I began meditating in 1985. I learned the Transcendental Meditation technique in 1994, and then took the month long TM Sidhi course around 2004. My first experience with lengthy meditations came in 1995 when I took what is called a "residence course" in the U.K.. It was three days of nearly constant meditation. When I left that course I had been transformed dramatically. It was almost difficult to drive because I was so settled. I clearly noticed that I was a calm and serene as I expect a monk might be. Nothing could cause me the slightest amount of stress. Besides this I realized that my mind was functioning with much more creativity and focus than before. I cannot stress how dramatic the change was in just a few days.

My daily practice, which can last from 30 minutes to more than two hours is well worth the time put in. When I do have the chance to practice extended meditations the effect is noticeably increased as it is when taking part in a residence course. The month long Sidhi course was even more enlightening and put a different twist on the experience that added even more to the experience.

Reading about this study definitely struck a chord with me as I experienced this first hand. The effect is very dramatic on me.

ETA
I wanted to add a little something about my practice. In TM you are trained to use a mantra. I never had much use for this and found it a distraction even when used in the most subtle fashion. Having done meditation for so long, I slip directly into silence. There are many techniques for meditation out there. Breathing techniques are very helpful if done BEFORE you meditate. The point of meditation is to reach that silence. Some breathing techniques and mantra techniques are done to help get you to the silence. If you reach silence don't you dare reach backwards for the mantra. There are times I am so deep in silence that I swear I do not take breath for fifteen minutes or even much longer. It is truly a transformative experience and practice.

a reply to: AnarchoCapitalist

Wim Hof aka The ice man is to me the best example of how to change your immune system by meditation.
He was thoroughly tested by the Academic hospital in the Netherlands. . The researchers were baffled what they found.

did anyone here meditate for over 3 hours? if so..how and what are you focussing on...

Today, all who espouse the “religion of intolerance” – be they saint or sinner – believer or unbeliever – Christian or Atheist – yes, all who hold to any absolute other than the National Religion, let them be marked as ignorant at their best, and dangerous at their worst.  Pro-lifers, traditionalists (defining marriage only between a man and a woman), Biblicists, people of dual faith (“me and Thee”), Creationists, those who claim divine texts—especially the Bible, and in particular, the singularity of Him Who proclaimed:  I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me” (John 14:6). These ignoramuses, these intolerant absolutists are at best suspect – at worst the persistent enemy of democracy and freedom.  They are at best narcissistic – at worst a cancer upon our renewed image.  Behind the reconciliation rhetoric of Sam Harris and his band and brand of New Atheism lies a tyranny of tolerance, spurred on as East meets West, culminating in the National Religion where illuminated within sits one enshrined, upon the throne of His temple, being God – recognized as God – and wholly subsumed as the divine discerner of good and evil, having absolute ethic embodied within the “designer God” crafted through meditation, contemplative prayer and human reason.  The fullness of THE LIE has come:  YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL (Gen. 3:5).

www.the-tribulation-network.com...

Throughout this world, at this very time, eastern type mind meditation is bringing together world religions including atheism. They are quietly growing into one body headed by Jesuit meditative beliefs under roman Catholicism. The fact that meditation practices are infiltrating 'science', schools, medicine, psychology, prisons - every facet of society in an attempt to recruit as many as possible. The result? A growing body of oneness characterised by combining "science" and knowledge/faith as preached by the Pope, the Dali Lama, the President of Iran and so many others.

Science today is the religion of man, science falsely called. You trust them as scientists yet cannot discern their delving into and support of the National Religion rising around this world.

I tried meditating once. After, I felt i was floating for around and hour afterwards. I was tripping out - It scared me.

It clearly did something to me - But i was probably just doing it wrong. Hahahahaha.