Meditation

[Ervin]

I am interested in learning about Budhist meditation and maybe doing it in future. I have heard that there is scientific evidence that sugests that mindfulnes meditation is good for your health.

Someone told me that they had brain cat scans done on Budhist monks and that the area for happines glows lot more than in the normal people, especialy during the meditation.

Are there any atheists who have done it for quite a while? I would like to know wether anyone knows if this research that has been done is reliable?

Any Budhists want to contribute and say a few words about their experiences?

Thanks

[-KT]

I've not tried it, but a friend of mine had a go. It's a very good way to block off the outside world and focus, however I'm not sure it works to keep everyone happy. Studies have shown it relaxes people and in some cases helped control out-of-control anger, I'm not sure there's been a study on the happiness. However saying that my area for happiness glows when I have a Subway, maybe having a Subway is also a form of meditation, my point being it's what makes you happy, and being completely relaxed and shut off from the world can relax you and you like being relaxed, you're happy.

[theVOID]

I am interested in learning about Budhist meditation and maybe doing it in future. I have heard that there is scientific evidence that sugests that mindfulnes meditation is good for your health.

It's not so much 'Meditation' that was shown to have positive effects on stress and anxiety (as in long term sustained meditation), rather, there was more benefit in periodically relaxing in short segments when stress gets of a decent level.

'Meditating' for more than several minuets was shown to have no additional effects. I've learned this from experience, I used to think it would work, had a few good friends who were really into it from the psychedelic community, but it's really all an act in self-deception.

The whole idea is to basically try your hardest not to think for prolonged periods of time, you do this by focusing on various attributes, such as your breathing, the sensations in your body or (as was most effective for me) listening to the sounds around you.

Someone told me that they had brain cat scans done on Budhist monks and that the area for happines glows lot more than in the normal people, especialy during the meditation.

Happiness is something that is usually not considered with meditation while it is in practice, serenity is, but that is more along the lines of being devoid of emotions rather than experiencing happiness.

Are there any atheists who have done it for quite a while? I would like to know wether anyone knows if this research that has been done is reliable?

Yes, i've done it, and from what I can tell you, 'meditating' (not thinking) for several minuets is just as effective as doing it for a hour or so like several mates. Except there is no need to call it mediation or associate it with a religion, it's best called 'clearing your head' - It's a much more descriptive label, and has none of the unnecessary woo.

[Move127]

I have studied Kung Fu for the past 5 years and we meditate. It is true that it can reduce stress, but that has nothing to do with something special about meditation. However, it is a good way to learn patience.

[Skipper]

I've done it, or a poor form of it, a couple of times before smoking salvia or taking other hallucinates, kinda helps in the sense that it's easy to forget any bad thoughts that may take you the wrong way on a trip and also it's always a great idea to be completely comfortable before tripping too. Don't see the need to align it to a religion but if you are going to go the religious route, you could do a lot worse than Buddhism I guess.

[LastPoet]

I do it, once a day, about 10-15 minutes if it, there is nothing transcendent about it, it is just a relaxation method.