Zen-brain reflections : reviewing recent developments in meditation and states of consciousness

This sequel to the widely read Zen and the Brain continues James Austin's explorations into the key interrelationships between Zen Buddhism and brain research. In Zen-Brain Reflections, Austin, a clinical neurologist, researcher, and Zen practitioner, examines the evolving psychological processes and brain changes associated with the path of long-range meditative training. Austin draws not only on the latest neuroscience research and new neuroimaging studies but also on Zen literature and his personal experience with alternate states of consciousness.Zen-Brain Reflections takes up where the earlier book left off. It addresses such questions as: how do placebos and acupuncture change the brain? Can neuroimaging studies localize the sites where our notions of self arise? How can the latest brain imaging methods monitor meditators more effectively? How do long years of meditative training plus brief enlightened states produce pivotal transformations in the physiology of the brain? In many chapters testable hypotheses suggest ways to correlate normal brain functions and meditative training with the phenomena of extraordinary states of consciousness.After briefly introducing the topic of Zen and describing recent research into meditation, Austin reviews the latest studies on the amygdala, frontotemporal interactions, and paralimbic extensions of the limbic system. He then explores different states of consciousness, both the early superficial absorptions and the later, major "peak experiences." This discussion begins with the states called kensho and satori and includes a fresh analysis of their several different expressions of "oneness." He points beyond the still more advanced states toward that rare ongoing stage of enlightenment that is manifest as "sage wisdom."Finally, with reference to a delayed "moonlight" phase of kensho, Austin envisions novel links between migraines and metaphors, moonlight and mysticism. The Zen perspective on the self and consciousness is an ancient one. Readers will discover how relevant Zen is to the neurosciences, and how each field can illuminate the other. By Way of Introduction......Page 24 Part I Starting to Point toward Zen......Page 30 Is There Some Common Ground between Zen Experience and the Brain?......Page 32 A Brief Outline of Zen History......Page 33 Western Perspectives on Mystical Experiences......Page 35 An Outline of the Path of Zen......Page 36 The Semantics of Self......Page 40 Developing Our Conscious Levels of Self......Page 41 Some ABCs of the I-Me-Mine......Page 42 Constructing Our Self, Inside and Outwardly......Page 44 Two Interpreters: One Articulate, the Other Silent......Page 48 Dissolving the Psychic Self and Its Veils of Interpretation......Page 50 Further Commentary on the Several Meanings of Zen-Brain ‘‘Reflections’’......Page 52 First Mondo......Page 53 Part II Meditating......Page 56 The Attentive Art of Meditation......Page 58 Just This......Page 62 Meditative Attention: Accessing Deeper Avenues of Seeing and Hearing......Page 66 Interpreting Synchronized Brain Waves......Page 69 Some Gamma EEG and Heart Rate Changes during Meditation......Page 77 EEG and Heart Rate Changes in Zen Meditation......Page 80 Delayed Physiological Responses to Meditation......Page 83 Breathing In; Breathing Out......Page 87 A Quest for ‘‘No’’ Answers: Koan, Huatou, Jakugo, Mondo......Page 90 The Roshi......Page 93 Part III Neurologizing......Page 100 Ever-Present Awareness......Page 213 Neuroimaging, EEG Tomography, Event-Related Potentials, and Caveats......Page 216 Self/Other Frames of Reference; Laboratory Correlates?......Page 222 Moving Away from The Self; Embodied Teachings......Page 230 Neuroimaging Data from Different Studies of Self-Referent Functions......Page 233 Imaging a Meditating Brain: A Commentary......Page 243 Neurotrophins and Change......Page 169 The Pineal and Melatonin......Page 170 Cortical Anatomy by the Numbers......Page 175 Where Is It? A Prelude to My Action. The Parietal Lobe......Page 177 What Is It? The Temporal Lobe Pathway......Page 181 What Should I Do about It? The Frontal Lobes......Page 187 The Thalamus......Page 196 The Pulvinar......Page 204 The Reticular Nucleus and Its Extrareticular Allies......Page 205 Higher Mechanisms of Attention......Page 208 Metabolic Cascades That Transform the Next Nerve Cell’s Firing Responses......Page 166 Opioids, Acupuncture, and the Placebo Response......Page 155 Landmarks. Brain in Overview......Page 102 Messenger Molecules: Some New Data......Page 104 The Septal Region and the Nucleus Accumbens......Page 108 The Wide Variety of Cingulate Gyrus Functions......Page 111 The Amygdala as a Gateway to Our Fears......Page 114 Expanded Roles for the Insula......Page 124 Remembrances and the Hippocampus......Page 128 The Well-Concealed Hypothalamus......Page 137 GABA Inhibits; Glutamate Excites......Page 139 Stress Responses within the Brain......Page 142 Peptides in Social Affiliative Behaviors: Oxytocin and Vasopressin......Page 149 Our Brain’s Own Opioids......Page 152 Part IV Exploring States of Consciousness......Page 256 Words and Metaphors in Religious Traditions......Page 258 Multiple Meanings of ‘‘Taste’’......Page 262 Witnessing Awareness during Sleep (Continued)......Page 266 The Roots of Our Emotions......Page 268 Attributing Different Emotions to Various Brain Regions......Page 272 Conditioning: Learning and Unlearning......Page 277 Addictions......Page 280 Being in Love......Page 284 The Male Animal: Libido and Ex-Libido......Page 289 Cracks in the Bowl: The Broken Seal......Page 294 Empathies, Mirror Neurons, and Prolonged Affirmative Attitudes......Page 296 Through What Steps Does Ordinary Insight TransformConsciousness?......Page 300 Part V Quickening......Page 306 The Remarkable Properties of Nitric Oxide......Page 308 The Nitrous Oxide Connection......Page 317 Self-Abuse by Drugs......Page 320 How Do Certain Drugs ‘‘Alter’’ Consciousness?......Page 326 Triggers......Page 332 The Extraordinary Scope of Migraine: ‘‘The Hildegard Syndrome’’......Page 335 Part VI The Absorptions......Page 342 The Varieties of Absorption......Page 344 Space......Page 352 Part VII Insightful Awakenings......Page 356 Affirming One Reality: A Commentary on the Sandokai......Page 358 Varieties of ‘‘Oneness’’ and ‘‘Unity.’’ Category I: A and B......Page 362 Varieties of ‘‘Oneness’’ And ‘‘Unity.’’ Provisional Category IV......Page 380 Prajna: Insight-Wisdom......Page 386 Words for the Inexpressible......Page 387 The Construction of Time......Page 401 Disorders and Dissolutions of Time......Page 407 Emptiness......Page 412 Third Mondo......Page 415 Part VIII Openings into Being; and Beyond to the Stage of Ongoing Enlightened Traits......Page 418 Problem Words: ‘‘Pure Consciousness’’; ‘‘Being’’; ‘‘Cosmic’’......Page 420 Are There Levels and Sequences of ‘‘Nonattainment?’’......Page 423 Cultivating Compassion, a Native Virtue......Page 425 On ‘‘Moral Cognition’’......Page 427 Some Aspects of Maturity That Are Nurtured during Long-Range Meditative Training......Page 429 Part IX Pointing at Moonlight: Allusions and Illusions......Page 432 Pointing toward a Late Lunar Phase of Objective Vision......Page 434 A Contemporary ‘‘Taste of Kensho’’: Its Profile of Early andLate Phenomena......Page 436 How Our Brain Normally Perceives Light and Colors......Page 440 Significance of the Late ‘‘Moonlight’’ Phase within the Whole Profile of Kensho......Page 443 Significance of the Illusions at the Close of the Moonlight Phase......Page 454 Some Cultural and Neural Origins of Moon Metaphors and Visual Symbols......Page 461 The Hernandez Connection: A Darkened Sky and Moonglow......Page 468 Other Ancient Fingers Pointing toward the Moon......Page 469 People Differ in Their Response to Illusions: Psychological Considerations......Page 476 People Differ in Their Susceptibility to Illusions......Page 477 Fourth Mondo......Page 481 Appendix A: Other Links between the Moon and Enlightenment in the Old Zen Literature......Page 488 Appendix B: On Wilderness Poetry during the Tang and Sung Periods......Page 491 Appendix C: Daio Kokushi ‘‘On Zen’’......Page 493 Glossary......Page 494 References and Notes......Page 504 Source Notes......Page 581 Index......Page 582 A sequel to the popular Zen and the Brain further explores pivotal points of intersection in Zen Buddhism, neuroscience, and consciousness, arriving at a new synthesis of information from both neuroscience research and Zen studies.This sequel to the widely read Zen and the Brain continues James Austin's explorations into the key interrelationships between Zen Buddhism and brain research. In Zen-Brain Reflections, Austin, a clinical neurologist, researcher, and Zen practitioner, examines the evolving psychological processes and brain changes associated with the path of long-range meditative training. Austin draws not only on the latest neuroscience research and new neuroimaging studies but also on Zen literature and his personal experience with alternate states of consciousness.Zen-Brain Reflections takes up where the earlier book left off. It addresses such questions as: how do placebos and acupuncture change the brain? Can neuroimaging studies localize the sites where our notions of self arise? How can the latest brain imaging methods monitor meditators more effectively? How do long years of meditative training plus brief enlightened states produce pivotal transformations in the physiology of the brain? In many chapters testable hypotheses suggest ways to correlate normal brain functions and meditative training with the phenomena of extraordinary states of consciousness.After briefly introducing the topic of Zen and describing recent research into meditation, Austin reviews the latest studies on the amygdala, frontotemporal interactions, and paralimbic extensions of the limbic system. He then explores different states of consciousness, both the early superficial absorptions and the later, major'peak experiences.'This discussion begins with the states called kensho and satori and includes a fresh analysis of their several different expressions of'oneness.'He points beyond the still more advanced states toward that rare ongoing stage of enlightenment that is manifest as'sage wisdom.'Finally, with reference to a delayed'moonlight'phase of kensho, Austin envisions novel links between migraines and metaphors, moonlight and mysticism. The Zen perspective on the self and consciousness is an ancient one. Readers will discover how relevant Zen is to the neurosciences, and how each field can illuminate the other. This sequel to the widely read Zen and the Brain continues James Austin's explorations into the key interrelationships between Zen Buddhism and brain research. In Zen-Brain Reflections , Austin, a clinical neurologist, researcher, and Zen practitioner, examines the evolving psychological processes and brain changes associated with the path of long-range meditative training. Austin draws not only on the latest neuroscience research and new neuroimaging studies but also on Zen literature and his personal experience with alternate states of consciousness. Zen-Brain Reflections takes up where the earlier book left off. It addresses such questions as: how do placebos and acupuncture change the brain? Can neuroimaging studies localize the sites where our notions of self arise? How can the latest brain imaging methods monitor meditators more effectively? How do long years of meditative training plus brief enlightened states produce pivotal transformations in the physiology of the brain? In many chapters testable hypotheses suggest ways to correlate normal brain functions and meditative training with the phenomena of extraordinary states of consciousness. After briefly introducing the topic of Zen and describing recent research into meditation, Austin reviews the latest studies on the amygdala, frontotemporal interactions, and paralimbic extensions of the limbic system. He then explores different states of consciousness, both the early superficial absorptions and the later, major "peak experiences." This discussion begins with the states called kensho and satori and includes a fresh analysis of their several different expressions of "oneness." He points beyond the still more advanced states toward that rare ongoing stage of enlightenment that is manifest as "sage wisdom." Finally, with reference to a delayed "moonlight" phase of kensho, Austin envisions novel links between migraines and metaphors, moonlight and mysticism. The Zen perspective on the self and consciousness is an ancient one. Readers will discover how relevant Zen is to the neurosciences, and how each field can illuminate the other. This Sequel To The Widely Read Zen And The Brain Continues James Austin's Explorations Into The Key Interrelationships Between Zen Buddhism And Brain Research. In Zen-brain Reflections, Austin, A Clinical Neurologist, Researcher, And Zen Practitioner, Examines The Evolving Psychological Processes And Brain Changes Associated With The Path Of Long-range Meditative Training. Austin Draws Not Only On The Latest Neuroscience Research And New Neuroimaging Studies But Also On Zen Literature And His Personal Experience With Alternate States Of Consciousness. Zen-brain Reflections Takes Up Where The Earlier Book Left Off. It Addresses Such Questions As: How Do Placebos And Acupuncture Change The Brain? Can Neuroimaging Studies Localize The Sites Where Our Notions Of Self Arise? How Can The Latest Brain Imaging Methods Monitor Meditators More Effectively? How Do Long Years Of Meditative Training Plus Brief Enlightened States Produce Pivotal Transformations In The Physiology Of The Brain? In Many Chapters Testable Hypotheses Suggest Ways To Correlate Normal Brain Functions And Meditative Training With The Phenomena Of Extraordinary States Of Consciousness.--jacket. Starting To Point Toward Zen -- Meditating -- Neurologizing -- Exploring States Of Consciousness -- Quickening -- The Absorptions -- Insightful Awakenings -- Openings Into Being; And Beyond To The Stage Of Ongoing Enlightened Traits -- Pointing At Moonlight : Allusions And Illusions -- In Closing. James H. Austin. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [475-552]) And Index.

A sequel to the popular Zen and the Brain further explores pivotal points of intersection in Zen Buddhism, neuroscience, and consciousness.