In this episode I talk to Dr. Norm Farb who is researching the science of meditation at the University of Toronto with a focus on the effects of meditation on depression and relapse. If you’d like to be a study participant in a science of meditation research study please visit Dr. Farb’s website at https://www.radlab.zone/ Dr. Farb and I had a wonderful discussion centered around the topics below. What is contemplative science? Contemplative science is a relatively new academic … [Read more...]
The Clear Skies of Meditation
Ancient meditation and mindfulness traditions invite us to view thought-feelings as clouds passing through the expansive sky of our mind. Thoughts and feelings are to be seen as clouds that come and go, form and dissolve, appear and dissaappear. The mind is to be seen as sky, without shape, without boundries and constant. It's an analogy that helps us not get too attached to the temporary thought-clouds in our permanent sky-mind. It helps us take a few deep breaths in the midst of an … [Read more...]
The Sunny Side of Existence
The sun is an incredible source of bountiful energy. But very few organisms are able to convert sunlight into a reliable source of energy. Bacteria, algae, and plants all take in sunlight and through photosynthesis convert it into oxygen and sugar. They use the sugar as food and release the oxygen as a by-product. This gift of oxygen is a boon for many organisms including one of our favorites: human beings. Without the generosity of the oxygen making bacteria and plants, we oxygen … [Read more...]
Seeing details more clearly
When we start learning a new skill we're often often astonished at the details experts notice. A professional baseball player can point to a hundred tiny factors that produce an effective swing. A beginner won't be able to see most of what's being pointed out. Although we don't notice these things when we start out, we begin to see them once we gain expertise. We begin to understand how we grip the bat, where we place our hands, what our swing angle is, how we position our feet and twist … [Read more...]