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...]
The Science of Meditation and Attention
In this episode we're looking at the scientific literature to see if meditation really does improve attention or not. But first let's talk about some guiding principles when looking at science research, science truth and science proof. Here at Science Meditations we're going to have a motto about scientific research: One experiment doesn't prove anything but it might suggest something. So when we look at a particular experiment, we shouldn't just believe it’s the last word on the … [Read more...]
Attention and Technology
This episode looks at the effect technology is having on our attention and our thinking by turning to the work of Neil Postman. Neil Postman was a communications theorist and professor of media studies at New York University who garnered some fame with his 1985 book Amusing Ourselves to Death. His belief was that it isn’t the content produced by a particular type of technology that influences our thinking but rather how different technologies change the way we use important words. Words … [Read more...]
Meditation (Dhyana) and Attention
In our first episode we begin at the beginning with the question, "Why do we meditate?" Pretty much anyone who has taken up meditation did so to improve their attention. What they wanted to attend to differed throughout history amongst the various meditation traditions but everyone who meditated wanted to bring their attention to some thought, feeling or transcendent power. We look at the history of the English word "attention" and the Sanskrit word "dhyana" and what their … [Read more...]
Temperature or How to Remain Absolutely Cool Always
When we measure temperature what we're really measuring is energy being released by moving molecules. To make a soothing cup of tea, we take some water and put it over a source of heat, like an electric element or a gas stove. As the heat enters the water, it makes the water molecules move faster and faster. These molecules absorb the energy from the heat and convert it to movement energy also known as kinetic energy. The opposite can happen also. When molecules slow down, their kinetic … [Read more...]