Comments for Mind and Life http://www.mindandlife.org/blog An outreach effort by The Mind and Life Institute to encourage discussion between modern science and Buddhism. Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:36:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 Comment on Sensation, Feeling, Image, Talk by David http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/2009/04/sensation-feeling-image-talk/comment-page-1/#comment-131 David Thu, 07 May 2009 15:20:35 +0000 http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/?p=275#comment-131 Another aspect of the Conceptual vs. Sensory Distinction that was made by Buddhist philosophy is "repeatability". The very fact that when a particular concept arises in the mind it can be reproduced rather accurately in repetition and over time makes it a clear distinction from the sensory, which may change depending upon external input. This also allows other animals aside from humans to have the ability to have a "conceptual" experience Another aspect of the Conceptual vs. Sensory Distinction that was made by Buddhist philosophy is “repeatability”. The very fact that when a particular concept arises in the mind it can be reproduced rather accurately in repetition and over time makes it a clear distinction from the sensory, which may change depending upon external input. This also allows other animals aside from humans to have the ability to have a “conceptual” experience

]]> Comment on A few more comments on the week by David http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/2009/04/a-few-more-comments-on-the-week/comment-page-1/#comment-128 David Mon, 04 May 2009 01:15:40 +0000 http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/?p=222#comment-128 Thanks for the comment. This was helpful. I updated the post with the correct spelling of jivitindriya and expanded upon the conversation between HHDL, Alan Wallace and others. For more on the same topic see: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/buddhism/utinu1.htm Thanks for the comment. This was helpful. I updated the post with the correct spelling of jivitindriya and expanded upon the conversation between HHDL, Alan Wallace and others. For more on the same topic see:
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/buddhism/utinu1.htm

]]> Comment on Sensation, Feeling, Image, Talk by H.R. Steiner http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/2009/04/sensation-feeling-image-talk/comment-page-1/#comment-118 H.R. Steiner Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:47:29 +0000 http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/?p=275#comment-118 I'm rather leery of researchers who quote Transcendental Meditation research which "appeared to be sound" when in fact the research was performed by the TM university which sells and promotes this form of meditation! This is clear bias. I wasn't able to see their use of controls, but often they will use some inconsequential controls, like Health Education, as a way to massage out some minimal changes in their datum. The recent University of Alberta study on meditation and healthcare claims successfully showed how inconsequential their cardiac claims were. An interesting criticism recently by a skeptics organization highlights how far this org will go to promote their "product" entitled "How to design a positive study", which is on how to create misleading TM meditation ADHD research. Caveat emptor: http://spacecityskeptics.wordpress.com/2009/01/07/how-to-design-a-positive-study-meditation-for-childhood-adhd/#comment-170 I’m rather leery of researchers who quote Transcendental Meditation research which “appeared to be sound” when in fact the research was performed by the TM university which sells and promotes this form of meditation! This is clear bias. I wasn’t able to see their use of controls, but often they will use some inconsequential controls, like Health Education, as a way to massage out some minimal changes in their datum. The recent University of Alberta study on meditation and healthcare claims successfully showed how inconsequential their cardiac claims were.

An interesting criticism recently by a skeptics organization highlights how far this org will go to promote their “product” entitled “How to design a positive study”, which is on how to create misleading TM meditation ADHD research. Caveat emptor:

http://spacecityskeptics.wordpress.com/2009/01/07/how-to-design-a-positive-study-meditation-for-childhood-adhd/#comment-170

]]> Comment on Modern Education System by stress reduction meditation http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/2009/04/modern-education-system/comment-page-1/#comment-109 stress reduction meditation Thu, 23 Apr 2009 05:21:05 +0000 http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/?p=109#comment-109 <strong>stress reduction meditation...</strong> I totally agree with you, but i think also that useful comments - and professional comments too, improve the visibility and the credibility of your blog in an amazing way! Keep up with your interesting insights!... stress reduction meditation…

I totally agree with you, but i think also that useful comments - and professional comments too, improve the visibility and the credibility of your blog in an amazing way! Keep up with your interesting insights!…

]]> Comment on Reflections on developments of Shamatha and distinction between concept and non-conceptual levels of mental experience by Deeya D. Brooks, MD http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/2009/04/reflections-on-developments-of-shamatha-and-distinction-between-concept-and-non-conceptual-levels-of-mental-experience/comment-page-1/#comment-99 Deeya D. Brooks, MD Fri, 17 Apr 2009 03:36:49 +0000 http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/?p=250#comment-99 Thank you so much for this...If time permits, please continue to post this type of detailed material. It is very interesting and greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for this…If time permits, please continue to post this type of detailed material. It is very interesting and greatly appreciated.

]]> Comment on Images from Day 5 Morning by sonam wangchuk http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/2009/04/images-from-day-5-morning/comment-page-1/#comment-97 sonam wangchuk Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:52:16 +0000 http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/?p=192#comment-97 this conference has given me a feeling that tibetans who have looking for inside and westerners who have looking for outside. so maybe there will come a special way from this two views to transfer our world!! this conference has given me a feeling that tibetans who have looking for inside and westerners who have looking for outside. so maybe there will come a special way from this two views to transfer our world!!

]]> Comment on April 9, 2009 by S.A. Feite http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/2009/04/april-9-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-96 S.A. Feite Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:24:27 +0000 http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/?p=157#comment-96 <i>Yes, agree, would love to hear more about Cliff’s presentation!!</i> Well, hopefully it will be available soon--or as a later presentation. It would be interesting to at least know the EEG evidence. What were the traits? Any evidence of gamma? And since Elizabeth Blackburn is known to have done measurements on telomerase, were there any known effects, compared to controls, re: telomere lengthening? If so, that could be quite a groundbreaking discovery. Yes, agree, would love to hear more about Cliff’s presentation!!

Well, hopefully it will be available soon–or as a later presentation.

It would be interesting to at least know the EEG evidence. What were the traits? Any evidence of gamma?

And since Elizabeth Blackburn is known to have done measurements on telomerase, were there any known effects, compared to controls, re: telomere lengthening? If so, that could be quite a groundbreaking discovery.

]]> Comment on April 9, 2009 by Adeline Van Waning http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/2009/04/april-9-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-95 Adeline Van Waning Mon, 13 Apr 2009 09:31:36 +0000 http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/?p=157#comment-95 ... Yes, agree, would love to hear more about Cliff's presentation!! So interested, as a third person observer, as a second person sharer, and having been a first person participant-guinea pig in The Shamatha Project myself. As to emotions and after effects, I can just say that these, both in the sense of valence and wholesomeness (to use the 2x2 typology that Richard and Matthieu used in the morning) have been impressive, as to pleasant and wholesome, to myself and those around me... Well, just a N=1... remark, but I know of others... In gratitude to Cliff and Alan, Warmly, Adeline, Shamatha Project participant, Netherlands … Yes, agree, would love to hear more about Cliff’s presentation!! So interested, as a third person observer, as a second person sharer, and having been a first person participant-guinea pig in The Shamatha Project myself. As to emotions and after effects, I can just say that these, both in the sense of valence and wholesomeness (to use the 2×2 typology that Richard and Matthieu used in the morning) have been impressive, as to pleasant and wholesome, to myself and those around me… Well, just a N=1… remark, but I know of others… In gratitude to Cliff and Alan,
Warmly, Adeline, Shamatha Project participant, Netherlands

]]> Comment on Images from Day 5 Morning by Helen Kutz http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/2009/04/images-from-day-5-morning/comment-page-1/#comment-94 Helen Kutz Sun, 12 Apr 2009 22:03:33 +0000 http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/?p=192#comment-94 How beautiful, I too am grateful for your efforts to share. It has made my week! Helen Kutz from Oklahoma, USA How beautiful, I too am grateful for your efforts to share. It has made my week!

Helen Kutz from Oklahoma, USA

]]> Comment on Reflections on Day 4 - Emotion, Attention & Memory by A.O'Dwyer http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/2009/04/reflections-on-day-4-emotion-attention-memory/comment-page-1/#comment-93 A.O'Dwyer Sun, 12 Apr 2009 14:15:50 +0000 http://www.mindandlife.org/blog/?p=149#comment-93 While I wholeheartedly welcome this discussion I am a little anxious by how cogngitive this discussion is- no doubt to some extent this is necessary. But we know that the Amygdala only beds in new learnings when received in a trusting environment- hence the necesssity for re-learning to be in a good relationship with f.e. a therapist. We can't just'figure it'- it needs to be experienced- this seems to be constantly forgotten in this debate. While I wholeheartedly welcome this discussion I am a little anxious by how cogngitive this discussion is- no doubt to some extent this is necessary. But we know that the Amygdala only beds in new learnings when received in a trusting environment- hence the necesssity for re-learning to be in a good relationship with f.e. a therapist. We can’t just’figure it’- it needs to be experienced- this seems to be constantly forgotten in this debate.

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