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Ergebnisse 2 Einträge
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Our focus of attention naturally fluctuates between different sources of information even when we desire to focus on a single object. Focused attention (FA) meditation is associated with greater control over this process, yet the neuronal mechanisms underlying this ability are not entirely understood. Here, we hypothesize that the capacity of attention to transiently focus and swiftly change relates to the critical dynamics emerging when neuronal systems balance at a point of instability between order and disorder. In FA meditation, however, the ability to stay focused is trained, which may be associated with a more homogeneous brain state. To test this hypothesis, we applied analytical tools from criticality theory to EEG in meditation practitioners and meditation-naïve participants from two independent labs. We show that in practitioners-but not in controls-FA meditation strongly suppressed long-range temporal correlations (LRTC) of neuronal oscillations relative to eyes-closed rest with remarkable consistency across frequency bands and scalp locations. The ability to reduce LRTC during meditation increased after one year of additional training and was associated with the subjective experience of fully engaging one's attentional resources, also known as absorption. Sustained practice also affected normal waking brain dynamics as reflected in increased LRTC during an eyes-closed rest state, indicating that brain dynamics are altered beyond the meditative state. Taken together, our findings suggest that the framework of critical brain dynamics is promising for understanding neuronal mechanisms of meditative states and, specifically, we have identified a clear electrophysiological correlate of the FA meditation state.
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Research on meditation is advancing, but few studies about the motivations of meditators exist. Additionally, many forms and traditions of meditation have yet to be investigated. This study addresses both of these issues by presenting an overview of different forms of motivations found in contemporary Anthroposophic meditation practice. 30 Anthroposophic meditators were interviewed about their meditation experiences. The interviews were examined using thematic analysis. 14 data-driven themes were extracted and organized within a framework consisting of three superordinate theory-driven forms of motivation: External, internal and service. A developmental trajectory running from external and internal to service motivations is indicated. This approach improves upon a scheme developed by Shapiro by including additional types of motivations and being able to differentiate between forms of motivations that are fundamentally different: Self-related (heteronomous and autonomous) motivations and other-related motivations.
Erkunden
Team
Eintragsart
Sprache
- Englisch (2)
Thema
- Middle Aged
- absorption (1)
- Adult (1)
- *Anthroposophy (1)
- Attention/*physiology (1)
- Attitude of Health Personnel (1)
- Brain/*physiology (1)
- Brain Waves/*physiology (1)
- Cohort Studies (1)
- criticality (1)
- Emotions/physiology (1)
- Female (2)
- Health Personnel/*psychology (1)
- Humans (2)
- long-range temporal correlations (1)
- Male (2)
- *Meditation (1)
- meditation (1)
- Meditation/*psychology (1)
- *Motivation (1)
- Practice, Psychological (1)
- Qualitative Research (1)
- Rest (1)
- Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted (1)
- Thinking/physiology (1)
- Time Factors (1)
- Young Adult (1)