Thinking at the Edge is a philosophical method for systematically deepening thinking and exploring concepts from many different angles. The cognitive mechanisms through which Thinking at the Edge works are less clear. To explore these, this article will place Thinking at the Edge alongside another method that uses the body to think critically: Tibetan monastic debate. Tibetan monastic debate is...
Introduction The Tibetan Buddhist tradition distinguishes between two broad categories of meditation: Sutra and Tantra, which differ in the methods and mental faculties they employ. The main neurophysiological studies of Tibetan Buddhist meditation have been conducted mostly on Sutra practices; while Tantric meditation remains less studied. Methods This publication presents a dual comparative...
Meditation offers a naturalistic paradigm for studying introspection, yet the neural dynamics of advanced tantric practices remain largely unexplored. Buddhist Highest Yoga Tantra (BHYT) comprises a sequence of eight dissolution stages culminating in the “clear light” state. We recorded EEG during eyes-closed BHYT meditation performed in monasteries and hermitages (51 sessions from 36 male...
Meditation is a complex cognitive practice associated with significant neurophysiological changes, particularly in long-term practitioners. These individuals represent an ideal human model for investigating neural changes associated to their consistent, frequent, and sustained cognitive engagement. However, in Western societies, long-term practitioners are relatively rare compared to Eastern...
The positive effects of meditation on human wellbeing are indisputable, ranging from emotion regulation improvement to stress reduction and present-moment awareness enhancement. Changes in brain activity regulate and support these phenomena. However, the heterogeneity of meditation practices and their cultural background, as well as their poor categorization limit the generalization of results...
Thousand-year-old Buddhist traditions have developed a wide range of methods for the subjective exploration of consciousness through meditation. Combining their subjective research with the possibilities of modern neuroscience can help us better understand the physiological mechanisms of consciousness. Therefore, we have been guided by specifically Buddhist explanations when studying the...
Abstract Objectives Although mindfulness meditation is the familiar and researched form of mental training derived from Buddhism, it represents but one form of practice. Monastic debate is an interactive and dyadic analytical meditation practice that originates from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition where monastics seek to jointly deepen their understanding of complicated philosophical issues. To...
Analytical meditation and monastic debate are contemplative practices engaged in by Tibetan Buddhist monastics that have up to now been largely unexplored in Western contemplative science. The highly physical form of contemplative debating plays an important role in the monastic curriculum. Based on discussions and recorded interviews Tibetan monastic teachers and senior students at Sera Jey...