Patanjali and neuroscientific research on meditation
Frontiers in Psychology July 3, 2015 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00915 (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe authors propose that Patanjali's definition of meditation as the 'restriction (or stilling) of the fluctuations of the mind' can serve as a starting point for fMRI research. They argue that an operational definition of the neural substrate of meditation adequate to this definition can be developed from a non-reductionistic understanding of the mind's neural underpinnings in terms of dynamical functional brain systems.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Psychology Medicine |
| Key finding | Proposes that Patanjali's definition of meditation can guide fMRI research when operationalized through dynamical functional brain systems. |
Abstract
The definition of meditation (or yoga) by Patanjali as “restriction (or stilling) of the fluctuations of the mind” (cf, Woods, 1927/2003, p. xxx, 8) may be an appropriate starting point for research on meditation using fMRI. An operational definition of the neural substrate of meditation which is adequate to Patanjalis definition, may be developed on the basis of a non-reductionistic understanding of the neural underpinnings of the mind in terms of dynamical functional brain systems.