In this review, we examine studies suggesting that conscious or mental awareness is constrained by our neural filters. These filters include sensory receptors, the ascending reticular activating system and the thalamus, the default mode network, and left hemisphere language centers. These filters limit our perception of the world to a narrow range of energy frequencies, make sense of space and...
This chapter explores the profound impact of love and joyful memories on the brainstem, emphasizing their significance for mental and emotional well-being. It introduces the brainstem's role in essential life functions and its connection to higher emotional processes. Topics delve into the neurobiology of love, detailing how chemicals like oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin interact with...
The new millennium is witnessing a remarkable shift within the scientific community, to be increasingly understanding and accepting the impact of meditative, spiritual, and even religious practices, on health and wellbeing. This has been precipitated ironically, by cutting edge scientific studies. Rigorous empirical research in epigenomics and neuroscience is proving that religious and...
Cognitive-based interventions like pain neuroscience education (PNE), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance commitment therapy (ACT), and mindfulness meditation are popular for managing chronic pain. Despite their widespread adoption, evidence for their efficacy remains contradictory. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) represent a unique population to evaluate these approaches, as they...
Much of high-level cognition appears inaccessible to consciousness. Countless studies have revealed mental processes-like those underlying our choices, beliefs, judgments, intuitions, etc.-which people do not notice or report, and these findings have had a widespread influence on the theory and application of psychological science. However, the interpretation of these findings is uncertain....
Unified Integrative Medicine offers a transformative approach to health that harmonizes the body, psyche, and soul, grounded in the natural flow of energy and the dynamic rhythms of life. This method integrates ancient wisdom with modern science, recognizing that health is more than the absence of disease it is a state of complete well-being, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO)....
Abstract. This article examines the phenomenon of secular Buddhism, its origins, primary influences, characteristics and representatives. It explores the key ideas underlying the movement and traces the origins of secular Buddhism in the context of the 20th century conversation between Buddhism and Western scientific and philosophiical thought. Examining the work of figures such as Robert...
The practice of meditation has grown in popularity around the world in recent decades. However, standard and untailored meditative practices are recommended for all practitioners, regardless of their personality traits or characteristics. No scientific attempts have been made to match specific meditation types with personality. This paper summarizes the limited proposals relevant to this...
Abstract The relationship between the default mode network (DMN) and task-positive networks, such as the frontoparietal control network (FPCN), is a prominent feature of functional connectivity (FC) in the human brain. This relationship is primarily anticorrelated at rest in healthy brains and is disrupted in altered states of consciousness. Although the DMN and FPCN seem to perform distinct...
Health care students often experience high levels of stress, anxiety, and mental health issues, making it crucial to address these challenges. Variations in stress levels may be associated with changes in dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and gene expression. Meditative practices have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing stress and improving mental...