Psychedelics Vs Meditation Research

[Leo Gura]

Interesting video.

Note how he talks about 10,000 hours of meditation to shut off monkey mind. (Just as expected.)

 

[Dragallur]

@Leo Gura he ' s talking about mindfulness do you think that SDS or do nothing have the same effects?

[Jhonny]

@Leo Gura i think a simple life style brings results from meditation much faster and better compared to a chaotic lifestyle. Less thoughts less work. Am i right or wrong??

[Joel3102]

Lol I've done about 100 hours. Already 1% of the way there!

Also, SAND seems to have quite a lot of good videos.

Edited January 21, 2017 by Joel3102

[Extreme Z7]

It's funny how it's an educational talk on "Bla Bla", literally.

[Richard Alpert]

I just started watching this.

[AlwaysBeNice]

Ahh, his book profits go to kids in south India, that's always good to hear.

[Space]

8 hours ago, Richard Alpert said:

I just started watching this.

Wow, this lecture is amazing! Thanks for sharing @Richard Alpert! Just finished watching the whole thing. I'd do anything to have a 5-Meo session with him!

[Leo Gura]

10 hours ago, Dragallur said:

@Leo Gura he ' s talking about mindfulness do you think that SDS or do nothing have the same effects?

SDS and Do-Nothing ARE mindfulness practices.

[Martin123]

23 hours ago, Richard Alpert said:

I just started watching this.

Watched it twice already dunno why LOVE IT 

[cetus]

Posted November 2, 2016 · Report post

  On ‎11‎/‎1‎/‎2016 at 9:58 PM,

During meditation some regions of the brain become less active and others more active. Here is a snapshot of some of the research found thus far. What you refer to here seems due to a decrease in the Default Mode Network (DMN) which corresponds to a decrease in activity of the Amygdala., Could it be that meditation quiets the amygdule's activity? Or that maybe 5meO-DMT shuts it down completely?  This really does deserve more research into what changes in brain function are occurring.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Not too long ago, most of us thought that the brain we’re born with is static—that after a certain age, the neural circuitry cards we’re dealt are the only ones we can play long-term.

Fast-forward a decade or two, and we’re beginning to see the opposite: the brain is designed to adapt constantly. World-renowned neuroscientist Richie Davidson at the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, along with this colleagues, want us to know three things: 1) you can train your brain to change, 2) that the change is measurable, and 3) new ways of thinking can change it for the better.

We can intentionally shape the direction of plasticity changes in our brain. By focusing on wholesome thoughts, for example, and directing our intentions in those ways, we can potentially influence the plasticity of our brains and shape them in ways that can be beneficial. That leads us to the inevitable conclusion that qualities like warm-heartedness and well-being should best be regarded as skills.

Davidson adds that research on neuroplasticity gives neuroscientists a framework for tracking meditation research. And CIHM is beginning to see that “even short amounts of practice,” like 30 minutes of meditation per day, “can induce measurable changes in the brain” that can be tracked on a brain scanner.

Based on recent research, I’ve chosen to share four ways your brain may change when you practice mindfulness:

Increased Grey Matter/Cortical Thickness in the following key areas:

• Anterior Cingulate Cortex: Increased grey matter changes were noted in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which is a structure located behind the brain’s frontal lobe. It has been associated with such functions as self-regulatory processes, including the ability to monitor attention conflicts, and allow for more cognitive flexibility.

• Prefrontal Cortex: Increased grey matter density was also found in areas of the prefrontal lobe, which are primarily responsible for executive functioning such as planning, problem solving, and emotion regulation.

• Hippocampus: Increased cortical thickness in the hippocampus has also been noted. The hippocampus is the part of the limbic system that governs learning and memory, and is extraordinarily susceptible to stress and stress-related disorders like depression or PTSD.

Decreased Amygdala Size:

Studies have shown that the amygdala, known as our brain’s “fight or flight” center and the seat of our fearful and anxious emotions, decreases in brain cell volume after mindfulness practice.

Diminished or enhanced functionality in certain networks/connections:

Not only does the amygdala shrink post mindfulness practice, but the functional connections between the amygdala and the pre-frontal cortex are weakened. This allows for less reactivity, and also paves the way for connections between areas associated with higher order brain functions to be strengthened (i.e. attention, concentration, etc.).

Reduced activity in the Brain’s “Me” Center:

Mindfulness practice has been implicated in the decreased activation and the stilling of our Default Mode Network (DMN), which is also sometimes referred to as our wandering “Monkey Minds.” The DMN is active when our minds are directionless as it goes from thought to thought, a response that is sometimes likened to rumination and not always adaptive with regards to overall happiness.

The impact that mindfulness exerts on our brain is borne from routine: a slow, steady, and consistent reckoning of our realities, and the ability to take a step back, become more aware, more accepting, less judgmental, and less reactive. Just as playing the piano over and over again over time strengthens and supports brain networks involved with playing music, mindfulness over time can make the brain, and thus, us, more efficient regulators, with a penchant for pausing to respond to our worlds instead of mindlessly reacting.

This post was originally published on mindful.org in August 2015.

 

TOPICS: mindfulness research | Richie Davidson

Edited January 22, 2017 by cetus56

[Danielle]

@Richard Alpert I've watched this at least 4 times and it never seizes to amaze me. I had no idea how much energy is stored in my body, great insights! I just wish there were more videos like this. The only oneI've found besides that one was this one;

 

[Richard Alpert]

Martin Ball is pretty fucking crazy and amazing guy.

 

[JustinS]

Gary Weber, I'd recommend checking out his personal youtube channel and Martin Ball's podcast, entheogenic evolution, both great men. 

[Richard Alpert]

18 hours ago, JustinS said:

Gary Weber, I'd recommend checking out his personal youtube channel and Martin Ball's podcast, entheogenic evolution, both great men. 

thanks for info, seems good

[RossE]

@Leo Gura He does say that "10,000 hour meditators" were used in the study but: 1) I think he just uses it as a way of saying "lots and lots and lots of meditation". I'm not sure the 10k can be relied upon quantitatively. 2) I'm fairly sure that he does not say that after 10k hours mental chatter stops, he just says that the people used in the subject didn't have mental chatter at all. So bringing points 1&2 together it may less be considerably less than that!

Besides, thoughts only have power if you believe in them. If they have no power then their existence v non-existence doesn't really mean much.

[Neo]

The problem is the implication is nothing really matters on the journey. If one finds themselves on an amazing journey of self discovery, spirituality or just plain old fashioned self improvement during the thousands of hours, who is counting? I'm half expecting some of you to say the complete opposite and that all this self discovery is ball compared to enlightenment, but from this perspective down here it looks like it's all leading up to it anyway.

[FirstglimpseOMG]

It is interesting, I just watched him. Pretty inspiring to hear that the very experienced meditators rated their constant state of stillness & non-dual joy as an experience that trumps orgasms & 'shroom trips. Holy crap. That's very motivating. Anyone who's enjoyed a few grams of good, dried magic mushrooms and sat in their space-chair having multicoloured horizontal mushroom-cloud orgasms out of the back of their head for a few hours might consider working pretty long & hard to attain a similar state of euphoric bliss permanently. Wow.

 

[Leo Gura]

@RossE He shouldn't have to explicitly say it.

You gotta read between the lines and connect up with a bigger picture.

[Trond]

Want to start experimenting with psychedelics. Only used weed for a while, but not for like 1 month or so. Doesn't really appeal to me for this work. Any recommendations as to what to start with and dosages? 

Thanks for any advice