brain and Enlightenment - a Very Interesting article.

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

I found following article on brain and Enlightenment at

http://www.livinginjoy.com/en/library/91 Very Interesting.

 

Even quite " True " ...

 

regards,

ac.

 

 

Following is an excerpt:

 

 

==================

 

 

.......

 

1. Sri Bhagavan describes a disconnection of activity in the parietal

lobes as an essential event in the enlightenment process.

 

The parietal lobes host what some neuroscientists call the

ORIENTATION ASSOCIATION AREA OR OAA. THE FUNCTION OF THE OAA IS TO

GIVE US ORIENTATION IN SPACE.

 

You may take it for granted that you can tie your shoelaces and walk

through a door, but this is only possible due to furious neurological

activity in the rear part of the parietal lobes.

 

Brain damage to this area makes the smallest tasks like grabbing a

glas of water impossible, because the injured brain cannot perceive a

distinction between the hand, the glass and the space in between.

 

On the physical level, the ability to perceive boundaries and

distinction is essential for our ability to carry out tasks.

 

However in the human brain, the OAA is CHRONICALLY OVERACTIVE.

 

This stimulates the amygdala–hippocampus connection, a pair of brain

centers that is designed to give a sense of meaning to perceptions

registered as important.

 

If the OAA, which is designed to create a PERCEPTION OF DISTINCTION

AND SEPARATION to a useful degree, is HYPERACTIVE, the amygdala–

hippocampus connection has no choice but to INTERPRET THIS

HYPERACTIVITY by assuming that SEPARATION has more reality than just

on the level of physical objects like your hand and a glass.

 

 

The conclusion is that we are fundamentally, existentially separate

from anything else.

 

The sense of self, which the brain creates constantly in reaction to

perception of what is perceived at " other " than self (the basic

premise of object–relations theory in developmental pyschology) is

then endowed with a sense of absolute, distinct separation of self

from everything else.

 

Neuroscience has shown that in deep meditaton or prayer, the OAA in

THE PARIETAL LOBE IS TEMPORARILY BLOCKED FROM NEUROLOGICAL INPUT.

 

 

This can give TEMPORARY STATES OF VASTLY EXPANDED CONSCIOUSNESS, as

the sense of separate self cannot find its usual boundaries and

expands to find them.

 

However, this is a temporary experience, dependent on altered brain

function such as the suppression of neurological input to the OAA

that a permanent abiding in oneness consciousness is almost

impossible to attain in this way.

 

This echoes Sri Bhagavan's statement that enlightenment has to be

given, it cannot be attained by self effort.

 

The dikshas seem to induce a process of transformation in the

parietal lobes that permanently changes their function to a natural

level, where physical boundaries can be perceived but unnatural

overactivity ceases.

 

The amygdala–hippocampus would then have no more reason or

stimulation to create the sense of an existentially separate self.

 

 

2. Sri Bhagavan says that activation of the Frontal Lobes is involved

in God – Realization.

 

The experience of enlightenment, of non–separation, does not

necessarily coincide with the experience of a living God–presence.

 

In Sri Bhagavan's teaching more than the deactivation of the

overactivity in the parietal lobes is necessary to move from

enlightenment to God–realization.

 

He speaks about the activation of the frontal lobes as a necessary

neurological change for God to come alive in the consciousness of a

person.

 

THE FRONTAL LOBES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE INDIVIDUAL WILL.

 

Many mystical traditions speak about the merging of the individual

will with the will of God as both a doorway to and result of God–

realization. This however cannot happen if the frontal lobes are

underactive.

 

It is a universal law that anything incomplete in nature seeks its

own completion.

 

 

........

[Guest guest]

--- adithya_comming <adithya_comming wrote:

 

>

>

> Hi,

>

> I found following article on brain and Enlightenment

> at

 

> http://www.livinginjoy.com/en/library/91 Very

> Interesting.

>

> Even quite " True " ...

>

> regards,

> ac.

 

Hi ac,

 

If you are interested in neurotheology, read the

following:

 

Austin, James H. Zen and the Brain. Cambridge, MA: The

MIT Press, 1998.

 

Journal of Consciousness Studies. Volume 7, No. 11/12

(2000)

 

Newberg, Andrew and Eugene d'Aquili. Why God Won't Go

Away: Brain Science and the Biology of Belief. New

York: Ballantine Books, 2001.

 

Also take a look at:

 

http://www.epilepsy.com.au/epilepsy/epilepsyadult.nsf/Content/FeatureStory11?Ope\

nDocument & style=PrintEasy

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Following is an excerpt:

 

 

==================

 

 

......

 

> 1. Sri Bhagavan describes a disconnection of

> activity in the parietal

> lobes as an essential event in the enlightenment

> process.

>

> The parietal lobes host what some neuroscientists

> call the

> ORIENTATION ASSOCIATION AREA OR OAA. THE FUNCTION OF

> THE OAA IS TO

> GIVE US ORIENTATION IN SPACE.

>

> You may take it for granted that you can tie your

> shoelaces and walk

> through a door, but this is only possible due to

> furious neurological

> activity in the rear part of the parietal lobes.

>

> Brain damage to this area makes the smallest tasks

> like grabbing a

> glas of water impossible, because the injured brain

> cannot perceive a

> distinction between the hand, the glass and the

> space in between.

>

> On the physical level, the ability to perceive

> boundaries and

> distinction is essential for our ability to carry

> out tasks.

>

> However in the human brain, the OAA is CHRONICALLY

> OVERACTIVE.

>

> This stimulates the amygdala–hippocampus connection,

> a pair of brain

> centers that is designed to give a sense of meaning

> to perceptions

> registered as important.

>

> If the OAA, which is designed to create a PERCEPTION

> OF DISTINCTION

> AND SEPARATION to a useful degree, is HYPERACTIVE,

> the amygdala–

> hippocampus connection has no choice but to

> INTERPRET THIS

> HYPERACTIVITY by assuming that SEPARATION has more

> reality than just

> on the level of physical objects like your hand and

> a glass.

>

>

> The conclusion is that we are fundamentally,

> existentially separate

> from anything else.

>

> The sense of self, which the brain creates

> constantly in reaction to

> perception of what is perceived at " other " than self

> (the basic

> premise of object–relations theory in developmental

> pyschology) is

> then endowed with a sense of absolute, distinct

> separation of self

> from everything else.

>

> Neuroscience has shown that in deep meditaton or

> prayer, the OAA in

> THE PARIETAL LOBE IS TEMPORARILY BLOCKED FROM

> NEUROLOGICAL INPUT.

>

>

> This can give TEMPORARY STATES OF VASTLY EXPANDED

> CONSCIOUSNESS, as

> the sense of separate self cannot find its usual

> boundaries and

> expands to find them.

>

> However, this is a temporary experience, dependent

> on altered brain

> function such as the suppression of neurological

> input to the OAA

> that a permanent abiding in oneness consciousness is

> almost

> impossible to attain in this way.

>

> This echoes Sri Bhagavan's statement that

> enlightenment has to be

> given, it cannot be attained by self effort.

>

> The dikshas seem to induce a process of

> transformation in the

> parietal lobes that permanently changes their

> function to a natural

> level, where physical boundaries can be perceived

> but unnatural

> overactivity ceases.

>

> The amygdala–hippocampus would then have no more

> reason or

> stimulation to create the sense of an existentially

> separate self.

>

>

> 2. Sri Bhagavan says that activation of the Frontal

> Lobes is involved

> in God – Realization.

>

> The experience of enlightenment, of non–separation,

> does not

> necessarily coincide with the experience of a living

> God–presence.

>

> In Sri Bhagavan's teaching more than the

> deactivation of the

> overactivity in the parietal lobes is necessary to

> move from

> enlightenment to God–realization.

>

> He speaks about the activation of the frontal lobes

> as a necessary

> neurological change for God to come alive in the

> consciousness of a

> person.

>

> THE FRONTAL LOBES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE INDIVIDUAL

> WILL.

>

> Many mystical traditions speak about the merging of

> the individual

> will with the will of God as both a doorway to and

> result of God–

> realization. This however cannot happen if the

> frontal lobes are

> underactive.

>

> It is a universal law that anything incomplete in

> nature seeks its

> own completion.

>

>

> .......

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Nisargadatta , " adithya_comming "

<adithya_comming> wrote:

>

> Hi,

>

> I found following article on brain and Enlightenment at

> http://www.livinginjoy.com/en/library/91 Very Interesting.

>

> Even quite " True " ...

>

> regards,

> ac.

>

 

It's of course true that material stuff and consciousness are

reflected in each other. But material stuff does not consist of

separate parts such as brain, human body, trees, cars, clouds, stars,

e t c. There simply cannot exist anything truly separate. All material

stuff is _one_ quantum wave function which includes consciousness and

all of the material universe.

 

al.

[Guest guest]

Nisargadatta , Lewis Burgess <lbb10@c...> wrote:

>

> --- adithya_comming <adithya_comming> wrote:

>

> >

> >

> > Hi,

> >

> > I found following article on brain and Enlightenment

> > at

>

> > http://www.livinginjoy.com/en/library/91 Very

> > Interesting.

> >

> > Even quite " True " ...

> >

> > regards,

> > ac.

>

> Hi ac,

>

> If you are interested in neurotheology, read the

> following:

>

> Austin, James H. Zen and the Brain. Cambridge, MA: The

> MIT Press, 1998.

>

> Journal of Consciousness Studies. Volume 7, No. 11/12

> (2000)

>

> Newberg, Andrew and Eugene d'Aquili. Why God Won't Go

> Away: Brain Science and the Biology of Belief. New

> York: Ballantine Books, 2001.

>

> Also take a look at:

>

>

http://www.epilepsy.com.au/epilepsy/epilepsyadult.nsf/Content/FeatureS

tory11?OpenDocument & style=PrintEasy

 

 

Thank you very much, Lewis.

 

I have tried to read few of the papers on the theory of " quantum

brain " but I have found them too much of theory and the logic

presented hasn't convinced me much.

 

I have found it mostly like:

 

We see x,

 

Now let us assume y,

 

Now because we have already assumed Y, ...Z must be true.

 

 

Maybe, I still haven't come across a paper that is written to my

taste. I will try to take a look at these links.

 

With warm regards,

ac.

 

 

[.....]

[Guest guest]

--- adithya_comming <adithya_comming wrote:

>

>

> Nisargadatta , Lewis Burgess

> <lbb10@c...> wrote:

> >

> > --- adithya_comming <adithya_comming> wrote:

> >

> > >

> > >

> > > Hi,

> > >

> > > I found following article on brain and

> Enlightenment

> > > at

> >

> > > http://www.livinginjoy.com/en/library/91 Very

> > > Interesting.

> > >

> > > Even quite " True " ...

> > >

> > > regards,

> > > ac.

> >

> > Hi ac,

> >

> > If you are interested in neurotheology, read the

> > following:

> >

> > Austin, James H. Zen and the Brain. Cambridge, MA:

> The

> > MIT Press, 1998.

> >

> > Journal of Consciousness Studies. Volume 7, No.

> 11/12

> > (2000)

> >

> > Newberg, Andrew and Eugene d'Aquili. Why God Won't

> Go

> > Away: Brain Science and the Biology of Belief. New

> > York: Ballantine Books, 2001.

> >

> > Also take a look at:

> >

> >

>

http://www.epilepsy.com.au/epilepsy/epilepsyadult.nsf/Content/FeatureS

> tory11?OpenDocument & style=PrintEasy

>

>

> Thank you very much, Lewis.

>

> I have tried to read few of the papers on the theory

> of " quantum

> brain " but I have found them too much of theory and

> the logic

> presented hasn't convinced me much.

>

> I have found it mostly like:

>

> We see x,

>

> Now let us assume y,

>

> Now because we have already assumed Y, ...Z must be

> true.

>

>

> Maybe, I still haven't come across a paper that is

> written to my

> taste. I will try to take a look at these links.

>

> With warm regards,

> ac.

>

>

> [.....]

 

Hi ac,

 

It seems that " quantum brain " is associated with

Lewis. I have no interest or belief in a quantum brain

beyond the stories of it. That article in a very

complicated way said all is quantum stuff and brains

have quantum level receiving and giving ends

(microtubules) so that that quanta can move back and

forth between brains and environment in this way and

this can account for consciousness and perception of

qualia and other stuff. It is simply reducing

everything to quanta and showing interaction between

quanta, specifically between a quantum level brain and

everything else. A nice story among many, many others.

 

 

The books, journal issue and article given above are

precisely what you seem to be interested in.

 

Those stories of interest to me because they are about

the production of altered states of consciousness via

brain modules and manipulation of the brain's

plasticity. Whether this true or not is of no

importance to me. The content is more for the story

collection. What is interesting to me is the use of

the stories to support completely opposing views and

the distinctions people make when they speak of it.

For example, those going for brain highs and altered

states of consciousness like these stories, studies

because it gives foundation, inspiration, and

direction for attaining temporary or supposedly

permanent states of altered consciousness and samahdis

for whatever purpose they desire. It can become a

confirmation ticket to let it all hang in the brain

without reserve because the doctors say you can get if

you can send or withhold sensation from a brain

region, center or module. No faith required, don't

wait for grace, just massage or do not massage the

lobes.

 

Others, may find this disheartening because all of

their study and efforts towards the Absolute or God or

their deification were really only aimed at massaging

the brain or not massaging it in a way that gives

unique altered conscious experiences, making them

better persons or unique. Seekers, in this light,

become merely self-centered brain stimulators or

manipulators who were following the teachings of

Masters and Messiahs and Prophets who did not know

they were simply and successfully manipulated their

brains (or their brains manipulating them) to achieve

unique states and insights. And that their teachings

and practices (prayer, meditation, infused

contemplation, neti, neti, asceticism, faith, grace,

etc.) amount to no more than scientifically " ignorant "

and not very effective instructions on how to

manipulate the brain to achieve unions, samahdis,

satoris, oceanic feelings of oneness, out of body

experiences, salvation, freedom from suffering and the

whole kit and kaboodle of those states and experiences

offered as lures and candy.

 

So these studies may act as self-deprogramming

materials for those who upon avidly reading them

suddenly find a change in their thinking in light of

the findings that their experiences with God and

Absolutes has been really their " brain on those

concepts and associated teaching and practices. "

Instead of " this is your brain, this is your brain on

drugs, " it is this is your brain, this is your brain

on Self/God/Allah/No-Self/G_d/??? etc.

 

Still others find these experiences as distractions

and slef-seeking not worthy of any attention since

what do these temporary and rarely permanent states

and experiences have to do with living? Others will

see it as a means to scoff at the " religious and

spiritual freaks " who cannot recognize an orange as an

orange but think it that it really is something else

altogther or that all nondualist talk is simply

heavily massaged imbalanced brains talking the talk of

self-induced brain emissions of illusion, Now, Nothing

ever happened, what is, all is dream, I AM, All is

Pure Consciousness, Pure Awreness and other brain

phantasms. Others make money and careers writing about

it and some enjoy reading it and the temporary drama

it creates.

 

What's in your wallet, ac?

 

Lewis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

[.....]

 

>

> What's in your wallet, ac?

 

$221.44 in cash and few plastic and paper cards at the moment.

 

More later.

 

regards,

ac.

 

>

> Lewis

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>