It is rare that one reads such an authoritative source confirming the intersection of Buddhist meditative practice with the latest scientific research. Cognitive enhancement has emerged as one of the most promising aspects of recent research into the functioning of the human brain, and this article presents the facts in a manner that can easily be understood by the educated lay person. A great read--highly recommended.

The reason to do open monitoring meditation is not explained. The neuroscience creates a bit of credibility for a topic that is usually woo-woo. The idea is interesting, but utility and actual application seems many years away.

Peter Reiner takes on a difficult task in attempting to illuminate a few of the more substantial scientific findings that seem to point to the efficacy of meditation. Why difficult? Because meditation is, as Reiner alludes to, a subjective activity. Even though the presence of "sustained gamma activity" on EEG tracings is widely acknowledged to accompany a meditative state, Reiner goes on to demonstrate that empirical data on meditative practices remains somewhat elusive. That said, I thought this was an excellent overview in short form of the progress being made in exactly this direction. By encouraging scientific investigation into meditation, the Dalai Lama himself is acknowledging the realization among modern ... More »