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The Meditating Brain
Benson reported that certain electrical brain activity (EEG alpha and theta waves) increases both in intensity and frequency during meditation (1975:64). His early findings have held up well. Murphy and Donovan cite 36 studies between 1955 and 1987 showing increasing alpha rhythms using many types of meditation, including sessions with Zen masters (see EEG described in Chapter 9).
Murphy and Donovan cite 25 studies between 1955 and 1984 showing an unusual "synchronization/coherence" of alpha activity among the four quadrants of the brain, front, back, left, and right. They note that this effect has been scientifically associated with creativity. Synchronization of the various parts of the brain is particularly significant because meditation is more than relaxation and peacefulness. It opens the mind to a rich source of intelligence and creativity. In the next talk, I will describe recent research on the brainwave patterns in highly developed (enlightened) long-term meditators.
Our knowledge of the brain in meditation will become much richer in coming years as researchers move beyond EEG to new, dynamic, 3-dimensional imaging tools, such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. These tools have already been used to show how areas of the brain shift activity during meditation and to chart some lasting changes in brain structure with long meditation practice.
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