Key insights
- The underlying theoretical basis for Mindfulness practice is **Neural Plasticity**
- Every idea/thought/memory has a corresponding set of body sensation signature
thought: Anger
- sensation signature: Tight shoulder, increased heart rate
- The brain is conditioned to be caloric conservative
Neo-cortex / awareness tends to be spotty and selective
- most stimulus/response loop gets automated to the Limbic brain. Brain's habit starts forming overtime.
- In extreme cases, the habit coalescence into a false identity which the subject subscribes to, a.k.a. the narrative fallacy
- That is the threshold beyond when the Limbic brain tendencies becomes too strong for Neo-cortex override.
**Addiction** - off balanced dopamine pathways
- **Anxiety** - off-balanced adrenaline pathways
- **Ignorance** - signals from sensors not being acknowledged
- Constant directing of awareness results in further build up of neural connections between Neo-Coretex and the Limbic Brain, allowing for increased control over output response to environment.
gradually displacing pre-existing programming
- Constant practice of equanimity by active observation of sensory inputs and corresponding limbic action help calibrate limbic response overtime
- Mind has natural tendency to load memories/thoughts into system when 5 senses are not any state of intense stimulation
- Insight Meditation is the most caloric efficient exercise for calibrating the Limbic system through a process of reinforcement learning
As in training neural networks, comprehensive volumes of data needs to be made available for the Neo-Coretex to make the connection between Addiction, Anxiety, Ignorance and corresponding body sensation signature
- Speculations on **Satori** moments described by Monks:
Cause:
Extreme levels of concentration achieved in the state of meditation
- Symptoms:
Extensive heat / throbbing is experienced in the forehead section between the eyes
- Blinding flash of white light even with eyes closed
- Bio-Mechanism:
Density of neural connection between Neo-Coretex and Limbic brain crosses some arbitrary threshold
- cross wiring of **generic** brain cells commonly utilized for consciously processing sight to observing the inner system
similar to temporal LSD induced mental state but in this case permanent
- Religious terminology:
opening of the third eye
- System - Dharma
Sila: precepts and morality
- Samadhi: concentration and stability of mind on here and now
- Pranna: wisdom of self by knowing what is right now happening within the framework of the body.
- Three marks of existence
Anicca - Impermanance
- Dukkha - All things are unsatisfactory
- Anatta - No self