Explore the relationship between conscious experience, the brain, the body and the ways we notice ourselves.
Brain and conscious experience; the observer and the self.
Meditation, dreams and altered states.
Near-death experiences and the questions they raise.
Ancient traditions, Divine Source and spiritual perspectives.
Rhythm, movement, attention, timing and cognition.
Pause and observe. Notice a thought, a sensation and an emotion. Write down what you experienced before deciding what it means. A personal observation and a scientific explanation answer different kinds of questions.
Research on meditation can illuminate measured outcomes and methods. It cannot settle every philosophical question about consciousness or establish a spiritual explanation.
Read NCCIH’s meditation and mindfulness evidence overview
Read a research abstract on conscious-state shifts during meditation
Chapter pathway: Chapter 14 — Intuition vs Expectation: Trusting Your Sage, Resisting the Saboteur.
What did I notice? What interpretation did I add? What would help me explore the difference?