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Enhancing Human Cognition Through Vajrayana Practices.
1Psychology Department, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, 9 Arts Link, Block AS4, Level 2, Singapore, 117570, Singapore. psymaria@nus.edu.sg.
Journal of Religion and Health
|February 17, 2019
Summary
Certain Buddhist meditation practices, like Vajrayana, enhance cognitive states by boosting sympathetic activation and focused attention. Other traditions, such as Theravada, promote calm alertness through parasympathetic activity.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuroscience of Meditation
- Psychology of Consciousness
Background:
- Phenomenological studies suggest enhanced cognitive states like flow and peak experiences.
- These states involve temporary increases in cognitive processes such as attention and perception.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review scientific evidence linking specific meditation types to enhanced cognitive states.
- To investigate the physiological correlates of different meditation traditions.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature on meditation and cognitive function.
- Analysis of physiological markers (sympathetic and parasympathetic activity, alertness).
Main Results:
- Vajrayana (Tantric Buddhism) and Hindu Tantra meditation correlate with heightened sympathetic activation and phasic alertness (boosted focused attention).
- Theravada and Mahayana meditation (Shamatha, Vipassana) correlate with heightened parasympathetic activity and tonic alertness (calm alertness).
Conclusions:
- Findings validate scriptural descriptions of arousal in Vajrayana and calm alertness in Theravada/Mahayana practices.
- Demonstrates the existence of distinct, energized enhanced cognitive states induced by meditation.
Keywords:
ArousalAutonomic nervous systemCreativityEnhanced cognitive stateMeditative practicesVajrayana BuddhismMore Related Videos
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