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This book argues for the central role played by absorption in the functioning of the human mind. The importance of absorption makes itself felt in different ways; the two studies combined in this book concentrate on two of them. The first study, 'The Symbolic Mind', argues that, largely as a result of language acquisition, humans have two levels of cognition, which in normal circumstances are simultaneously active. Absorption is a (or the) means to circumvent some, perhaps all, of the associations that characterize one of these two levels of cognition, resulting in what is sometimes referred to as mysitcal experience, but which is not confined to mysticism and plays a role in various "religious" phenomena, and elsewhere. In the second st...
Publisher description: As David White explains in the Introduction to Tantra in Practice, Tantra is an Asian body of beliefs and practices that seeks to channel the divine energy that grounds the universe, in creative and liberating ways. The subsequent chapters reflect the wide geographical and temporal scope of Tantra by examining thirty-six texts from China, India, Japan, Nepal, and Tibet, ranging from the seventh century to the present day, and representing the full range of Tantric experience--Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, and even Islamic. Each text has been chosen and translated, often for the first time, by an international expert in the field who also provides detailed background material. Students of Asian religions and general reader...
The human voice is one of the principal conveyers of social and affective communication. Yet relatively little is known about the neural circuitry that supports the recognition of different vocally expressed emotions. We conducted an FMRI study to examine the brain responses to vocal expressions of anger and happiness, and to test whether specific brain regions showed preferential engagement in the processing of one emotion over the other. We also tested the extent to which simultaneously presented facial expressions of the same or different emotions would enhance brain responses, and to what degree such responses depend on attention towards the vocal expression. Forty healthy individuals were scanned while listening to vocal expressions...
Liberation in our hands: a series of oral discourses (1990, Book)
Reaction time measures of interhemispheric transfer time in reading disabled and normal children (1990, Journal Article)
This experiment was designed to test whether reading disabled boys differ from matched controls on behavioral measures of interhemispheric transfer time (IHTT). Specifically, we proposed that language-disordered reading disabled children who had deficits in naming would show either faster or slower IHTTs compared with controls. From an initial group of 118 right-handed males, we selected a group of 25 disabled and 25 normal readers, matched on age. All subjects had to obtain a full scale IQ of 90 or above, a PIQ score of 85 or above, and a scaled score of 7 or above on the Block Design Subtest of the WISC-R. After meeting additional criteria for group assignment, manual reaction time (RT) measures of IHTT were obtained in response to simple visual and tactile stimuli during two laboratory testing sessions. Half the trials were conducted with the hands in an uncrossed orientation and half with the hands crossed in order to examine the effects of spatial compatibility on estimates of IHTT. The results revealed no overall group differences in IHTT for any of the conditions. However, correlations between IHTT measures and indices of cognitive performance indicated that faster IHTTs were significantly correlated with poorer performance on measures of reading and language function in the dyslexic group. These data are discussed within the context of a model of interhemispheric transfer deficits in disabled readers.
Baseline resting electroencephalogram (EEG) activity was recorded from 6 normothymic depressives and 8 controls using three different reference montages. Power in all frequency bands was extracted by Fourier transformation. Significant Group X Region X Hemisphere interactions were found consistently for alpha band power only. Previously depressed subjects had less left-sided anterior and less right-sided posterior activation (i.e., more alpha activity) than did never depressed subjects. Previously depressed subjects had no history of pharmacological treatment and did not differ from controls in emotional state at the time of testing. The pattern of anterior and posterior asymmetry in the previously depressed subjects is similar to that found in acutely depressed subjects and suggests that this may be a state-independent marker for depression.
Early Temples of Central Tibet (1990, Book)
The Path of the Saints (1990, Book Chapter)
The Samādhi of Direct Encounter with the Buddha of the Present, Chapter Fifteen (1990, Book Chapter)
Sammāsati: An Exposition of Right Mindfulness (1990, Book)
Yoga breathing exercises and bronchial asthma (1990, Journal Article)
Effect of yoga breathing exercises (pranayama) on airway reactivity in subjects with asthma (1990, Journal Article)
The effects of two pranayama yoga breathing exercises on airway reactivity, airway calibre, symptom scores, and medication use in patients with mild asthma were assessed in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. After baseline assessment over 1 week, 18 patients with mild asthma practised slow deep breathing for 15 min twice a day for two consecutive 2-week periods. During the active period, subjects were asked to breathe through a Pink City lung (PCL) exerciser--a device which imposes slowing of breathing and a 1:2 inspiration:expiration duration ratio equivalent to pranayama breathing methods; during the control period, subjects breathed through a matched placebo device. Mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), peak expiratory flow rate, symptom score, and inhaler use over the last 3 days of each treatment period were assessed in comparison with the baseline assessment period; all improved more with the PCL exerciser than with the placebo device, but the differences were not significant. There was a statistically significant increase in the dose of histamine needed to provoke a 20% reduction in FEV1 (PD20) during pranayama breathing but not with the placebo device. The usefulness of controlled ventilation exercises in the control of asthma should be further investigated.
Non-pharmacological treatment of hypertension (1990, Journal Article)
Weight reduction, alcohol restriction, mild salt restriction, eating a vegetarian diet and increasing aerobic exercise will generally lower the blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension. Eating a diet rich in potassium and reducing caffeine intake may also be helpful in reducing the pressure, but increasing the fiber or calcium intake will generally be ineffective. Reducing fat intake from the usual 40% of total calories to 25-30% may reduce hypertension directly or by weight reduction. Smoking, when combined with excessive caffeine or alcohol intake may have an additive effect on blood pressure. Monotherapy with such behavioral techniques as self-monitoring of blood pressure, biofeedback, meditation, yoga, progressive muscular relaxation or cognitive therapy may reduce the blood pressure to a variable degree, and combinations of these treatments may be even more successful.
Simple treatment for snoring also a means of prediction of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty success? (1990, Journal Article)
The old Indian literature describes a technique known as Sutra-Neti. That is, passing a catheter or similar material through the nose and out of the mouth as a means of clearing the airway. One of our patients adapted this method, tying the catheter end to end, in order to control his severe snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea. This was effective for several months. He subsequently responded well to a uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.
This ground-breaking study reveals an unorganized and previously unacknowledged religion at the heart of American culture. Nature, Albanese argues, has provided a compelling religious center throughout American history.
Dharma Gaia explores the ground where Buddhism and ecology meet through writings by the Dalai Lama, Gary Snyder, Thich Nhat Hanh, Allen Ginsberg, Joanna Macy, Robert Aitken, and 25 other Buddhists and ecologists.
Patañjali's Remarks on Aṅga (1990, Book)
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (1990, Book)
The Concept of Apavarga in Sāṃkhya Philosophy (1990, Book)
Yuktidīpikā (1990, Book)
Yuktidīpikā (1990, Book)
Raja Yoga (1990, Book)
The Upanishads: Katha, Iśa, Kena, and Mundaka (1990, Book)
Occupational stress in health personnel and its prevention. Possible use of yoga (1990, Journal Article)
The paper summarizes some non-specific stress factors of work in the health services (e.g. shift work) and some relatively specific stressing factors (e.g. contact with grief, intense negative emotion and death). It deals also with the consequences of excessive stress, incl. the "burnout syndrome". It gives a brief account of possible preventive measures at the individual level and at the level of the organization. In the conclusion the author mentions the possibility to use yoga in the prevention of occupational stress in the health services. Work in the health services although, associated with considerable stress, is at the same time an opportunity for personality development and self-realization.
We all admire the altruism of a Mother Teresa or the heroism of people who risk their lives to save a drowning child. But when it comes to our own everyday lives, we tend to regard “looking out for number one” as more central to human nature than reaching out to others. Surprisingly, though, that cynical view does not hold up in the light of recent research. In this lively book, Alfie Kohn draws from hundreds of compelling studies in psychology, sociology, economics, and biology to demonstrate convincingly that we are more caring than we give ourselves credit for, and that our generosity cannot be reduced to mere self-interest. The Brighter Side of Human Nature shows that helping is every bit as natural as hurting.
Building on the concepts of professional competence that he introduced in his classic The Reflective Practitioner, Schon offers an approach for educating professional in all areas that will prepare them to handle the complex and unpredictable problems of actual practice with confidence, skill, and care.
Hatha Yoga for Kids By Kids! (1990, Book)
Instructional photographs and simple text written by children introduce the basic, optional, and meditative poses of Hatha yoga.
Influence of metacognitive knowledge and aptitude on problem solving (1990, Journal Article)
The author investigated whether high levels of metacognitive knowledge about problem solving could compensate for low overall aptitude. To test this hypothesis, a 2 (high–low aptitude) × 2 (high–low metacognitive ability) design was used to analyze children's problem-solving performance. Processing differences between ability groups were determined through an analysis of "think aloud" protocols. Protocols were analyzed at two levels: (a) grouping of subroutines that function as heuristic processes and (b) grouping of subroutines that function as strategies. Regardless of aptitude, higher metacognitive children performed better than the lower metacognitive children. Higher metacognitive ability groups were more likely to rely on hypothetico-deductive (if–then propositions) and evaluation (check the adequacy of a hypothesis) strategies than was the lower metacognitive group. The results are discussed in terms of the independence of metacognition and general academic aptitude. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Global warming, acid rain, the depletion of forests, the polluting of our atmosphere and oceans--the threats to our environment are numerous, raising justifiable concern among most of us and genuine alarm in some. But as scientist Daniel Botkin argues in this provocative new book, our ability to solve these problems is limited--not by our scientific knowledge--but by the age-old myths and metaphors that shape our perception of the natural world. Indeed, our beliefs about nature have fallen well behind our knowledge. Daniel Botkin is a seasoned scientist. He has spent three decades in the field studying the changes and interactions of forests and animal species. In the 1960s he pioneered the use of computers to predict ecological trends. Now, in Discordant Harmonies, he combines his considerable expertise with the well-honed eye of the nature writer and a philosopher's sense of how ideas shape our perceptions of reality to take us on a marvelous guided tour of the natural world. His method is to introduce a problem in our beliefs about nature by giving us a fascinating case study: of predator-prey relationships, of forests evolving over centuries, of species nearing extinction, of the ways our "protection" of nature has had surprising--and often disappointing--results. Botkin's revealing case studies also highlight controversial present-day issues--like controlled burning in national forests, fishing and hunting quotas, and policy-making for management of natural resources. He looks at each of these cases in the light of past thinking and current research, revealing how old myths often blind us to the new technology and to the ways of thinking we need to solve our environmental problems. Above all, Botkin is concerned with finding the delicate balance between man and nature--that place where human needs and the intricate systems of nature can viably coexist. Whether discussing moose herds on Isle Royale or Yosemite's famous Mariposa Grove of Sequoias, Botkin writes vividly and insightfully about nature, challenging us to rethink some of our most cherished notions. Anyone who is concerned about the environment will find much here to ponder as well as the pleasure of meeting a stimulating and thoughtful mind at work.
Building on the concepts of professional competence that he introduced in his classic The Reflective Practitioner, Schon offers an approach for educating professional in all areas that will prepare them to handle the complex and unpredictable problems of actual practice with confidence, skill, and care.
To examine the extent to which advanced meditative practices might alter body metabolism and the electroencephalogram (EEG), we investigated three Tibetan Buddhist monks living in the Rumtek monastery in Sikkim, India. In a study carried out in February 1988, we found that during the practice of several different meditative practices, resting metabolism ([Vdot]O2) could be both raised (up to 61%) and lowered (down to 64%). The reduction from rest is the largest ever reported. On the EEG, marked asymmetry in alpha and beta activity between the hemispheres and increased beta activity were present. From these three case reports, we conclude that advanced meditative practices may yield different alterations in metabolism (there are also forms of meditation that increase metabolism) and that the decreases in metabolism can be striking.
The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Scientific and Technical Information
Tibetan Medicine and Other Holistic Health Care Systems (1990, Journal Article)
Монголын уламжлалт анагаах ухаан (1990, Book)
Mind and mental health in Tibetan medicine. (1990, Book)
Tibetan medicine: teachings from the roof of the world (1990, Miscellaneous)
(Producer) The Tibetans have devoted much of their medical efforts towards dealing with the spiritual aspects of health and disease. This program explores the elements of Tibetan medicine that might influence the way in which practitioners conduct their diagnostic sessions and select therapies.
Glimpses of Tibetan medicine. (1990, Book)
The Tibetan medicine Buddha (1990, Journal Article)
Patañjali's Remarks on Aṅga (1990, Book)
The term anga is defined and used by grammarian Panini in his system of grammatical morphology. In the second century B.C., Patanjali commented on Panini's rules in his Mahabhasya, and the arguments and conclusions presented in the text constitute the basis of much of medieval grammatical literature. Benson here provides an examination of Patanjali's remarks, offering a useful introduction to Panini's system. Passages from the Mahabhasya and later grammatical treatises are provided in translation.
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (1990, Book)
This valuable book provides a complete manual for the study and practice of Raja Yoga, the path of concentration and meditation. This new deluxe printing of these timeless teachings is a treasure to be read and referred to again and again by seekers treading the spiritual path. The classic Sutras (thought-threads), at least 4,000 years old, cover the yogic teachings on ethics, meditation, and physical postures, and provide directions for dealing with situations in daily life. The Sutras are presented here in the purest form, with the original Sanskrit and with translation, transliteration, and commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda, one of the most respected and revered contemporary Yoga masters. In this classic context, Sri Swamiji offers practical advice based on his own experience for mastering the mind and achieving physical, mental and emotional harmony.
The Concept of Apavarga in Sāṃkhya Philosophy (1990, Book)
Yuktidīpikā (1990, Book)
The Upanishads: Katha, Isa, Kena and Mundaka (1990, Book)
Volume I : Katha, Isa, Kena and Mundaka Upanishads. Introduction containing a general outline of the metaphysics and philosophy of Hinduism.
Flow: The psychology of optimal experience (1990, Book)
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's famous investigations of "optimal experience" have revealed that what makes an experience genuinely satisfying is a state of consciousness called flow. During flow, people typically experience deep enjoyment, creativity, and a total involvement with life. In this new edition of his groundbreaking classic work, Csikszentmihalyi ("the leading researcher into ‘flow states’" —Newsweek) demonstrates the ways this positive state can be controlled, not just left to chance. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience teaches how, by ordering the information that enters our consciousness, we can discover true happiness, unlock our potential, and greatly improve the quality of our lives.
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