<p>This is a review by A. W. Macdonald of Siegfied Lienhard, <em>Navārīgītimañjarī, Religious and Secular Poetry of the Nevars of the Kathmandu Valley</em>.</p>
<p>A short review of Theodore Riccardi, Jr., <em>A Nepalese Version of the Vetālapañcāvimśati</em>.</p>
<p>This is a review by A. W. Macdonald of K. R. Van Kooij, <em>Worship of the Goddess According to the Kālikāpurāṇa</em>.</p>
Individuals show marked variation in their responses to threat. Such individual differences in “behavioral inhibition” (BI) play a profound role in mental and physical wellbeing. BI is thought to reflect variation in the sensitivity of a distributed neural system responsible for generating anxiety and organizing defensive responses in response to threat and punishment. Although progress has been made in identifying the key constituents of this behavioral inhibition system (BIS) in humans, the involvement of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) remains unclear. Here, we acquired self-reported BIS-sensitivity and high-density EEG from a large sample (n=51). Using the enhanced spatial resolution afforded by source modeling techniques, we show that individuals with greater tonic activity in right posterior dlPFC rate themselves as more behaviorally inhibited. This observation provides novel support for recent conceptualizations of BI and clues to the mechanisms that might underlie variation in threat-induced negative affect.
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The question of the self has intrigued philosophers and psychologists for a long time. More recently, distinct concepts of self have also been suggested in neuroscience. However, the exact relationship between these concepts and neural processing across different brain regions remains unclear. This article reviews neuroimaging studies comparing neural correlates during processing of stimuli related to the self with those of non-self-referential stimuli. All studies revealed activation in the medial regions of our brains' cortex during self-related stimuli. The activation in these so-called cortical midline structures (CMS) occurred across all functional domains (e.g., verbal, spatial, emotional, and facial). Cluster and factor analyses indicate functional specialization into ventral, dorsal, and posterior CMS remaining independent of domains. Taken together, our results suggest that self-referential processing is mediated by cortical midline structures. Since the CMS are densely and reciprocally connected to subcortical midline regions, we advocate an integrated cortical–subcortical midline system underlying human self. We conclude that self-referential processing in CMS constitutes the core of our self and is critical for elaborating experiential feelings of self, uniting several distinct concepts evident in current neuroscience.
<p>This article looks at the influence that Tibet , mainly through Buddhist culture, had on the development of Mongolian literatary traditions. It notes ways that indigenous Mongolian literature was often adapted to Buddhist themes, and thereby help spread the religion. It also surveys some prominent Mongolian writers. (Mark Premo-Hopkins 2004-04-27; revised by Ben Deitle 2006-02-23)</p>
We used fMRI to examine amygdala activation in response to fearful facial expressions, measured over multiple scanning sessions. 15 human subjects underwent three scanning sessions, at 0, 2 and 8 weeks. During each session, functional brain images centered about the amygdala were acquired continuously while participants were shown alternating blocks of fearful, neutral and happy facial expressions. Intraclass correlation coefficients calculated across the sessions indicated stability of response in left amygdala to fearful faces (as a change from baseline), but considerably less left amygdala stability in responses to neutral expressions and for fear versus neutral contrasts. The results demonstrate that the measurement of fMRI BOLD responses in amygdala to fearful facial expressions might be usefully employed as an index of amygdala reactivity over extended periods. While signal change to fearful facial expressions appears robust, the experimental design employed here has yielded variable responsivity within baseline or comparison conditions. Future studies might manipulate the experimental design to either amplify or attenuate this variability, according to the goals of the research.
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Stratigraphic boundaries are ideally defined by distinct lithological,geochemical, and palaeobiological signatures, to which a chronological
framework can be applied. We present a range of observations that
illustrate how the Holocene-Anthropocene transition meets these criteria
in its expression in sediments from remote arctic and alpine lakes,
removed from direct, catchment-scale, anthropogenic influences. In
glaciated lake basins, the retreat of glaciers commonly leads to
lithological successions from proglacial clastic sedimentation to
non-glacial organic deposition. Sediments from the majority of lakes
record marked depletions in the nitrogen stable isotopic composition of
sediment organic matter, reflecting anthropogenic influences on the
global nitrogen cycle. In all cases, siliceous microfossil assemblages
(diatoms and chrysophytes) change markedly and directionally, with
regional nuances. These stratigraphic fingerprints begin to appear in
the sediment record after AD 1850, but accelerate in pulses between AD
1950 and 1970 and again after AD 1980. Our review indicates that recent
environmental changes associated with humankind's dominance of key
global biogeochemical cycles are sufficiently pervasive to be imprinted
on the sediment record of remote lakes. Moreover, these changes are of
sufficient magnitude to conclude that the Holocene has effectively
ended, and that the concept of Anthropocene more aptly describes current
planetary dynamics. The synthesis of these observations pertains
directly to ongoing discussions concerning the eventual formalization of
a new stratigraphic boundary.
Stress can fundamentally alter neural responses to incoming information. Recent research suggests that stress and anxiety shift the balance of attention away from a task-directed mode, governed by prefrontal cortex (PFC), to a sensory-vigilance mode, governed by the amygdala and other threat-sensitive regions. A key untested prediction of this framework is that stress exerts dissociable effects on different stages of information processing. This study exploited the temporal resolution afforded by event-related potentials to disentangle the impact of stress on vigilance, indexed by early perceptual activity, from its impact on task-directed cognition, indexed by later post-perceptual activity in humans. Results indicated that threat-of-shock amplified stress, measured using retrospective ratings and concurrent facial electromyography (EMG). Stress also double-dissociated early sensory-specific from the later task-directed processing of emotionally-neutral stimuli: stress amplified N1 (184-236 ms) and attenuated P3 (316-488 ms) activity. This demonstrates that stress can have strikingly different consequences at different processing stages. Consistent with recent suggestions, stress amplified earlier extrastriate activity in a manner consistent with vigilance for threat (N1), but disrupted later activity associated with the evaluation of task-relevant information (P3). These results provide a novel basis for understanding how stress can modulate information processing in everyday life and stress-sensitive disorders.
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The multivariate relationship between environmental attitudes and pro-environmental behaviour was examined. In two studies a structural model linking environmental awareness, emotions, personal-philosophical values, perceived control and behaviour was proposed and tested. The main questions investigated were (a) whether, to what extent, and in which constellation personal belief systems affect environmental behaviour, and (b) the generalizability of the model from two known groups. New instruments were created to measure the model's constructs. Using LISREL VII, Study I confirmed the proposed model. The strongest effect on environmental behaviour stemmed from personal-philosophical values and emotions. No effects on environmental behaviour stemming from factual knowledge were found. Thirty-nine per cent of the variance in environmental behaviour was explained by the attitudinal components. Study II showed the extent to which persons differ in their environmental behaviour depending on their membership in a ‘green’ drivers' association, compared with traditional drivers.
Despite research findings that Cognitive Therapy (CT) reduces relapse of depression, patients often dohave setbacks. Recently, CT researchers have integrated the Eastern meditative practice of
mindfulness into cognitive approach. This study was a variation on research on Mindfulness Based
Cognitive Therapy (the incorporation of mindfulness and CT) and relapse prevention from depression.
Three tracks of participants, mindfulness training (MT), CT and treatment as usual (TAU) were studied
to examine relapse rates from depression and the participants’ sense of self-efficacy. The MT and CT
tracks were added on to a regular outpatient treatment program. Three measures were used: the Beck
Depression Inventory, the Mindfulness-Based Self Efficacy Scale and the Generalized Self-Efficacy
Scale. Participants were assessed during an initial (pretest, baseline) period and again at a 3-month
follow-up. Results reveal a significant decrease in depression and an increase in mindful and
generalized self-efficacy in the MT track (N = 33). The results also showed a significant decrease in
depression and mindfulness self-efficacy for the CT track (N = 27), but no significant change in
generalized self-efficacy. The TAU track (N = 30) revealed no significant changes in any of the three
measures. These trends show promise for relapse prevention of depression and improved sense of
self-management through both therapeutic methodologies of mindfulness and cognitive therapy.
Despite research findings that Cognitive Therapy (CT) reduces relapse of depression, patients often dohave setbacks. Recently, CT researchers have integrated the Eastern meditative practice of
mindfulness into cognitive approach. This study was a variation on research on Mindfulness Based
Cognitive Therapy (the incorporation of mindfulness and CT) and relapse prevention from depression.
Three tracks of participants, mindfulness training (MT), CT and treatment as usual (TAU) were studied
to examine relapse rates from depression and the participants’ sense of self-efficacy. The MT and CT
tracks were added on to a regular outpatient treatment program. Three measures were used: the Beck
Depression Inventory, the Mindfulness-Based Self Efficacy Scale and the Generalized Self-Efficacy
Scale. Participants were assessed during an initial (pretest, baseline) period and again at a 3-month
follow-up. Results reveal a significant decrease in depression and an increase in mindful and
generalized self-efficacy in the MT track (N = 33). The results also showed a significant decrease in
depression and mindfulness self-efficacy for the CT track (N = 27), but no significant change in
generalized self-efficacy. The TAU track (N = 30) revealed no significant changes in any of the three
measures. These trends show promise for relapse prevention of depression and improved sense of
self-management through both therapeutic methodologies of mindfulness and cognitive therapy.
<p>It is important to identify effective non-pharmacological alternatives to stimulant medications that reduce symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In this study of healthy young adults, we measured the effects of training in tai chi, which involves mindful attention to the body during movement. Using a non-randomized, controlled, parallel design, students in a 15-week introductory tai chi course (n = 28) and control participants (n = 44) were tested for ADHD indicators and cognitive function at three points over the course of the 15-weeks. The tai chi students' self-report of attention, but not hyperactivity-impulsivity, improved compared to controls. At baseline, inattention correlated positively with reaction time variability in an affective go/no-go task across all participants, and improvements in attention correlated with reductions in reaction time variability across the tai chi students. Affective bias changed in the tai chi students, as reaction times to positive- and negative-valenced words equalized over time. These results converge to suggest that tai chi training may help improve attention in healthy young adults. Further studies are needed to confirm these results and to evaluate tai chi as therapy for individuals with ADHD.</p>
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Kalachakra is a system of highest tantra practice for overcoming the limitations imposed by historical, astrological, and biological cycles, so as to become a Buddha for the benefit of all. Explains the theory of tantra, the vows, commitments and their implications, the factors to consider in deciding if one is ready to attend as an active particpant, how to visualize, and the most important thoughts and feelings for participants and observers at each step of the empowerment. Presents the variations in the Kalachakra initiation procedures of the four lineages of Tibetan Buddhism and discusses the relation between the Kalachakra teachings and karma, astrology, Tibetan medicine, the land of Shambhal, and world peace.
Training in multiculturalism and social justice is pivotal to the growth and development of future counselors. Nonetheless, counselor educators tasked with teaching courses on multiculturalism and social justice must contend with several challenges due to the emotionally charged nature of the course content. In recent years, contemplative pedagogy, which entails the use of mindfulness-based practices in higher education, has emerged as a potential tool for promoting emotional balance and multicultural competence in students. This article reviews the extant literature on contemplative pedagogy and provides suggestions for utilizing mindfulness to promote the development of multicultural counseling competence amongst counseling students.
Mobile devices, such as laptops, smartphones and tablets, are ubiquitous in lectures. Students report to use their mobile devices for lecturerelated activities (e.g. taking notes). Observational data shows, that students use mobile device mainly for lecture-unrelated activities, like Facebook or playing games. So currently, mobile devices seem to distract learners from the lecture and ultimately hinder student-teacher interaction. In this study, we investigated how students (n = 75) use their mobile devices (N = 80) in a traditional lecture setting when supported with the technological support system “Backstage” or not. Backstage entails functions for quizzing students (Audience-ResponseSystem) and a backchannel allowing students to interact with each other, commenting on slides, asking questions, and providing feedback to lecturers. The results show that this technology increases students’ focus on lecture-related activities.
<p>From The Tibet Heritage Fund's Conservation Inventory</p>
Despite growing interest in emotion regulation, the degree to which psychophysiological measures of emotion regulation are stable over time remains unknown. We examined four-week test-retest reliability of corrugator electromyographic and eyeblink startle measures of negative emotion and its regulation. Both measures demonstrated similar sensitivity to the emotion manipulation, but only individual differences in corrugator modulation and regulation showed adequate reliability. Startle demonstrated diminished sensitivity to the regulation instructions across assessments and poor reliability. This suggests that corrugator represents a trait-like measure of voluntary emotion regulation, whereas startle should be used with caution for assessing individual differences. The data also suggest that corrugator and startle might index partially dissociable constructs and underscore the need to collect multiple measures of emotion.
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<p>THF is a non-governmental international organization dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan cultural heritage. In particular, it has been focused on historic Himalayan building and traditional construction skills. THF's web site at present has extensive materials on Lhasa buildings and neighborhoods, including intertactive maps, images and building databases.</p>
<p>This two-year longitudinal study investigated the effect of participation in a special university curriculum, whose principal innovative feature is twice-daily practice of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) and TM-Sidhi program, on performance on Cattell's Culture Fair Intelligence Test (CFIT) and Hick's reaction time. These measures are known to be correlated with general intelligence. One hundred college men and women were the subjects—45 from Maharishi International University (MIU) and 55 from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). The experimental group (MIU) improved significantly on the CFIT (t=2.79, P<0.005); choice reaction time (t=9.10, P<0.0001); SD of choice reaction time (t=11.39, P<0.0001), and simple reaction time (t=2.11, P<0.025) over two years compared to the control group, which showed no improvement. Possible confounds of subject's age, education level, level of interest in meditation, father's education level, and father's annual income were controlled for using analysis of covariance and stepwise regression. The results replicate the findings of previous longitudinal studies on intelligence test scores at MIU, and indicate that participation in the MIU curriculum results in improvements in measures related to general intelligence.</p>
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- Practices of Hindu Contemplation,
- Contemplation by Applied Subject,
- Contemplation by Tradition,
- Scientific Studies of Transcendental Meditation,
- Transcendental Meditation (TM),
- Theories of Learning and Contemplation,
- Higher Education and Contemplation,
- Education and Contemplation,
- Hindu Contemplation
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