Buddhism and the Brain

Credit: Flickr user eschipul Over the last few decades many Buddhists and quite a few neuroscientists have examined Buddhism and neuroscience, with both groups reporting overlap. I’m sorry to say I have been privately dismissive. One hears this sort of thing all the time, from any religion, and I was sure in this case it would break down upon closer scrutiny. But science isn’t supposed to care about preconceived notions. Despite my doubts, neurology and neuroscience do not appear to profoundly contradict Buddhist thought. Buddhists say pretty much the same thing. When considering a Buddhist contemplating his soul, one is immediately struck by a disconnect between religious teaching and perception. Mr. Although I despaired, I comforted myself by looking at the overlying cortex. The next day Mr. One year later he came back to the office with an odd request. When we consider our language, it seems unified and indivisible. Consider how easily Buddhism accepts what happened to Mr.

A Better Life In 100 Ways You don’t like your life? Change it! Change your life for the better! Don’t have any clue on how to do it? Here’s a list of 100 ways in which you can improve your life. Feel free to add yours in the comments. [ Update: There is now an ebook based on this! Without further ado, let’s go. 1. You’re human. 2. Maybe you got hurt by somebody. 3. We’re doing a lot of stuff on autopilot. 4. Don’t wait for other people to impose discipline on you. 5. Reach out. 6. Shaking your comfort zone will often create a lot of value in your life. 7. You are, in a vast proportion, what you eat. 8. Write down you feelings, your ideas, your goals, your activity. 9. Whatever you say to yourself in the morning, it will most likely come true during the day. 10. Traveling long distance is incredibly rewarding. 11. Your life may be so boring and fade because… err, you made it like this? 12. Be your own boss. 13. Clean up your desk. 14. Challenge your mind. 15. Rather than disagree. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23.

Essentials of Buddhism - core concepts NoZen A Perilous Hobby: Vertical Camping Next time you’re passing by a cliff and happen to see a precariously hanging tent with campers inside, don’t be alarmed, it’s just a portable ledge (portaledge): Portaledges — or deployable hanging tents — might seem like a thrill-seeking activity (and it can be), but the idea has actually been around since the 1950s. During this time, rock climbers began to stay overnight on the mountains they were scaling and started looking for convenient niches in the mountain side to make their bed. The first portaledges were used in Yosemite National Park and were non-collapsible cots or hammocks.

10 Transformational and Spiritual Aphorisms Throughout the ages, there have been many who have transcended the domain of the ego and had gotten a taste of those delicious higher states of consciousness. Rather than keep their experiential knowledge and wisdom about the higher aspects of existence to themselves, they spread the word to others, be it through spoken word, written works, or other methods. Thanks to the sages, spiritual teachers, and every-day people who had an enlightening experience, we can ignite the light of expanded awareness concerning the higher aspects of the human experience and of existence itself from such people. There are an untold amount of such spiritual aphorisms to be enjoyed by our higher selves so we will take a look at 10 such aphorisms. May these timeless words nourish your mind and soul. Aphorism 1 A human being is a part of a whole, called by us a universe, a part limited in time and space. -Albert Einstein Aphorism 2 “Life is what you make it,” this is very true. -Unknown Aphorism 3 Aphorism 4

BEGINNER'S GUIDE ... © 1995 Dharman Craig PressonAll Rights Reserved “Zen is not what you think!” -- anonymous Preface The purpose of this little book is to assure that all studentsunderstand the mechanics of Zen practice and the basic teachings ofBuddhism. Part 1: Practice Sitting, Breathing, Walking Seated meditation (J. zazen, Ch. The Sitting Posture (asana) There are several good postures for zazen: four cross-legged, onekneeling, and one using a straight chair or camp stool, as illustrated[Add illustrations of full lotus, half-lotus, sukhasana, Burmese, seiza,and chair sitting]. Breathing One may be given specific instructions by a teacher regarding theproper focus of awareness during zazen. Do not force or control the breath in any way. Walking (Kinhin) Walking meditation may be practiced between sessions of sitting.This relieves the legs of cramps and “pins and needles”, andallows one to begin the process of carrying one’s practice off thecushion and into daily activity. Part 2: Theory The Buddha The Dharma

4 Brilliant Remarks From History’s Wisest American | Raptitude.com If I have a hero, it’s Ralph Waldo Emerson. He represents to me humanity’s potential: wise, self-reliant, honest, unencumbered by conformity, and able to enjoy every little detail of life as if they were all miracles. He possessed the hallmark of a human being ahead of his time: he was hailed as a genius and simultaneously reviled as a subvert. I am convinced that all of the secrets to personal peace and freedom reside within the ideas recorded in Emerson’s essays and lectures. Perhaps this is why he is so widely quoted and so scarcely read. It’s worth the effort. “People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is also a confession of their character A person’s opinion of the world they live in really seems to be a foolproof litmus test for their strength of character. The wisest people I know invariably revere the world, and the most ineffective ones hate it. I have been on both sides. “There is an optical illusion about every person we meet “I hate quotations. And my favorite:

Dharma Talk on "Compassionate Love" by Ven