8/15/20151 Cosmic Consciousness is Closer than You Think Brain and Consciousness.

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Cosmic Consciousness is Cosmic Consciousness is Closer than You ThinkCloser than You Think

Brain and Brain and ConsciousnessConsciousness

Sun Monday Tuesday Wed Thursday Friday Sat

Sept 11: Paradigms 13: Brain Develop-ment

Sept Mongolia Conference

Sept Yom Kippur 27: Sleeping

28: TM and TC

Oct 2: Science and Pseudoscience

4: Other Meditations

Oct 9: Cosmic Consciousness

Timeline: 7:45 – 9:00Timeline: 7:45 – 9:00

Drfredtravis.com-> Presentations and Videos-> Power Points->Brain and Consciousness for lecture power points

WholenessWholeness ““It is only a matter of It is only a matter of beingbeing it. We need not it. We need not

try to remember it. It is held on by itself, try to remember it. It is held on by itself, because the very mind is infused with it. because the very mind is infused with it. This is cosmic consciousness. When the This is cosmic consciousness. When the mind completely saturated with the state of mind completely saturated with the state of pure Being comes back to live in the world pure Being comes back to live in the world of sensory perception, all things are of sensory perception, all things are experienced as before, but not as before. experienced as before, but not as before. Now the full inner state of Being is lived.” Now the full inner state of Being is lived.” Maharishi, Maharishi, 30 Years Around the Globe30 Years Around the Globe

Divide your paper into two Divide your paper into two columns. In the left column, columns. In the left column,

describe your deepest describe your deepest experiences during TM experiences during TM

practice.practice.

Transcendental Consciousness Transcendental Consciousness Apneustic Breathing and Autonomic Apneustic Breathing and Autonomic

MeasuresMeasures

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Now in the right column, write Now in the right column, write what you have noticed what you have noticed

changing in your life since changing in your life since your started TM practice.your started TM practice.

• Are there any Are there any adjectives in both adjectives in both columns?columns?

• How is this happening?How is this happening?

Gita IV 38, commentary.Gita IV 38, commentary. ““Now, for Transcendental Consciousness to Now, for Transcendental Consciousness to

become permanent and to co-exist with the waking become permanent and to co-exist with the waking state of consciousness, it is necessary that the state of consciousness, it is necessary that the two states of the nervous system corresponding to two states of the nervous system corresponding to those two states of consciousness should co-those two states of consciousness should co-exist. This is brought about by the mind gaining exist. This is brought about by the mind gaining Transcendental Consciousness and the waking Transcendental Consciousness and the waking state of consciousness, passing from one to the state of consciousness, passing from one to the other. This gradual and systematic culture of the other. This gradual and systematic culture of the physical nervous system creates a physiological physical nervous system creates a physiological situation in which the two states of consciousness situation in which the two states of consciousness exist together simultaneously.”exist together simultaneously.”

Four Months TM PracticeFour Months TM Practice

Eyes OpenTMTravis, 1991

Eight Years TM PracticeEight Years TM Practice

Eyes OpenTMTravis, 1991

Travis and Arenander (2006)

One-Year Longitudinal studyOne-Year Longitudinal studyOne-Year Longitudinal studyOne-Year Longitudinal study

Before Learning

TM

TM practice

““The mind takes that direction not The mind takes that direction not through practice. The practice is through practice. The practice is not needed to reach the goal. The not needed to reach the goal. The practice is needed to drag the goal practice is needed to drag the goal out of the transcendental area to out of the transcendental area to the area of activity.“the area of activity.“

Maharishi, Promise to the Family of ManMaharishi, Promise to the Family of Man

• EEG research shows EEG research shows distinct EEG patterns distinct EEG patterns during TM practice, which during TM practice, which are seen more and more are seen more and more during sleeping, dreaming during sleeping, dreaming and waking with regular TM and waking with regular TM practice.practice.

Interview: SleepInterview: Sleep• Cont-TE: Inner Awareness during SleepCont-TE: Inner Awareness during Sleep

N1: N1: When I go to bed at night, first When I go to bed at night, first layers of the body settle down. I notice layers of the body settle down. I notice when the body is asleep. Lots of dreams when the body is asleep. Lots of dreams come and go or just fatigue leaves the come and go or just fatigue leaves the body, and then 5-6 hours later the body body, and then 5-6 hours later the body wakes up again in gradual layers and wakes up again in gradual layers and being aware of the other side…hearing being aware of the other side…hearing sounds and feeling the covers. First sounds and feeling the covers. First there’s no impulse to attend to it, then I there’s no impulse to attend to it, then I wake up.wake up.

During Witnessing Sleep: Higher During Witnessing Sleep: Higher alpha1 activity with deltaalpha1 activity with delta

Mason, et al, Sleep, 1997.Mason, et al, Sleep, 1997.

• Non-TMNon-TM:: 17 non-meditating subjects. 17 non-meditating subjects.

• Short-term TMShort-term TM:: 17 TM subjects 17 TM subjects reporting occasional experiences of the reporting occasional experiences of the transcendent in activity (average 7 years TM transcendent in activity (average 7 years TM practice)practice)..• Long-term TMLong-term TM:: 17 TM subjects 17 TM subjects reporting continuous integration of the reporting continuous integration of the transcendent with waking and sleeping transcendent with waking and sleeping (average 24 years TM(average 24 years TM practicepractice).).

• Non-TMNon-TM:: 17 non-meditating subjects. 17 non-meditating subjects.

• Short-term TMShort-term TM:: 17 TM subjects 17 TM subjects reporting occasional experiences of the reporting occasional experiences of the transcendent in activity (average 7 years TM transcendent in activity (average 7 years TM practice)practice)..• Long-term TMLong-term TM:: 17 TM subjects 17 TM subjects reporting continuous integration of the reporting continuous integration of the transcendent with waking and sleeping transcendent with waking and sleeping (average 24 years TM(average 24 years TM practicepractice).).

What does enlightenment What does enlightenment look like in activity?look like in activity?

What does enlightenment What does enlightenment look like in activity?look like in activity?

Brain Functioning Brain Functioning during Simple andduring Simple andChoiceChoiceReaction Reaction TimeTimeTasksTasks

11stst Task (Attention) Task (Attention)

In the first task, you'll see an In the first task, you'll see an ** in in

the middle of the screen. Then the middle of the screen. Then you'll hear a tone.you'll hear a tone.

As soon as you hear the tone, press As soon as you hear the tone, press the space bar as fast as you can. the space bar as fast as you can.

2nd Task (Remain Balanced)2nd Task (Remain Balanced)

In this task, you'll see a number in the In this task, you'll see a number in the middle of the screen; then a blank middle of the screen; then a blank screen for 1.5 seconds; and then a screen for 1.5 seconds; and then a

second number.second number.

If the first number is greater, press the If the first number is greater, press the left button. If the second number is left button. If the second number is

greater, greater, press the right button.press the right button.

CoherenceCoherenceCoherenceCoherence

Alpha AmplitudeAlpha AmplitudeAlpha AmplitudeAlpha Amplitude

Differences in Contingent Differences in Contingent Negative Variation (CNV)Negative Variation (CNV)

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Non-TM Short-term TM Higher StatesSumm

ed Z

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f EEG

Pa

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sBrain Integration Scale

Frontal Coherence, Alpha Relative Power, and Brain Preparatory Response

Travis et al, 2009

Brain Integration Scale (3 months TM)

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Pretest Post Test

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teg

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p < .001

American University College Students American University College Students (random assignment to groups)(random assignment to groups)American University College Students American University College Students (random assignment to groups)(random assignment to groups)

Brain Integration during tasks (3-mon TM)

World Class AthletesWorld Class Athletes

• N=33: Placing amongst top ten in N=33: Placing amongst top ten in Olympic Games, World Olympic Games, World Championships, or similar for at least Championships, or similar for at least three seasons (Most had gold medals).three seasons (Most had gold medals).

• N=33: Athletes performing on average N=33: Athletes performing on average level in Norway.level in Norway.

Harung et al, in press

Top Level ManagersTop Level Managers

• N=20: N=20: Excellence in management Excellence in management performance over many years and performance over many years and financial successfinancial success

• N=20: Middle level managers.N=20: Middle level managers.

Travis et al, in press

Classical Musicians Classical Musicians

• N=25: Professional N=25: Professional MusiciansMusicians

• N=25: Amateur MusiciansN=25: Amateur Musicians

Travis et al, in press

Main Point Main Point Experiences of higher states is Experiences of higher states is innate in the brain physiology—we innate in the brain physiology—we only need to systematically develop only need to systematically develop those circuits through alternating those circuits through alternating the experience of pure the experience of pure consciousness and normal waking consciousness and normal waking activity.activity.

Group ExerciseGroup Exercise• Why might Cosmic Why might Cosmic

Consciousness be associated Consciousness be associated with distinct styles of brain with distinct styles of brain functioning.functioning.

Content Analysis of Pure Content Analysis of Pure Consciousness ExperiencesConsciousness Experiences

• 47 students wrote descriptions 47 students wrote descriptions of their deepest experiences of their deepest experiences during Transcendental during Transcendental Meditation practice.Meditation practice.

• Absence of time, space and Absence of time, space and body sense.body sense.

Travis and Pearson 2000Travis and Pearson 2000

(Nidich et al, 2009)

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Control Athletes

World Class Athletes

Control Managers

Top-Level Managers

Amateur Musician

Prof Musician

Police (Strong

Spiritual Basis)

Long term TM

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mm

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Brain Integration ScaleFrontal Coherence, Alpha Relative

Power, and Brain Preparatory Response