Well, vipassana is mindfulness meditation. There are 2 or 3 formal forms of mindfulness that are being tested quite thoroughly by the scientific community, and are currently extremely popular, partly because they are cheaper then TM and partly because an awful lot of scientists are apparently Buddhist, so they have an emotional attachment to this particular meditation style.
One thing that most people don't realize is that Tibetan monks coming into this country as refuges, even with decades "on the cushion," often find themselves unable to practice standard Buddhist techniques due to PTSD flashbacks. TM, according to some researchers (not TMing) may have properties that make practitioners less likely to suffer PTSD in the first place. Long-term practice of most other forms of meditation leads to higher activation levels at higher frequencies, even outside of meditation. TM, long-term, has the exact opposite effect. Insomuch as coherent alpha EEG is a natural sign of relaxation, this may prove to be a serious advantage for TMers, as opposed to people who have trained themselves to "remain in the moment" by enhancing the normal waking state mechanisms for paying attention and have really high gamma EEG and really low alpha EEG outside of meditation. Being really "in the moment" and experiencing and remembering every nuance of what occurs as your temple is being blown up by the Chinese apparently isn't all that healthy. L --- In [email protected], doctordumbass@... <no_reply@...> wrote: > > You get what you pay for. That is why most people have never heard of these > two meditation programs - No one with any name recognition has found them to > be successful, so rather than generating interest, or even controversy, these > two marginal techniques are relegated to the backwaters of spiritual concern. > > Perhaps you can amuse yourself by finding all the other free and useless > forms of meditation available around the globe, and then please share them > with us. > > That is, when you aren't sticking your finger someplace warm and stinky.:-) > > --- In [email protected], turquoiseb <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected], "sparaig" <LEnglish5@> wrote: > > > > > > --- In [email protected], nablusoss1008 <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > > > http://www.giveforyouth.org/microprojects/teach-meditation-to-40-formerly-incarcerated-youth/ > > > > > > 40 at a cost of $10,000 = $250 per student. > > > > > > 2 other projects: > > > > > > http://www.giveforyouth.org/microprojects/teach-meditation-to-25-domestic-abuse-survivors/ > > > > > > 25 at a cost of $6,250 = $250 per student. > > > > > > http://www.giveforyouth.org/microprojects/teach-meditation-to-18-former-child-prostitutes/ > > > > > > 18 at a cost of $4,500 = $250 per student. > > > > > > I wonder if this is a matching funds project, or if this > > > is a new pricing structure for the DLF... > > > > > > It seems to me that $250 per student is a reasonable cost > > > for TM instruction by anyone's standards. > > > > While I agree that this is a good sign, and FAR > > more reasonable a cost for learning to meditate, > > TM-style, I think your phrase "by anyone's > > standards" reflects a lack of research on what > > other types of meditation cost to learn. For > > example, the results of 30 seconds of Googling: > > > > Vipassana Mediation: > > > > How much does the course cost? > > > > Each student who attends a Vipassana course is > > given this gift by a previous student. There is > > no charge for either the teaching, or for room > > and board. All Vipassana courses worldwide are > > run on a strictly voluntary donation basis. At > > the end of your course, if you have benefited > > from the experience, you are welcome to donate > > for the coming course, according to your volition > > and your means. > > > > Sahaja Yoga Meditation: > > > > Whether in the public, community, or business > > sectors, Sahaja Yoga Meditation is available > > without charge to the general public and to > > many schools, universities, hospitals, commun- > > ity centers and major corporations. > > > > > > As far as I know, neither of these organizations > > has assets in the billions of dollars. Just sayin'... > > >
