--- In [email protected], Vaj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > On Mar 8, 2007, at 11:18 AM, sparaig wrote: > > > Are you under the impression that PC is an active mental state, > > filled with thoughts and > > problem-solving activities? > > There is no mention of PC in the citation Sparaig.
Non sequitur. Answer the question. I believe the > researchers refer to PC as a "metaphysical > assertion" rather than any sceintific reality. In fact the idea that > people are experiencing something called PC, is one indoctrinated in > them before they begin the practice. Unfortunately, it does not > appear the researchers are aware of the tendency for "experience > coaching". > > "TM researchers further view this EEG picture as reflecting a single > and original > state of "Transcendental pure consciousness" (Maharishi, 1969; Travis > et al., 2004). > Transcendental state is conceptualized as a "fourth" state of > consciousness", a "wakeful > hypometabolic state", that differs from hypnosis and ordinary or > sleep states (R.K. > Wallace, 1970). Although these descriptions might best be interpreted > as metaphysical > assertions rather than first-person descriptions, they do suggest > that this state of > absorption could also involve some form of meta-awareness. > Nevertheless, despite the > possibility of a more sophisticated phenomenological interpretation > and the need to > relate physiological data to subjective data, it is still unclear > whether and how TM > meditation practices produce increased alpha beyond a general arousal > effect or, an > inhibition of task-irrelevant cortical zones. Other relaxation > techniques have led to the > same EEG profile and studies that employed counterbalanced control > relaxation > conditions consistently found a lack of alpha power increases or even > decreases > comparing relaxation or hypnosis to TM meditation (Morse et al., > 1977; Tebecis, 1975; > Warrenburg, Pagano, Woods, & Hlastala, 1980). Similarly, the initial > claim that TM > produces a unique state of consciousness different than sleep has > been refuted by > several EEG meditation studies which reported sleep-like stages > during this technique > with increased alpha and then theta power (Pagano, Rose, Stivers, & > Warrenburg, > 1976; Younger, Adriance, & Berger, 1975)." > > -The Cambridge Handbook of Consciousness >
