Can we explain “Meditation” from the perspective of Brain Science? PART 2.
We are going to check out Prefrontal Cortex. There are two different parts, Right PFC and Left PFC. The role of Right PFC is generating 3D spatial space. The role of Left PFC is recognizing body images. These two parts need neuro inputs in order to keep activating. When meditating, these inputs are inhibited. When all of the inputs are inhibited in these areas, we call the phenomena a Transcendental moment. The preparation to reach this status can take even around 10 years. However, the moment to pass through this gate only takes 100mm/s (in the paper published). In other words, when all inputs to Right PFC and Left PFC are completely inhibited, the ability of recognition of space and self-body images have vanished. The brain gate locks down all sensory inputs in the Brain. (A neurotransmitter called GABA take this role to inhibit sensory inputs) As a Human-being experience on the transcendental moment is described to merge with Universe by losing a self-concept and space and become one with the universe without any border.
Now we move on to Hippocampus in the Brain. This hippocampus generates all memories in our brain so that it knows where the memories are located as well. So it could bring all memories from your brain and you can see all of them during the process of transcendental moment.
Hypothalamus controls and expresses our desires and instincts. The ventromedial Hypothalamus helps to increase the ability of the parasympathetic system so that we can be super-duper calm like a Glacier. On the other hand, the Lateral hypothalamus pumps the sympathetic system to stay in dynamic and explosive status like a Volcano. When we reach the transcendental moment, these two parts activate together ironically at the same time, it brings us to be almost crazy status even risky.
However, due to the automatic regulation of glutamate in the brain, we are exactly at the sharp cliff but not fall down from the cliff.
In a nutshell, we start this spiritual experience with one’s own willingness from Prefrontal Cortex. The sympathetic system and parasympathetic system are involved in this process, they get to link together (Mutation Activation happens) explosively for a human to reach to transcendental moment. It can go to risky status (since it activates so dynamic and massive for a very meticulous- brief time) but the regulation of glutamine can control this not to cross the risky border). Some kinds of Neurotransmitters called Beta-endolphine and DMT (a hallucinogenic tryptamin drug) release in this process, so this experience is totally massive and overwhelmed with out-of body experience and distortion of Space and time. Additionally, it brings all the memories that you have accumulated in your brain and arranges those memories, you can see all of them in a row at once.
To be continued…
The Lecture by Munho Park, Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiabWdf0Rsk&t=518s
