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Vipassana for Hackers [pdf]

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Re: Vipassana for Hackers [pdf]

#3

Post by 0xFFC »

I am always curious about how much meditation can affect our brains. In pop science and pop culture, we see a lot of overestimation about meditation affects on our brains. But what is the scientific perspective on meditation?

Re: Vipassana for Hackers [pdf]

#4

Post by tome »

0xFFC wrote: post #3

I am always curious about how much meditation can affect our brains. In pop science and pop culture, we see a lot of overestimation about meditation affects on our brains. But what is the scientific perspective on meditation?

How do you know it's overestimation if you haven't seen the scientific perspective?

Re: Vipassana for Hackers [pdf]

#5

Post by serpix »

for a LISP using meditation practicing hacker reading this is incredible, the same insights written down by someone else.

> You do not feel physical sensation, consciously or subconsciously, without an accompanying thought or emotion. this is true. When really connected with your body, mind and emotion you see these are interlinked. The body follows thought and emotion, suppressed emotions are kept in the body. Your body feels emotion before you consciously recognize it.

Re: Vipassana for Hackers [pdf]

#6

Post by nabla9 »

0xFFC wrote: post #3

I am always curious about how much meditation can affect our brains. In pop science and pop culture, we see a lot of overestimation about meditation affects on our brains. But what is the scientific perspective on meditation?

As someone who has practiced over 19 years very intensively, my opinion is that pop science and culture overplays the effects of moderate meditation (say 30 min per day) in a short term and mostly misunderstand the effects of long term meditation.

The starting assumption of a secular meditator (like me) usually is that we want to develop some abilities. You are you, just better.

If you meditate a lot, or very long time, there comes a point where you realize that it's not just developing cognitive abilities. Your motivations and perspective change as well. It's not just you doing meditation practice. The practice is also working on you. Eventually you are going towards direction where you don't want to go and it can create lots of negative feelings, including fear and hopelessness (sometimes called the Dark Night of the Soul). This is the end of the road for many people. They lose the interest and do something else.

I think it's easier for people of religion because they have innate trust that everything is going towards something better and others have done the same.

Re: Vipassana for Hackers [pdf]

#7

Post by jwdunne »

serpix wrote: post #5

for a LISP using meditation practicing hacker reading this is incredible, the same insights written down by someone else. > You do not feel physical sensation, consciously or subconsciously, without an accompanying thought or emotion. this is true. When really connected with your body, mind and emotion you see these are interlinked. The body follows thought and emotion, suppressed emotions are kept in the body. Your…

I noticed this experience a few weeks ago.

I was having big trouble getting to sleep and my partner's snoring was agitating me. I decided to relax and meditate.

I noticed myself trying to "cure" my agitation. I decided to accept it. But then I realised that I was forcing myself to accept it. Instead of some 'conscious decision', I eased into just being conscious of it. I just felt it and it washed away, replaced with a feeling of pure contentment I've never experienced before. That applied to "trying to sleep" too.

I slept well not long after that. It was a profound feeling.

Re: Vipassana for Hackers [pdf]

#9

Post by epistasis »

jwdunne wrote: post #7
serpix wrote: post #5

for a LISP using meditation practicing hacker reading this is incredible, the same insights written down by someone else. > You do not feel physical sensation, consciously or subconsciously, without an accompanying thought or emotion. this is true. When really connected with your body, mind and emotion you see these are interlinked. The body follows thought and emotion, suppressed emotions are kept in the body. Your…

I noticed this experience a few weeks ago. I was having big trouble getting to sleep and my partner's snoring was agitating me. I decided to relax and meditate. I noticed myself trying to "cure" my agitation. I decided to accept it. But then I realised that I was forcing myself to accept it. Instead of some 'conscious decision', I eased into just being conscious of it. I just felt it and it washed away, replaced with…

Vipassana has helped me with so much physical and emotional discomfort and pain, precisely in this way.

Re: Vipassana for Hackers [pdf]

#10

Post by lemonberry »

0xFFC wrote: post #3

I am always curious about how much meditation can affect our brains. In pop science and pop culture, we see a lot of overestimation about meditation affects on our brains. But what is the scientific perspective on meditation?

This episode of Sam Harris' podcast may be a good starting point.

https://samharris.org/podcasts/111-science-meditation/

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