BRAIN WAVE
Some days ago, I saw a bizarre demonstration which purported to be an electronic display of the
Buddhist Meditation, consisting a video image said to be controlled by the Brain Wave.
Loads of scientific buzz words such as Quantum Mechanics, Sinusoidal Alpha Wave etc etc were spoken.
———- Yet strangely, a demonstrator who got a shaven head said ” I’m not an electronics expert,
so, I don’t know the details of the technology here “—— Oh, I’m, sure Brain Wave is not Sinusoidal at all.
——————–
How bizarre this one was —– to begin with, Alpha Brain Wave is nothing to do with the Meditation.
EEG Brain Wave was picked up on the surface of the head and showing the summed up electric signal
of the inside Cerebrum Cortex’s activity. Therefore, the Brain Wave is the reflection of the vigorous
activity of the brain —— sound opposite of the calm Meditation. (Of cause, even under the deepest
meditative state, certain physiological function is fully active, hence creating so-called Artefact ( back
ground noise ) is always there.
Any how, the activity of inner part of the brain such as Limbic System is not possible to observe by the EEG,
unless a hole was cut to the skull and put through a probe deep inside. ( Very risky operation )
——————–
More than 40 years ago, when a meditating monk was wired up and the EEG / Brain Wave was recorded
first time, the relation between Alpha Wave and the Meditation was discovered. So, a Myth was created.
Though, ironically, some years later, the true nature of the Alpha Wave became clear —— it was the
indication of the ” Eyes are Closed ” —— its mean, the visual cortex in the back of the head is in idle state.
Nothing to do with meditation. (Well, see nothing was indicated. At least 😀 )
( In the Zen, Eyes wide open and seeing, but take NO NOTICE is the key technique —– Thus able to
either Detach or Concentrate to any subject, any time, by will )
Yet still, the Myth or idiosyncratic misunderstanding was kept and worshiped by the people who doesn’t
know the Buddhism neither Medical science or Electronics.
And this kind of bizarre gimmick industry is flourishing.
How amazing !!!
When Mankind didn’t have the knowledge of electric activity, lightning was believed
to be an act of angry God.
The Brain still remaining in the mystery is, nothing to do with the mystery of the Buddhism.
Mind is not just a matter of Brain cell and Electric pulse.
—
PS: Half year later, I bumped a man who demonstrated aforesaid Electronical Meditation, at an art
gallery and found that the man is (despite his shaven head 🙂 ) just a novel art performer, not a monk
or to do anything with Buddhist’s meditation. So, he must had a lots of fun for doing it. 😀
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