NEW335H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Alternative Medicine, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
Document Summary
1. give a definition of meditation that accommodates the two main goals of the practice. Trains the mind/ an altered state of consciousness [alteration of neural circuits (neural plasticity)/ altered neurophysiology/neurochemistry)/ voluntary control fostering mental well-being, development, calm, clarity, and concentration,: describe the demographic that typically engages in meditation. Higher income, younger age, higher education, higher stress levels, lower body mass index. Maybe these demos practice more often because they are the ones most sensitive to its effects. Ideology may be a compounding factor, complicating the effects observered from mediation (are people subscribed to buddhist beliefs more calm to being with, in which case mediation might not be the defining factor of calmness. Meditative practices that are not accompanied by a philosophical/religious/lifestyle beliefs are said to complementary medicine. (i. e. secular meditation). As the name suggests it not prescribed as a treatment by and in itself, rather it is advocated as a supplement.
