The present study sought to investigate the effects of meditation practice on the neural mechanisms of attention and self-monitoring by comparing a group of experienced meditators to matched controls. Self-report measures of mindfulness and self-compassion were assessed to examine whether meditation-related improvements in attention and self-monitoring were linked to increases in these qualities. Thus, differences between groups (meditator versus control) on all variables and relationships among variables (attention, self-monitoring, self-compassion, and mindfulness) were explored. Results indicate that individuals with meditation experience showed enhancement in neural networks related to selective attention and attentional allocation, as evidenced by larger P1/N1 and P3b amplitudes, relative to controls. Meditators also showed improved self-monitoring of their errors, as indexed by enhanced Pe amplitudes, when compared to controls. Importantly, greater number of years of meditation experience was linked to larger Pe amplitudes, providing evidence that more practice with meditation was associated with greater error awareness. At the same time, meditators showed greater levels of mindfulness and self-compassion when compared to controls. Importantly, each of the neural indices was linked to greater levels of mindfulness and self-compassion. Specifically, self-kindness was correlated with each of these ERP components and to percentage of alpha power during meditation, and the mindfulness facet of observing fully mediated the relationship between meditation experience and P1 amplitudes. These findings suggest that the qualities that are enhanced with meditation are associated with enhancements in attentional control and awareness of errors. This study is an exciting step toward future intervention studies that combine multiple sources of information (self-report, neural measures, and behavior) to clarify the nature of the associations among these variables so that the mechanisms of mindfulness can be more fully understood.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T16:34:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-09-15 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Resilience is defined as the ability of confronting, overcoming and being strengthened or transformed by adverse experiences. Studies have shown that resilient people get less sick and have a better performance at work, with family relationships and life. Resilience can also be developed from childhood to old age. Meditation, by its turn, has proved to be a useful resource for the health improvement, including the life quality of those who practice it, providing higher levels of well-being, improving interpersonal relationships and reducing stress. It seems that meditation, as well as resilience, may contribute to improve population health level. The aim of this study was to verify the resilience levels in elderly people that meditate. There was a number of 60 participants, being 78% women, mean age 69 years old, 82% retirees, 65% meditation practitioners, 42% with low education and 60% catholic. The research means was a self-administered questionnaire, consisting of the Resilience Assessment Scale (EAR) in its reduced form and a questionnaire to collect social-demographic data of the participants. Analysis of variance revealed no difference between levels of resilience among group practiced meditation once a day and practicing meditation more than this. Factor averages and standard diversion revealed that participants have slightly above average ability to adapt positively and face the life challenges, persisting to overcome crisis and distress, seldom resign, although sometimes they do not consider themselves competent to deal with them. To address the difficulties of life they count on beliefs that they can trust on support of someone or something higher and believe they can learn and improve with adversity. / Resiliência é definida como a capacidade das pessoas em enfrentar, vencer e serem fortalecidos ou transformados por experiências adversas. Estudos têm mostrado que pessoas resilientes adoecem menos e possuem melhor desempenho no trabalho, nas relações familiares e na vida, além da resiliência poder ser desenvolvida desde a infância até a velhice. Por sua vez, a meditação tem mostrado ser um recurso útil para a melhoria da saúde em geral, incluindo a qualidade de vida daqueles que a praticam por proporcionar maiores níveis de bem estar, melhoria nos relacionamentos interpessoais e redução de estresse. Parece que a meditação, assim como a resiliência, pode contribuir para melhores níveis de saúde da população. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar os níveis de resiliência em idosos que meditam. Participaram 60 pessoas, sendo 78% mulheres, com idade média de 69 anos, 82% aposentados, 65% praticantes de meditação, 42% com baixa escolaridade e 60% católicos. O instrumento utilizado foi um questionário auto-aplicável, composto pela Escala de Avaliação de Resiliência (EAR) em sua forma reduzida e um questionário para coletar dados sociodemográficos dos participantes. Análise de variância revelou não haver diferença nos níveis de resiliência entre o grupo que medita uma vez ao dia e aquele que o faz mais do que uma vez ao dia. Médias fatoriais e desvios-padrão revelaram que os participantes possuem capacidade levemente acima da média de adaptarem-se positivamente diante das dificuldades da vida, persistindo para superar crises e adversidades, poucas vezes se resignando, embora algumas vezes não se julguem competentes para enfrentá-las. Para defrontarem as dificuldades da vida, contam com as crenças de que podem confiar no apoio de um ente ou algo superior e acreditam que podem aprender e melhorar com as adversidades.

Shikantaza - erfarenheter av flow och rent medvetande i en zenbuddhistisk kontext (Shikantaza - experiences of flow and pure consciousness in a zen buddhist context) The zen buddhist meditation practice of Shikantaza (just sitting) is the core practice of the japanese soto-zen tradition. It is described as one of the simplest yet most subitle forms of meditation but also one of the most easily misunderstood. In this study the experience of Shikantaza meditation is investigated from a psychological point of view. Six in depth interviews are analysed with support from the theoretical framework provided by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Robert Forman. The result of the study suggests that the core experience of Shikantaza zazen can be identified as a pure consciousness event and that this experience, with continuous practice, can become permanent and brought in to the daily life of the practitioner. The study also shows that this experience, when it has become a part of the ordinary life, helps the practitioner to cultivate autotelic personality traits and as a result of this he or she can appreciate and enjoy the simple and small things in life.

Este estudo investigou a relação entre o tempo de prática de meditação e o bem-estar psicológico, controlando para traços de personalidade, assim como a experiência subjetiva dos meditadores acerca dos efeitos de sua prática no seu cotidiano. Os instrumentos utilizados foram o Questionário de Saúde Geral de Goldberg, a Bateria Fatorial de Personalidade e um Questionário Sociodemográfico contendo uma pergunta aberta sobre a percepção dos efeitos da meditação e itens para definição operacional de meditação. A amostra, selecionada por conveniência, constituiu-se de praticantes da meditação passiva - sentada e silenciosa - cuja experiência variou entre um e 420 meses. Os resultados obtidos através das análises de conteúdo quantitativa, de regressão linear múltipla e regressão de Poisson foram convergentes, indicando que a prática meditativa pode produzir efeitos psicológicos positivos. Foi observado que quanto maior o tempo em meses e a freqüência semanal da prática, maior o bem-estar psicológico. Também foi verificada uma interação entre meses e freqüência semanal, sugerindo que para as pessoas que meditam 6/7 vezes por semana, os escores de bem-estar psicológico não diferiram estatisticamente entre os praticantes considerados iniciantes, intermediários e avançados. Extroversão, neuroticismo e realização são os traços de personalidade que possivelmente mediaram o efeito da meditação sobre o bem-estar, sendo que o primeiro teve uma associação positiva com o desfecho e os dois últimos uma associação negativa. Além disso, a experiência subjetiva da prática de meditação, segundo os participantes desta pesquisa, se reflete predominantemente na percepção de benefícios cognitivos e emocionais. Estes achados corroboram outros estudos e apóiam a idéia de que a meditação pode ser uma ferramenta para o cultivo do bem-estar. Por fim, sugere-se que mais estudos sejam realizados no Brasil e que a prática meditativa pode ser considerada uma ferramenta útil para o contexto clínico em saúde mental. / This study investigated the relationship between the length of experience in meditation practice and psychological well-being, controlling for personality traits, as well as the subjective experience of meditators concerning the effects of their practice on their daily lives. The instruments used were the General Health Questionnaire, the Factorial Battery of Personality and a Sociodemographic Questionnaire containing an open question about the perception of the meditation effects and the items for the operational definition of meditation. The sample was selected by convenience and comprised of passive meditation practitioners - sitting and silent - whose experience varied from one to 420 months. The results obtained through quantitative content analyses, multiple linear regression and Poisson regression were convergent, indicating that the meditation practice can promote positive psychological effects. It has been observed that the greater the number of months and the weekly frequency, the greater the psychological well-being. An interaction between number of months and weekly frequency has also been observed, suggesting that for those people who meditate 6/7 times a week, the psychological well-being score did not differ among practitioners considered beginners, intermediate and advanced. Extraversion, neuroticism and conscientiousness were the personality traits that possibly mediated the effect of meditation on well-being. The first one was positively associated with the outcome, and the other two were negatively associated. In addition, the subjective experience of the meditation practice, according to the participants of the present research, reflects predominantly cognitive and emotional benefits. These findings corroborate other studies and give support to the idea that meditation can be a tool for cultivating wellbeing. Finally, we suggest that more studies should be carried out in Brazil and that the practice can be considered a useful tool for clinical and mental health contexts.

abstract: Mindfulness is a concept derived from the Buddhist discourses of the Satipattana. Interventions that draw on mindfulness have been shown to reduce psychologically distressing symptoms in clinical settings. It has become widely used as a therapeutic technique in counseling, so it is important to develop an instrument measuring mindfulness-related constructs. This study presents a new instrument measuring the importance of mindfulness-related constructs. Results from an exploratory factor analysis revealed a clear two-factor structure, with the factors named "Present Moment Awareness", and "Compassion and Ethical Behavior." These items were positively correlated with each other and, as expected, negatively correlated with depression. Finally, hours of meditation moderated this association such that the association was stronger among participants who reported higher levels of meditation practice. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Counselor Education 2014

Este estudo investigou a relação entre o tempo de prática de meditação e o bem-estar psicológico, controlando para traços de personalidade, assim como a experiência subjetiva dos meditadores acerca dos efeitos de sua prática no seu cotidiano. Os instrumentos utilizados foram o Questionário de Saúde Geral de Goldberg, a Bateria Fatorial de Personalidade e um Questionário Sociodemográfico contendo uma pergunta aberta sobre a percepção dos efeitos da meditação e itens para definição operacional de meditação. A amostra, selecionada por conveniência, constituiu-se de praticantes da meditação passiva - sentada e silenciosa - cuja experiência variou entre um e 420 meses. Os resultados obtidos através das análises de conteúdo quantitativa, de regressão linear múltipla e regressão de Poisson foram convergentes, indicando que a prática meditativa pode produzir efeitos psicológicos positivos. Foi observado que quanto maior o tempo em meses e a freqüência semanal da prática, maior o bem-estar psicológico. Também foi verificada uma interação entre meses e freqüência semanal, sugerindo que para as pessoas que meditam 6/7 vezes por semana, os escores de bem-estar psicológico não diferiram estatisticamente entre os praticantes considerados iniciantes, intermediários e avançados. Extroversão, neuroticismo e realização são os traços de personalidade que possivelmente mediaram o efeito da meditação sobre o bem-estar, sendo que o primeiro teve uma associação positiva com o desfecho e os dois últimos uma associação negativa. Além disso, a experiência subjetiva da prática de meditação, segundo os participantes desta pesquisa, se reflete predominantemente na percepção de benefícios cognitivos e emocionais. Estes achados corroboram outros estudos e apóiam a idéia de que a meditação pode ser uma ferramenta para o cultivo do bem-estar. Por fim, sugere-se que mais estudos sejam realizados no Brasil e que a prática meditativa pode ser considerada uma ferramenta útil para o contexto clínico em saúde mental. / This study investigated the relationship between the length of experience in meditation practice and psychological well-being, controlling for personality traits, as well as the subjective experience of meditators concerning the effects of their practice on their daily lives. The instruments used were the General Health Questionnaire, the Factorial Battery of Personality and a Sociodemographic Questionnaire containing an open question about the perception of the meditation effects and the items for the operational definition of meditation. The sample was selected by convenience and comprised of passive meditation practitioners - sitting and silent - whose experience varied from one to 420 months. The results obtained through quantitative content analyses, multiple linear regression and Poisson regression were convergent, indicating that the meditation practice can promote positive psychological effects. It has been observed that the greater the number of months and the weekly frequency, the greater the psychological well-being. An interaction between number of months and weekly frequency has also been observed, suggesting that for those people who meditate 6/7 times a week, the psychological well-being score did not differ among practitioners considered beginners, intermediate and advanced. Extraversion, neuroticism and conscientiousness were the personality traits that possibly mediated the effect of meditation on well-being. The first one was positively associated with the outcome, and the other two were negatively associated. In addition, the subjective experience of the meditation practice, according to the participants of the present research, reflects predominantly cognitive and emotional benefits. These findings corroborate other studies and give support to the idea that meditation can be a tool for cultivating wellbeing. Finally, we suggest that more studies should be carried out in Brazil and that the practice can be considered a useful tool for clinical and mental health contexts.

Orientador: Adilson Nascimento de Jesus / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-22T23:06:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Moura_SoraiaMariade_M.pdf: 3473637 bytes, checksum: 0050887967cd4e2f1b5d3dd468da74e3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: O objetivo geral desta pesquisa é estudar o fenômeno da fisiologia sutil humana, ou anatomia multidimensional humana (Gerber, 1988), e o objetivo específico é observar se a percepção desta fisiologia é possível por meio da prática do Yoga. Para o Yoga o ser humano é constituído por estruturas sutis de energia chamadas de Chacras, Koshas e Nadis. A pesquisa se constitui no campo da fenomenologia (Moreira, 2002), e aborda algumas temáticas que visam à compreensão do fenômeno da energia sutil humana. Foi realizada uma pesquisa de campo, de caráter qualitativo, onde foram organizados dois grupos de prática de Hatha Yoga ao longo da pesquisa. Para aferir a percepção dos participantes, foram utilizados questionários, anotações no diário de campo, anotações dos alunos em desenhos por eles produzidos, e ainda seus relatos espontâneos ocorridos ao final da prática. Foi realizada a análise temática dos dados recolhidos (Bardin, 2011), os quais foram comparados com as percepções incomuns que ocorrem durante a meditação e que são descritas por Kornfield (1993). Foi observado que os participantes da pesquisa de campo tiveram alguma percepção das estruturas sutis do corpo. / Abstract: The overall objective of this research is to study the phenomenon of subtle human physiology, or human multidimensional anatomy (Gerber, 1988), and the specific objective is to observe whether the perception of this physiology is possible through the practice of Yoga. For the Yoga the human being consists of subtle energy structures called Chacras, Nadis and Koshas. The research is in the field of Phenomenology (Moreira, 2002), and addresses some topics aimed at understanding the phenomenon of human subtle energy. A field research, qualitative character, where they were organized two groups of practice of Hatha Yoga along the search. To measure the perception of the participants, we used questionnaires, observations in the field journal, student annotations on drawings they produced, and even his spontaneous reports that occurred at the end of practice. Was held the thematic analysis of the data collected (Bardin, 2011), which were compared with unusual perceptions that occur during meditation and that are described by Kornfield (1993). It was observed that the participants of the field research had some awareness of subtle body structures. / Mestrado / Educação, Conhecimento, Linguagem e Arte / Mestra em Educação

Orientadores: Sara Pereira Lopes, Cassiano Sydow Quilici / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Artes / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T01:09:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pla_DanielReis_D.pdf: 1130575 bytes, checksum: 5ec83424cb508b936e3b9990e4827873 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: Este trabalho procura discutir a relação entre meditação budista e treinamento de atores. Há mais de um século o budismo tem sido objeto de estudo de acadêmicos da Europa e América. Ao longo desse período um vasto material foi produzido e disponibilizado falando sobre a filosofia, a religião e as práticas culturais ligadas as diferentes tradições budistas. Especialmente os estudos de Varela e Wallace apontam para uma abordagem mais ampla do diálogo dessa tradição com a ciência, aprofundando o debate acerca das suas contribuições para áreas como a neurologia, a neuropsicologia e a epistemologia científica. Também no âmbito da pesquisa em teatro os estudos interculturais e interdisciplinares cresceram ao longo do último século e, entre eles, o budismo começa a ganhar importância. Na maioria desses estudos, porém, o foco tem sido orientado pelo instrumentalismo, uma perspectiva que define a validade de uma explicação a partir do seu uso, não importando tanto o quê das coisas, mas o como elas funcionam. Nessa direção muitas investigações têm sido orientadas por uma sobrevalorização da "técnica" e por um discurso cientificista, abordando as diferentes tradições a partir de critérios de uso. Este texto se propõe a explorar algumas das perspectivas que os estudos sobre a meditação budista podem trazer para o pensamento acerca do treinamento de atores como prática de formação. Assim, esse trabalho busca responder questões ligadas à prática do diretor e professor de teatro, vinculando-se a uma linhagem de artistas como Grotowski e Stanislavski que vêem no ator o elemento principal dessa arte, na organicidade um de seus fundamentos, e que acreditam que o processo formativo em teatro envolve um tipo de ação pedagógica que ultrapassa a sala de ensaio, apontando para o desenvolvimento integral do indivíduo / Abstract: This work proposes a discussion regarding buddhist meditation and actor's training. For more than a century buddhism has been object of study for scholars from Europe and America. Along this period a large amount of researches regarding to philosophy, religion and cultural practices linked to buddhist tradition were produced and made available. Specially Varela's and Wallace's studies point out to a deeper approach of the dialog between this tradition and science, going further into the debate about its contribution for areas such as neurology, neuropsychology and scientific epistemology. Also in the performing arts research the intercultural and interdisciplinaries studies have been growing up along the last century, and among it the buddhism has gaining importance. Despite that the most of those researches has been oriented by instrumentalism, an approach that validates the explanations by use criteria no considering about the study object's nature but only how it works. In this way most of those studies has preferred a discourse centered in the technique and scientificist vocabulary. This text explores some of the possible perspectives that the Buddhist studies bring for the thought about the actor's training as formative process. In this way its focus is answer questions regarding to the director and performing arts teacher craft, being linked to a lineage of artists as Grotowski and Stanislavski who sees the actor as the center of this art, the organicity as the fundamental principle, and who believes that the formative process in performing arts are concerned to an artistic and pedagogic action which surpass the boundaries of rehearsal space, pointing to the integral development of the individual / Doutorado / Artes Cenicas / Doutor em Artes

According to Deikman (1966), meditation (defined as a training to sustain attention) has a deautomatizing effect. This ascertion was utilized in the present study as a departure point and explored within an information processing framework for classical conditioning. A sample of 48 college students was selected and randomly assigned to four conditions with different instructional sets involving allocation of attention during a classical conditioning background situation. The basic hypothesis of the study was that provided arousal factors were controlled, focusing of attention upon internal stimulation (i.e. breathing) could delay or attenuate the affect of conditioning, habituation and extinction as compared with instructions to externally allocate attention (on the CS and US). A secondary hypothesis predicted that for subjects under switching conditions changing from internal to external allocation and vice versa would produce a more pronounced extinction pattern as compared with subjects under non—switching conditions.

Embodied emotion theory hypothesises a reciprocal relationship between physical expression of emotion and the manner in which emotional information is perceived. The Integrated Cognitive Subsystems (ICS) theory of depression and Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) propose the body as key in the development and treatment of depression. This study investigated the relationship between posture and outcomes of mindfulness practice; participants meditating in an upright posture were predicted to report greater mindfulness, positive affect and distress tolerance than in a slouched posture. A non-clinical, adult sample (N=39) carried out a 15-minute mindfulness breathing exercise in upright and slouched postures in a counter-balanced within-participant design, with outcome measures of mindfulness, affect and distress tolerance. Participants also reported qualitative experiences. Due to order effects, only data from the first posture participants adopted were analysed, converting the study into a between-participant design. Hypotheses were not supported; between-subjects analyses found no difference in participants’ reported mindfulness, affect or distress tolerance between the two posture groups; potentially due to measurement or power issues. Keeping with previous MBI research, negative affect decreased following the practice in both postures. There was tentative evidence that distress tolerance decreased in the slouched posture condition; although there was no change in the upright condition. Qualitatively, participants reported breathing was easier when upright. These two findings may provide some support for the importance of attending to an upright posture in mindfulness practice. Further research is required to understand the role of the body in depression and MBIs.