On Philosophy and Science of Meditation

​This brief and simplified discernment is to complement the following presentations on meditation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq77zGiPn5U, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVWOxiNLuJ8, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxSYzsmXk6w, https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_trouble_with_mindfulness_appsn, https://www.asianage.com/technology/in-other-news/031119/spirituality-apps-are-inducing-addiction-than-relieve-stress-scholars-argue.html (and among many other known or recorded negative side effects). And as well as to complement past discernments or suggestions.

Meditation concepts and methods need to be developed and applied not only through the scientific method but also based on the essence, nature, and ground of being. And nature. In addition, to also better the human conditions and facilitate inspirations, aspirations, empowerment, and liberation.

Furthermore, to enhance or refine known meditations practices due to the following main reasons:

1.0 Many ancient practices were still based on ancient knowledge, culture, and or tradition or have not been adapted or adjusted based on new knowledge and science accordingly.

2,0 Due to hidden and forbidden knowledge and practices, many practices are fragmented, uninformed, and based on dualism and reductionism.

3.0 For modern mind and ways of life.

For example, mindfulness meditation is a general purpose mediation used or applied for daily living and struggles rather than for cases of meaningful inspirations, aspirations, empowerment, and liberation since the meditation is only based on the physical aspects of the many sentient composite body-mind system as well as it has been reduced from complementary content and context (such as code of conduct and moral or precepts and tenets as well as heartful care and mindful care. And skillful means such as 8 Noble Path). And as such it can be used for many purposes such as stress reduction, diverse health benefits, and strengthen the psyche (such as for competition, conformality, and warfare training or development).

There are many other known meditations as well such as loving-kindness, compassion, rational or analytic, heartful care, mindful care and heartful care, awareness, wholeness, and among many others. However, standalone or revised mindfulness is designated as the social standard practice since it is practical for many modern ways of life such as pressing, conformal, competitive, survival of the fittest, and warlike (for example, loving kindness, compassion, and rational meditations would not be fostered in competitive, survival of the fittest, and warlike environment or culture).

Mindfulness meditation is a legitimate practice by its own. And can be practical, useful, and beneficial. However, the advantages, disadvantages, missing links, limits, and or short falls need to mentioned or disclosed (and not only for mindfulness but also for all meditation practices) such as:

1.0 Separated from complementary or related content and context.

2.0 Is not mean to nurture, develop, and transform the essence and nature of being (that is based on the essence, nature, and ground of nature). In particularly when the heart is neglected or excluded. And therefore, can be counterproductive or even harmful when improperly applied. In simple words, is not a naturalness-spiritual nurturing, development, and transformation practice.

3.0 As mentioned in 2.0, can give rise to false perception of the self and the world since the focus is only on the physical body and world (while neglecting or excluding the heart) rather the whole body or the many sentient composite body, in particularly the subtle body-mind, and related world

4.0 Can be used counterproductively such as for harmful competition, conformality, and warfare since the heart or heartful care is excluded as mentioned earlier. And which was parts of ancient competitive ways of life (whether for offense or defense) and warfare development and practices.

5.0 Can be addictive in multiple ways such as https://www.asianage.com/technology/in-other-news/031119/spirituality-apps-are-inducing-addiction-than-relieve-stress-scholars-argue.html. And as well as the electronics devices are addictive not only due as means or entertainment but also the EMF-EMR can cause known physical immune-metabolism response addiction.

In brief, the philosophy and sconce of meditation and contemplation need to be analyzed and developed through meaningful as well as accountable and responsible modern scientific method. And as well as based on the essence, nature, and ground of being. And nature. And with modern living in mind as to make them relevant, relatable, practicable, useful, applicable, and meaningful to all or for long lasting benefits to and betterment for all.

And therefore, these are also causes, reasons, and opportunism for collaborations and developments among the global community, in particularly  scientific, naturalness-spiritual, medical, health care, and humanities communities to further and better advance the sciences, knowledge, wisdom, practices, and applications for quality, meaningful, transformative, common and greater good, and well being life in the known physical world. And beyond.
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Updated 11/11/2019

This is not to say that meditation and contemplation tools and apps cannot be practical, useful, and even essential for diverse human conditions, circumstances, inspirations, aspirations, and yearnings. Rather, as the scientific, scholar, and practitioner communities suggested, they should be based on the scientific method and process as well as:

1.0 Apply as stimulus and complementary tools and or apps rather than as reliance or dependency such as for beginner, for novice, for diverse alternative meditation, for just stress relief or relaxation, and so on. In other words, means to complement individual and or collective development efforts rather than have to rely on the tools or apps. For example, to maximize and better facilitate meaningful outer and or inner senses development as well as meaningful bio-transmutation (such as plasticity, epigenetic, neurogenesis, immune-metabolism system), the individual need to make the efforts rather than relying on the technology (unless due to such as health conditions or just for stress relief or relaxation) which would be counterproductive or harmful in many ways. And which would also be in line with aspects for which meditation and contemplation were designed for such as with meaningful inspirations, intention, efforts, and diligent (or reflecting aspects of the 8 Noble Paths). In simple words, meditators should not be relying on tools and apps, rather tools and apps should be complementary means toward complementing or facilitating practitioners inspirations, aspirations, and yearnings.

A simple analogy would be developing sport equipment in ways that the users can best develop the physical (and mental since they are interdependent and interconnected) rather than machines that do the exercise for the users. However, when it come to the mind, things are far more complex and dynamic. The many sentient composite body-mind system, in particularly the mind or heart-brain of the subtle body-mind should not be resonating with machines but rather with nature and greater whole. Another way of saying is tools and apps should help the users or practitioners with the skills to resonate with nature and greater whole rather than resonate or dependent and lock to machines.

2.0 As briefly mentioned in 1.0, develop tools and apps for different applications such as for stress relief, beginner, stimulus, experience, and so on. And as well as to better inform the users how to best use them as well as advantages, disadvantages, and limits of particular tools and or apps. And in particularly, suggest or warn that the practitioners should not rely on tools or apps or rely of the technology to do the meditation for them. In simple words, develop tools and apps that could be used to develop skillful means rather than as dependency or reliance to tools and apps or machines.

3.0 As just previously mentioned, tools and apps should be based on the scientific method and process or meaningful, ethical, and responsible science and technology. For example, simple suggestion such as users should be using specific meditation apps (such as those requiring minimum distraction and interference) through non-wireless technology as much as possible could help a long way in meditation and contemplation practices, in particularly for those that could be affected by EMF-EMR.

Even the Dalai Lama has recently discussed openly or publicly about these subjects on many occasions. And basically concurred with the core content and context covered here. The efforts would be win-win for such as users, practitioners, communities, societies, science, technology, entrepreneurs, businesses, and industries alike. And therefore, future generations and humanity. And thus, are reasons or causes and opportunities for collaborations among the diverse and complementary disciplines and communities.