The Contemplative Science Podcast Meditation: An Active State?
6 snips
Mar 7, 2023 Neuroscientist Giuseppe Pagnoni, an expert from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, argues that meditation is an active mental process, not passive. He delves into the brain as a predictive machine, linking this with the free energy principle and the dynamics of perception and belief. Pagnoni discusses the importance of mind-wandering in meditation and how it fosters self-understanding and emotional regulation. He emphasizes the need for personalized meditation practices, tackling common challenges like drowsiness and balancing activity with relaxation.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Inaction in Meditation
- In meditation, inaction is not passive.
- It's an active prevention of following compulsive actions, setting a boundary against usual behavioral drivers.
Free Energy Principle
- We minimize "free energy" by conforming the world to expectations or changing our minds.
- Bad beliefs resist updates, leading to self-fulfilling prophecies, but rigidity can be useful in noisy environments.
Flat-Earth Example
- Flat-Earthers exemplify how bad beliefs create self-fulfilling prophecies.
- They build communities reinforcing their beliefs, actively avoiding contradictory evidence.