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The Contemplative Science Podcast

Dissolving Boundaries - A Computational View of Body-Scan Meditation w Valeria Becattini

Feb 17, 2025
Valeria Becattini, a cognitive scientist and philosopher, dives into the intriguing effects of body-scan meditation on our sense of self. She discusses how this practice leads to the dissolution of bodily boundaries, offering a unique perspective on attention and sensory awareness. Valeria explains the predictive processing framework, revealing how our perceptions shape experiences as educated guesses. The conversation highlights meditation's potential in emotional regulation and addiction management, portraying it as a transformative tool for personal growth.
45:21

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Quick takeaways

  • Body-scan meditation challenges conventional perceptions of self by promoting sensory awareness and the dissolution of bodily boundaries through focused attention.
  • Enhanced emotional regulation and resilience can be achieved via meditation, providing therapeutic potential for addiction and maladaptive behaviors by fostering a non-judgmental attitude towards emotions.

Deep dives

The Role of Body Scan Meditation

Body scan meditation is a practice emphasized for its potential to enhance one's awareness of sensory signals within the body. By directing attention to specific body parts, individuals may initially feel an increase in sensation, such as heightened awareness of pain or tension. However, this focused attention paradoxically leads to ‘body boundaries dissolution,’ where the individual may lose the conventional perception of their body's edges. This phenomenon raises intriguing questions about the cognitive mechanisms that mediate such transformative experiences during meditation.

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