Electroencephalography, EEG, which is the testing Nydahl underwent, does not measure altered states of awareness, permanent or not. Neither does it prove a permanently changed chemistry in the brain--it records the flow of electrical activity along the scalp (see below)--a flow that is recognised to be in constant flux and change unless the person is clinically brain-dead.
It can be
inferred that this recording of electrical activity means many things but no honest scientist will state what can be inferred from one subjects EEG results and few indeed will make pronouncements based on a study of several hundred or thousand--because it is recognised that the variation between individuals is huge and that 'normal' is a very tentative baseline.
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en.wikipedia.org]
'Electroencephalography (EEG) is the recording of electrical activity along the scalp. EEG measures voltage fluctuations resulting from ionic current flows within the neurons of the brain. In clinical contexts, EEG refers to the recording of the brain's spontaneous electrical activity over a short period of time, usually 20–40 minutes, as recorded from multiple electrodes placed on the scalp. In neurology, the main diagnostic application of EEG is in the case of epilepsy, as epileptic activity can create clear abnormalities on a standard EEG study. A secondary clinical use of EEG is in the diagnosis of coma, encephalopathies, and brain death. EEG used to be a first-line method for the diagnosis of tumors, stroke and other focal brain disorders, but this use has decreased with the advent of anatomical imaging techniques with high (<1 mm) spatial resolution like as MRI and CT. Despite limited spatial resolution, EEG continues to be a valuable tool for research and diagnosis, especially when millisecond-range temporal resolution (not possible with CT or MRI) is required.'The scientific study of neurological events is far more interesting than the individual interpretations of a snapshot of the electrical activity of one particular brain at one second in time--unless that brain happens to be your own.
I am a fan of meditation myself but fail to see the point of it if it results in people who are no longer able to think and reach a workable provisional conclusion for themselves.
Karam-Mudra, I think that you were badly used by the people who have been pretending that these EEG's mean anything other than a record of electrical activity along the scalp. We all have that and Nydahl's party trick is the result of a behavioural repetition which forges new neural pathways in the brain.
Any repetitive behaviour does that.
It isn't proof of siddhis or supernatural powers.
A footballer who practices regularly is doing exactly the same thing--which will show up as a variation in the EEG. He will also be a lot more skilled at ball-control than I will ever be, not having the slightest interest in playing football.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/2011 05:22AM by Stoic.