The Changes in Brain Waves in Monks and Nuns During Zen Meditation in Two Vietnamese Zen Truc Lam Monasteries
Pastoral Psychology May 28, 2026 Joanna Różycka‐Tran, Stanisław Radoń, Marcin Wnuk
Meditation is characterized by a deepened state of relaxation on the one hand and increased alertness on the other. Zen meditation fosters a distinct state combining relaxation and sustained alertness. The study investigated differences in bioelectrical brain activity of monks and nuns during Zen meditation in their natural monastic environment, with 13 practitioners from two Vietnamese Zen monasteries. Results showed a stable increase in the alpha range in both monasteries, an increase in theta and a decrease in beta in one monastery, and distinct meditation strategies between the two monasteries. Mobile EEG technology proved effective in naturalistic settings.