Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
January 1, 2015
Tim Lomas, Itai Ivtzan, Cynthia H.Y. Fu
510 citations
Mindfulness meditation is linked to increased alpha and theta brain wave power compared to resting with eyes closed, suggesting a state of relaxed alertness that may benefit mental health. A systematic review of 56 studies involving 1,358 healthy individuals and 357 people with psychiatric diagnoses found that enhanced alpha and theta power was the most common pattern, though not uniformly reported. No consistent changes were seen in beta, delta, or gamma brain waves. The co-occurrence of elevated alpha and theta may indicate a beneficial mental state conducive to psychological health.
Frontiers in Psychology
October 6, 2021
Paul T. P. Wong, Gökmen Arslan, Victoria L. Bowers et al.
80 citations
During the COVID-19 pandemic, cultivating self-transcendence—connecting with the true self, others, and something larger—offers a promising path to personal growth and mental health. The paper explains self-transcendence using Frankl's model and Wong's extension, reviews relevant literature, and presents the Self-Transcendence Measure-Brief (STM-B) along with its psychometric history. Empirical evidence indicates that self-transcendence served as a buffer against pandemic suffering, suggesting that fostering this quality can help overcome mental health crises in difficult times.
The Oxford Handbook of Meditation
October 4, 2019
Tim Lomas
1 citation
Meditation affects emotional experience through both direct and indirect pathways. Directly, practices target specific emotions such as dysphoric, compassionate, reverential, and ambivalent feelings. Indirectly, meditation influences emotions via physiological changes, cognitive processes, and experiences of self-transcendence. The chapter classifies meditation practices by four parameters: behaviors of mind, object, attitude, and form. It concludes by suggesting directions for future research into how meditation impacts emotional experience.