Neil
Hello This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English I’m Neil
Sam
And I’m Sam
Neil
?How do you relax, Sam
Sam
Well, I love watching movies and I go swimming
Neil
One thing that millions of people around the world do is meditate to relax and
that’s the subject of our programme We’ll be looking at experiments by
scientists in the US into the Buddhist practice of meditation We’ll find out how
Tibetan monks use meditation techniques to focus better and manage their
emotions
Sam
But what exactly is meditation? People just sitting cross-legged on the floor,
thinking of nothing?!
Neil
There’s a lot more to it than that After all, Buddhist meditation is an ancient
practice – even science, according to some Tibetan Buddhism, as embodied by
the Dalai Lama, is what many people think of when you mention meditation
Which brings me to my quiz question
Sam
?Which is
Neil
?What is the meaning of the Tibetan word for ‘meditation’ Is it…
a) to relax
b) to feel blissful
c) to become familiar
Sam
I think it must be either a) to relax, or b) to feel blissful because they sound like
positive states of mind But I’m not sure about calling meditation a ‘science’, Neil
?Isn’t it more like a philosophy or a lifestyle
Neil
Not according to Professor Richard Davidson of the Center for Healthy Minds
He spoke to Alejandra Martins of BBC World Service programme Witness History
about his remarkable scientific experiment which proved for the first time that
meditation can actually change the brain
Richard Davidson
When I first met His Holiness the Dalai Lama it was 1972 He challenged me, he
said, ‘I understand that you’ve been using tools of modern neuroscience to study
anxiety and depression Why can’t you use those same tools to study kindness
?and to study compassion’
Neil
Neuroscience is the scientific study of the workings of the human brain and
nervous system Professor Davidson measured negative mental states like
depression, in contrast to positive attitudes such as compassion – that’s the wish
for everyone to be free from suffering
Sam
Right In his test, Buddhist monks sent out loving thoughts to everyone equally –
to friends, enemies and strangers as well as to themselves
Neil
Compassionate thoughts such as ‘May you be happy and peaceful’, ‘May you not
suffer’ And the results were astonishing!
Sam
?What did they show, Neil
Neil
Very high levels of gamma oscillations – now that’s brain waves showing
increased connections between different parts of the brain This is what you or I
might experience as a flash of insight – a moment of sudden understanding and
clarity For us, it might last less than a second But for these experienced
Buddhist monks, the gamma waves lasted minutes! Furthermore, as Richard
Davidson explains, brain changes as a result of meditation can be long lasting
[Richard Davidson] There is no question at this point in time based upon the
current science that has been conducted over the last 10 years, that meditation
can change the brain in enduring ways; and the circuits that are involved are
multiple, but they include circuits that are important for regulating attention and
regulating emotion
Neil
So, this was proof of neuroplasticity – our brain’s ability to change in response to
conscious effort In other words, the meditating monks were intentionally
remoulding their minds in more positive ways!
Sam
And this was possible because the brain circuits – different parts of the brain
responsible for different functions – start talking to each other in new ways that
created enduring – meaning long-lasting - changes
Neil
The meditators gained insight into how their minds work They were more
focused and emotionally balanced and less likely to get upset How cool is that?
Sam
Pretty cool! But these Tibetan monks sound like Buddhas! They spend thousands
of hours sitting in meditation I’ve got to go to work, Neil! What good is
?meditation to me
Neil
Well, Sam, in fact the experiment showed that 30 minutes of meditation a day
significantly increased feelings of loving kindness in new meditators too!
Sam
OK, maybe I’ll give meditation a go after all But not before I find out the answer
to today’s quiz
Neil
Yes, I asked you what the Tibetan word for ‘meditation’ meant
Sam
And I said either a) to relax, or b) to feel blissful And I’m feeling pretty confident
of getting it right this time, Neil
Neil
Well, Sam, if the answer came to you in a flash of insight then I’m afraid you
need more practice because the correct answer is c) to become familiar, in this
case with more positive thoughts and emotions
Sam
You mean emotions like kindness and compassion – the thought wishing
everyone to be free from their problems What other vocabulary did we learn
?today, Neil
Neil
Well, it turns out meditation is actually a science Neuroscience in fact, which is
the study of the human brain and nervous system Meditation experiments
proved neuroplasticity - the brain’s ability to restructure
Sam
By generating and sending out the compassionate wish, ‘May all beings be
happy’, Buddhist meditators change their brain circuits – different parts of the
brain responsible for different functions And this is an enduring change,
meaning it lasts and increases over a long period of time
Neil
I must say, Sam, you took it pretty well when you guessed the wrong answer just
then
Sam
Thanks, Neil I don’t like getting upset, so I’m trying out some breathing
meditation! Breathing in the positive, breathing out the negative…
Neil
Join us again soon for another interesting discussion on 6 Minute English from
BBC Learning English Bye for now!
VOCABULARY
neuroscience
science concerning the workings of the nervous system and brain
compassion
attitude wishing everyone to be free from all physical and mental suffering
a flash of insight
a sudden moment of understanding something previously not understood; also
known as an Aha! moment
neuroplasticity
the brain’s ability to restructure its neural, electrical pathways in response to
purposeful activity
brain circuits
groups of interconnected neurons that perform a specific function when
activated
enduring
lasting over a long period of time
