Zen and the Brain 

Turn the speed up to 1.25

Thank you, Google, for this vídeo! It would be wonderful if you at Google could make the handout available through Google Docs and a link here in the description of this great lecture!

There's a lot of talk about the brain and various functions, but precious little is actually linked or put into any context. Why are these different functions and their relations mentioned? He doesn't say. What does most of this have to do with the topic of meditation? Not sure because he doesn't say. Dr. Austin really is fantastic, but this talk was just very poorly put together. When data is mentioned, it needs to be in context so people know what is being said, why, and how it relates to the topic at hand. I feel like there's a truly great talk in here somewhere, just wish it came through.

A wonderful exemplar of the unification of neuroscience and the ancient Zen philosophy. The content was enthralling and the delivery allowed time for understanding.

23:15 ladies hold babies and gentlemen hammer.

Is the process for a woman balancing a baby different to a man holding a baby and for a male and female hammering?

Fantastic. I would like to purchase your book. Does it contain more info related to Zen? I would have liked to heard more discussion linking Zen with the brain. Lecture was very brain function centric.

The idea is that meditation makes you better at all the important ordinary things, e.g. less easily bored, more attentive. Presumably you're not opposed to any spare time at all? So why not use it to train your brain, instead of watching TV? Using meditation to escape reality is common but it's not the goal. In zen monasteries in particular, long hours of chores are a central part of the practice. "Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water."

Did someone really let their phone ringer go off, and then answer and have a full conversation on the phone while this guy was talking? Wow.

I wish I could see where his laser was pointing...

Academics trying to explain Zen is still so 20th century primitive, Zen is a train running without tracks.

36:00 felt like tripping! very good and informative talk

Turn the speed up to 1.5:)

ying yang represents two neural networks that are in competition with each other, the first network is the one you share with everything else that's alive the Beast network, this network has no sound in your head, it just knows what it is experiencing, if that experience matters ! the 2nd network has a different neural map which includes the prefrontal cortex and has sounds, humans have the largest prefrontal cortex and the ability to make more complex sounds Now the extremes of these two networks are feral and us now, the feral child lives only in the 1st network and lives with very little sound in the head, We live with almost constant sound in the mind(our thoughts) and we have no awareness of the 1st network anymore which makes us the opposite extreme to being raised feral The idea is to live in balance with the 2 networks hence the ying and the yang, But Judaism, Christianity and Islam all preach 1 god which actually means 1 network , its a religious fanatical idea to live only in the 2nd network, and causes lots of illness

while the subject matter genuinely interests me...i find myself watching the video more at night to fall asleep then to learn anything...

His talking turned out to be mantra ;)

You can concentrate, practice, Zen is void, be like the cup seeking to be empty of itself, then you will know Zen. Peace my friend.

Very good talk, thank you very much. But what is that freaking noise and people doing in the background. It just ruined everything, geez.

there are occassional loud noises, like a door closing, that were very distracting in this video.

Not surprised by the comments here, considering our perpetually distracted society. This whole presentation, including the people in the audience, the noises, etc., is a lesson in zen. Pay attention.

A Zen practitioner and acclaimed neurophysiologist speaks and trolls respond. Sounds like part of a haiku. But we are all students...

Very nice info for those interested in meditation AND the science of the brain and consciousness. For those others (who have commented below, lol), I do understand your frustration. But if you're interested in the topic in a direct way, the talk is actually RIVETING!

Suggestion: Break up the video into 5 parts. Much too long! Also when a video is filled with a great deal of info you need time to 'digest'. But, thanks for the video! :)

You can always make the video faster by simply clicking the right buttom...

Best work of it's type I have ever seen. Knew of his book, but never read. Worth watching every couple of weeks. It starts off slow, but be patient.

the soundtrack seems to be skipping bits.... darn... and what are all theses sounds in the background?

Maybe there is a generational gap here. Old=willing to be patient. Young="egocentric". 😀 I'm old and I am aware of how much repeated effort it takes to achieve something worthwile without even being sure there is anything that can or will be achieved. If I worked for Google under constant pressure to reach specific goals I probably could not stand these slow elaborations. Great Google, you have these lectures - even though they are contrarian to your daily culture. Big "thank you"!

Good info.

excelent talk, but i wanted more information about the meditation understanding mode. it's diferente for each one though.

Unfortunately lost interest after 10 minutes. Very little to do with zen so far. Speech so slow and hesitant made this seem very boring.

禅は集中力を向上させ、生活の能率を向上させます。

so boring, get on with itt! guy!

CAW!!!!

>_< Really hard to watch with all the noise from the remote audience. The Haskel talk I just watched also had this problem at the beginning. Is it that hard to make sure they are muted before recording, Google?

Thank you for the upload

Truly unessessary and very obsolete to distinguish between ladies and gentlemen when discussing holding babies and hammers, but that would be my only complaint.

Where can we get the handouts for this?

...and the bird said "KAAAAAAAAAA"! :)

Who posted this video? The cartoon crown at 36:10 is rather lame attempt at juvenile humour.

He talks really slow.

anywhere we can go the handout?

Man, I like Zen but this guy put me to sleep ... I found it impossible to keep watching, I tried and tried! Sorry.

The audio is terrible.

The Science says this and that, many numbers, many things, but if you know 100.000 meditators you will not find any of these amazing advantages!!!

Holy shit this dude speaks like the movie 300 is produced

It is possible that if he had said "a man holding a baby", some women would have complained that a woman wasn't used in the example. Sometimes speakers just can't win, and as is taught in Zen, praise and blame are to be ignored.

The problem of all scientist experts is the fact that they are only an expert in their own field, wich causes a mass psychose This is represented in the way how this presentation is performed. I don't wanna be rude, but this tech talk can use some flavour, you are talking about intuition while acting like a robot without any expressions.. Intuition is the only thing algorithm can't grasp so be proud to have this power while still being human

nirvana is much broader than 'zen'..nirvana can exist in a zen state..but it rarely does..nirvana is to be impenetrable and accepting of one's own humanity..the zen state or zen nirvana is more in line with what nirvana is associated with...but nirvana can exist even among the nervous, if they do not feel concern for their anxiety, for instance..it is more dissociation i guess..zen is rooted and conservative..if you accept the world and yourself you have achieved nirvana

What is a 'TRUE ying yang person'? Not asking rhetorically, concept new to me & would appreciate your explanation. Thanks :)~

You can find some of this data in Selfless Insight: Zen and the Meditative Transformations of Consciousness (look it up on Google Books here: books.google.com / books?id=3pt33ED2q1UC), around page 60

Well let me try to explain it to you. Let's say the white is positive emotions and the black are defensive/negative emotions. If you eliminate all defensive&negative emotions... you will see the world through pink glasses and cry all the time and are unable to understand the world anymore. If you are mostly black, you have dark sunglasses and cant see clearly. Let's say Ying-Yang, a healthy balance between defensive & positive emotions.. is like seeing the world through clear glasses. :-D

A lot of this stuff is outdated (which is a good sign - things are moving quickly).

An interesting adaptation is to realize the primate brain of the past has developed to protect itself, hence, various conformations, and sidedness. Probably why, as tree huggers we have the heart on the left and a stronger side on the right.

“Doesn’t use email?” My God, he’s stuck in some antediluvian time period!

I think, he was talking of what was actually happening in the brain, an MRI scan, the question was directed at this: If there was a difference between the two? I am happy to accept the fact that the linguistic culture of his time rather than an actual research finding was the cause for the statement.

To have a good attention helps, but it's only one weapon in our arsenal. We must develop many other skills. Bye!!

If only they could show us where he was pointing with the laser pointer

Interesting, but hard to understand... I didn't get the connection between Zen and all the brain explanations

...my long road back to Zen; thank you !

A lot of technical terms and almost no Zen so if you're here for Zen it'd be best to look somewhere else

so, if language is on the left side, and awareness on the right, then the "witness" of the stream of thought- is, the right side observing the left side?

A lot about brain functions, but with very little connection to zen.

I'm glad there is so much greater diversity in the presentation of information these days. This is the most boring way to learn that I can imagine.

I'm confused to how the pineal gland was not discussed at all

~there once was a future I was heading into but found out it was only a past and I was just a passenger going through time that made the essence of who I was right here~hence then it was not me that was here only the essence~

He sounds a bit like Eckhart Tolle without the German accent.

Does Google do these kinds of seminars to create the best employees possible?

Here's one guy who's not a fast talking American !

Very interesting. I was drawn here after getting a copy of "Living Zen Remindfully" and wanted to learn more about James' outlook before reading his book.

maybe for America our wood choppin is our 9-5 - just a thought

Very difficult to understand I can't concentrate very heavy content

Nice

idk guy..he's zen as hell..he doesn't even need to avoid technical terms

if this BORES you ... remember he never did acid

Thank you, MisterNightGuy, I am happy to accept your point 'old cultural norm'. Thank you again.

A very knowledgeable man, but not beginners guide to zazen. :)

This guy talked so slow and boringly I had to stop the video 5 minutes in.

I don't know, but I think it's pretty damn cool myself.

this is real

Where can one find the handouts from this presentation?

i know i need to quiet my mind but that was too quiet

If only I had the concentration to watch this whole video

didn't bother me..i just like the comment

Wauw, who is this person, does he had a name?

thanks for posting...read many years in this area...he's answered many questions for me...

That symbol is taoism

good one.........I had to laugh

care to elaborate?

who came up with the idea to use this glowing effect?

This guy is the REAL thing

It's always fun to listen to "experts". Does the "inner" you need this?

53:00 a cut in the mind/a great chart and explaination here

His name is Ming!

lol

I really enjoyed this,

RULE OF THIRDS

La nature est belle

thanks a lot !!

1:55

why?