FYI, this “Chinese” technique is a simple derivative of classic Shamatha (perhaps “Shamatha-without-support”) from the tradition of Indian BuddhaDharma. You can learn it from many legitimate instructors in the US today, look into “Vipassana” (http://www.vipassana.com/meditation/mindfulness_in_plain_english_3.php) or any of the great works by B. Alan Wallace (http://www.alanwallace.org/writings.htm), among many others.

In fact, while you do generally need some personnal direction and instruction to begin such a practice (highly unlikely to “get it” from a book), once shown how to do it you do not need “special instructions from a coach…and recorded music” (though they can help beginners) every time you practice. Practice is not difficult, it’s actually easy and can be fun, though some people may find it a bit awkward for the first 10 hours…

Proper practice works, and it’s good to get it directly from an authentic Dharma teacher. Many authentic BuddhaDharma teachers can still be found in the traditions held in Thailand, Burma, Japan, Tibet, and Bhutan, and slowly even in the US and Europe. To be sure, there are some fake teachers (always have been) out there, so trust your gut and keep your eyes open.

Would not any sort of mental training/discipline convey about the same effect? Gung fu? Karate? Yoga?

@ Ed: Researcher Tang says your portrayal of the IBMT method is not correct.

@ Michael: You are possibly correct. Professor Posner suggests that the findings could be applicable to a variety of meditation techniques. It would be great to see scientists do the same thing with the disciplines you mention to see if the research holds up.

Hello Jim:

Please forgive any implied ontological declarations, and my sloppiness in not originally writing something along the lines of, “based on the brief description here, it seems that IBMT is merely one variation on the classic mediation technique originally taught in northern india by the Buddha that is called calm-abiding (Skt. shamatha).”

The description of the IBMT as, “The practice avoids struggles to control thought, relying instead on a state of restful alertness…gradually through posture, relaxation, body-mind harmony, and balanced breathing,” seems like a fairly generic description of basic meditation practice in the classic tradition of BuddhaDharma. In what way does IBMT–as practiced–differ from shamatha practice in technique? In my limited experience and understanding, guided visualizations have been used in combination with body postures and breathing exercises for hundreds (if not thousands) of years in the various traditions of BuddhaDharma.

Of course, people were meditating before the Buddha, and there remain traditions of meditation that did not originate with the Buddha. However, neither Lao Tsu nor Confucious taught meditation techniques like those of the Buddha and so it is not too great a stretch to say that the mediational aspects of TCM were derived from BuddhaDharma…and IBMT was derived from TCM.

Regardless of the origin of the practice, it’s wonderful that people are now able to quantify the physiological benefits. I wish Yi-Yuan Tang and Michael Posner boundless success.

Just to help you resolve the discussion, i sagest, according to the article, this technic is coming strait from the thousands of years old Chinese practise of Qigong,
To day people are reluctant to use this name because os the political implication its create in China.
The positive power of Qigong on body and mined is been proven scientifically in China and in the west quite some time ago.
Qigong being practiced in the west widely and bare tremendous results to the practisers in mined clarity, body well being longevity.

I just heard an interview with Dr. Posner and read some of the articles, including the PNAS article. (It was that search that led me to this site.)

It seems that the technique is very similar to concentration/mindfulness meditation, but IBMT adds some guided meditation/mental imagery, particularly chosen background sounds, and alterations in posture — hence the call for a coach. I don’t know what kind of music they’re using, if it’s just straight melody or ambient or something timed to go along with the breathing or what.)

I’ve studied meditation with a Buddhist monk for a time, and can understand why/where a coach would be useful, particularly with posture adjustments. Not everyone uses the same sitting posture, and different bodies require different adjustments to make best use of the breath. Not only was the monk absolutely necessary to get a practice going in the right direction, but once students got the hang of it, new and different challenges would arise that he could contextualize and help us to integrate into a practice, rather than give up in frustration.

What Posner and Yi-Yuan Tang are demonstrating with IBMT and its effects on the brain isn’t exactly new; Dr. Richard Davidson has been doing this kind of research for some time at the U. of Wisconsin’s Waisman Center. He’s been focusing on how meditation can alter the wiring of damaged brains, and he’s done a good deal of brain imaging work with Tibetan monks. The brain imaging of one monk, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, showed particular parts of his brain lighting up so much when he meditated, that Davidson said if you could quantify happiness, he’d be the happiest man in the world. But Davidson’s work primarily focuses on meditation, neuroplasticity, and pathology and trauma. What Posner and Yi-Yuan Tang are focusing on is everyday use, but they have similar approaches.

This may be a PC way to study something like Qigong in China, but the clinical approach gives their research some institutional cred that they guy on my cable access channel just doesn’t have.

There is growing research showing the benefits of meditation, but to my knowledge, none has yet shown that benefits occur this quickly (correct me if I am wrong). However, this article doesn’t describe what exactly is meant by “Chinese meditation” or how it is different than any other form of meditation. I wonder if the benefits are also seen from any other form of meditation. I need to get my hands on the original paper and check that out.

Aaron

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