Talk:Effects of meditation

need to rewrite section on Daniel Goleman
I think it is great to discuss Daniel Goleman and his writing, but I also didn't find the section below which I removed from the article to be worth including. It just doesn't at all describe how meditation changes the circuitry between the prefrontal cortex and amgydala (which is the basis of the work Goleman is presenting) or how that leads to any sort of greater emotional balance for the meditator (also the basic idea behind Goleman's writings). I'm leaving it here simply because I feel a twinge of pain if ever I remove large sections of an article, and it soothes me a bit to know that somewhere, out there in Wikipedia heaven, is a little part of an article waiting to be reborn.

Goleman: amygdala and pre-frontal cortex Daniel Goleman and Tara Bennett-Goleman explain how meditation, especially mindfulness-based meditation, works because of the relationship between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. In very simple terms, the amygdala is responsible for generating emotions while the pre-frontal cortex is involved in introspection and planning (it is also known as the inhibitory center). The amygdala first receives emotional signals and sends them to the prefrontal cortex where planning occurs.

The prefrontal cortex is very good at analyzing and planning, but it takes a long time to make decisions. The amygdala, on the other hand, is simpler (and older in evolutionary terms). It makes rapid judgments about a situation and has a powerful effect on our emotions and behaviour, linked to survival needs. For example, if a human sees a lion leaping out at them, the amygdala will trigger a fight or flight response long before the prefrontal cortex responds.

Please can someone upload a better photo for the top of this page?
Sorry I don't know how to. Head shot of Ricard here would be great; http://www.news.wisc.edu/newsphotos/davidson08.html User:JCJC777

Wiki Education assignment: Psychology Capstone
— Assignment last updated by Rahneli (talk) 17:06, 11 February 2024 (UTC)