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THE SCIENCE OF ZEN

The Science of Zen, Mindfulness and Meditation

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The Science of Zen

A look at Zen, mindfulness and meditation from the perspective of evolutionary
psychology and neurobiology.


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WHY DO HUMANS EXPERIENCE SO MUCH DISCONTENTMENT AND SUFFERING? IS THERE A
SOLUTION?

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While life can be full of wonder, joy and fulfillment, too many of us are often
overcome with boredom, disappointment, discontentment and even suffering. Why
can it be so hard to be a human? Is there a solution?

To explore this, you can watch this video or just continue reading this page.
The rest of this page covers the same information as the video does but in
written form.

At any point please feel encouraged to sign up for the free “Science of Zen:
What is the Self?” training course.


THE SOURCE OF PERVASIVE HUMAN DISSATISFACTION

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Have you ever wondered why people suffer so much, feel pervasive discontentment,
get so easily bored, have unhealthy habits or lack a sense of purpose in life?

Buddhist’s have long understood that the cause of all these problems is an
excess of out-of-control self-obsessed thinking and the clinging and grasping
that results from this.

Neurobiologists have recently come to understand what the underlying
neurological source of this self-obsessed clinging and grasping is: It is the
brain’s default mode network.

The brain’s default mode network is the primary culprit in creating pervasive
dissatisfaction in our lives.






THE DEFAULT MODE NETWORK

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Before we look at how the default mode network leads to excessive human
discontentment, lets take a moment and explore what roles it plays in human
cognition.

Some of the cognitive activities the default mode network is in charge of
includes:

 * The Self – The default mode network is in charge of self-referential
   thinking. It is the source of concepts regarding our sense of identity. It
   conceptualizes who we think we are and how we relate to others. It is the
   basis of our self identity.
 * Thinking About Past and Future – The default mode network is responsible for
   thinking (often worrying) about what will happen to us in future. It uses
   what (it believes) has happened in the past as a basis for this
   future-oriented thinking.
 * Narrative Thinking – It has the responsibility for figuring out what the
   “narrative rules” of the world are in terms of what it thinks will keep us
   safe, what will make us feel good, how to avoid feeling bad. It keeps a
   “reality map” of the world from a self-referential perspective. Its a
   collection of the internal stories that we believe about the world in
   relation to ourselves.
 * Clinging/Grasping – The default mode network has extremely strong preferences
   that the positive and pleasant things/situations in our lives persist and
   stick around. The world however is a dynamic and changing place and when good
   things go away, the default mode network is designed to make us feel upset
   about this.
 * Habitual Thinking and Behavior – The default mode network is empowered to
   highjack our behavior and thoughts and force us to habitually think and
   behave in ways that are based on it’s ideas on what it determines we need in
   the future.


THE DEFAULT MODE NETWORK AND THE SELF

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In short, the default mode network is the neurological basis of our narratives
about who we are and how the world works. It is also the neurological basis of
how we habitually think and behave.

The fundamental problem is that the default mode network’s narrative stories
about who we are and what we need out of life are very often based on faulty
assumptions about reality . They are too often based on memories that are overly
skewed towards negativity to the point of delusion.

Also, just due to the nature of an ever-changing and chaotic world, it is
inevitable that the default mode network’s expectations will frequently not be
met, which leads to frequent discontentment and often significant suffering in
life. We spend too much of our time in trance-like and self-obsessed narrative
thinking and worrying. Its a trance that keeps us separate and abstracted from
the reality of the present moment

The default mode network is obviously useful from a survival perspective, but if
we want to thrive and not just survive, we must find a way to limit it’s
out-of-control operation. Obviously it would be helpful to find a way to
neurologically down-regulate the default mode network when it is not acting in
our best interest.


THE CENTRAL EXECUTIVE NETWORK

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As we look for a candidate for something that can possibly get the default mode
network under control, let’s take a look at another brain network: The central
executive network.

The central executive network is in charge of what neuroscientists call
“cognitive control”. This basically means that it is in charge deliberately
solving short term challenges in ways that do not rely on instincts or automatic
habitual thinking and behaviors.

If you are doing tasks such as trying to discover the source of a mysterious
beeping in the middle of the night, deciding when to drive to work to avoid rush
our traffic or figuring out how to assemble IKEA furniture then you are
exercising the problem solving cognitive control functions of the central
executive network. You can think of this as a sort of “free will” because
deliberation and reason are involved in deciding how to perform tasks.

Since this brain network is so good at analyzing and solving problems in a
deliberate and self-controlled manner, it seems logical that it would be the
perfect tool for the job of controlling the habit-based and frequently
out-of-control default mode network, right? Wouldn’t reason and logic be the
perfect antidote to out-of-control and excessive self-referential worry?
Wouldn’t deliberate problem solving override delusional assumptions about
ourselves and the world we live in?

Unfortunately it is not that simple…


THE CENTRAL EXECUTIVE NETWORK HAS ALMOST NO CONTROL OVER THE DEFAULT MODE
NETWORK



As it turns out, the problem-solving central executive network has a
surprisingly small amount of control over our default mode network. This is why
we can’t simply decide the “think away” most of our problems.

For example, one might find themselves worrying about something that may go
wrong in the future. The analytical central executive network might analyze the
situation and realize that a bad outcome is unlikely and that it is a waste of
time to worry. Unfortunately, the default mode network can often decide, despite
our desires, to ignore the central executive network’s analysis and do whatever
it wants. If it wants to worry needlessly there is very little that the central
executive network can do about it.

The default mode network will also often override our deliberate desires to act
in certain ways. For example, the central executive network might analytical
determination that eating too much cake is bad for you. Again, if the default
mode network decides it wants excessive cake, its likely going to get what it
craves. The central executive network is very likely to fail in its attempt to
use reason and logic in its attempt to control habitual behaviors such as eating
too much cake even when we know better..

Generally we can not “think away our problems”. We can rarely reason our away
out of habitual behavior.


IF THE CENTRAL EXECUTIVE NETWORK CAN NOT CONTROL THE DEFAULT MODE NETWORK, IS
THERE A SOLUTION?

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Indeed there is a solution. The solution to our excessive self-obsession and
habitual thinking and behavior is to live life with our attention firmly planted
in present moment awareness.

Its all about states of mind:

 * To have our attention firmly focused on the present moment is a state of
   mind.
 * The trance-like thinking mode where we excessively ruminate about our lives
   or act habitually is also is also a state of mind.

These two states of mind are like a seesaw. When one is happening, the other
diminished. It is an actual biological fact that they can not both be active at
the same time. When we are engaged with present moment awareness, our
self-referential thoughts are naturally quieted and we get relief from
thought-generated suffering. This is how we are designed and we can leverage
this design to experience lives of significantly less suffering and
discontentment.

Also, when we are abiding in present moment awareness we are much less likely to
get carried away by habitual thoughts and behaviors. We are more likely to see
with world as it really is and with fresh eyes. We are less influenced by the
default mode network’s (often erroneous) assumptions about ourselves and the
world we live in.

The neurological basis for this present moment awareness is the dorsal attention
network, which we will look at next.


INTRODUCING THE DORSAL ATTENTION NETWORK

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The Dorsal Attention Network is in charge of present-moment-awareness.

When we are aware of something happening in the present moment, our dorsal
attention network comes online and directs this cognition. The object of
attention may be external or it can be internal thoughts and feelings.

Since it is active in the midst completing a task that requires present moment
awareness, it is sometimes called the “task positive network”.

When the dorsal attention network is active, we are “in-the-moment” and our
awareness is focused on what it both physically and figuratively right in front
of us.


THE DEFAULT MODE NETWORK AND THE DORSAL ATTENTION NETWORK COMPETE WITH EACH
OTHER FOR CONTROL OF AWARENESS

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It was mentioned earlier that the present moment awareness is a state of mind
and trance-like self-referential thinking is a also a state of mind and only one
of these states of mind can be active at one time. This made possible by a very
useful quirk of our physiology in that the default mode network and the dorsal
attention network can not both be active at the same time. They work at odds
with each other for control over our awareness.

Like a Seesaw, When the Default Mode Network is “Raised Up” and Active, the
Dorsal Attention Network is “Lowered” and Inactive. When the default mode
network is active the brain is free to daydream, fantasize, worry, time-travel,
crave and force habitual thinking and behaviors.


THE DORSAL ATTENTION NETWORK AND THE DEFAULT MODE NETWORK ARE ANTI CORRELATED

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When the dorsal attention network is active, the mind is in a state of
present-moment-awareness and in a stance of receptivity and mental flexibility.
Since this shifts down the default mode network, mental time travel, craving and
habitual thinking and behavior are all shut down.

This anti-correlation between the attention and self-absorption centers of the
brain is the core driver of how Zen, mindfulness and meditation works. This,
by-design, aspect of our physiology is the dynamic by which lives can be
transformed and human discontent can be greatly reduced and perhaps even nearly
eliminated.

Living an open, receptive and equanimous life becomes simply a matter of
increasing the amount of time that the dorsal attention network is in control.
It is about living primarily in present-moment-awareness.

The more mindful we are, the less we have self-referential worries about the
future, the less we get upset when life does not go the way we crave it to and
the less we are driven into habitual thinking and behavior.


PEOPLE LOVE TAKING A BREAK FROM THE DEFAULT MODE NETWORK

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If this seems a little too abstract, it might be useful to consider that most
people do things that shutdown the default mode network via awareness all the
time in order to get a break from the onslaught of self-referential thinking.
Activities such as reading, consuming entertainment, social media, dancing,
participating in sports and playing music all are activities that sharply
curtail the activity of default mode network. Indeed one of the biggest appeals
of all of these activities is that they give a moment of respite from worries
and boredom and we have seen that these feelings exist due to the default mode
network itself.

Of course, all of those activities that quiet the default mode network are only
temporary respites and many of them can cause their own escapist problems, but
they illustrate how much people enjoy breaks from the relentlessness of the
default mode network. Escaping the default mode network is a multi-billion
dollar business!

Luckily there are other more effective, healthy and lasting ways to quiet down
the default mode network.


HOW CAN WE SPEND MORE TIME IN PRESENT MOMENT AWARENESS AND LESS TIME IN DEFAULT
MODE SELF OBSESSION?

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The first step towards bringing mindfulness into our lives is to simply decide
to be deliberately and purposefully try and be aware.

Note that this did not say something like “decide to not self-referentially
think, crave or act habitually”. Remember that the “deciding” and “problem
solving” part of the brain is the central executive network. It has a miserable
time of directly trying to change the thinking, craving and automatic behavior
of the default mode network, but it can indirectly do this by invoking present
moment awareness. It can not decide to simply keep the brain from
self-ruminating, but it can decide to pay attention. Deciding to pay attention
actives the dorsal attention network. This automatically shuts down default mode
network.

The process basically works like this:

 1. The central executive network decides to pay attention to the current
    moment.
 2. This causes the dorsal attention network to come online and the default mode
    network automatically goes off line because they are physically unable to
    both be online at the same time.
 3. With the default mode network sidelined, we naturally have less worry,
    craving and automatic thinking.


THE DEFAULT MODE NETWORK STRIKES BACK

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In early stages of practice, the switch from default mode to present moment
awareness mode typically does not last vey long. For most people, the default
mode network will quickly reengage if there is nothing that is grabbing our our
attention. If someone is in the midst of life circumstances that are very
stressful or upsetting the switch back to default mode will be almost
instantaneous.

This is fine. When this happens, the central executive network can simply decide
again to purposefully refocus attention in present moment awareness. Then again
and again and again.

This “manual” continuous reengagement of mindfulness can be very helpful in two
ways. The first way is that if we do this frequently will can use it tactically
to stay present when our minds start spinning off out of control. Its a good way
to break cycles of worry and habitual behavior. Sometimes just a few moments of
clarity can make a big difference.

The second way that continuous reengagement of present moment awareness via
deliberate activation of the dorsal attention network is helpful is that slowly,
over time, we start changing our brains in very important ways that allow
mindful awareness to engage on its own without the need of a purposeful and
willful decision to do so.

This continual reengagement of awareness training is called meditation and it
involves yet another brain network called the salience network.


INTRODUCING THE SALIENCE NETWORK

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The salience network is the brain network that is in charge of quietly running
in the background while scanning our bodies and the world around us for events
and information that might be useful to know about. You could say its the
“sensory traffic control” part of the brain.

If nothing of importance is happening in the current moment, it lets the default
mode network continue to use this downtime to worry, daydream, fantasize or
think/act habitually.

If something does happen that requires immediate attention, it shuts down the
default mode network and turns on the dorsal attention network in order to pay
attention to what has just happened.

We have seen how the central executive network can willfully decide to pay
attention. Scientists call this “top down awareness control”. But when the
salience network stops self-referential thinking and invokes attention, this is
called “bottom up awareness control”. It is present-moment-awareness that does
not require a conscious decision to invoke. The subconscious salience network
can involve awareness without us deciding it needs to happen.


THE SALIENCE NETWORK INVOKES AWARENESS WHEN SOMETHING IMPORTANT HAPPENS

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Let’s look at the sequence of events that allows the salience network to
highjack awareness and control attention on a normal and regular basis:

 1. The salience network (traffic control) notices something worthy of attention
    and activates the dorsal attention network (which is in charge of focused
    attention)
 2. When the dorsal attention network comes on line, the default mode network
    automatically goes off line because they are physically unable to both be
    online at the same time.
 3. The mind is now naturally in an alert and “mindful” mode of operation.










MEDITATION TRAINS THE SALIENCE NETWORK TO INVOKE AWARENESS EVEN IF NOTHING
“IMPORTANT” IS HAPPENING

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Perhaps the most fascinating insight that has emerged out of the scientific
investigation into mindfulness is that when we look at brain scans of
experienced meditators, we find that even at a “resting state”, their default
mode networks are very quiet. Normally an external or internal “important alert”
is needed switch from default mode to alertness. By contrast, experienced
mediators have buffed up their salience network in a way that allows it to
maintain relaxed alertness just out of habit.

Another scientific finding explains how this is accomplished: Meditation
actually physically changes the salience network in ways that cause it to keep
present moment awareness active more of the time. These physical changes include
increased size and folding of key salience network brain regions as well as
improved connectivity to other brain regions.

The primary point to comprehend here is that these are physical changes. The
life changes that emerge from Zen practice do no not come from adopting a new
philosophy or having a new psychological outlook on life. They come from the
repetitive exercise of focusing awareness during meditation and the resulting
physical changes in the brain. An analogy can be made to weightlifting. Your
muscles do not get stronger through any sort of thinking, you need to physically
lift heavy weights to change the muscle’s size and structure. In the same way,
the salience network is not buffed up via any sort of thinking, it too requires
repetitive exercise to have it’s physical size and structure changed. This
repetitive exercise is meditation.

Zen practice is not the adoption of new ideas to replace old ones. This would be
like trying to wipe away oil with more oil. Instead of adopting a new way of
thinking about the world, Zen practice changes our relationship to thinking
itself. Its a change of the very way we exist in the world. It is a
transformation of how awareness functions in our lives.




OTHER WAYS MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS CHANGE THE BRAIN

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The ability for the brain to change its physical structure and functioning in an
enduring manner based on its experiences is called “neural plasticity”. As we
have seen, the primary way the mindfulness and meditation changes our brain via
neural plasticity is the strengthening of the salience network.

Importantly, this is not the only neural plastic change to the brain that is the
result of mindfulness and meditation. Scientists have discovered many others.
Some of these discoveries are:

 * Practice helps us relax and have less stress
 * Practice allows us to physiologically have less generalized fear in our lives
 * Practice helps us feel physical and emotional pain with much less intensity
   enabling us to experience life with much more equanimity
 * Practice helps us have more resilience that allows us to “bounce back”
   quicker when upset
 * Practice helps us have more objectivity which allows us to catch and stop
   ourselves from acting habitually to life’s stresses

In short, scientists have found in study after study that meditation has
significant positive benefits to our lives and that these benefits are lasting
and permeate our lives even when we are not actively meditating.


STOPPING TO SMELL THE ROSES

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So far we have seen how Zen and meditation practice can reduce pervading
discontent in our lives. But this is not the only part of the story. Zen does
not just bring us from a state of distress to boring neutrality, it allows to
see the vibrancy and compelling immediacy of life as it is in any particular
moment.

When we are ensnared by time-traveling and trance-like self-oriented thinking,
we will often find ourselves just kind of drifting through life in a gray fog of
escapism and day dreaming. We can get lost in the dreariness of daily routine
and barely notice as life flies by. Have you ever caught yourself thinking
something like, “Wait, Christmas is next month? Wasn’t it just Christmas?”.

When we live more from a basis of present moment awareness, we are much more
likely appreciate the richness and vibrancy of life on a day to day basis. Even
mundane and normal activity can be infused with a depth of satisfaction and
fulfillment that might be otherwise missed. Each moment increases in vibrance
and importance. With less “self” to occlude the view, we see what life really
is. We feel more free and less constrained by self-imposed limitations. We have
more life fulfillment and a better sense who we are and our place in the world.

It is the actualization of the preverbal “stopping to smell the roses”.

Perhaps this sections comes across as overly sentimental or even a bit “woo
woo”, but once again, all of this is backed up by scientific research.
Neuroscientists have discovered that when a person experiences “awe”, the
default mode network has shut down so that this uplifting experience can be
fully processed. As Zen and mindfulness practice deepens and the default mode
network’s activity is lessened, our capacity to be awe-inspired by each moment
of life is physiologically increased.


A MORE COMPASSIONATE AND CONNECTED LIFE

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Another advantage of Zen and mindfulness practice is that a life that isn’t
ruled by constant self-referential thinking and habitual behavior is a life
where we feel more connected to and compassionate towards everything around us.
The brain circuits for compassion, empathy and connectedness all are
strengthened via neural plastic changes brought about Zen meditation. Our
perception of life switches from what scientists call “egocentric perception” to
“allocentric” perception. Our perception switches from self-referential
processing to processing the world as a whole. We see life less through
self-focused based perception and more from a holistic and relationship-based
perspective. This is a more connected view of life.

The more we can abide in present moment awareness without the gravitational pull
of a worrying “self”, the less we are obsessed with our own needs and the more
we can live a life of service.


BUT DOESN’T ZEN TELL US THAT THERE IS NOTHING TO GAIN?

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Anyone with and even cursory interest in mindfulness or Zen may have encountered
the idea that there is “nothing to gain” in practice.

If this is true, how does this square with what we have just seen regarding the
evidence that meditation can make significant and lasting alteration in our
brain’s structure and connections? Isn’t this “gaining” something?

The important point to understand regarding this is that from an experiential
point of view, we are not gaining anything new at all from this underlying
neurological transformation. We are simply optimizing what is already part of
us. And if anything, we “lose” more than we gain in this process. We lose an
entrenched and overly constricted view of who we are and how the world works.

Lastly, it is worth noting that what we traditionally experience as being
“ourselves” is really is just activity in the default mode network. This “self”
is not doing or gaining anything in the course of this practice other than
deciding to get started. In fact, the idea of who we think we are is what is
being diminished.

What Zen practice offers is a fundamental neural realignment that helps
transcend all pervasive discontent and dullness of life by rooting out the
cause: An out of control default mode network that artificially limits who we
are and how we see the world.


BUT WHAT ABOUT ENLIGHTENMENT?

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Enlightenment is a somewhat crude translation of the Sanskrit word “Bodhi” which
can be more accurately described as “Awakening”. It is considered an awakening
from the illusionary view of what we think our “self” is and what we think we
need to be happy. Buddhism in general and Zen in particular puts alot of
emphasis on the pursuit of this awakened wisdom.

The problem with talking about Zen and Awakening in a general manner is that
from the very beginning of the tradition there has been intense debate about
what actually constitutes Awakening. Some argue that it can be achieved
gradually and some argue that it needs to come as a sudden shift in perspective.
Some say it is a combination of both of these.

Debating this point is beyond the scope of this presentation, but it is
important to point out that at some point a practitioner must make the shift to
where they embody the experiential wisdom of Awakening. This is the wisdom of
seeing that the way our minds construct our experience of reality does not
actually represent objective reality as it really is. Our internal construction
of reality through our senses will always be an abstract simulation of the
world. The dualistic conceptual model of the world that our minds create is just
a survival tool. Its not actual reality.

When we truly embody this truth and see what our life actually is, then we are
no longer caught by our internally constructed abstract model of reality and can
live in the boundless freedom of our true natures. There is even a threshold
with this type of Awakening where even fear of illness, old age and death
evaporates.


IS IT NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND AND REMEMBER ALL THIS NEUROBIOLOGICAL INFORMATION
TO MEDITATE?

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The easy answer is, no, of course not. It is not necessary at all. People have
been meditating and reaping these benefits for thousands of years before we even
began to have an understanding of how neurobiology functions.

Besides simply being interesting, the biggest value in these types of
investigations are if they motivate us to begin and then continue meditation
practice.

The honest truth is that meditation and a dedication to its practice is
sometimes hard and it is not always obvious that it is worth the effort at the
beginning stages of practice. For some of us, it can be motivating to see actual
scientific information that makes it clear how the process works and that it
does in fact work. Not everyone will need this type of motivation or resonate
with a scientific view of practice, but it can certainly be helpful and
motivating for a lot of us.


TO SUM EVERYTHING UP

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We have covered a lot of information so let’s take a moment to review what we
have covered so far:

 * Humans frequently feel dissatisfaction with life because a powerful a brain
   network called the default mode network shapes who we think we are and
   generates intense expectations about what it thinks must happen for us to
   feel safe and happy.
 * The default mode network spends an inordinate amount of time being upset when
   it’s expectations are not being met or worrying that they may not be met in
   the future.
 * The default mode network also forces us to think and act in habitual ways
   that often cause unnecessary problems and drama in our lives.
 * The brain network that is in charge of purposeful analysis and problem
   solving (the central executive network) is almost completely incapable of
   direct control over the default mode network. As a result we can rarely think
   away our problems and find it very hard to avoid habitual behavior.

 * Luckily, it is possible for central executive network to indirectly rein in
   the default mode network by invoking the brain network responsible for
   present moment awareness. Default mode habitual rumination and present moment
   awareness are anti-correlated. When one is active, the other is shut down.
   Invoking present moment awareness indirectly shuts down the default mode
   network’s ability to crave, worry and behave in a habitual manner.


 * In early stages of practice it is necessary to tactically and purposefully
   invoke present moment awareness to shut down the default mode.
 * With lots of meditation practice, a brain network called the Salience Network
   gets physically strengthened to the point where it just naturally invokes
   present moment awareness most of the time without us even having to try.
 * This neurologically increases our ability to experience awe and satisfaction
   in even the most mundane aspects of life. We develop a deep equanimity that
   can withstand the ups and downs of life.
 * A decrease in the default mode’s dominion also strengthens the brain circuits
   that are responsible for feelings of compassion and connection.
 * There are also many other scientifically validated benefits of meditation
   such as more stress control, less fear, decreased experiences of pain, more
   “bounce back” resilience and more natural objectivity in thinking.
 * At some point in our practice, we begin to embody the experiential truth that
   our experience of reality is just an abstract simulation. When we see this
   abstraction for what it is, we are no longer caught and controlled by it and
   experience an Awakened life.




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