Charlie H

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@yizyliu @AnnaLeptikon I agree sir!

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@wholebodyprayer @burnerDevAcct True. But he was a very very gifted teacher.

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@wholebodyprayer Same with Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. A brilliant, extremely gifted meditation master.

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@LauraRutledge You do an amazing job Laura.

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@vividvoid Happy Birthday! You’re a very important voice in the dharma/psychology space. I try to read most of your tweets.

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@AnnaLeptikon I appreciate your insights and your book recommendations!

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@AnnaLeptikon Wishing you good health and less pain. As someone living with fibromyalgia, I know how brutal it can be.

[Matthew D. Sacchet @MatthewSacchet]

Here I announce a breakthrough in the neuroscience of the highly refined meditative states known as jhānas, revealing biological mechanisms of deep states of absorption that are profound, restorative, and deeply beneficial for the mind.

The jhanas are deep states of meditative absorption wherein the mind becomes deeply immersed in a meditation object and other aspects of awareness recede. These states are thought to: (1) deeply stabilize the mind; (2) serve as both a launchpad, and an inner laboratory, for investigating deep experiential aspects of the mind and perceptual reality; (3) help uproot unwholesome mental habits; and (4) offer rare glimpses into the genuine possibility a stable and reliable form of happiness. In this way, the jhānas are thought to prepare the mind for the meditative endpoint known as Nibbāna, or full Enlightenment.

Now, for the first time ever in the history of science, we have used cutting-edge brain imaging (7T fMRI) in a group of advanced meditators to measure the neural correlates of jhana-type advanced concentration absorption meditation (ACAM-J), including mapping the eight ACAM-J states evolving from joyful, energized focus to profound formlessness, where sensory content and self-referential thought fade entirely to reveal expansive, boundless awareness, and ultimately nothingness.

Here's what we found:
– Brain regions associated with self-monitoring and internal chatter (e.g., prefrontal cortex) quieted down, while areas involved world sensing and bodily awareness (including visual and midline regions) became more active.
– The brain’s usual hierarchy, from sensory-specific to high-level integrative areas, became more compressed, suggesting more unified, integrated brain function.
– Patterns of brain activity (eigenmodes) showed a U-shaped shift: early absorption states compressed cortical dynamics, while later states re-expanded, refined, and organized them.
– Changes in brain activity tracked closely with reported experience including equanimity, stable attention, clear awareness, and reduced suffering-related processes.
– The brain can volitionally enter coherent and stable states of deep awareness that are at the opposite pole from psychological distress.

Beyond potentially supporting mental health and wellbeing, these findings challenge mainstream models of consciousness with evidence that consciousness can persist in ways current models have yet to explain. Instead, the neuroscience of this ancient meditation opens an important new scientific window into the human brain’s inherent capacity to radically transform itself.

My deepest gratitude to our extraordinary team: Winson Yang @winsonfzyang (first author), Ruby Potash, Grace Mackin, Isidora Beslic, Marta Bianciardi, and Terje Sparby @terjesparby.

If this study resonates with you, please consider sharing it as this work thrives on our growing global community’s generosity and insights.

Please find the full preprint below ⤵️

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@algekalipso Exactly. Adyashanti’s story is a great example. Despite being an enlightened master, he was in severe pain for 20 years, developed PTSD and had to retire from teaching. He’s now on SSRI’s to manage the anxiety.

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@TaylorLewan77 No. But probably top 5.

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@JasonKelce We love you too dude

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@waitbutwhy It's extremely hard to read if you don't have a science or math background.

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@tyschmit The crazy part is that their starting pitcher didn’t pitch well at all. His command was poor and his splitter wasn’t working at all.

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@vividvoid Wow I’m saving this. Really really beautiful. @vividvoid

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@BarryOnHere Truth

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@SamAMcKee Exactly! If possible only use Vaarland, Dominguez and Hoffman out of the pen. Maybe Lauer could give you 3-4 outs.

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@ArashMadani I mean Hoffman will give you 3-4 outs but you need other guys to come out of the bullpen and pitch well. But yes Little is a liability. Don’t give him the ball. Period.

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@TodayJays Exactly. Bats have gone quiet.

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@SamAMcKee It's impossible to catch his knuckle curve and that's his only good pitch.

[Charlie H @Charlie26443066]

@ItsGiantsSzn @danorlovsky7 He was awesome last night.