Experiments at the Laboratory for Affective Neuroscience at the University of Wisconsin used MRI to map the brain of monk Matthieu Ricard while he was engaged in what Buddhists call compassion meditation. The pictures showed activity mainly in the left prefrontal cortex (just inside the forehead) of Ricard’s brain.

Generally people with happy temperaments exhibit a high ratio of activity in the left prefrontal cortex, an area associated with happiness, joy and enthusiasm. Those who are prone to anxiety, fear and depression exhibit a higher ratio of activity in the right prefrontal cortex.

But the degree to which the left side of Ricard’s brain lit up far surpassed 150 other subjects studied in this trial. He had 30 years of experience at meditation but, unfortunately, we don’t have the control knowledge of whether Ricard might have exhibited the same results before he became a monk. His off-the-chart results may the result of his meditation skills or because he is an exceptional individual.

Buddhists have long maintained that meditation offers great benefits to their minds and bodies, but science demands measurements. Continue reading →