 The question that everybody wants to know: Does meditation work? Here I am addressing meditation within the tradition of Buddhism (FYI: My selection written here is excerpted from a larger discussion and writing project that took place amongst other philosophers and students of evolutionary psychology). Scientists typically follow a systematic process of measuring the physical or social world whether using the traditional scientific method, systematic observation, interviews, etc. Of course, these processes might be quantitative or qualitative in nature. I should add that more scientists and clinicians are starting to take Buddhist practices like meditation more seriously in the same way that scientists and philosophers have studied the philosophies and religious practices of Christianity or Islam. Note: Buddhism does not purport to be a religion. To be clear, contemporary scientists and philosophers are particularly interested in the Buddhist practice of mindfulness meditation. As a researcher, clinician, and human being, I am interested in mindfulness meditation; however, I am not an expert in Buddhism (there are multiple traditions) or meditation (there are multiple ways to meditate!). I do not believe in the case of practicing meditation that it is possible to measure any real or tangible changes to the person or the human condition. I am somewhat skeptical of self-reports of changes in attitudes, dispositions, or behaviors. Can we trust self-reports of spiritual transformation? For me, if someone went into a “scientific experiment” expecting to change or to experience some type of spiritual transformation, then they will subconsciously experience positive outcomes. I believe this is especially true for any believers of a particular faith or religion. For example, if someone signed up for a spiritual retreat (i.e. Buddhism or mediation), especially a retreat that they spent time and a lot of money to engage in, they may emotionally be attached to the expected outcome of the experience. It is like paying to go to Las Vegas, entering a casino, gambling away $500, but only remembering that you won on 3 slot machines. You may fail to report to friends back at home that you spent $500 (plus airfare and accommodations), but you do report back to friends that you won a total of $150 playing the slot machines. In other words, you needed to report your win in order to feel good about your spending or justify time and money spent! Somewhat similar (or not) we expect our investment (e.g., time, money) in meditation to bring us calm, clarity, and insight so that is what we report back to friends and family that this “spiritual sh*t works!” Like gambling (which I do not do nor find pleasure in), meditation is relaxing and offers some cumulated rewards, if we are lucky and invest in it. I invest in meditation and I am lucky enough to benefit from it! Are you what you invest your time and other resources in? Investments aside, meditators are more likely to report a positive experience with meditation, based on the fact that they committed to it and want to discover some pleasure, or peace of mind from engaging in it--not to mention that some people are beginning to associate meditation with status (yes, retreats and mindfulness coaching cost money!) and even “wokeness”. Meditation and Buddhism are now associated with open-mindedness, acceptance of diversity, and anti-establishment (i.e. organized religion). Let’s just say that it is difficult to know for sure the positive benefits of meditation for the layperson because some flaunt it as a status symbol (as opposed to a process of attaining self-awareness). Of course, scientists have measured and recorded changes to the brain of consistent novice practitioners of mindfulness meditation. In sum, modern science lends support to the practice of mindfulness meditation and possibly other Buddhist ideas. For example, we can turn on the news or simply continue to live life and know that suffering (i.e. Dukkha) certainly exists and persists throughout the life span. I don’t think that we need science to validate that suffering exists and interventions like Buddhism, religious practices, and other factors can mediate or alleviate suffering, if one commits to such practices on a consistent basis. Can meditation help the human mind? The human mind is complex. There is not one unified definition of what is the “human mind”. However, most scientists and practitioners of meditation agree there is a concept of the mind some identify as "the self" or "myself" or "I" (I know that is a lot). The “self” is the conscious presence that is always with us, sort of speak, and what makes human beings aware of their own existence, body, biological needs, and feelings. Modern science supports the idea that most, if not all human beings, do identify with the concept of “self” or that a mind exists. Actually, science lends support to the idea that the human mind has multiple selves. If the mind is the self, then yes, modern science supports Buddhist ideas about the human mind--that it can actually be bad (or cause undue suffering via attachment) for us. Buddhist psychology suggests that there is “no-self”; however, some Buddhist practitioners challenge scholarly interpretations of the “no-self”. They suggest that the Buddha meant that there is a socially constructed self that we give meaning to; in giving meaning to “self” we contribute to our own suffering. The Buddha path and meditation can help alleviate suffering because we come to learn that we are not mere matter and that our perceptions are distorted due to this belief in “myself”. Modern science supports the idea that self-perception is distorted, and that human beings’ consciousness is shaped by their environment and possibly internal drives. As a social scientist, I know that the "self" is socially constructed, and as a clinician, I know that people suffer from being attached to their notions of an "ideal self".  Does meditation make sense from a scientific perspective? The logic of meditation as a practice is that we can take time to tune out, sort of speak, the world. Meditation can help us acknowledge our body, breath, thoughts, and feelings without being connected to them, if only for one moment. From a scientific perspective, meditation can deactivate the default mode network part of the brain. Meditation has been associated with relatively reduced activity in the default mode network. Science supports the idea that mindfulness meditation can at least give us a moment of pause to slow down our conscious and unconscious thoughts to give our minds a rest from internal busyness... Busyness in the sense that we are always thinking of the past (what has already occurred) or the future (what might occur). Scientific studies suggest that meditation benefits us in that during meditation the default mode network is momentarily allowed to take a pause from being driven by our survival instincts. Self-reports from practitioners of mindfulness meditation informs us that a consistent meditation practice can improve one’s overall empathy and manage one's emotional attachment to their own point of view. So, yes, from where I sit, mindfulness meditation works. In the struggle for our humanity,
Dr. Venus E. Evans-Winters, LCSW, CCTPI/CCTPII, PhD ~Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach.
Comments
 The beginnings of mindfulness as a spiritual practice.
The Mindfulness Writer. In my most recent single-authored book, "Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry: A Mosaic for Writing Our Daughter's Body", it is more than apparent to any practitioner of mindfulness that this indigenous practice has become a part of my writing process, consciously and subconsciously. I began practicing mindfulness over 10 years ago, when I read the book, "The Power of Now", on a flight to South Africa. At that time, mindfulness was more of an intellectual engagement for me. It simply meant being present and aware in every interaction and moment.
Mindfulness Writing as Ritual Work. Since then, mindfulness has become more of an emotional and spiritual journey for me. As a mindfulness meditation practitioner, mindfulness has created opportunities for me to really see others while truly feeling myself (okay, that sounds weird when I read it, but oh well). In fact, in Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry (or BFQI) non-practitioners intuitively pick up on ritualistic tendencies in the book. Many readers have even been moved by my written descriptions of mindfulness in the book, and thoughtfully, reached out to me and asked questions about my mindfulness and meditation practices. So, I did what any cultural worker would do...I created "fieldnotes" (a term borrowed from my book) on my podcast that are dedicated to explaining the process of mindfulness writing.
Mindfulness Meditation in Writing. The latest podcast series of, "Writing What I Like: Fieldnotes of Black Woman Scholar", addresses mindfulness and meditation in the writing process; the role of writing as a positive coping mechanism; and mindfulness writing as a therapeutic tool. A few questions that I would like for the listener to leave the podcast with are: What is the role of mindfulness writing in processes of resilience and resistance for subjugated people? How might mindfulness help individuals and communities cope with negative emotions? How might mindfulness writing help researchers and other writers contemplate their observations and interpretations of people, social context, and systems of power? How does one approach their own writing process---emotionally and spiritually? Is writing an emotional or spiritual process?
Writing What I Like: Fieldnotes of A Black Woman Scholar (click here)
Anyhow, I hope that everyone enjoys listening to my fieldnotes on the podcast and take a moment to leave a comment below, subscribe to the podcast, or email me with further ideas or suggestions for better mindfulness writing or future podcasts. You can find the book, my latest book, "Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry" on Amazon.com.
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Peace, Dr. V "Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach." Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry:  #1 New Release in Social Science Research #1 New Release in Medical Psychology #1 New Release in Popular Psychology #1 New Release in Medical Psychology Research Black Feminism in Qualitative InquiryOn its official release date, February 22nd, 2019, my new book, Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry: A Mosaic for Writing Our Daughter's Body, came in at #1 in 4 categories on Amazon. What an amazing week! The first week success of "Black feminism in qualitative inquiry" demonstrates that the world yearns for more scholarship on Black women's theorizing. What can readers expect from this book:
A Mosaic for Writing Our Daughter's Body If I might say so myself, in this book, I definitely showed up as a courageous cultural worker!!! The ancestors are proud.
You may find the text, "Black Feminism in Qualitative Inquiry: A Mosaic for Writing Our Daughter's Body" on Amazon in paperback and Kindle Edition or here. Every Black girl, Black woman, Black child, Black family, and Black community that I ever came in contact with were my inspiration for engaging in truth-telling as a methodological imprint. Are you enjoying reading the book? Leave your comments below or on Amazon. In the struggle for our humanity, Dr. Venus E. Evans-Winters "Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach."  Sometimes we forget to SAY THE NAME of our Black women artists whom have been muses to our souls as their lyrics played in the background whilst we crafted our own life stories. One such artist is the almighty Queen Lauryn Hill. As Black girls were navigating the unforgiving terrain of adolescence, Lauryn Hill was reaching out to save our lives. Beyond adolescence, she helped so many Black young women survive a world that bastardizes Black femininity and exploits Black girlhood. In the 300 plus page book, "Celebrating Twenty Years of Black Girlhood: The Lauryn Hill Reader", authors showcase Lauryn Hill not only as lyrical genius, but they also demonstrate how Hill raised our racial and gender consciousness. Every lyric, outfit, and sound was a freedom cry. At at time, when much attention is given to our pain, and necessarily so in order to heal, "The Lauryn Hill Reader" (edited by Drs. Billye Sankofa Waters, Bettina Love, and yours truly, Dr. V) reminds us to unapologetically celebrate vulnerability alongside agency and resistance (as art) as an intellectual stance. This book is right on time for more media attention has recently been given to the exploitation of Black adolescent girls by adult men. Timing is Everything!!Most of this attention has derived from efforts in traditional media and social media to bring attention to girl victims of sexual abuse and exploitation. Two notable cases flooded our social media timelines and kept many of us cussing, fussing, and crying online and offline. In particular, the Cyntoia Brown guilty verdict had girl advocates like myself seething with rage, and later after she was granted clemency, we were once again hopeful that someone was hearing our cries for justice. Of course the other case, I refer to was "trial by media" (nicely articulated by @melanin_muse), and that is the #MuteRKelly campaign. The verdict is still out on whether Black women and girls advocates will find justice for the direct and indirect victims of the Chicago native R&B singer (hint: name rhymes with B Jelly).  Nonetheless, alongside Black girl pain we have artists like the almighty Queen Lauryn Hill and the authors' narratives and articulations in "Celebrating Twenty Years of Black Girlhood: The Lauryn Hill Reader" reminding us of Black girl joy as a site of resistance. Let's lift up our women hip hop and R&B artists' names who help us persist and resist in the face of patriarchy, racial oppression, and class exploitation. A hip hop feminist consciousness brings the balance needed in using art and story to heal trauma.
In the struggle for our humanity, Dr. Venus Evans-Winters "Not your mother's therapist, or your brother's life coach." |
Dr. Venus Evans-Winters (a.k.a Dr. V)Activist Scholar. Cultural Worker. Healer. Mother. Archives
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