one could say a kind of hypnosis is required for looking closely. Put another way: I find that looking closely and meditation overlap. Meditation, reductively, is a way of looking closely at the body or mind (or, I suppose, the absence of those things), to be present and observant of the smallest sensation in service to honoring and honing a... See more

When you practice presence (through meditation, mindful attention, or entering flow states) you override your brain’s efficiency protocols. Studies show that focusing intently on sensory experience increases activity in the primary sensory cortices (visual, auditory, somatosensory) while decreasing DMN activity. In other words, the networks... See more