ZEN AND THE BRAIN

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As a sign of our increasing evolution as a society, we find ourselves visited and instructed by an increasing number of messengers. One of these, I believe, is James H. Austin, M.D. He is a well-trained, well-recognized neurologist. He has managed to find his way into Zen Buddhist training. Such training, supervised by a Zen Master, is vigorous and extremely demanding. At the same time, he has engaged in the enormous task of gathering an increasing knowledge of function of the brain, its chemistry and its physiological connections, down to the finest at the interior of the nerve cell. After having collected his material, he has related it to the evolution of the personality, in its progress, all the way up to transcendence and enlightenment.

On the way, he teaches us the neurology of the brain. This is no mean task! Furthermore, he has delivered this difficult information in a way that is quite understandable. The complex becomes knowable. He reveals that the patient can, by virtue of his will, shut off certain connections, bringing about a virtual disappearance of the body, and, at the same time, a mastering of the emotions. He shows how by virtue of will we may excite certain areas of the brain -- the most advanced areas. He shows us the origin of ecstatic states brought about by the will.

Reading James Austin's Zen and the Brain, one finds a description of how the brain becomes "sculpted" according to life's experiences. Age is part of it; but the sulpting is not a loss, instead, it is a gradual quieting which protects us from an overexcitment that may kill neurons and their extensions. His sculpting allows a sparing of brain tissue, and shows existence, in bas-relief, of the more significant and advanced portion of the brain and its functioning. This is accompanied by the acquisition of wisdom. It is fostered by continual meditation. In reflection, what is meditation after all, but a constant exercise and discipline, so that one builds a brain that is more efficiently detached and able to take a higher view.

Of course this sculpting may occur under adverse conditions such as overindulgence in excitement, and, I fear, this is what is happening to our present society. Our culture in on a downward curve, as it overindulges in drugs, sensual excess, and the selfish pursuit of power. In this case, the brain is sculpted in a less satisfactory way. While exploring out-of-body states, or even visitations by cosmic forces, Austin, nonetheless, remains steadfastly grounded. Almost stubbornly, he insists that all things can be explained by the functions of the brain itself, and not by anything outside of the brain. Despite himself, he leads us to the possibility that the interior connections may be also lead to connections to something without and something beyond.

Repeatedly, Austin disclaims any interest in, or belief in, what he calls he "supernatural" or "beyond the natural." Notwithstanding all of his wonderful experiences of "insight wisdom," of "satori," he insists on positioning each of these experiences in the neuro-physiology, and neuro-anatomy, and neuro-chemistry of the brain. Here, I believe, Austin holds fast to a material view of the world. But again, almost in spite of himself, he goes on to wonder about the awesome experience of awakening, where everything is joined, and clear, and all knowledge is present without effort. He thinks, "And where does all this come from?" implying, I believe, "a beyond." And then he proceeds to question, "What is beyond enlightenment?" Certainly something beyond thought, beyond comprehension, something which will cause us to seek for centuries to come, and more. And so we see, in this major contribution and its author, one more messenger, one more message. It helps each of us, and society itself, to move toward enlightenment.

When he speaks of "absorption" and "unity" and "everything becoming one," he speaks of our being part of the ultimate ONE.

His is a massive effort, with its enormous bibliography, its collection of references and explanations, all present at the end of this book. This baffles the mind of the reader. At the same time that it baffles, it shows the capacity of the mind, the heights to which it (the mind) can reach when we test our limits, suspend our doubts, and realize that even in such an enormity of knowledge, there is a union of the author (and ourselves) with our possibilities. In those possibilities we find an entry of a Higher Force into us, which, in turn, can be released as realization of a fuller potential.

This book, in the beauty of the language, and the poetry of the knowledge, provides more than pleasure. It brings, again, an example of that which lies within -- our possibilities.

There is much that can be learned as one reflects upon the lessons obtained from this book. These are:

• The discipline that is required to withstand long hours of meditation trains us, hardens us, and makes available to us a will of the mind that controls animal passions, demands of the body, preoccupations with separate seeking of power. This evolution of Will is in itself an advance of character and an ascension of personality toward the soul.

• The long hours of training in meditation trains us in introspection. This allows our inner Witness to become more and more available as an instrument of "oversight." Not only does the meditator become more familiar with the self, but more able to use the Will to direct the character to higher (rather than selfish) ends.

• The moments of "knowledge-insight" that he describes are available to the meditator and give evidence of the Promised Land, as we continue our journey.

• Though he does not say so, training in meditation opens the mind to messages that were not heretofore available. And while he wonders, "From where do these messages and epiphanies come?" he remains brain oriented.

It is almost as if he sees but remains blind, for he cannot abandon his attachment to the brain -- for reasons known only to him. And so Austin is a harbinger of things to come. He is a messenger and an example of our ability to reach higher and higher evolutionary planes. And all of this stands in hopeful contrast to the troubles and the evils which are also at work in this world.

Maurie D. Pressman, M.D.
200 Locust Street
Philadelphia, Pa. 19106
www.mauriepressman.com
Email: mauriedavid@earthlink.net
Tel: 215/922-0204