[Buddha-l] neuroscience: neural plasticity

[Joy Vriens]

> Joy: "...Emotions are meant to motivate one, to push one to act in 
>situations that require action...." 
 
>That's a rather primitive view of the emotions, methinks.  

Neolithic?
 
>Emotions also occur when someone is simply ideating about something with no 
>intent of acting in any way (sort of like not walking the walk? :) Emotions 
>are reactive as well as motivating. Emotions often simply plague people--who 
>seem unable to stop them and achieve peace of mind. Dukkha aplenty even if 
>not motivating.

Perhaps because they don't live their emotions out completely. I can't tell you whether that is true, because my inhibitions prevent me from doing so (The Malaise in Civilization). 
  
>If the arousing of compassion during meeditation produces feelings of joy, 
>that result could be construed as a motivator in itself to take some kind of 
>action beneficial to fellow humans.

Well that is the point, I have studied compassion and learned to visualise my mother (poor thing, if only she knew what I did to her) undergoing all sorts of hardships, walking barefoot in the snow and other Dickensian visions, going to the hell realms because of things she did for my sake etc. Then we were supposed to meditate on that to develop compassion. Some people would have tears running donw their cheeks. The end result was supposed to be a strong resolution to achieve awakening for the sake of all beings. So I don't know what the monk with the 100 sensors on his head did to end up feeling great joy, but he or me must have been doing something wrong. 

> With skillful means in mind, a monk 
>would not be wasting his meditation time thinking of Darfur as an object for 
>the simple reason that he or she is not in a position to do anything about 
>it, in action terms. There is a practice of "extending" metta to the whole 
>world. Some do it.  
>It might be more skillful for the monk you hypothesised to meditate on 
>compassion for his fellow monks, or for other objects within his area of 
>legitimate action. 

You're probably right as often. :-)

Joy