The Power of Meditation to Change the Brain: Meditation is Not Relaxation but "Advanced Information Processing" - MEG Measurements of 12 Monks Revealed "Moving Silence"

The Power of Meditation to Change the Brain: Meditation is Not Relaxation but "Advanced Information Processing" - MEG Measurements of 12 Monks Revealed "Moving Silence"

1) Why is the idea of "Meditation = Thinking of Nothing" so persistent?

When people hear the word meditation, many imagine "taking deep breaths, clearing away distractions, and resting the brain." App-guided audio often emphasizes "quiet" and "relaxation." However, in actual experience, many people feel that during meditation, their "awareness becomes sharper" or they repeatedly "re-establish focus when it seems to waver."


This report provides scientific backing to that intuition, concluding that "meditation is not a rest for the brain but a dynamic state that significantly shifts the brain's mode of activity."


2) The stage of the research: "Practicing Professionals" — 12 Monks of the Thai Forest Tradition

The research team focused on 12 experienced meditators from the Theravada Buddhist Thai Forest Tradition at the Santacittarama Monastery in Italy. The average age was about 39, with an average of over 15,000 hours of practice. This group regularly balances the practice of Samatha and Vipassana.


The measurement tool used was MEG (magnetoencephalography), which captures the weak magnetic fields generated by neural activity with high temporal resolution, as opposed to EEG which measures electrical potentials on the scalp. This setup is suitable for tracking phenomena like meditation, where the state fluctuates, stabilizes, and fluctuates again moment by moment.


3) The two meditations are not the "same silence"

The research focused on two classically contrasted methods.

  • Samatha: "Focused attention" that stabilizes the mind by continuously concentrating on an object (such as breathing).

  • Vipassana: "Open monitoring" that observes arising sensations, thoughts, and emotions without selection.


Researchers liken this difference to the "beam of a flashlight." Samatha narrows the beam, while Vipassana broadens it. The key point is that both actively use the attention mechanism.


4) What changed? The keywords are "complexity" and "criticality"

The interesting aspect of this research is not just "which brain areas lit up," but the attempt to understand brain activity as "dynamics" (how states change). The analysis combined multiple layers of indicators, such as signal complexity (e.g., Lempel–Ziv complexity, spectral entropy), indicators related to criticality (DCC: deviation from criticality coefficient), the 1/f slope of the frequency spectrum, and long-range temporal correlations (LRTC) in the gamma band.


In summary, the conclusions are as follows:

(1) In both meditations, "complexity" increases compared to rest
During meditation, brain signals do not simply become quiet but shift to a state rich in information. This directly contradicts the common image that "meditation rests the brain."


(2) However, Samatha and Vipassana do not increase in the "same way"
DCC analysis reports that the two can be separated. In other words, while they share the commonality of increased complexity, the way states are organized (computational configuration) may differ.


(3) "Gamma increases" is not always the case—correction may show a decrease
While gamma increase is often discussed in meditation research, this study found that after correcting for the 1/f component, gamma power as an oscillatory component actually decreased. The researchers clearly state this as "different from previous reports."


5) What is "criticality"? — The "just right" balance between order and chaos

Criticality is roughly the idea that "information processing is optimized at the boundary between order (stability) and chaos (flexibility)." If too stable, adaptation slows, and if too chaotic, it can collapse—this middle ground is the "sweet spot."


The WIRED article introduces Vipassana as moving towards this "balance point," while Samatha creates a stance more towards stability and concentration. In other words, Vipassana creates "stability open to change," and Samatha creates "targeted stability"—such an understanding fits well.


6) Reactions on SNS: Expectations and Criticisms Run Simultaneously

This topic has a "visibly shocking" impact on SNS as well. The strong entry points are questions like "Isn't meditation supposed to be restful?" and "Are monks' brains really different?"


Reaction 1: The pleasure of updating the story of 'Meditation = Relaxation'
On LinkedIn, there are positive receptions such as "It's a story beyond 'just relaxing'" and "The explanation of highly adaptive brain activity makes sense." The tone in the comments section continues with "The same can be said for many concentration and meditation practices" and "It's a fascinating study."


Reaction 2: Cases where the 'operation' of the community is visualized
Meanwhile, in the meditation community on Reddit, a WIRED link post was removed by a moderator due to a "self-promotion ban" rule. Before the content's pros and cons, the reality that "who shared it from what position" is important in SNS dissemination is also reflected.


Reaction 3: The inevitable 'scientific literacy critique' that usually comes last
This study involved 12 male participants, all "professionals among professionals." Whether "ordinary people can immediately enter the same brain state" or "whether it directly connects to the effects of beginner meditation apps" is a separate issue. The article also touches on the idea that beginners do not instantly reach the state of experienced practitioners. The more it excites on SNS, the more this point is inevitably debated.


7) What can we learn from this? — Use as "two practices"

The most practical insight this study offers is the view that "meditation is not a single magic but a 'repertoire of practices' that switches brain modes."

  • Samatha before work or study: Practice narrowing the beam of attention.
    Example: Follow the sensation of breathing (tip of the nose, rise and fall of the chest and abdomen) as a "single point," and return if it strays.

  • Vipassana during stress or emotional turmoil: Practice viewing with a wide beam.
    Example: Label and let go of "anxiety," "tension," and "swirling thoughts" as "phenomena" without evaluation.


Even though both involve "sitting with eyes closed," what is being done is different. Therefore, the effects are different—understanding this obvious fact is advanced by careful brain measurement.


8) Limitations and Future Directions: Three Things We Want to Know Next

As a science, this is where the real work begins.

  1. Do the same indicator changes occur in beginners to intermediates (Is it a matter of quantity? Or quality?)

  2. **Does it remain as a long-term "trait change"** (Is it just a state change during meditation?)

  3. Bridging to clinical and educational applications: How do reductions in anxiety, depression, and rumination connect with changes in criticality and complexity?


This study has increased the groundwork of measurement and language for treating meditation not as "mystical" but as a "trainable brain state." The next step is how this will be applied to everyday people.


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