ABSTRACT
Electrophysiological and cerebral blood flow studies have indicated that the right hemisphere may be dominant during rapid eye movement sleep. In a study of regional cerebral blood flow changes during meditation, R. Jevning and A. F. Wilson have found bilateral increases in blood flow. Indeed, the techniques of meditation seem to be designed purposely to avoid logical, verbal and rational reactions to perceived events. Changes in the state of consciousness induced by meditation may include the evocation of images, emotions and an increased feeling of power. The meditator is usually instructed to ignore such phenomena and to maintain his/her attentional focus on the meditation support. Alternatively, if distracting thoughts seem too overwhelming, they are at least briefly incorporated as an object of meditation. While the majority of laterality investigations of meditation have involved electrophysiological measures, a few reports utilizing other indices of lateralization have been carried out.
