©Arlene R. Taylor PhD

 

Individuals may approach meditation or prayer (a form of meditation) or contemplation differently based on brain bent. Their their position on the Extroversion-Ambiversion-Introversion Continuum will likely impact this as well. Studies have shown that individuals often engage in meditation, prayer, or contemplation regardless of any affiliation with established religion.

Remember that medication, contemplation, or prayers can increase brain and heart health. That's because studies have shown the heart beats more slower during breath exhalation. Therefore, paying attention to your breathing and extended exhalations, breathing out slowly, can slow your heart rate and dalm your body. It has also been shown as a way to reduce anxiety.

These following examples include Extroversion and Introversion (Ambiversion would fall somewhere between the two extremes).

lobePrioritizing Division

Left Frontal Lobe

lobeEnvisioning Division

Right Frontal Lobe

 

 Individuals with a brain bent in this division:

  • May gravitate toward formal, directive, liturgical, meditative prayers
     
  • Extroverts: May meditate, pray, or contemplate for the purpose of demonstrating to others how it is to be done or because they often like to be in charge
     
  • Introverts:  May engage in meditative, prayerful, or contemplative activities (e.g., research on prayer, archeology research, read quota of selected religious writings, meditate on an element of theology or doctrine) and may avoid any connection with public prayers

 

Individuals with a brain bent in  division:

  • May gravitate toward unusual, spontaneous, non-tradition, and/or symbolic meditative prayers
     
  • Extroverts: May meditate, pray, or contemplate with religious writings as metaphor (e.g., Bible, Koran, may take a pilgrimage with a guru
     
  • Introverts:  May engage in meditative, prayerful, or contemplative activities (e.g., walk by the ocean, meditate in nature, hike in the mountains, ponder ideas or philosophies)

 

lobeMaintaining Division

Left Posterior Lobes

Harmonizing Division 

lobe

Right Posterior Lobes

Individuals with a brain bent in this division:

  • May gravitate toward conservative, established, ritual, traditional, or memorized meditative prayers
     
  • Extroverts: May meditate, pray, or contemplate according to scheduled, habitual routines often following specific guidelines (e.g., prayer wheels, prayer beads, memorized prayers, sung or chanted prayers)
     
  • Introverts: May engage in meditative, prayerful, or contemplative activities (e.g., silence, walking alone in a garden or on a roof-top, copying written prayers, reciting prayers, reciting memorized scripture or holy writings as prayer, cloister prayers)

 

Individuals with a brain bent in this division:

  • May gravitate toward informal, conversational meditative prayers, and prayer songs that are played instrumentally or sung
     
  • Extroverts: May meditate, pray, or contemplate in sharing situations (e.g., coffee hour, reading/prayer group) that includes expression of emotions, singing, touch, and intense spiritual experiences
     
  • Introverts: May engage in closet meditative, prayerful, or contemplative activities (e.g., alone, religious orders, walking, gardening), and study how others expressed and lived a prayer life