©Arlene R. Taylor PhD

Individuals may approach meditation or prayer (a form of meditation) very differently based on brain bent and on their position on the Extraversion-Ambiversion-Introversion Continuum. Studies have shown that individuals often engage in meditation/prayers regardless of any affiliation with established religion.

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

imageLeft Frontal Lobe

imageRight Frontal Lobe

 

Individuals with a lead in this cerebral mode or division:

  • May gravitate toward formal, directive, liturgical, meditative prayers
  • Extraverts: May meditate/pray 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 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 lead in this cerebral mode or division:

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

 

imageLeft Posterior Lobes

imageRight Posterior Lobes

Individuals with a lead in this cerebral mode or division:

  • May gravitate toward conservative, established, ritual, traditional, or memorized meditative prayers
  • Extraverts: May meditate/pray 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 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 lead in this cerebral mode or division:

  • May gravitate toward informal, conversational meditative prayers, and prayer songs that are played instrumentally or sung
  • Extraverts: May meditate/pray 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 closetmeditative/prayerful activities (e.g., alone, religious orders, walking, gardening), and study how others expressed and lived a prayer life