I have been doing some research on this subject, and it is interesting that meditation, and in particular the focus on breathing, is at the heart of the
technique of achieving awareness, concentration, etc. (I claim that being exotolic in general will get you there also
http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?threadid=204199 )
It is equally interesting that different levels of awareness by e.g. Buddhist monks, once they have focused attention by focusing on their breath and achieving a higher state of awareness, or what they call "open awareness". This is a state where they take in all that is happening around them without reacting or judging (good bad desirable undesirable) but simply noticing what unfolds around us.
"Then, the way they direct this high awareness is through "wishing" for the end of suffering (compassion) and the wish for enduring happiness (loving-kindness). These forms take many different forms, including recitations of phrases (chanting) like "May I be free from suffering and the causes of suffering" eventually extending well wishing to all beings"
http://www.amazon.com/Pictures-Mind...1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280704502&sr=1-1-spell
I now believe that somehow this induced state can lead to very high level of awareness, either high moral concepts as above and practiced by Buddhist monks, or alternatively you can direct it as these people do
http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showt...age=6&highlight=stop publishing&pagenumber=35 (scroll down to the post where I say "Naming Infinity: A True Story of Religious Mysticism and Mathematical Creativity (Belknap Press) (Hardcover))
It appears that there are structures in the brain that people can tap into to achieve this higher level of awareness, and then direct it in any creative way they want. Some people claim they can short cut all this simply by taking LSD, but that obviously has some terrible side effects.