Do you have suggested reading for how to learn about this effort? Most meditation and yoga related content I find is geared toward the woke soccer mom, not those looking for acutely reflective time

This is one of my study interests and hence i can offer some suggestions. Read up on "Kundalini". These models are explained in the school of Indian Philosophy called "Tantra" and its derivatives. They have been popularized under the practices of "Hatha/Laya Yoga". The entire subject is quite extensive and fascinating. However, there is a lot of Junk/BS/new age woo-woo out there which you need to avoid.

For authentic sources, start with the book The Serpent Power by Arthur Avalon (real name Sir John Woodroffe). He was a Britisher who was a High Court Judge in Colonial India who was so fascinated with the entire subject matter of "Tantra" that he studied Sanskrit under native Indian scholars and translated a lot of Tantric texts into English. For a nice picture book with rare photographs on the same subject matter, see Kundalini: The arousal of inner energy by Ajit Mookherjee.

The above will give you a solid foundation after which you can move on to other original texts.

I found The Serpent Power of fashioned and archaic. There are far better more recent introductions IMO, but an in depth knowledge isn't required. I'd recommend starting with something simple like the AYP lessons which are more experientially oriented and leave the details for another time. Too much knowledge, not to mention the discrepancies between authors, can be confusing.

Old fashioned and archaic? You realize this subject is centuries old and there is nothing new? It is important to study the original texts to get the real "kernel" of the subject before practice (lacking an accomplished Guru). It is the "modern" authors who are responsible for muddying the waters of this subject since most of them have half-baked knowledge and then market their "experience" (a lot of which is frankly fad/hyperbole/BS) to the gullible. Other than a few scholars like James Mallinson, David Gordon White, i wouldn't trust anybody else's translations/interpretations/websites.

PS: I took a look at the AYP website. It is junk and i wouldn't trust it. When the author is advertised as "Yogani, is an American spiritual scientist" and equates "Tantra == Sex" it is nothing but a marketing scam. Stay away and read the original texts and form your own interpretation.

Yes I realise that. But modern English is easier to read.

And of course, how could an American have anything valuable to say on the subject of yoga? /s

Ok champ you obviously know best. Good luck. Jeez...

???

My post was intended to point people to the authentic sources of Tantra/Hatha/Laya Yoga. If you have a different opinion, that is fine.

Leaving aside the fact that the language of The Serpent power is NOT difficult, two of the three people i have mentioned are Britishers while one is an American. Thus all of their writings are comprehensible to a westerner though the subject matter is complex and takes some time to comprehend.

The 2 best resources I've found are the free lessons and (not free) books on aypsite.org, and taking KAP level 1 on kundaliniawakeningprocess.com

Any idea what scientifically is actually happening?

This is only an alliteration, but I think it's like watching the debugger window attached to yourself. All the things you were previously unaware of (but still, happening inside your own system) become accessible and visible.

This suggests connecting neural network inputs to the middle of another (or the same) network - essentially exploring own architecture

IANAScientist, but FWIW, I think it might be (metaphorically or literally) like an "infinity shot" when you point a video camera at a live monitor of its own output.

No idea. Biology isn't my area. Some kind of resonance in the central nervous system perhaps, accompanied by a quietening of some parts of the brain?

More than likely something is going on from the changes to the active neural circuitry. Usually the "Default Mode Network" is active. When this is quieted down, which is similar to what happens when you're on LSD, it's possible that very unusual states of mind and body (the "currents" mentioned, which I've experienced as well) can arise.

Is this a good thing?

I know that meditation is lauded, and I practice it myself, but I do wonder if it is good for you.

My best definition of “good” in this context is “closer to your true self”, or possibly “happier and content”.

I fear that meditation will make me lose my drive (generated, in part by my ego).

That's a really good question and I worry about that myself. I think it might be incorrect to think that there is a "true self" inside you. More realistically I think there are many autonomous modules in your mind that run when needed or called. Your ego is one of these modules. This fear of losing our drive is probably the ego doing self-preservation (for itself).

Meditation helps you to see when these different modules are acting "illogically". Being run or called when unnecessary. A good example is the fear of public speaking. Whichever module is running is based on instincts learned millennia ago. Now it merely hinders us. I very strongly believe that meditation will make you (anyone) more happy and content. I haven't gone as far as I'd like to with it because of this same fear of losing my drive.

Minor nitpick: meditation is not about stopping the chatter but observing the chatter, not clinging to thoughts and then letting them go.