Intensive whole-brain 7T MRI case study of volitional control of brain activity in deep absorptive meditation states.

ABSTRACT: Jhanas are profound states of mind achieved through advanced meditation, offering valuable insights into the nature of consciousness and tools to enhance well-being. Yet, its neurophenomenology remains limited due to methodological difficulties and the rarity of advanced meditation practitioners. We conducted a highly exploratory study to investigate the neurophenomenology of jhanas in an intensively sampled adept meditator case study (4 hr 7T fMRI collected in 27 sessions) who performed jhana meditation and rated specific aspects of experience immediately thereafter. Linear mixed models and correlations were used to examine relations among brain activity and jhana phenomenology. We identified distinctive patterns of brain activity in specific cortical, subcortical, brainstem, and cerebell

SUBMITTER: Yang WFZ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10793575 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature