Matthew Sacchet (left) attaches an EEG headset that can monitor brain activity during states of deep meditation
Matthew D. Sacchet
Many individuals have embraced mindfulness apps like Headspace or Calm, benefiting from short daily meditation sessions focused on breathing. However, these practices only scratch the surface compared to the profound effects of advanced meditation.
Delving deeper into meditation can lead to transformative experiences that alter one’s emotional state, perception of pain, and overall well-being. While traditionally associated with spiritual contexts, these phenomena are now being investigated by neuroscientists like Matthew Sacchet, director of the Meditation Research Program at Harvard Medical School.
Sacchet’s team utilizes advanced brain scanning technology to study the neural changes associated with deep meditative practices and their long-lasting impacts on the brain. In an interview with New Scientist, Sacchet discusses the potential of advanced meditation to reshape emotions, alleviate physical pain, and provide insights into consciousness.
Claudia Canavan: Your lab emphasizes exploring the potential of meditation beyond mindfulness. Can you elaborate on this?
Sacchet explains that while mindfulness has been extensively studied for stress reduction and anxiety management, advanced meditation involving altered mental states and profound transformations of consciousness remains relatively unexplored. The research program aims to push the boundaries of meditation and uncover the possibilities beyond traditional mindfulness practices.
What profound changes can be achieved through advanced meditation?
Advanced meditators report experiencing states of bliss, deep insights, heightened compassion, and a sense of interconnectedness. These subjective experiences are supported by observable changes in the brain, indicating a shift towards enduring well-being beyond temporary stress relief.
How does meditation influence emotions and physical pain?
Studies conducted by Sacchet’s team reveal that long-term meditation alters the processing of sensations and emotions in the brain, leading to changes in how individuals perceive and respond to pain and emotional stimuli. These alterations are linked to specific brain networks involved in attention, self-regulation, and emotional processing.
Advanced meditation appears to engage more intuitive, sensory-based processing in the brain, enhancing emotional regulation and reducing reliance on deliberate cognitive control mechanisms.
Matthew Sacchet (right) prepares an fMRI brain scanner to study the neural activity of a Buddhist monk (left)
Matthew D. Sacchet
Exploring spiritual concepts through scientific research is gaining acceptance in the scientific community. What factors contribute to this shift?
Sacchet attributes the growing acceptance of delving into spiritual realms within scientific research to the pressing global crises facing society. With advancements in mindfulness and psychedelic research, coupled with developments in cognitive neuroscience, there is a greater openness to exploring the mind’s potential for profound transformations.
What are the challenges of conducting research on advanced meditation?
One of the primary challenges is finding individuals capable of accessing deep meditative states in a controlled research setting. Extensive preparation and education are required for participants to ensure a conducive environment for data collection.
What types of altered states of mind can be studied through advanced meditation?
Advanced concentrative absorption meditation, such as jhānas in Buddhism, leads to deep states of concentration ranging from bliss to equanimity. These states induce specific changes in the brain, shifting activity patterns and altering cognitive control mechanisms.
Can altered states of mind offer insights into consciousness?
Studies on long-term meditators suggest a fluidity in the concept of self, indicating that consciousness may not be as fixed as previously thought. Cessation events, where conscious experience temporarily ceases, provide valuable insights into the nature of consciousness and human experience.
Advanced meditation allows for the exploration of subtle forms of consciousness, shedding light on the limits and variations in human experience.
How do these altered states relate to transcending suffering?
Meditative endpoints, including transcending suffering or achieving enlightenment, are major milestones in advanced meditation practices. These endpoints vary across traditions but often entail a shift towards non-dual experiences and profound peace.
While reaching such extreme states may require significant time and commitment, even lighter forms of meditation can offer powerful experiences and benefits.
Long-term meditation seems to change how sensations and emotions are processed, which can impact everyday experiences
Andre Babiak / Alamy Stock Photo
How can we validate these changes resulting from advanced meditation?
Extensive interviews and brain imaging studies confirm the authenticity of the experiences reported by advanced meditators. Neuroscientific evidence supports the notion that advanced meditation induces real, measurable changes in the brain distinct from other altered states.
What are the prospects of making advanced meditation more accessible?
The goal is to demystify advanced meditation concepts and make them more accessible to the general public. Clear instructions and potential neurotechnological interventions could pave the way for a broader adoption of advanced meditation practices. However, ethical considerations and challenges remain in this endeavor.
