Intensive whole-brain 7T MRI case study of volitional control of brain activity in deep absorptive meditation states.
Winson Fu Zun Yang, Avijit Chowdhury, Marta Bianciardi, Remko Van Lutterveld, Terje Sparby, Matthew D Sacchet
Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) January 14, 2024 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad408 via PubMed
Summary
Distinct patterns of brain activity were identified in a highly skilled meditator during jhana meditation, revealing unique insights into consciousness. The study involved 4 hours of 7T fMRI collected over 27 sessions, where the participant rated their experiences post-meditation. Results showed correlations between brain activity and qualities of attention and narrative processing, indicating that jhana practice deconstructs consciousness and has significant implications for mental health and well-being.
Study at a glance
| Design | case study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | an adept meditator practicing jhana meditation |
| Key finding | Jhana practice deconstructs consciousness, offering unique insights and implications for mental health. |
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 cerebellar regions associated with jhana. Furthermore, we observed correlations between brain activity and phenomenological qualities of attention, jhanic qualities, and narrative processing, highlighting the distinct nature of jhanas compared to non-meditative states. Our study presents the most rigorous evidence yet that jhana practice deconstructs consciousness, offering unique insights into consciousness and significant implications for mental health and well-being.