A Methodological Review of Meditation Research

Summary

No clear neurophysiological signatures of consciousness states from meditation practices have been identified after over 50 years of research. This lack of clarity is largely due to a narrow focus on correlations between neurophysiological measures and specific practices, neglecting the broader context including cultural settings, individual life situations, and details of the meditation practice. Expanding the methodological approach to include these factors could enhance understanding of the psychophysiological variables linked to different meditation states.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Despite over 50 years of research into the states of consciousness induced by various meditation practices, no clear neurophysiological signatures of these states have been found. Much of this failure can be attributed to the narrow range of variables examined in most meditation studies, with the focus being restricted to a search for correlations between neurophysiological measures and particular practices, without documenting the content and context of these practices. We contend that more meaningful results can be obtained by expanding the methodological paradigm to include multiple domains including: the cultural setting ("the place"), the life situation of the meditator ("the person"), details of the particular meditation practice ('the practice'), and the state of consciousness of the meditator ("the phenomenology"). Inclusion of variables from all these domains will improve the ability to predict the psychophysiological variables ("the psychophysiology") associated with specific meditation states and thus explore the mysteries of human consciousness.

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