Neuroelectrophysiological correlates of extended cessation of consciousness in advanced meditators: A multimodal EEG and MEG study

Summary

Extended cessation (EC) is an advanced meditative state where a meditator intentionally suppresses consciousness, then emerges with clarity and equanimity. In the first electrophysiological study of EC, five meditators underwent concurrent EEG and MEG recording. EC significantly reduced alpha power and tended to increase neural complexity, unlike other unconscious states such as sleep, anesthesia, or disorders of consciousness. The findings show EC's neural correlates are distinct from other unconscious states, indicating that complexity alone is insufficient for consciousness, and offer insights into advanced meditation's role in human flourishing.

Study at a glance

Abstract

In some contemplative traditions, “extended cessation” (EC) refers to a state of advanced meditation in which the meditator intentionally suppresses their own consciousness and re-emerges with a profound sense of clarity and equanimity. Here, we present the first electrophysiological study of EC, in which five meditators underwent concurrent electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) recording. EC significantly reduced alpha power. EC also tended to increase neural complexity, unlike other states in which consciousness is absent (e.g., sleep, anesthesia, disorders of consciousness). Our results indicate that the neural correlates of EC are distinct from other states that induce loss of consciousness and that complexity is not a sufficient condition for consciousness, while also providing new insights into the implications of advanced meditation for human flourishing.