Alterations to self consciousness during mindfulness meditation and Flotation REST a comparative study
OpenAlex – June 30, 2023
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Mystical experiences, often associated with psychedelics, can also arise from mindfulness meditation and flotation therapy. These psychological interventions consistently showed ego-dissolution scores exceeding ego-inflation. Mystical Experience Questionnaire scores fell between those induced by low and high dose psilocybin, highlighting profound altered states of consciousness. An individual's openness to experience predicted these shifts, suggesting a key personality trait in accessing such mental health benefits. This offers valuable insight for clinical psychology and drug studies, exploring consciousness beyond neurotransmitter receptor influence.
Abstract
Flotation-Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST) and mindfulness meditation (MM) are known to induce altered states of consciousness (ASC) and self-consciousness. In this study, we use a phenomenological and predictive processing (PP) framework to compare the interventions alongside the psychedelic experience. Ego-dissolution scores were greater than ego-inflation scores in both groups and Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30) scores lay between those elicited by low and high dose psilocybin. The weakening of perceived body boundaries was predictive of increased ego-dissolution and MEQ_Total score in the MM group only. Having an existing meditation practice was associated with increased ASC in the MM group. Past psychedelic use did not predict the degree of ASC, but ‘openness to experience’ did. Our findings suggest that a combination of validated measures and phenomenological analysis proves illuminating in describing the rich phenomenological space occasioned by MM and flotation-REST, and for exploring the relationship between different aspects of consciousness.