Explore (New York, N.Y.)
January 1, 2019
William Van Gordon, Edo Shonin, Thomas J Dunn et al.
38 citations
Cultivating emptiness (śūnyatā), a wisdom-based Buddhist-derived practice, appears to reconnect advanced meditators to what they consider the innermost nature of mind and phenomena. In a study of 25 advanced Buddhist meditators, emptiness meditation produced significantly greater improvements in non-attachment to self and environment, mystical experiences, compassion, positive affect, and negative affect compared to a mindfulness meditation control. No significant relationship was found between duration of emptiness meditation and any outcome. Qualitative analysis revealed that participants combined concentrative and investigative techniques to induce emptiness, elicited spiritually meaningful insights, and retained volitional control over the meditation.
Mindfulness
March 11, 2018
William van Gordon, Edo Shonin, Thomas J. Dunn et al.
38 citations
Advanced Buddhist meditators can intentionally induce near-death experiences (NDEs) at a planned time, a phenomenon called meditation-induced NDE (MI-NDE). In a study of 12 such meditators, the MI-NDE produced significantly greater increases in NDE profundity, mystical experiences, and non-attachment compared to two other meditation practices. Participants' NDE profundity also increased across a 3-year period. Qualitative analysis revealed that participants were consciously aware of the NDE, retained volitional control over its content and duration, and reported rich non-worldly encounters. The findings corroborate features of regular NDEs and suggest unexplored dimensions, indicating it is feasible and ethical to study real-time neurological activity during NDEs using advanced meditators.
Pastoral Psychology
July 14, 2021
Li Laurent, David Sheffield, Fiona Holland
14 citations
Buddhism is an ancient religion and philosophy practiced worldwide, and Western interest in mindfulness has led to a desire to understand Buddhism more fully. This study explored the experiences of Nichiren Buddhists in the United Kingdom who had practiced for at least three years. Through semi-structured interviews analyzed with interpretive phenomenological analysis, three themes emerged: finding meaning in all aspects of life, using Buddhism as a needed tool for managing daily life, and experiencing agency and control over one's destiny. The findings suggest that Buddhist practice may enhance and sustain well-being, indicating a need for further research.