Investigating Hypo‐Egoic Features: Ayahuasca's Psychedelic Path Versus Meditation's Mindful Journey
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental May 1, 2026 María Arqueros, J L Fayos Soler, Ausiàs Cebolla et al.
Ego dissolution, a temporary state of reduced self-referential processing and increased unity with the environment, can be modulated by both psychedelics like ayahuasca and contemplative practices like meditation. In a comparison of 37 ayahuasca users and 137 meditators, meditators scored significantly higher on the 'Delusion of Me' index, which measures acceptance, decentering, and non-attachment. While meditation practice showed a significant non-linear association with cumulative practice and higher scores, repeated ayahuasca exposure showed no evidence of a cumulative association with the index in this sample.