Alterations in the sense of time, space and body in the Mindfulness-trained brain: A neurophenomenologically-guided MEG study
Frontiers in Psychology May 22, 2014 Aviva Eberkovich-Ohana, Yair Edor-Ziderman, Joseph Eglicksohn et al. 170 citations
Long-term mindfulness practitioners can volitionally enter states of 'Timelessness' and 'Spacelessness' that are distinct from ordinary memory or imagination. Brain activity recorded with MEG in 12 meditators showed that these altered states share a neural network involving the posterior cingulate, right temporoparietal junction, and cerebellum—regions linked to bodily processing—rather than the autobiographical memory and imagery networks activated during control states of recalling the past or imagining another place. Theta-band oscillations were prominent. Phenomenologically guided analyses further distinguished different levels of bodily alteration, demonstrating that contemplative expertise can help isolate the neural correlates of specific dimensions of conscious experience.