A Systematic Review of Transcendent States Across Meditation and Contemplative Traditions.
Explore (New York, N.Y.) January 1, 2018 Helané Wahbeh, Amira Sagher, Wallis Back et al. 103 citations
Transcendent states achieved through meditative practices have been reported across cultures and history, yet few studies have systematically examined them. This systematic review of 25 studies with 672 participants found that transcendent states during meditation are most consistently associated with slowed breathing, respiratory suspension, reduced muscle activity, increased EEG alpha power and coherence, and functional neural connectivity. Participants described the state as relaxed wakefulness in a phenomenologically different space-time. The review included various traditions: Buddhist, Christian, Mixed, and Vedic (Transcendental Meditation and Yoga). Heterogeneity between studies precluded meta-analysis, so conclusions are qualitative and preliminary.