Heliyon
May 14, 2024
Winson F.z. Yang, Terje Sparby, Malcolm Wright et al.
30 citations
Advanced concentrative absorption meditation, such as the jhanas, involves volitional mental absorption that can be scientifically studied. This paper argues that these states represent a distinct category of meditative experience characterized by deep, effortless focus and profound well-being. It proposes a scientific framework for understanding these measurable states of consciousness, drawing on existing research to outline how absorption, concentration, and positive outcomes like well-being can be systematically investigated. The authors suggest that developing a rigorous scientific approach to jhana and similar practices could bridge contemplative traditions and consciousness research, offering new insights into the nature of deep meditative states and their potential benefits.
bioRxiv Preprint Server
September 6, 2025
Winson F.z. Yang, Akila Kadambi, Kilian Abellaneda-Pérez et al.
4 citations
preprint
An advanced meditative state called extended cessation (EC), where consciousness is voluntarily suspended and later resumes with heightened clarity and equanimity, provides a natural model for studying consciousness. Using ultra-high-resolution 7T fMRI with dense sampling of three individuals, the research mapped whole-brain activity, connectivity, gradients, and eigenmodes during EC, linking them to brain chemistry and cognitive maps. EC increased activity in sensory regions, reduced activity in higher-order association areas, subcortex, and brainstem, expanded the principal cortical gradient, and decreased low-order global eigenmodes.
bioRxiv Preprint Server
September 19, 2025
Kenneth Shinozuka, Winson F.z. Yang, Ruby M. Potash et al.
3 citations
preprint
Advanced meditators can enter a state called extended cessation (EC) in which they intentionally suppress consciousness and later emerge with clarity and equanimity. In the first electrophysiological study of EC, five meditators were recorded with EEG and MEG. EC markedly reduced alpha power and tended to increase neural complexity, unlike sleep, anesthesia, or disorders of consciousness. The findings indicate that the neural correlates of EC are distinct from other unconscious states and that complexity alone is not sufficient for consciousness, offering new insights into advanced meditation and human flourishing.
bioRxiv Preprint Server
February 10, 2026
David Zarka, Winson F.z. Yang, Abel Rassat et al.
preprint
Extended cessation (EC) is a rare meditative state in which conscious experience temporarily stops, followed by heightened perception and emotional balance. In five highly trained meditators, electroencephalographic microstate analysis revealed that EC altered brain activity patterns linked to self-referential processing. Specifically, microstate B occurred less often and for shorter durations, while microstate C occurred more often and for longer durations. Transition probabilities also shifted, with more transitions from A and B to C and fewer from A to B. These changes appeared across delta, theta, and beta frequency bands, with additional band-specific effects for microstates A and D. The findings suggest EC involves a reweighting of self-referential and sensory processes.
bioRxiv
September 25, 2025
Jakub Vohryzek, Edmundo Lopez-Sola, Winson F.z. Yang et al.
preprint
Advanced concentrative absorption meditation (jhāna) produces a shift in brain dynamics toward near-criticality, a state of heightened flexibility and integration. Using 7T fMRI and whole-brain modeling, the study found that later absorption states, considered minimal phenomenal experiences, show increased large-scale functional integration and a shift of the default mode network from a noise-driven regime to near-critical dynamics. This near-critical regime is interpreted as a form of openness, where constrained brain activity gives way to greater flexibility, correlating with broader attention and reduced narrative thought. The trajectory of these states is non-linear, with major reconfigurations at key meditative milestones.