A neurophenomenological approach to non-ordinary states of consciousness: hypnosis, meditation, and psychedelics
Christopher Timmermann, Prisca R. Bauer, Olivia Gosseries, Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse, Franz Vollenweider, Steven Laureys, Tania Singer, Elena Antonova, Antoine Lutz
Trends in Cognitive Sciences December 22, 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.11.006 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA neurophenomenological framework is proposed for studying non-ordinary states of consciousness (NSCs) such as hypnosis, meditation, and psychedelics. NSCs involve shifts in what appears to the experiencer or how it appears, enabling investigation of the plastic and dynamic nature of experience across mind, brain, body, and context. The approach highlights NSCs as catalysts of transformation in clinical practice by refining understanding of relationships between subjective experience and neural dynamics. Ethical implications for standard conceptions of health and pathology are outlined, along with the crucial role of experience-based know-how in NSC research and application.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 145 |
| Key finding | A neurophenomenological approach provides a unifying framework for studying non-ordinary states of consciousness, emphasizing their role as catalysts of transformation in clinical practice. |
Abstract
No contemporary unifying framework has been provided for the study of non-ordinary states of consciousness (NSCs) despite increased interest in hypnosis, meditation, and psychedelics. NSCs induce shifts in experiential contents (what appears to the experiencer) and/or structure (how it appears). This can allow the investigation of the plastic and dynamic nature of experience from a multiscale perspective that includes mind, brain, body, and context. We propose a neurophenomenological (NP) approach to the study of NSCs which highlights their role as catalysts of transformation in clinical practice by refining our understanding of the relationships between experiential (subjective) and neural dynamics. We outline the ethical implications of the NP approach for standard conceptions of health and pathology as well as the crucial role of experience-based know-how in NSC-related research and application.