Non-duality in brain and experience of advanced meditators—key role for intrinsic neural timescales
Saketh Malipeddi, Arun Sasidharan, Bianca Ventura, Rahul Venugopal, Clemens Christian Bauer, Prejaas Tewarie, Ravindra P. Nagendra, Seema Mehrotra, John P. John, B Subramaniam, Steven Laureys, Bindu M. Kutty, Georg Northoff
Communications Biology June 12, 2026 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-026-10473-9 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAdvanced meditators from the Isha Yoga tradition report stronger non-dual experiences—where the boundary between self and environment dissolves—during breath-watching meditation compared to novices and meditation-naïve controls. Using EEG-based intrinsic neural timescales (INT), researchers found that across all participants, INTs are longer during internal attention (breath-watching) than during an external cognitive task. However, advanced meditators show similar INT durations between internal and external attention, and this reduced difference correlates with stronger reported non-dual experiences. The findings suggest that similar intrinsic neural timescale durations across internal and external attention may be a neural signature of non-duality.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Advanced meditators from the Isha Yoga tradition, novice meditators, and meditation-naïve controls |
| Interventions | breath-watching meditation cognitive task |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Cognition Neural activity Operationalization Task project management |
| Key finding | Advanced meditators show similar intrinsic neural timescale durations during internal and external attention, and this reduced difference correlates with stronger reported non-dual experiences. |
Abstract
Distinguishing between self (internal) and environment (external) is fundamental to human experience, yet mind-body traditions describe non-dual states where this boundary dissolves. However, the neural basis of non-duality remains underexplored. We investigate this in advanced and novice meditators from the Isha Yoga tradition and meditation-naïve controls using psychological scales and EEG-based intrinsic neural timescales (INT). Subjects perform breath-watching meditation (internal attention) and a cognitive task (external attention), allowing us to operationalize non-duality as reduced internal-external distinction. Key findings include: (a) advanced meditators report stronger non-dual experiences during breath-watching than novices and controls; (b) across participants, INTs are longer during internal than external attention; (c) advanced meditators show similar INT durations between internal and external attention; and (d) this reduced INT difference correlates with stronger reported non-dual experiences. These results suggest that similar duration of intrinsic neural timescales during internal and external attention may serve as a neural signature of non-duality.