Intensive whole-brain 7T MRI case study of volitional control of brain activity in deep absorptive meditation states.
Winson Fu Zun Yang, Avijit Chowdhury, Marta Bianciardi, Remko Van Lutterveld, Terje Sparby, Matthew D Sacchet
Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) January 14, 2024 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad408 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractJhanas are profound meditative states that can deconstruct ordinary consciousness, according to a case study of an adept meditator. Using 4 hours of 7T fMRI data collected across 27 sessions, the study identified distinctive brain activity patterns in cortical, subcortical, brainstem, and cerebellar regions during jhana meditation. Correlations between brain activity and phenomenological qualities of attention, jhanic qualities, and narrative processing showed that jhanas differ from non-meditative states. The findings suggest jhana practice offers unique insights into consciousness and potential benefits for mental health and well-being.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | One adept meditator |
| Intervention | jhana meditation |
| Duration | 27 sessions |
| Keywords | Advanced meditation Brainstem and thalamus Consciousness Neurophenomenology |
| Citations | 41 |
| Key finding | Jhana meditation produces distinctive brain activity patterns across cortical, subcortical, brainstem, and cerebellar regions, correlated with specific phenomenological qualities, indicating that jhana practice deconstructs consciousness. |
Abstract
Jhanas are profound states of mind achieved through advanced meditation, offering valuable insights into the nature of consciousness and tools to enhance well-being. Yet, its neurophenomenology remains limited due to methodological difficulties and the rarity of advanced meditation practitioners. We conducted a highly exploratory study to investigate the neurophenomenology of jhanas in an intensively sampled adept meditator case study (4 hr 7T fMRI collected in 27 sessions) who performed jhana meditation and rated specific aspects of experience immediately thereafter. Linear mixed models and correlations were used to examine relations among brain activity and jhana phenomenology. We identified distinctive patterns of brain activity in specific cortical, subcortical, brainstem, and cerebellar regions associated with jhana. Furthermore, we observed correlations between brain activity and phenomenological qualities of attention, jhanic qualities, and narrative processing, highlighting the distinct nature of jhanas compared to non-meditative states. Our study presents the most rigorous evidence yet that jhana practice deconstructs consciousness, offering unique insights into consciousness and significant implications for mental health and well-being.