“Exploding into the Universe”: Exploring intense meditation-related experiences (IMREs) and perceived impacts on the sense of self

Intense meditation-related experiences (IMREs) can alter the sense of self, worldview, and emotions, impacting daily life. Through in-depth interviews with thirteen meditators, four themes emerged: watching the self and world transform; emotional explosions leading to insight; gaining new perspectives and agency; and challenges in talking about the experience. Meditators used concepts from science and meditative traditions to make sense of IMREs, which were profound transformative experiences that changed how they perceived and acted in the world. The meaning of these experiences was immediately clear for some but clarified over time for most.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Introduction Meditation can elicit intense experiences that change the sense of self, alter worldview, and evoke strong negative and positive emotions, impacting daily life. Intense meditation-related experiences (IMREs) are often sparked by a profound moment, can change in appraised emotional valence and conceptual meaning over time, and are shaped by an interplay of embodied and conceptual aspects of self. Unanswered questions revolve not just around the range of IMREs, but also their interpretations and impacts on life.Methods This study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), a methodology which allows for in-depth inductive analysis. Semi-structured interviews with thirteen participants analyzed phenomenological lived experience, meaning making, and perceived impacts of IMREs. Results Four main themes describing meditators’ experience and meaning-making process developed through the analysis: 1) watching the self and the world transform; 2) from exploding emotional experiences to receiving insight; 3) towards new perspectives and agency; and 4) (not) talking about experience. The themes illustrate how meditation sparked transformative experiences that changed how these meditators see themselves and exercise agency in the world.Conclusions Discussion of findings explores how meditators are impacted by IMREs while exercising agency in how they choose to understand and respond to them. The meaning of experience for some was immediately clear while for most it clarified over time. Meditators used concepts from science and meditative practice traditions to make sense of their experience. IMREs were profound transformative experiences through which they perceived and acted differently in the world.