Objective: Over the past 60 years, contemplative practices have been shown to alleviate certain mental health symptoms. Humans spend approximately one third of their lives asleep, yet there is limited scientific investigation of the benefit of performing contemplative exercises during sleep. Tibetan Buddhist Dream Yoga (TBDY) is a contemplative practice where dreamers perform mental exercises...
Abstract Self-transcendent experiences (STEs) offer profound and beneficial shifts in perspective, yet remain largely inaccessible outside elite contemplative or pharmacological contexts. Although neural measures have advanced our understanding of these states, their cost and limited ecological validity restrict broader application. This study evaluates heart rate variability (HRV) amplitude, a...
Recently, there has been growing scientific interest in studying states of selflessness, where there is no sense of self as the immediate subject of experience. Preliminary findings suggest that this state is associated with increased positive emotions and a sense of connection with the world and all living beings. Given its potential benefits, various practices have been developed to induce or...
The immersive environments of virtual reality (VR) have potential to engender a vast range of experiences. Although participants recognize these experiences as artificial, the consequences can still be profound. Compared to VR, lucid dreams-characterized by awareness that one is dreaming-potentially allow for even more expansive explorations of immersive multisensory experience. Furthermore,...
Near-death experiences (NDEs) and psychedelic drug experiences (YDEs) enable access to dimensions of non-ordinary sensation, perception, and insight beyond typical day-to-day phenomenology. Both are associated with a dissolution of conventional spatio-temporal conceptual distinctions, and a corresponding sense of connectedness and unity. Moreover, NDEs and YDEs have shown a remarkable ability...
Near-death experiences (NDEs) and psychedelic drug experiences (YDEs) enable access to dimensions of non-ordinary sensation, perception, and insight beyond typical day-to-day phenomenology. Both are as-sociated with a dissolution of conventional spatio-temporal conceptual distinctions, and a corresponding sense of connectedness and unity which is difficult to describe. Moreover, NDEs and YDEs...
Abstract With a growing body of research highlighting the therapeutic potential of experiential phenomenology which diminishes egoic identity and increases one’s sense of connectedness, there is significant interest in how to elicit such ‘self-transcendent experiences’ (STEs) in laboratory contexts. Psychedelic drugs (YDs) have proven particularly effective in this respect, producing subjective...
With a growing body of research highlighting the therapeutic potential of experiential phenomenology which diminishes egoic identity and increases one's sense of connectedness, there is significant interest in how to elicit such 'self-transcendent experiences' (STEs) in laboratory contexts. Psychedelic drugs (YDs) have proven particularly effective in this respect, producing subjective...
Studies combining psychotherapy with psychedelic drugs (PsiDs) have demonstrated positive outcomes that are often associated with PsiDs' ability to induce 'mystical-type' experiences (MTEs) - i.e., subjective experiences whose characteristics include a sense of connectedness, transcendence, and ineffability. We suggest that both PsiDs and virtual reality can be situated on a broader spectrum of...
Introduction. Being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness (LTI) is often accompanied by feelings of fear, uncertainty, and loneliness that can severely impact mental health. Relatively few interventions are available to address the existential concerns of individuals facing LTI, while treatment of the underlying physical ailment typically remains the priority of the healthcare system....
Abstract Self-transcendent experiences, characterized by reduced self-focus and a sense of connection to something greater than oneself, have been linked to positive mental-health outcomes. However, existing induction methods, such as meditation, require sustained training, while pharmacological approaches (e.g., psychedelics) raise legal and ethical issues. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as...