Journal of Applied Consciousness Studies
2026
G. Raj, Hemant Bhargav
1 citation
Data from previous psychedelic trials suggests that the intensity of mystical experiences positively impacts treatment outcomes. However, not many conceptual frameworks are available to measure how this seems to be the case. According to Yogic and Buddhist philosophies, Kleshas are considered obstacles to self-realization, inner peace, and liberation. Using validated questionnaires, we accessed...
Journal of Applied Consciousness Studies
2026
Prasanth S. Ariyannur
The profound challenge of phenomenal consciousness – the subjective “what it’s like” to experience – persists as a central enigma in modern science. While neuroscience meticulously identifies neural correlates of consciousness, this essay contends that such findings may represent proximate manifestations rather than the fundamental nature of consciousness itself. Drawing a parallel with...
Journal of Applied Consciousness Studies
July 1, 2025
P. Kannan, S. Purohit
Meditation has its roots in ancient Vedic and Yogic traditions, where it serves as a transformative tool for connecting with the inner self (Ātman). Among the diverse meditative approaches, Yantra Meditation (YM) emerges from Tāntric philosophy, employing sacred geometry to express the interconnectedness of the cosmos and facilitate inner harmony. This article aims to explore the conceptual...
Journal of Applied Consciousness Studies
July 1, 2025
Ayush Srivastava
Background: Dreams have intrigued thinkers across disciplines due to their immersive and often perplexing nature. They raise fundamental questions regarding consciousness, knowledge, morality, and the self. Traditional views often reject the conscious nature of dreams, while recent developments in lucid dream research challenge these assumptions. Aims and Objectives: This paper explores whether...
Journal of Applied Consciousness Studies
2025
Xu Wen
This study delves into the concept of consciousness in Taoism, focusing on how it reflects the flowing and harmonious state with the Tao, the fundamental principle governing the universe. By drawing from classical Taoist texts such as the Tao Te Ching and Zhuangzi, it explores Taoism’s unique understanding of consciousness, considering it to possess nonduality, fluidity, and harmony with...
Journal of Applied Consciousness Studies
2025
Neha Rachanna, P. S. Swathi, Ankita Mishra
Background: Anxiety is marked by tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes such as increased blood pressure. Patients with anxiety often experience lower quality of life (QoL), especially in areas such as friendships, self-esteem, and family dynamics. Meditation has been shown to effectively reduce anxiety and enhance QoL. Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of cyclic...
Journal of Applied Consciousness Studies
July 1, 2024
A. Shivaram, Judu Ilavarasu, Raghavendra Bhat
Meditation has emerged as a useful tool to address various mental health issues and hence has become a fertile area of interdisciplinary research. Contemporary research is focused on evaluating the effects of meditation using different neural correlates and also on developing theoretical models to explain different meditative states. The value of these neuroscientific studies can be enhanced by...
Journal of Applied Consciousness Studies
July 1, 2024
Rahul Banerjee, Dipsundar Sahu
Currently, vitalism stands as a discredited theory in the Western empirical sciences. However, the Indian analytical traditions, specifically the Jaina, Bauddha, Sankhya-Yoga, and the Vedanta, unanimously propose a vital energy “prana” or “jivitindriya” to bridge the explanatory gap between internal conscious states and physical states in the body. The philosophical development of vitalism both...
Journal of Applied Consciousness Studies
2024
Vinod D. Deshmukh
Feeling safe, awesome, calm, and present is our default, natural, and effortless state of conscious existential being. But, unfortunately, most of us do not know what it is like to be in that awesome state of awareness. It is because we mostly feel unsafe, uninspired, restless, and preoccupied with a wandering mind and restless eyes. So, we follow some spiritual or meditative pathway. But we do...
Journal of Applied Consciousness Studies
2024
P. Castro, H. Kowdley, Robert Joyner et al.
Context: This systematic review of the literature examines the published data on Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) and its effects on sleep. Aims: SKY is a rhythmic breathing technique consisting of four stages of breathing and takes approximately 30 min to complete. SKY has shown beneficial effects in anxiety reduction, well-being, stress reduction, and sleep. We performed a systematic review looking...
Journal of Applied Consciousness Studies
2024
Nitesh Sharma, J. Kumar, Viralkumar Patel et al.
Background: Meditation using mantras is widely practiced in India and the world. Among the ancient Vedic mantras, the Gayatri Mantra (GM) holds profound significance. Despite its importance, limited scientific studies explore its effects. However, the research on the comprehensive effect of GM sadhana, including its components as explained in the traditional text, has been underexplored....
Journal of Applied Consciousness Studies
2022
Vinod D. Deshmukh
4 citations
This review article is about the spontaneous dawn of the transparent mind and the peaceful self. The article starts with my direct observations as documented in my recent journal entries. As a neurologist, I ask myself, “how can I understand and explain these experiences in terms of modern neuroscience?” We as human beings have been asking such fundamental questions for thousands of years. The...