There has been an emergence in psychedelic science in recent years, in both basic and applied research. Clinical trials have shown psychedelic drugs to be exceptionally effective in treating psychiatric illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, while other research suggests they may be effective in treating a range of other indications in the future. Outside of the...
Modern psychological research on meditation has demonstrated its extensive psychological and physical benefits. Much of this modern research relies on ‘mindfulness’ training protocols, such as the popular MBSR program (from the 1970s) and similar offshoots. Though certainly useful, these mindfulness interventions are limited in scope. Their contents do not reflect voluminous recent research...
This paper explores the field of contemplative neuroscience as a means of studying consciousness on both neurological and experiential levels. While our current scientific paradigm favors the view that consciousness is a purely physical phenomenon and should be examined as such, contemplative neuroscience posits that awareness, attention, and emotion are malleable skills that can be refined in...