Fire Kasina advanced meditation produces experiences comparable to psychedelic and near-death experiences: A pilot study.
Marjorie Woollacott, Justin Riddle, Niffe Hermansson, Matthew D. Sacchet, Daniel M. Ingram
Explore 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2024.103056 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Pilot study Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 6 |
| Population | Individuals who completed a Fire Kasina meditation retreat |
| Duration | Retreat |
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness Mystical experience Meditation Near-death experience |
| Keywords | Meditation-spirituality Altered-consciousness Mental-wellness Psychedelic-research Contemplative-practice Advanced meditation Mental health Spiritual transformation |
| Citations | 5 |
| Key findings | The Fire Kasina meditation practice produced mystical experience questionnaire scores comparable to or exceeding those from high-dose psychedelics and near-death experiences, with participants reporting profound personal transformation. |
Abstract
Psychedelic-assisted therapy studies suggest that the induction of "mystical experiences" combined with psycho-therapy is a possible intervention for psychiatric illness. Advanced meditation may induce powerful experiences comparable to psychedelics. We investigated effects of an intensive meditation practice called Fire Kasina. Six individuals completed a retreat, and participated in an interview in which they described their experiences. They also completed the Revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ), Hood Mystical Experience Scale (HME), and Cole's Spiritual Transformation Scale. Mean MEQ scores were 85 %, similar to prior observations of high-dose psilocybin and were stronger than moderate-dose psilocybin (t(5) = 4.41, p = 0.007, d = 1.80; W(5) = 21, p = 0.031). Mean HME scores were 93 %, exceeding levels reported for NDEs (mean 74 %) and high-dose psilocybin (mean 77 %). In qualitative analysis, experiences were described as the most intense of the individual's life, while subsequent transformational effects included substantial shifts in worldview.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on near-death experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near-death experience in survivors of cardiac arrest: a prospective study in the Netherlands Cardiac patients successfully resuscitated after cardiac arrest in ten Dutch hospitals | 2001 | Prospective cohort study | n = 344 |
| Incidence and correlates of near-death experiences in a cardiac care unit Cardiac inpatients at a tertiary care center | 2003 | Observational cohort | n = 1,595 |
| Features of "near-death experience" in relation to whether or not patients were near death Patients who believed they were near death during an illness or after an injury and... | 1990 | Observational cohort | n = 58 |
| The phenomenology of near-death experiences Subjects who reported near-death experiences | 1980 | Retrospective study | n = 78 |
| Near-Death Experiences and the Temporal Lobe Individuals who reported having had a near-death experience during a life-threatening... | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Neural filters to conscious awareness and the phenomena that reduce their impact. International Review of Psychiatry 2025
- Active inference, computational phenomenology, and advanced meditation: Toward the formalization of the experience of meditation. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews March 1, 2026
- Perspectives on Meditation-based Preparation for Psychedelic Experiences: Insights from Practitioners with Combined Meditation and Psychedelic Experience Mindfulness August 15, 2026
- An exploratory study of breathwork-induced altered states of consciousness in experienced practitioners: the airways to alteration (A2A) trial Frontiers in Psychology June 10, 2026
- Self-reported near-death and near-death-like experiences in a Chinese online sample: an exploratory mixed-methods study Frontiers in Psychology September 21, 2026
and 1 more in the library
Cites 27
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 23, 2012
- REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics Pharmacological Reviews June 20, 2019
- Psilocybin occasioned mystical-type experiences: immediate and persisting dose-related effects. Psychopharmacology December 1, 2011
and 22 more in the library