Practitioner perspectives on meditation-based preparation for psychedelic experiences
Rosalind McAlpine, Merve Utanğaç, Joanna Kuć, Henok Pankhurst, Amelia Sellers, Doug Kraft, Andrew Litchy, Naina E. Gupta, Christopher Timmermann, Sunjeev K. Kamboj, Matthew D. Sacchet
February 6, 2025 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/ph7fm_v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 123 |
| Population | Experienced practitioners with substantial histories in both meditation and psychedelic use |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Psychotherapist Archaeology |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Loving-Kindness Meditation emerged as the most beneficial preparatory practice, and participants recommended approximately three weeks of preparation with 30-minute daily sessions. |
Abstract
The potential of meditation as a preparatory tool for psychedelic experiences lacks empirical investigation. We surveyed experienced practitioners (N=123) with substantial histories in both meditation and psychedelic use to examine meditation’s role in psychedelic preparation. Respondents expected meditation training to primarily enhance acceptance and present-moment focus during psychedelic experiences, while also increasing oceanic boundlessness and reducing anxious ego-dissolution. For practitioners with limited meditation experience (1-3 years) and fewer psychedelic sessions (1-20), those adhering to specific meditation traditions reported significantly higher PBMPP scores (Perceived Benefits of Meditation for Psychedelic Preparation) compared to non-adherents. However, among highly experienced meditators (10+ years) with limited psychedelic experience (1-20 sessions), this pattern reversed, with non-adherents reporting significantly higher PBMPP scores than adherents to specific tradition. When evaluating specific meditation approaches, Loving-Kindness Meditation emerged as the most beneficial preparatory practice, significantly outrating other approaches such as Focused Attention. Exploratory factor analysis of meditative elements identified three distinct components: Positive Emotional States (PES), Mindful Awareness and Insight (MAI), and Concentration Techniques (CT), with PES receiving the strongest endorsement for psychedelic preparation. For practical implementation, participants recommended approximately three weeks of preparation with 30-minute daily sessions, strongly favouring online and asynchronous delivery methods. These results provide empirical groundwork for developing effective evidence-based meditation protocols for psychedelic preparation. They also highlight the importance of considering psychedelic users’ level of previous meditation experience in optimising such interventions. Future research directions should include controlled trials examining specific meditation practices’ effects on psychedelic experiences and outcomes across different populations and contexts.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Digital Intervention for Psychedelic Preparation (DIPP): protocol for a randomised controlled feasibility trial comparing meditation- and music-based programmes in healthy volunteers. BMJ Open March 12, 2026
- Metamorphoses: Transformation, Meaning, and the via psychedelica New Directions in Philosophy and Cognitive Science 2025
- Brain criticality and advanced meditation “cessation” events: An intensively sampled electroencephalography case study IBRO Neuroscience Reports August 1, 2026