The Eight Dimensions of Altered States of Consciousness in Adults and their Convergence with Childhood Consciousness

Young children commonly report non-ordinary experiences such as extra sensory perceptions, out-of-body experiences, and self-transcendence, reflecting relational, pre-linguistic, and weakly individualised forms of consciousness. This paper integrates qualitative studies of children's experiences with an eight-dimensional model of altered consciousness, identifying phenomenological parallels between childhood experiences and adult altered states of consciousness, including vivid imagery, bodily dislocation, self-boundary dissolution, timelessness, heightened affect, and altered cognitive control. The authors propose that early transcendental modes of awareness may form an experiential template that mimics adults' pursuit of altered states through meditation, psychedelics, sensory deprivation, and spiritual practices, highlighting the need for systematic developmental and neuro-phenomenological research.

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Abstract

Recent research shows that young children frequently report non-ordinary experiences, including extra sensory perceptions, out-of-body experiences, and states of self-transcendence, reflecting relational, pre-linguistic, and weakly individualised forms of consciousness. This paper integrates qualitative studies of children’s experiences with contemporary altered states of consciousness (ASC) classification schemes, applying the eight-dimensional model of altered consciousness (Fort et al., 2025). Phenomenological parallels are identified between childhood experiences and adult ASCs, including vivid imagery, bodily dislocation, self-boundary dissolution, timelessness, heightened affect, and altered cognitive control. We propose that early transcendental modes of awareness may form an experiential template that mimics adults’ pursuit of ASCs through meditation, psychedelics, sensory deprivation, and spiritual practices. Adopting a lifespan perspective, the paper highlights the need for systematic developmental and neuro-phenomenological research to better understand continuities between childhood consciousness and adult altered states.