The Inner Life of An Experienced Meditator: From Shopping Lists to Awakening
Peter M. Forster
Spiritual Psychology and Counseling March 19, 2021 DOI: 10.37898/spc.2021.6.1.129 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | Experienced meditator |
| Intervention | binaural audio |
| Duration | 2 months |
| Topics | Meditation Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Meditation diary Subjective experience Ethnography |
| Key findings | Thematic analysis of a daily meditation diary identified overarching themes of 'What is meditation' and 'Something feels different! Changes in sensations or feelings while meditating', plus a stand-alone theme of 'Unusual or altered states of consciousness'. |
Abstract
This article addresses the little-studied area of the subjective experience of meditation through the analysis of the daily meditation diary of an experienced meditator over 2 months during the covid-19 lockdown in England in early 2020. The participant, who began meditating over 40 years ago, practised an open monitoring style of meditation for 90 minutes every day followed by 30-minutes of reflecting and writing notes on the experience. The meditation time included 60 minutes of ambient sounds and 30 minutes of binaural audio. The main and overarching themes in these diaries were identified by thematic analysis. Overarching themes were ‘What is meditation’ and ‘Something feels different! Changes in sensations or feelings while meditating’. One stand-alone theme was identified, ‘Unusual or altered states of consciousness’. The Buddhist concept of jhanas may provide a framework for understanding such experiences. These themes were discussed for the insights they provide into the meditation process.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on philosophy of mind, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualitative thematic analysis of the phenomenology of near-death experiences Cardiac arrest survivors | 2018 | Qualitative study | n = 34 |
| Phenomenology and Sequelae of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Use Psychiatrists who had taken MDMA | 1992 | Qualitative study | n = 20 |
| A phenomenology of meditation-induced light experiences: traditional buddhist and neurobiological perspectives American Buddhist practitioners | 2014 | Qualitative study | |
| Evoking the ineffable: The phenomenology of extreme sports. Extreme sports participants across three continents, including BASE jumping, big wave... | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 15 |
| Phenomenology and content of the inhaled N, N-dimethyltryptamine (N, N-DMT) experience. Naturalistic inhaled N,N-DMT experiences posted to the r/DMT Reddit community | 2022 | Qualitative analysis | n = 3,778 |
Citations in the library
Cites 9
- The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin May 14, 2012
- The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists PLoS One May 24, 2017
- Focused attention, open monitoring and loving kindness meditation: effects on attention, conflict monitoring, and creativity – A review Frontiers in Psychology September 23, 2014
- A Methodological Review of Meditation Research Frontiers in Psychiatry July 1, 2014
- The Lived Experiences of Experienced Vipassana Mahasi Meditators: an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Mindfulness November 27, 2018
and 4 more in the library