Multimodal neurophenomenology of advanced concentration absorption meditation: An intensively sampled case study of Jhana.
Avijit Chowdhury, Marta Bianciardi, Eric Chapdelaine, Omar S. Riaz, Christopher Timmermann, Remko Van Lutterveld, Terje Sparby, Matthew D. Sacchet
Neuroimage December 14, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120973 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | One advanced meditator with over 23,000 hours of meditation practice |
| Intervention | ACAM-J) |
| Measures | fMRI functional connectivity, EEG oscillatory power, Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZ), phenomenology ratings |
| Topics | Meditation Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Consciousness Brain research |
| Citations | 14 |
| Key findings | Advanced concentrative absorption meditation (jhanas) in a highly experienced practitioner was associated with decreased within-network modularity, increased global functional connectivity, desegregation of default mode and visual networks on fMRI, and widespread reductions in broadband EEG power with increased Lempel-Ziv complexity. These neural changes correlated with specific phenomenological shifts, especially bliss. The authors argue the results support neurocognitive theories of meditation as deconstruction of the brain's cortical hierarchy. |
Abstract
Using a combination of fMRI, EEG, and phenomenology ratings, we examined the neurophenomenology of advanced concentrative absorption meditation, namely jhanas (ACAM-J), in a practitioner with over 23,000 h of meditation practice. Our study shows that ACAM-J states induce reliable changes in conscious experience and that these experiences are related to neural activity. Using resting-state fMRI functional connectivity, we found that ACAM-J is associated with decreased within-network modularity, increased global functional connectivity (GFC), and desegregation of the default mode and visual networks. Compared to control tasks, the ACAM-J were also related to widespread decreases in broadband EEG oscillatory power and increases in Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZ, a measure of brain entropy). Some fMRI findings varied by the control task used, while EEG results remained consistent, emphasizing both shared and unique neural features of ACAM-J. These differences in fMRI and EEG-measured neurophysiological properties correlated with specific changes in phenomenology - and especially with ACAM-J-induced states of bliss - enriching our understanding of these advanced meditative states. Our results show that advanced meditation practices markedly dysregulate high-level brain systems via practices of enhanced attention to sensations, corroborating recent neurocognitive theories of meditation as the deconstruction of the brain's cortical hierarchy. Overall, our results suggest that ACAM-J is associated with the modulation of large-scale brain networks in both fMRI and EEG, with potential implications for understanding the mechanisms of deep concentration practices and their effects on subjective experience.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on philosophy of mind, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| How does it feel to lack a sense of boundaries? A case study of a long-term mindfulness meditator. A single long-term mindfulness practitioner (S) with 40 years of practice in... | 2015 | Qualitative case study | n = 1 |
| An extended case study on the phenomenology of sequence-space synesthesia Single adult with sequence-space synesthesia | 2014 | Phenomenological case study | n = 1 |
| "I can't tell whether it's my hand": a pilot study of the neurophenomenology of body representation during the rubber hand illusion in trauma-related disorders. Individuals with the dissociative subtype of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) | 2016 | Case series | n = 3 |
| Neurophenomenology of an Altered State of Consciousness: An fMRI Case Study. A single research participant with self-proclaimed ecstatic Kundalini meditative... | 2016 | Case study | n = 1 |
| The phenomenology of psychosis associated with complex partial seizure disorder. Treatment-refractory patients admitted to a state hospital with previously undiagnosed... | 1997 | Review with case series | n = 10 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 16
- Advanced and long-term meditation and the autonomic nervous system: A review and synthesis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews June 1, 2025
- The Third Wave of Meditation and Mindfulness Research and Implications for Challenging Experiences: Negative Effects, Transformative Psychological Growth, and Forms of Happiness Mindfulness June 11, 2025
- Mindfulness, cognition, and long-term meditators: Toward a science of advanced meditation. Imaging Neuroscience 2025
- Integrated Phenomenology and Brain Connectivity Demonstrate Changes in Nonlinear Processing in Jhana Advanced Meditation. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience May 14, 2025
- Toward a Unified Model of Advanced Meditation, Human Development, Meditation Maps, and Transtradition Metaphors: Facing Impermanence, Suffering, and Death Mindfulness July 29, 2025
and 11 more in the library
Cites 61
- A default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 16, 2001
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- 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 attentional expertise in long-term meditation practitioners Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences June 28, 2007
- The default mode network in cognition: a topographical perspective Nature Reviews Neuroscience July 5, 2021
and 56 more in the library