Integration of Spiritual Techniques and Memory Reconsolidation: A Study of Buddhist Meditation and Yoga in the Context of Contemporary Mental Health

Spiritual techniques from Buddhism and Yoga, such as deep meditation, align with the psychological mechanism of memory reconsolidation, where traumatic memories are consciously re-accessed and their emotional meaning renewed. This qualitative literature study and transdisciplinary discourse analysis shows that these practices activate a neuroplastic state in the brain that supports releasing emotional baggage and improving psychological well-being. The findings suggest that ancient spiritual traditions offer psychological mechanisms for emotional and cognitive transformation relevant to contemporary mental health, bridging mystical and scientific approaches.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This research aims to examine the integration of spiritual techniques in the traditions of Buddhism and Yoga with the concept of memory reconsolidation in psychology and neuroscience. The main aim of this research is to show that these spiritual techniques are not only of mystical or religious value, but also serve as psychological mechanisms for emotional and cognitive transformation that are relevant in the context of contemporary mental health. The methodology used was a qualitative approach with a literature study design and transdisciplinary discourse analysis. Data was collected from classic Buddhist and Yoga texts, as well as from scientific literature in the fields of psychology and neuroscience. Data were analyzed thematically to identify the linkages between spiritual techniques and memory reconsolidation mechanisms in a neuropsychological context. The main findings indicate a congruence between the process of deep meditation in the Buddhist and Yoga traditions and the memory reconsolidation mechanism in psychology, where individuals consciously re-access traumatic memories and renew their emotional meaning. Spiritual techniques have been shown to activate the neuroplastic state of the brain that supports the release of emotional baggage and improved psychological well-being. This research offers a novel contribution in expanding the horizons of the study of human well-being by integrating ancient traditions and contemporary science. The implications of this study include the development of therapeutic programs that integrate spiritual and scientific approaches in mental health services. The originality of this study lies in the transdisciplinary approach that combines classical spiritual studies with modern neuroscience concepts, filling a gap in the literature that previously tended to separate mystical and scientific aspects.