Meditation: From Self-Regulation to Ego-Dissolution
The MIT Press eBooks December 16, 2025 DOI: 10.7551/mitpress/14600.003.0015 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ego dissolution Meditation |
| Keywords | Work physics Identification biology Product mathematics |
| Key findings | Neuroimaging and EEG studies with advanced meditators and psychedelic research provide insights into brain activity patterns accompanying mystical experiences where the ego seems to dissolve. |
Abstract
elucidate the brain dynamics of non-ordinary experiences like "non-duality" and "egodissolution" by combining phenomenological assessment with modern brain imaging technology.In this chapter, I describe (1) typical features of mystical experiences (see glossary);(2) situations, personality traits, and methods that facilitate their occurrence; and (3) recent findings regarding their pos si ble neural correlates.Neuroimaging and electroencephalographic (EEG) studies with advanced meditators and experimental research using psychedelic substances provide new insights into patterns of brain activity that accompany those experiences, in which the ego seems to dissolve.A final section of the article addresses benefits and pos si ble risks of mystical experiences for mental health based on recent studies with advanced meditation prac ti tion ers.