Deconstructive meditations and psychotherapy: Transforming the perception of the self.
Paulina Lamas-Morales, Rinchen Hijar-Aguinaga, Javier García-campayo
World Journal of Psychiatry June 19, 2025 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i6.107505 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Deconstructive meditations |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Self-transformation Personal growth Self-improvement Self-development Integrated therapy Holistic therapy Combined modalities Self-concept Self-perception Identity Mental well-being Mental health Psychological health |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Deconstructive meditations, through self-inquiry, may reduce self-narrative identification and promote psychological flexibility, but empirical research is limited. |
Abstract
Selfishness, understood as excessive focus on the self, appears to be a predominant feature of contemporary culture. While the degree of self-focus is adaptive for survival and decision-making, self-rigidity has been associated with significant psychological, interpersonal, and social costs. Throughout history, philosophers, religious leaders, and social activists have promoted a "hypo-egoic" way of being, characterized by reduced self-fixation and greater openness to others. However, a key question arises: How can one cultivate a more flexible and interdependent perspective on the self? Deconstructive meditations are a group of contemplative practices that aim to dismantle self-rigidity by exploring perception, cognition, and emotion. Their central mechanism is self-inquiry, an experiential process that involves directly observing patterns of the self, questioning the solidity of identity, and developing new ways to relate to experience. From the perspective of contemplative neuroscience, these practices have been shown to reduce self-narrative identification and promote psychological flexibility. Despite their potential, empirical research on deconstructive meditations remains limited and requires further investigation. This article reviews the essential findings on practices, their connection to psychotherapy, and their potential therapeutic applications. Finally, their clinical implications are discussed along with future research directions to validate their impact on mental health.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Rethinking Practice in Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Theoretical Model of How Formal Practice, Informal Practice, Practice Quality, and Dispositional Mindfulness Interact Over Time Qeios September 30, 2026
- Effectiveness of Deconstructive Meditative Practices in Improving Mental Health and Well-being: A Systematic Review Mindfulness March 27, 2026
Cites 46
- Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1992
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Investigating the phenomenological matrix of mindfulness-related practices from a neurocognitive perspective. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review British Medical Bulletin April 21, 2021
- Neural correlates of nondual awareness in meditation. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2014
and 41 more in the library