The serotonergic psychedelic psilocybin induces neural plasticity and profoundly alters consciousness. The benzodiazepine midazolam blunts neural plasticity and induces conscious sedation and amnesia at low doses. In our recent open label pilot study, we administered oral psilocybin (25 mg) along with intravenous midazolam at doses allowing a full psychedelic experience while blunting memory...
Pharos Journal of TheologyFebruary 14, 2026Manat Kanagatov, Tatyana Seryozhkina, Zukhra Ismagambetova et al.
The purpose of this study was to identify the ontological and cultural foundations of the shamanic tradition in the Turkic culture of Kazakhstan through the concept of altered states of consciousness (ASC). The research focused on how ASC structured the shamanic worldview, shaped ritual practices, and transformed under post-traditional social conditions. The methodological framework combined...
The paper explores the relationship between silence and speech, highlighting the coexistence and mutual implication of these two seemingly opposite poles. Silence is explored in various senses: as the source from which speech springs; as the absence of voice that can arise from an unspeakable experience of pain or ecstasy; as a dimension of meditation and deep listening, necessary to embrace...
Abstract Background Vocational college students generally face the dilemma of anxiety, while traditional forms of mental health education are relatively single. Mindfulness training emphasizes conscious and non judgmental awareness of the present, and has been proven to effectively alleviate anxiety. The research aims to explore the innovative approach of integrating mindfulness training into...
Introduction: Jhana advanced concentrative absorption meditation (ACAM-J) involves profound changes in consciousness, making its neural correlates important for understanding consciousness and well-being. Prior neuroimaging has relied on univariate, group-level contrasts, leaving open whether ACAM-J carries distributed neural signatures decodable from individual scans. This study evaluates...
arXiv.orgFebruary 13, 2026Puneet Kumar, W. F. Yang, Alakhsimar Singh et al.
preprint
Jhana advanced concentration absorption meditation (ACAM-J) is related to profound changes in consciousness and cognitive processing, making the study of their neural correlates vital for insights into consciousness and well-being. This study evaluates whether functional MRI-derived regional homogeneity (ReHo) can be used to classify ACAM-J using machine-learning approaches. We collected...
This paper aims to investigate how Shafak constructs a literary space in which the rationality of science intersects with the emotive and sensorial dimensions of human life, revealing the complexity of embodied existence. Engaging with 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World (2019) the study explores how the protagonist, Tequila Leila, negotiates personal trauma, memory, and identity...
Future HealthFebruary 13, 2026Varchasvi Mudgal, Ankit Kushwaha, Virendra Singh Pal
The Truman Show Delusion (TSD) is a modern delusional theme in which an individual believes their life is a fabricated reality show. This report details the case of a 30-year-old female social media influencer who developed TSD, illustrating the unique vulnerability posed by digital lifestyles. Following a decline in online engagement and a personal conflict, she developed beliefs that her life...
Delusion-like experiences (DLEs) are understood not as a categorical marker of psychosis but as a dimensional phenomenon distributed across the general population. Contemporary models of psychosis suggest that variations in the frequency and phenomenology of such experiences may reflect meaningful subgroups within nonclinical samples. Against this backdrop, the present study examined the latent...
This comparative study sheds light on the agency of nature and provides a lens through which to examine the intersection of ritual, ecology, and indigenous environmental consciousness in South Asia. The paper argues that the sacred groves are not just passive backdrops for human rituals, but dynamic spaces in which fauna, flora, rocks and other natural entities are actively involved in...