Hey all! HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) researchers from Harvard University and Stanford University are conducting a two-week research study (diary study) on meditation, habit building, gamification and human-computer interaction.

Requirements:

1. You are an iPhone user
2. Can commit to up to 5 minutes a day for two weeks.

What you'll get:

1. Our research paper will be submitted to top conferences, and we will mention you in our paper
2. Opportunity to win a $100 Amazon gift card if you finish the full study.

Please fill out this form to participate. Thank you! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSftr5ovAh1qTAe53YTjMhVpkMdi9GRGlKLGog6hwRMkdEqfuQ/viewform

The paper can be viewed at https://www.researchgate.net.

The main focus of this study was to investigate the neurophysiological characteristics of various meditative states. In particular, the state of Thoughtless Emptiness (TE) and to understand how these states differ from higher cognitive states, default-mode resting states, and sleep. Using 64-channel EEG, the brain activity of 50 participants was measured during different meditation tasks. This included included 30 highly experienced meditators. The study aimed to identify the brain processes required for maintaining wakeful consciousness with reduced cognitive processing during meditation.

The three meditation states discussed in this paper are Open Monitoring (OM), Focused Attention (FA) and Thoughtless Emptiness (TE) meditation states.

Open Monitoring (OM) meditation techniques involve maintaining a state of mindful presence and awareness of the present moment and the environment without attachment or judgment of distracting thoughts. Practitioners observe their thoughts, feelings, and sensations as they arise and pass, without focusing on any particular object or thought. This technique emphasizes non-judgmental awareness and acceptance, allowing for a broad, open awareness of the ongoing experience. This technique is particularly associated with mindfulness practices like Vipassana (insight meditation) and Taoist methods. In EEG studies, OM is associated with increased theta waves, which are linked to states of relaxation and introspective awareness. Theta waves are thought to aid attentional control and emotional regulation. Other increases can be seen in alpha (related to relaxation and focused calmness), beta (associated with alertness and cognitive engagement), and gamma (linked to sensory awareness and consciousness integration) activities.

Focused Attention (FA) meditation is generally the opposite of OM in that it involves actively concentrating on a single object or sensation. It’s often used as an entry-level meditation technique because it helps stabilize the mind and improve concentration. FA meditators focus intently on an object, such as the breath, a mantra, a visualized image, or a candle flame. The idea is to keep returning attention to this focus, countering distractions and bringing awareness back to the chosen object when the mind wanders. In traditional contexts, this concentration technique is often called ekagrata (one-pointedness) in Yoga or samatha (tranquility) in Theravada Buddhism. FA is associated with increased beta waves, reflecting mental effort, alertness, and active focus. Higher gamma activity is also often observed, which relates to intense cognitive processes, sensory integration, and a heightened state of conscious awareness.

Thoughtless Emptiness (TE) state is marked by a near-total reduction in the cognitive processing frequencies typically associated with active thought, integration, and even some sensory processing. In TE, practitioners can reach a level of self-awareness that is not centered on the "ego" or individual self, promoting a non-dual experience found in several meditative traditions where one simply "is." This shift can have profound effects on self-concept, reducing excessive focus on the self and encouraging a broader perspective on life experiences. The unique EEG profile suggests that TE meditation induces a state where one is conscious yet free from most mental and cognitive processing, creating a kind of "pure awareness" without content. The cognitive benefits stem from this deep quietude, offering practitioners greater emotional resilience, mental clarity, and a profound experience of non-attachment, alongside a respite from the mental activity that characterizes most wakeful states.

Hey! At MIT from 10/25 to 10/27, our student groups Ekkolápto, Augmentation Lab, and Meditation Artifacts are hosting a research event at MIT uniting interdisciplinary minds to explore how emerging paradigms can address the age-old inscrutability of aging and consciousness, inspired a bit by Don Hoffman, Michael Levin, Karl Friston, and many other similar thinkers. Much of what we want to build is cognitive and phenomenological innovation to potentially understand meditative states in not only humans, but in other organisms. Luca Del Deo and others will be discussing jhana meditation states, stream entry, advanced forms of lucid dreaming, altered logic within dreams (mathematically speaking), tulpamancy, and more. Let me know what you think and if there's any questions!

Curt from Theories of Everything is also joining and has covered various of topics in cognition and consciousness quite deeply on his podcast. Just recently he covered the consciousness iceberg, he's had Friston and Levin on multiple times for in-depth discussions. RSVP for free and more info here: https://lu.ma/minds

Hello everyone,

I’m a cognitive science student at the University of Silesia in Katowice (Poland), and I’m currently conducting a study for my master's thesis on how meditation influences visual perception.

The study involves a brief questionnaire about your age, gender, education, and meditation experience, followed by four rounds of a visual perception test. Each round displays 10 images for different exposure times (34 ms, 50 ms, 100 ms, and 150 ms), and after each image, you'll be asked what was shown. The entire process takes about 8 minutes to complete.

This isn’t just a typical survey—it’s an engaging experiment where you can test your visual perception threshold, and you'll see your results immediately after finishing the test.

If you meditate regularly or have never meditated but are curious, I warmly invite you to participate. Your contribution will help further the understanding of how meditation may impact cognitive processes.

Here’s the link to the study: https://perceptionthresholdthesis.site/

Thank you so much for your time and participation!

Hello, I hope this is ok to post here. I am part of a group of researchers from the University of Westminster. We are looking to hear from UK based healthcare professionals on their opinions about yoga as a wellbeing intervention for the health and wellbeing of HCPs (no yoga knowledge or experience needed! All views welcome - positive and negative!) The survey is completely anonymous and it is hoped the results will inform ways in which to support healthcare worker wellbeing. You can participate using the following link:

https://westminsterpsych.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_834pRgH49PM8c6i

All participation is very much appreciated.

Hey everyone,

I'm curious about your experiences with retreats. Have you ever attended one? If so, I'd love to hear about it!

What kind of retreat was it? How has it impacted your life?

I'd love to hear any valuable lessons or skills you learnt from it.

Hi guys,

I am currently doing a study on meditation and self-transcendent states for my research project for my bachelor's in psychology.
I am desperately looking for participants who would enjoy helping out with this research and who have experience with meditation practices!
The research will ask a few questions on your pro-sociality and a few questions on self-transcendence.
You can participate via this link: https://psychru.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0Pw5hyW6vcNbatM

I would be extremely grateful if you could help me with my research! and if you know more people how meditate feel free to share the link with them!! <3

Hello everyone! I am a master’s student looking to study the experience of meditation (compared to other experiences such as psychedelic substances, dreaming, and religious experiences) through using corpus linguistic methods. However, I am having some trouble finding an existing corpus of meditation experiences (I’m thinking of something analogous to Erowid for substance reports or dreamjournnal.net for dream reports). Does anyone know of something in existence like this?

Or, does anyone know of any academic papers/studies where open ended reports of meditation experiences were used (especially if the study is looking at the language used to describe the experience itself)?

Thanks in advance!

This is a student from India, and I have a 5 minute survey that you can fill out that might end up helping someone in need!
I really appreciate any responses. Hit me up if you wanna talk...
https://forms.gle/bzL8bs9GPzXHkBkv7

Matthew Sacchet says, "This is the most rigorous study of advanced concentration meditation (jhana)"

PDF

(I already know everything that scientifically or obviously and directly helps to fight this condition: good sleep, nutrition, respiring vapors with expectorant, rest... pretty much, but wonder how meditation could help more).

As your sympathetic nervous system are responsible for the "flight or fight" system (and kind of "mobilize" the system to defend against exterior threats), keeping concentration on the parasympathetic should help the body concentrate its energy on producing antibody and limiting the spreading of the illness.

But what about the production of antibodies itself? I falsely believe it came from the thyroid (that I have it swelling), but in fact, it's coming from the bone marrow and the lymphoid organs, it seems (I don't study medicine, specifically). So maybe, (a big maybe), if our concentration can kind of "push" of "activating" more the production of antibodies, it would, in theory, help you fight the disease faster(?)

It is very most probably not a proven theory :), lol (but who really knows exactly?). And you know, the human knowledge in medicine is probably "pretty young", compared to what we will achieve in the far future. So, I wonder if you have any ideas about how meditation (or in the general sense, "doing more") can help fight infection.

We already scientifically know it helps PREVENT it, but directly helps fighting it, I've fought no study on this. Have you?

(Btw, I'm pretty sure anybody will raise homeopathy here... (that is obviously all placebo, very very most probably). But I always kept an eye on anything that could be logicaly possible).

Thanks!

Hi,

I would like to incorporate Vipassana meditation into my routine (involving closing the eyes and breathing normally, focusing on the natural breath and feelings, being mindful of each inhale and exhale, and observing thoughts, feelings, and sensations without reacting or judging) However, I was wondering if I could achieve a similar effect while stretching after my workouts by focusing on my body with each stretch. Or would that not work because targeting different parts of my body each time results in a different kind of stimulation compared to focusing on the breath for a continuous 20 minutes?

Thank you!

Hi everyone!

Researchers at Brown University are conducting a research study on meditation-related challenges. The study hopes to answer the following questions: What kinds of lasting challenges and adverse effects can result from meditation practice in a general, unrestricted sample? Are there specific practices, programs or products that tend to cause more problems than others? What predicts whether a challenging meditation experience is therapeutic or destabilizing? If someone experiences challenging experiences from meditating, what should they do? What types of support, remedies or therapies are most or least helpful?

See if you qualify to participate. Thank you in advance for your consideration and time.

https://preview.redd.it/jihq0qnpdwgb1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=647484c7a08756daa771e29bfd94858f3df4f670

What type or form/way of mediation that can get me to focus and reduce my social anxiety, with no blowbacks like getting my mind into "plank state" where I can't generate thoughts during conversations?

Edit: some recommended me ziva mediation, what do you think about it

I'm trying to find differents ways to live and i was reading that the best way is with meditation. I read a lot of books and articles about this, but i could'nt understand how can i start. I have a little problem with my concentration and I'm working on some exercises, but I couldn't concentrate on my breathing (I read that this is the first step). Can anyone give me some advice on how I can start meditating?I have to say i'm sorry for my english, but i'm learning how to speak.

Pd. I'm new here on reddit