Meditation and the neuroscience of consciousness: an introduction

Other approaches study only conscious (and not unconscious) states and their changes, such as how consciousness changes under LSD, other psychotropic substances or meditation, or track changes in body ownership and map them to brain states.

“Other approaches study only conscious (and not unconscious) states and their changes, such as how consciousness changes under the in fl uence of LSD, other psychotropic substances or meditation (Carhart-Harris et al., 2014; Lutz et al., 2007), or track changes in body ownership and map them to brain states (Faivre et al., 2015).”

The meditation traditions included in the present study each put a different emphasis on the focus of the mind during meditative practice.

“The meditation traditions included in the present study each put a different emphasis on the focus of the mind during meditative practice [15, 33, 34] (see Fig 1).”

The convergence and cross-fertilization of these two ways of understanding the world and human experience is presently becoming a leading current of thought and investigation in cognitive science and affective neuroscience.

“It is presently becoming a leading current of thought and investigation in cognitive science (Varela, Thompson and Roach 1991; Thompson 2007) and affective neuroscience (Lutz, Dunne and Davidson 2007).”

This Innateist orientation leads to particular styles of meditation such as 'open presence' (rig-pa chôg-zhag, rig pa cog bzhag) in which one rests in the awakened awareness which is said to be our essential nature, an approach comparable to Zen's 'just sitting'.

“This Innateist orientation leads to particular styles of meditation such as 'open presence' ( rig -pa chôg -zhag, rig pa cog bzhag ) in which one rests in the awakened awareness which is said to be our essential nature an approach comparable to Zen's 'just sitting' (Lutz, Dunne, and Davidson 2007, 511-515).”

The aim of Open Presence is not to withdraw from experiences, but to experience them without either objectifying phenomena or having a sense of narrative subjectivity, resulting in 'a type of ipseity or bare awareness' which is 'the simplest form of a conscious state'.

“The aim is not to withdraw from experiences, but to experience them without either objectifying phenomena or having a sense of narrative subjectivity: the result is 'a type of ipseity or bare awareness' which is 'the simplest form of a conscious state' (Lutz, Dunne, and Davidson 2007, 508, 511-515, 524).”

Dunne and colleagues describe stages leading to 'Open Presence' practice, shared by the Mahāmudrā and Dzogchen traditions, as involving progressive de-emphasising or reducing identification with both objects and subjects.

“Dunne and colleagues describe in more technical terms the stages leading to 'Open Presence' practice, shared by the Mahāmudrā and Dzogchen traditions (known jointly as Chag -zôg, phyag rdzogs ). The process involves progressive 'de-emphasising' or reducing identification with both objects and subjects.”

Eventually these practices can 'transform the baseline state of experience', potentially bringing lasting traits such as emotion regulation and a more flexible mind.

“Eventually these practices can 'transform the baseline state of experience' , potentially bringing lasting traits such as emotion regulation and a more flexible mind (2007, 524526, 543).”

This is the full flowering of the 'open presence' practice, infused with the boundless warmth of the Bodhisattva.

“This is the full flowering of the 'open presence' practice, infused with the boundless warmth of the Bodhisattva (Lutz, Dunne, and Davidson 2007, 515-517).”

Lutz and colleagues suggest that techniques like 'open presence' cultivate a type of 'bare awareness' and lessen the 'narrative self'.

“They suggest that techniques like 'open presence' cultivate a type of 'bare awareness' and lessen the 'narrative self' .”

In Mahāmudrā, ultimately the aim is to let go of discursive strategies - such as images used to generate compassionate feelings - and to rest in 'non-referential compassion'.

“In Mahāmudrā, ultimately the aim is to let go of discursive strategies - such as images used to generate compassionate feelings - and to rest in 'non-referential compassion' ( mîg -mé nying -jé, dmigs med snying rje ).”

Whether such benefits differ from other meditation practices is unclear, as study of 'open presence' styles of meditation is so far limited.

“Whether such benefits differ from other meditation practices is unclear, as study of 'open presence' styles of meditation is so far limited (Lutz, Dunne, and Davidson 2007, 536).”

An accomplished practitioner can tap into this wakeful quality very quickly - and ultimately, continuously.

“An accomplished practitioner can tap into this wakeful quality very quickly - and ultimately, continuously (Lutz, Dunne, and Davidson 2007, 526) - but in the process of training, this metaphorical space needs temporal space in order to unfold.”