A neurophenomenological approach to non-ordinary states of consciousness: hypnosis, meditation, and psychedelics

This review (2022) proposes a unified neurophenomenological (NP) approach to studying non-ordinary states of consciousness (psychedelics, meditation, hypnosis). By focusing on the experience (phenomenology; e.g. interviews) and combining it with neurophysiological measures, a rich explanatory framework could emerge.

Abstract

“No contemporary unifying framework has been provided for the study of nonordinary states of consciousness (NSCs) despite increased interest in hypnosis, meditation, and psychedelics. NSCs induce shifts in experiential contents (what appears to the experiencer) and/or structure (how it appears). This can allow the investigation of the plastic and dynamic nature of experience from a multiscale perspective that includes mind, brain, body, and context. We propose a neurophenomenological (NP) approach to the study of NSCs which highlights their role as catalysts of transformation in clinical practice by refining our understanding of the relationships between experiential (subjective) and neural dynamics. We outline the ethical implications of the NP approach for standard conceptions of health and pathology as well as the crucial role of experiencebased know-how in NSC-related research and application.”

Authors: Christopher Timmermann, Prisca R. Bauer, Olivia Gosseries, Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse, Franz X. Vollenweider, Steven Laureys, Tania Singer, Elena Antonova & Antoine Lutz