Identifying Gradations of The Meditative Experience

Study Status

Protocol Design
Data Collection
Data Analysis
Manuscript(s) Preparation
Publication

Protocol 002

Identifying Gradations of The Meditation Experience

With funding from the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation, The Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies will be conducting a series of basic research studies aimed at modeling the neurocognitive underpinnings supporting gradations in the meditative experience (i.e. different neural representations for deep vs. shallow periods of meditation). As a first step, we are conducting this pilot study to determine the feasibility of capturing these states as determined by a subject’s self-reported phenomenology.

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Outcomes

2025

Nath, M., Becattini, V., Laukkonen, R. E., Ganesan, S., Hanley, A., Holecek, A., Simonian, N., Schoeller, F., Khalsa, S., Sacchet, M., & Reggente, N. (2025). Heartbeat-Evoked Potentials as a Neural Marker of Meditative Depth. Preprint. https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/hpcgd_v1
- Zuniga-Hertz, J. P., Simpson, S., Chitetti, R., Hsu, C. F., Huang, H.-P., Jinich-Diamant, A., Chernov, A. V., Onton, J. A., Cuomo, R., Dispenza, J., Davis, D., Christov-Moore, L., Reggente, N., Gu, W., Kong, M., Bonds, J. A., Maree, J., Simonson, T. S., Ahn, A. C., Poirier, M. A., Moeller-Bertram, T., & Patel, H. H. (2025). Multidimensional analysis of twin sets during an intensive week-long meditation retreat: A pilot study. Mindfulness. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-025-02584-x [PDF]

2024

Reggente, N., Kothe, C., Brandmeyer, T., Hanada, G., Simonian, N., Mullen, S., Mullen, T. (2024) Decoding Depth of Meditation: EEG Insights from Expert Vipassana Practioners. Decoding Depth of Meditation: EEG Insights from Expert Vipassana Practioners.[PDF]
Ganesan, S., Tsuchiyagaito, A., Siegle, G. J., Goldin, P. R., Eyler, L. T., Treves, I., . . . King, A. P. (2024). ENIGMA-Meditation: Worldwide consortium for neuroscientific investigations of meditation practices. ENIGMA-Meditation: Worldwide consortium for neuroscientific investigations of meditation practices

2024

Brandmeyer, T., & Nicco Reggente. (2024). Navigating the “Zen Zeitgeist”: The Potential of Personalized Neurofeedback for Meditation. Navigating the “Zen Zeitgeist”: The Potential of Personalized Neurofeedback for Meditation.

2023

Reggente, N. (2023). VR for Cognition and Memory. Curr Top Behav Neurosci. VR for Cognition and Memory.[PDF] [Blog Writeup]

2024

Reggente, N., Brandmeyer, T., Simonian, N., Kothe, C. (2024). Decoding Depth of Meditation: Neurophysiological Insights from Expert Vipassana Practitioners. To be presented at Organization for Human Brain Mapping, South Korea

2025

Spirit Tech Collective and Edward Vaisberg. (2023, July 24). Spirit tech 3.0: Can we meet the moment? Substack. [Link]
Cody Rall MD with Techforpsych. (2025, May 31). A New Way to Measure Meditation Depth with Muse (It’s Not What You Think [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz4kbqLRePI
Inner Sense - Know Your Inner World. (2025). Decoding the Depths of Meditation with Dr. Nicco Reggente [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-MkNbWbqpQ

2024

Ubiquity University. (2024). Humanity Rising Day 936: IACS IV: Qualia Compass & Neuromodulatory Induction of Meditative States [YouTube]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCKXqA8LsuY

2024

Nath, M., & Reggente, N. (November 2024). Heartbeat evoked potentials increase with meditative depth: Implications for personalized, multimodal neurofeedback. Real-time Functional Imaging Neurofeedback (rtFIN). Heidelberg, Germany. [Poster]
Reggente, N., Kothe, C., Nath, M., Brandmeyer, T., Hanada, G., Simonian, N., Mullen, S., Mullen, T. (June 2024). Decoding Depth of Meditation: Neurophysiological Insights from Expert Vipassana Practitioners. Organization for Human Brain Mapping, South Korea. [Poster]

March 27, 2025