A neurophenomenologically guided exploration of altered states of consciousness.

Altered states of consciousness (ASCs) are short-lasting deviations in subjective experience that are induced via pharmacological, psychological, or physiological means (Studerus et al., 2010). ASCs have been particularly useful in outlining the potential neurobiological mechanisms that underpin normal waking consciousness, mind-wandering, meditation and problem-solving. For example, studies with psychedelic substances have allowed researchers to correlate changes in magnetoencephalography (MEG) signal diversity to changes in subjective experience (Schartner et al., 2017). This study highlights an important, yet overlooked method for the neuroscience of consciousness: neurophenomenology (Varela, 1996). Neurophenomenology combines phenomenological reports with neurophysiological analyses to bridge the explanatory gap between subjective experiences and objective measures (Ataria, 2017). By developing objective and quantifiable phenomenological analyses, cognitive neuroscientists may cross-validate their neurophysiological analyses across multiple trials, and conclude with greater certainty that objective neurophysiological signals are representative of specific ASCs. Combining novel phenomenological methods with neurophysiological measures within cognitive neuroscience is, arguably, the next requisite step in the study of consciousness.

The aim of this project is therefore to apply and develop a novel phenomenological method created by the Consciousness and Cognition Lab (ESRC PhD student Barbara Jachs). Phenomenological and electrophysiological data has been collected from a group of meditators during the previous PhD project. The data will be analysed for specific neural signatures that may be associated with specific 'clusters' of subjective experiences that were cultivated during the meditations.

In addition to this, the phenomenological method will also be applied to two other practices that induce an ASC. The first is, broadly, breathwork practices. These practices have been particularly understudied in experimental psychology, but can allegedly induce a radically ASC, due to the active control and manipulation of breathing. The secondary aim of this project is to therefore tailor the novel phenomenological method to the experiences that are cultivated by breathwork practices.