Can deep meditation really heal suffering? Science responds
What impact does advanced meditation have on the brain?
In times of great economic, political, and emotional uncertainty, meditation is resurfacing as a promising method to face suffering. It's no coincidence: according to Men's Health, we are in a "third wave" of research exploring the effects of deep meditation, not only as a method to reduce stress but as a tool with transformative benefits for the mind and body.
This surge responds to a collective need for emotional relief in a complex world. Far from being a simple relaxation technique, advanced meditation increasingly attracts those seeking to deepen their self-knowledge and find existential answers. Experts cited in the report highlight that, beyond immediate calm, intensive meditation opens the doors to transcendental experiences that can change lives. As journalist Claudia Canavan, author of the article, states, "with benefits ranging from ecstasy to transformative revelations, it has never been more tempting."
Mazunte, a spiritual corner in Mexico
Claudia Canavan recounts a transformative experience at a meditation retreat in Mazunte, a small bohemian coastal town in Mexico. After days of intensive practice, she experienced an euphoria she describes as similar to that induced by MDMA: a warm energy flowing from her chest, enveloping those around her in a wave of unconditional love. Although this experience did not permanently eliminate her anxieties, it planted in her the desire to return to that state of absolute peace, revealing the potential of meditation as a tool for deep well-being.
Canavan's experience in Mazunte sparked her curiosity to delve deeper into advanced meditation states and explore what is known in Buddhism as jhanas.
What are jhanas?
Jhanas are states of deep absorption achieved through sustained concentration on a single point, such as the breath or the center of the chest. Divided into eight or nine levels of increasing intensity, these states go beyond the ordinary. Experienced practitioners can remain in the early levels of jhana for long periods, reaching a mental state so profound that, according to Buddhism, it allows them to approach liberation from suffering.
Jhanas are altered states of consciousness that arise from deep concentration on a single object.
Canavan consulted meditation masters to better understand her experience, who explained that her experience of love and openness corresponded to a state known as "heart opening," a state also explored in advanced meditation, although not exactly as a jhana.
The brain impact of deep meditation
Upon discovering the transformative potential of meditation, Canavan investigates how modern science explores the brain effects of these deep states. Prestigious universities like Harvard and Berkeley are conducting research to understand how advanced meditation alters brain activity. Neuroscientist Matthew Sacchet, from Harvard's Meditation Research Program, studies how intensive meditation practice could help overcome suffering through neurophysiological changes occurring in the brain. Sacchet and his team listen to testimonies from practitioners who claim to have experienced mental healing through advanced techniques.
Meanwhile, Dr. Kathryn Devaney from the University of Berkeley studies states of deep absorption and transformation in the brain. A practitioner of vipassana (a meditation technique that cultivates deep attention and awareness), her goal is to discover how these advanced states affect the brain structurally and functionally. Devaney recently collaborated with the Harvard team to investigate nirodha samāpatti, a state of "cessation" in which the practitioner experiences a temporary suspension of consciousness.
One of the most fascinating discoveries is that deep meditation allows for unique neuronal flexibility, which, according to Devaney and other researchers, could have practical implications in the future. Sacchet explains that by better understanding how the brain functions in these advanced meditation states, technology for neurostimulation or neural feedback could be developed to help people achieve these mental benefits without years of practice.
The four levels of jhana and mental flexibility
One aspect that science explores regarding advanced meditation is how it affects brain activity at different levels. In the first four levels of jhana, studies indicate that the brain reorganizes, generating increasingly intense activity in the back and decreasing frontal activity, normally associated with conceptual thinking. This shift in activity towards a "full presence" allows the practitioner to experience an unusual mental freedom, reducing distraction and favoring a "unbound" mental state.
Dr. Michael Lifshitz, also collaborating with the Harvard team, studies how connectivity between different areas of the brain becomes more flexible in advanced meditators, which decreases repetitive thought patterns. This change suggests a release from rigid mental habits and the ability to experience freer and more creative thoughts.
Although this research is still recent, it suggests that the effects of deep meditation on the brain could help develop treatments for mental disorders by fostering brain plasticity and resilience.
Risks of advanced meditation: warnings and adverse effects
Despite the well-documented benefits, Men's Health also highlights that deep meditation carries certain risks, especially for those with a history of previous traumas. Some people experience adverse effects such as the resurgence of past traumas or episodes of depersonalization, a feeling of disconnection from reality. This gave rise to entities like Cheetah House, an organization that offers support to people going through emotional distress experiences as a result of meditation.
Mandy Johnson, a former mindfulness teacher, recounts an experience at a meditation retreat in 2017, where silence and introspection made her relive childhood traumas, affecting her sense of identity and generating severe tinnitus. Johnson needed two years of therapy to regain her mental stability. Cases like hers remind us that while meditation can be a healing resource, it can also be risky for those with unresolved traumas.
Dr. Devaney advises people with trauma histories to explore gentler practices, such as loving-kindness meditation or metta, which, unlike intensive practices, may be less disruptive to the practitioner's sense of identity.
Meditation in the future: projections and technology
Canavan, fascinated by the potential of advanced meditation, envisions a future where specialized technologies facilitate access to these deep states of concentration. In her words, this "next-generation meditation" could be a "life hack" that allows anyone to experience its benefits without the need for retreats or years of constant practice. Science has not yet reached this point, but if research advances continue, it is possible that in a few years these states of deep well-being could be within reach of more people.
For Canavan, although her personal practice did not provide her with permanent revelations, the feeling of peace and mental control she experienced has been invaluable. Today, meditation is a tool she uses when she needs calm and to reconnect with a sense of vital energy, describing it as a source of peace that flows from her head to her feet, ready to be invoked at any moment.
The future applications of this "technological meditation" have the potential to transform people's relationship with stress and suffering, bringing us closer to a more resilient and mentally healthy society.