By: Lukasz Smigielski, Michael Kometer, Milan Scheidegger, Rainer Krähenmann, Theo Huber & Franz X. Vollenweider

In: Nature, Scientific Reports, 9

Date: 24 October 2019

Key Concepts:

• Meditation and psilocybin can promote a spectrum of altered states of consciousness
• Psilocybin:
  • Can trigger alterations of self-consciousness.
  • Associated with feelings of bliss, unity, and insightfulness.
  • Self/ego dissolution.
  • Depends on dosage and set and setting.
    • Set: the subject’s expectation, personality traits, and current mood state.
    • Setting: the physical and social environment in which the drug is taken.
  • Resembles the state of self-transcendence reported by various traditions of Eastern descent.
  • Peak experiences occur at relatively high rates.
• Meditation:
  • Aim to reduce self-referential processing.
    • Maintaining attention on the present moment.
    • Non-judgmental, accepting stance toward enfolding experiences.
  • Achieve an increased cognitive and emotional flexibility.
  • May lead to an enduring reduction of self-focus or ego-centricity.
  • Peak experiences unpredictably and at a very low rate.
• Combining them.
  • Increased the incidence and intensity of alterations of consciousness.
  • Meditation depth is acutely increased by psilocybin administration.
  • Psychedelics may enhance mindfulness capacity.
  • In turn, meditation may positively shape the psychedelic experience.
    • Fostering the experiential quality of self-dissolution.
    • Reducing potential anxiety.