Awareness in the void: a micro-phenomenological exploration of conscious dreamless sleep

This paper presents a pilot study that explores instances of objectless awareness during sleep: conscious experiences had during sleep that prima facie lack an object of awareness. This state of objectless awareness during sleep has been widely described by Indian contemplative traditions and has been characterised as a state of consciousness-as-such; while in it, there is nothing to be aware of, one is merely conscious (cf. Evans-Wentz, 1960; Fremantle, 2001; Ponlop, 2006). While this phenomenon has received different names in the literature, such as ‘witnessing-sleep’ and ‘clear light sleep’ among others, the specific phenomenological profile of this state has not yet been rigorously studied. This paper aims at presenting a preliminary investigation of objectless consciousness during sleep using a novel tool in qualitative research that can guide future research. Five participants experiencing objectless consciousness during sleep were interviewed following the Micro-phenomenological Interview technique (MPI; Petitmengin, 2005, 2006). All participants reported an experience they had during sleep in which there was no scenery and no dream. This period labelled as ‘No Scenery/Void’ was either preceded by the dissolution of a lucid dream or by other forms of conscious mentation. The analysis of the results advances four experiential dimensions during this state of void, namely (1) Perception of absence, (2) Self-perception, (3) Perception of emotions, and (4) Perception of awareness. While the results are primarily explorative, they refer to themes found in the literature to describe objectless sleep and point at potential avenues of research. The results from this study are taken as indications to guide future operationalisations of this phenomenon.

The wandering mind, the focussed mind and the meta-aware mind

Caught within fast paced- urban industrial society, many of us may not ask questions about the nature of our mind, thoughts, although our mind, and thoughts often cause distress to us. Stressed between demands of tasks, and unexpected situations like pandemic loneliness, our paper offers useful insights into the dynamics of consciousness- the wandering mind (intentional, & unintentional mind-wandering), focussed mind, the meta-aware mind (mindfulness). We comparatively analyse results from contemplative traditions (Buddhism, & Yoga), CognitivePhenomenology, and Cognitive Psychology (Attention, working memory), with focus on attention training exercises (meditative practises). What is the relation between attention, and our thoughts? How can we train our attention, by practising meta-awareness, to effectively manage distressing thoughts, and emotions? How do the concepts of intentionality, and meta-awareness bear on the problem of differentiating between intentional consciously controlled, and unintentional automatic mind-wandering ? If, as Metzinger suggests, our mental life is oftencharacterized by sub-personal cognition, loss of mental autonomy, then what practices may help us to cultivate intentionality & meta-awareness? Does sub-personal cognition (e.g.mind-wandering) necessarily involve loss of agency, or as Seli has suggested, there are specific subtypes of mind-wandering that preserves intentionality and meta-awareness (at least at some later part of the time of the mind-wandering episode). In a convergence betweenapplication of Intentional Mind Wandering positive Self Generated Thoughts, and contemplative practices, suggested in the Patanjali Yoga tradition, we suggest a generalized meditative technique to counterbalance distressing thoughts. Commonly experienced distressing thoughts like aggression, jealousy, lust, despondency can be counter-balanced by systematically cultivating (Pratipaksha bhavana) opposing, and virtuous thoughts as further developed in the paper. Our paper explores, with focus on practical application via meditative practises, synergy between intentional mind wandering, meta-awareness (Sakshi bhava), Virtuous attitude Cultivation which have been shown to be effective in managing distressing thoughts e.g. depressogenic automatic negative thoughts.

Dualistic and Trichotomic Approaches in Psychological Enquiry

While the trichotomy of body, soul, and spirit has been part of different folk-psychological and contemplative traditions over the millennia, more recently these concepts have ceded to a dualistic approach by which the physical world is distinguished from a more broadly conceptualized mental realm. In the current paper, we propose a renewed trichotomic distinction on the basis of epistemological considerations about the nature of thinking – which we will apply to the question about the “true self” as a paradigmatic case-study. We differentiate between a representational and an immersive type of thinking – a distinction which we argue can help illuminate facets of the (true) self that remain elusive to a dualistic perspective. We sketch a roadmap toward an empirical enquiry of the self on the basis of a trichotomic distinction and discuss implications of this approach for the study of psychological phenomena in more general terms.

Compassion: From Its Evolution to a Psychotherapy

The concept, benefits and recommendations for the cultivation of compassion have been recognized in the contemplative traditions for thousands of years. In the last 30 years or so, the study of compassion has revealed it to have major physiological and psychological effects influencing well-being, addressing mental health difficulties, and promoting prosocial behavior. This paper outlines an evolution informed biopsychosocial, multicomponent model to caring behavior and its derivative “compassion” that underpins newer approaches to psychotherapy. The paper explores the origins of caring motives and the nature and biopsychosocial functions of caring-attachment behavior. These include providing a secure base (sources of protection, validation, encouragement and guidance) and safe haven (source of soothing and comfort) for offspring along with physiological regulating functions, which are also central for compassion focused therapy. Second, it suggests that it is the way recent human cognitive competencies give rise to different types of “mind awareness” and “knowing intentionality” that transform basic caring motives into potentials for compassion. While we can care for our gardens and treasured objects, the concept of compassion is only used for sentient beings who can “suffer.” As psychotherapy addresses mental suffering, cultivating the motives and competencies of compassion to self and others can be a central focus for psychotherapy.

Recovering the Relational Starting Point of Compassion Training: A Foundation for Sustainable and Inclusive Care

The cultivation of compassion through meditation training is of increasing interest to scientists, health-care providers, educators, and policymakers as an approach to help address challenging personal and social issues. Yet people encounter critical inner psychological barriers to compassion that limit the effectiveness of compassion training—including the lack of a secure base, aversion to suffering, feeling alone in suffering, and reductive impressions of others. These barriers emerge, in part, from a lack of relational support and are exacerbated by modernist conceptions that present meditation as an autonomous, self-help practice. This article proposes a solution centered on relationality that is derived from the integration of diverse areas of psychology with contemplative traditions. Theories and findings from social, developmental, and health psychology can inform meditation programs and help recover important relational elements of compassion training from traditional cultures that address common barriers to compassion and thus promote more sustainable and inclusive care. In so doing, this article illustrates the value of psychological theories for translating important contextual elements from contemplative traditions into diverse modern settings.

Interpersonal aspects of meditative traditions

In the entire spectrum of available meditations, those focused on interpersonal aspects have been relatively less studied. Such aspects need equal research attention in a world where majority of practitioners live a life populated with interpersonal joys, interactions, concerns and sufferings. The contemplative traditions rooted in India, from Yoga-Vedanta to Buddhism have emphasized development of positive interpersonal qualities, such as maitri, mudita, karuna and upeska. These concepts have been discussed in-depth in the present chapter, along with a review of the available research and future directions.

Sustainable Compassion Training: Integrating meditation theory with psychological science.

Meditation programs continue to proliferate in the modern world, with increasing participation from scientists and many others who seek to improve physical, mental, relational, and social flourishing. In developing such programs, the meditation practices have been adapted to meet the needs of modern cultures. However, through that adaptation, important contextual factors of traditional cultures are often dropped or forgotten. This article presents a system of compassion and mindfulness training, Sustainable Compassion Training (SCT), which is designed to help people cultivate increasingly unconditional, inclusive, and sustainable care for self and others. SCT aims to recover important contextual factors of meditation that flexibly meet the diverse needs of modern secular, and religious participants. SCT draws on Tibetan Buddhism in dialogue with caregivers, other contemplative traditions and relevant scientific theories to inform meditative transformation for secular contexts. We provide an overview of SCT meditations that includes both contemplative and scientific theories that draw out important features of them. Each meditation includes novel hypotheses that are generated from this dialogical process. We also provide links to audio-guided meditations.

Does Mindfulness Training Without Explicit Ethics-Based Instruction Promote Prosocial Behaviors? A Meta-Analysis

Scholarly discourse has raised concerns about the gravitas of secular mindfulness trainings in promoting prosocial outgrowths, as these trainings lack ethics-based concepts found in contemplative traditions. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to test whether mindfulness trainings absent explicit ethics-based instructions promote prosocial action. There was a range of small to medium standardized mean difference effect sizes of mindfulness training on overt acts of prosociality when compared with active and inactive controls, k = 29, N = 3,100, g = .426, 95% confidence interval (CI)( g) = [.304, .549]. Reliable effect size estimates were found for single-session interventions that measured prosocial behavior immediately after training. Mindfulness training also reliably promotes compassionate (but not instrumental or generous) helping and reliably reduces prejudice and retaliation. Publication bias analyses indicated that the reliability of these findings was not wholly dependent on selective reporting. Implications for the science of secular mindfulness training on prosocial action are discussed.

A new era for mind studies: training investigators in both scientific and contemplative methods of inquiry

While modern neuroscience relies on objective, quantitative methods for measuring how mental events manifest as brain activity, ancient contemplative traditions have used first-person introspective practices to gain a greater understanding of the mind. It is now possible to combine these different approaches, hopefully in a mutually enriching, synergistic way. The scientific study of the mind would benefit immensely from including expert contemplative practitioners, not only as study participants, but as full-fledged co-investigators.

Recovering the relational starting point of compassion training: A foundation for sustainable and inclusive care.

Cultivation of compassion through meditation training is of increasing interest to scientists, healthcare providers, educators, and policy makers as an approach to help address challenging personal and social issues. Yet people encounter critical inner psychological barriers to compassion that limit the effectiveness of compassion training—including the lack of a secure base, aversion to suffering, feeling alone in suffering, and reductive impressions of others. These barriers emerge, in part, from a lack of relational support and are exacerbated by modernist conceptions that present meditation as an autonomous, self-help practice. This article proposes a solution centered on relationality, derived from the integration of diverse areas of psychology with contemplative traditions. Theories and findings from social, developmental, and health psychology can inform meditation programs and help recover important relational elements of compassion training from traditional cultures that address common barriers to compassion, and thus promote more sustainable and inclusive care. In so doing, this paper illustrates the value of psychological theories for translating important contextual elements from contemplative traditions into diverse modern settings.