Papers published on the site
This page showcases a collection of scientific papers published by the Wellspring Institute, exploring the intersection of neuroscience, meditation, and contemplative practices. These articles aim to provide insights into how brain training can foster greater happiness, wisdom, and well-being.
Access Concentration and Jhana Training from the Visuddhimagga
Michael Hagerty
The Visuddhimagga (1991) is the ancient instruction manual for Buddhist teachers of mediation. It was written sometime in the fifth century but is a compendium of many earlier manuscripts. It continues to be the authoritative source for masters of Buddhist meditation. It describes the development of advanced concentration techniques that culminate in the altered state of intense joy called jhanas. The Visuddhimagga enumerates 40 different object of meditation that can lead to jhana (Visu. III, 104): 10 kasinas (visible objects including earth, water, fire, air, blue, yellow, red, white, light, and limited space), 10 meditations on dead bodies and rotting corpses (no longer practiced because of public health laws), 10 recollections (of the Buddha, the Dharma, Mindfulness of Breathing, etc.), 4 divine abidings (lovingkindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity), 4 immaterial states, one perception and one defining. Each object of meditation gives rise to several “signs” as the meditation develops. The first sign is simply the visual image of the object. With practice this sign can be viewed with eyes closed (without the material input of the eye required), though it retains imperfections of the material realm (asymmetry, imperfect color, etc.). This is called the “learning sign” (Visu IV 31) Finally with continuing practice the imperfections disappear, and the perfect “counterpart sign” is seen, first with eyes closed, and in master practioners with eyes open. Once this counterpart sign is apprehended, access concentration has been attained. Jhana is attained simply by remaining in access concentration for long periods of time. Details from crucial chapters follow, with many direct quotes from the Visuddhimagga in order to give a sense of its instructional method for concentration.
EEG Power and Coherence Analysis of an Expert Meditator in the
Eight Jhanas 1,2
Michael R. Hagerty 3 , Julian Isaacs 4 , Leigh Brasington,
Larry Shupe5 , Eberhard E. Fetz 6
Abstract: We report the first EEG recordings of an expert in the 8 advanced meditations called jhanas, and propose 5 hypotheses on how the jhanas differ in EEG power from the eyes-closed resting state at 7 different brain regions. We hypothesize simple changes in the brain regions responsible for each of the 5 principal experiential features of jhana states. These features are: (1) internal verbalizations fade, (2) external awareness dims, (3) the sense of personal boundaries is altered, (4) the experience of evaluations, goals, and “shoulds” diminishes, and (5) attention is highly focused on the object of meditation. The results strongly confirm reduced activity in the brain regions related to the first 3 hypotheses, with all 16 of the planned comparisons significant and in the predicted direction. With respect to Hypothesis 4, results are mixed, with all 4 predictions significantly confirmed in the alpha1 band, but all 4 disconfirmed in the theta band. Lastly, Hypothesis 5 was mostly confirmed, with 5 of the 6 planned comparisons in the predicted direction. The EEG spectra show strong, significant, and consistent differences in specific brain regions when the meditator is in a jhana state compared to normal resting consciousness.