EEG measurement of Nirodha Samapatti

Revealing Nirodha Samapatti (youtube), a deep or even non-state analogous to flatlining that few practitioners have mastered.

Special guests Delson Armstrong and Dr Ruben Laukkonen discuss their latest ground-breaking paper ‘Cessations of consciousness in meditation: Advancing a scientific understanding of nirodha samāpatti’ in which Delson Armstrong’s ability to enter the rarefied state of nirodha samāpatti, a feat of extended cessation achievable by only the most virtuoso meditators, was tested by Dr Laukkonen and Prof. Slagter's neuroscience team with astonishing results.

Delson has been measured entering these states for minutes in the lab, but claims to have been in this state once for six days straight, a claim that would imply a type of human hibernation.

Delson's youtube

Future of Mindfulness Engineering

On the Guru Viking podcast

Ep128: Pioneering Science - Dr Jud Brewer, Shinzen Young, Chelsey Fasano, & Dr Sanguinetti

 

In this episode special guest Dr Jud Brewer - pioneering psychiatrist, neurosciencist, and New York Times best-selling author - joins the ongoing conversation featuring:

 - Shinzen Young, meditation teacher and neuroscience research consultant

 - Chelsey Fasano, a Columbia University neuroscience student

 - Dr Jay Sanguinetti, Assistant Director for the Center for Consciousness Studies and Research Professor at the University of New Mexico

 

In this episode Dr Brewer gives a fascinating summary of his ground-breaking work, and shares his wildest secret dream for the future of neuroscience and humanity at large. Dr Sanguinetti and Shinzen reveal the latest science in their lab, and dialogue with Dr Brewer about pseudo-arhats and the power of conditioning. The panel also map the 4 noble truths using the latest neuroscience theories, debate the pros and cons of including subjective experience in serious research, explore how to translate academic language into common parlance, and raise serious concerns about healthy integration of altered states.

Finders Course, Jeffery Martin Research + Video

The latest academic research on the Finders Course and 45 Day programs:

Effects of Two Online Positive Psychology and Meditation Programs on Persistent Self-Transcendence

 

 

A video presentation that features information about the "depth" and progress through the locations:

 

The Martin Matrix, a Comprehensive Map of Persistent Non-Symbolic Experience 

 

Psilocybin Induces New Neural Connections

Landmark study shows one dose of psilocybin induces new neural connections

 

"The researchers show how the psychedelic prompts rapid growth of neural connections in the frontal cortex of mice and hypothesize this mechanism playing a role in the drug’s antidepressant qualities."

Psilocybin Increases Neural Connections

 Psychedelic spurs growth of neural connections lost in depression.

"a single dose of psilocybin given to mice prompted an immediate and long-lasting increase in connections between neuron"

Psilocybin as Effective as Antidepressant

Psilocybin therapy appears to be at least as effective as a leading conventional antidepressant

Psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, may be at least as effective as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, the leading type of antidepressant medication, according to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The phase 2, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial compared psilocybin to the antidepressant medication escitalopram.

Light and Sound Machines for Alzheimer's

Early Trial Shows Flickering Lights Could Fight Alzheimer's

Mouse studies using 40 hertz (gamma) stimulation of light and sound have had some effect in Alzheimer's models.  A preliminary study on 10 humans showed some immune response which indicates some potential benefits.

 

Successful Phase 3 Trial for MMDA

MAPS’ Phase 3 Trial of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD Achieves Successful Results for Patients with Severe, Chronic PTSD

Psilocybin Alters Brain Function One Month Out

Emotions and brain function are altered up to one month after a single high dose of psilocybin.

At one month, positive affect remained elevated, and trait anxiety was reduced.

Psychedelics Shake Up Psychiatry

How ecstasy and psilocybin are shaking up psychiatry. (Nature, 2021)

Carhart-Harris Psychedelic App

The MyDelica app "offers a personalized progress tracker and evidence-based advice service for educating & safeguarding psychedelic journeys"

No idea about this, but being as it is from the Robin Carhart-Harris team, might be worth a look for people seeking safe and therapeutic experiences.

Psilocybin Relieves Depression

Psilocybin showed significant effectiveness against major depression, much more powerful than psychotherapy or antidepressants.

Screened participants were given a moderately high dose of 20mg/70kg (perhaps 4.5 grams mushrooms for a 70kg person) and a week and a half later were given a high dose of 30mg/70kg (perhaps 6.7 grams / 70 kg).

"These data expand the findings of previous studies involving patients with cancer and depression as well as patients with treatment-resistant depression by suggesting that psilocybin may be effective in the much larger population of MDD. Further studies are needed with active treatment or placebo controls and in larger and more diverse populations."

Oregon legalizes, DC & Oregon decriminalize psychedelics

Oregon legalizes psilocybin for therapeutic use and decriminalizes a number of substances.

Washington D.C. categorizes psychedelic plants and fungi as “the lowest level police enforcement priority.”

 

LSD-MDMA "Candyflipping" Clinical Trial

I feel like we're living in bizarro world as a combination LSD and MMDA clinical trial is set to begin later this year.

Finders Paper Published

The material from the Finders Course research that has been available as a continually updated white paper on the Non-Symbolic website has now been finalized and published in an open access journal.

Psychedelics help individuals accept emotions

Psychedelic drugs reduce depressive symptoms by helping individuals accept their emotions, study suggests

"the use of psychedelics in both ceremonial and non-ceremonial settings was associated with decreases in experiential avoidance, which in turn was associated with decreases in depression severity and suicidal ideation 4-weeks after psychedelic use.

Our findings suggest that one of the reasons that psychedelic therapy has positive therapeutic effects is that it helps individuals to be less avoidant and more accepting of their emotions, thoughts, and memories (even though such experiences may be distressing in the short-term)

More broadly, our results provide further support for the negative mental health effects associated with avoidance. This can be summed up with a saying that is often used in the context of psychedelic therapy, that ‘The only way out is through.'"

Psilocybin effect on Anxiety and Depression

A small meta-analysis (117 subjects total) "suggests psilocybin in combination with behavioral support may provide a safe and effective treatment option for reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression."

Finders Course "Lite"

As a PSA, there is something of a coronavirus special for the Finders Course, a shortened 45 day version being offered for $120.  Starts this Saturday the 11th.

See Jeffery Martin with the details and the sales pitch here on Vimeo.

Could be good for people that need a little structure and motivation to jumpstart a meditation practice.

Mindfulness Reduces Paranoia

One week of mindfulness training can reduce paranoia

One of the main aspects of mindfulness is the ability to respond to internal experiences in a non-judgement way. In earlier research, non-judgement has also been identified as an important factor in predicting the effect of paranoid thinking, which is why the authors of the study decided to investigate this particular aspect of mindfulness.

Meditation and Mental Health

Self‐compassion and acceptance of experiences may explain the link between meditation and mental health

The study suggests that meditation is associated with improved mental health because of its relationship with self‐compassion, meaning in life, and the absence of experiential avoidance.