Potential Future Projects

An Exploration of Tibetan Generation Phase Practices

• This study would examine the neurobiology of Tibetan Generation Phase using EEG.
• We are in the planning phase of this study

Neuroscience and Phenomenological Study of Thai Theravada Expert Meditators

• We are well-placed for this, having met with many expert Theravada meditators in January 2023, and have established a relationship with Chiang Mai University.

Identifying Expert Practitioners of Islamic Contemplative Practice (2025-2029)

• This project is planned to start in 2025/2026 – it aims to use cutting-edge qualitative methods and a Co-Design approach to identify expert practitioners of Islamic Contemplative practice and starting a Co-Design approach. 
• This could lay the groundwork for a project integrating neuroscience in the longer-term future.
• We are exploring potential strategic funding with ISEOM team members Dr. Clare McVeigh and Dr. Helen Noble, Professors at Queen's University Belfast, UK to fund one PhD student for this project."

Building Capacity in Asia (and perhaps one day South America and Africa) for Contemplative Sciences Research and the Study of Extra-Ordinary States of Mind 

• Although many expert contemplatives and meditators are based in Asia, most of the Contemplative Scientists are based in North America and Europe.
• To change this, as soon as funding allows, we would love to have graduate student and post-doctoral fellowships co-sponsored by a) ISEOM funding partners and b) Universities in Asian countries.

From August 28 to September 8, 2022, we conducted first investigations during a 10 day meditation retreat led by Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw’s student, teacher Shaila Catherine and 10 of her most advanced students. Although these participants were lay practitioners, they showed great success in entering the first four form Jhanas.
 

Preliminary results suggest that Jhana meditation had remarkable effects on the brain, as measured through cutting-edge electro-encephalography (EEG) and computational methods.  Our study is the first robust scientific investigation of advanced Jhana meditators from a specific practice system. We plan to publish the full results soon. 

 These findings advance the science of meditation in important ways. Many, though not all, studies on meditation focus on novice practitioners or those with only a few months of experience. Our study is different in that we have worked with highly experienced practitioners from a very specific practice background. Furthermore, we are not only interested in the general effects of meditation, but specifically in the profound effects of Jhana meditation. There have been very few other scientific studies of Jhana. Among these studies, most examined Jhana meditators who were not as experienced or who practiced in a variety of traditions, which limits our confidence that they were really achieving consistent states of absorption. Our study is the first robust scientific investigation of advanced Jhana meditators from a specific practice system. The results of our study could be a powerful way of sharing the profound impacts of meditation with the western world. 

 ISEOM researchers’ met with 29 venerable monks, nuns, and other expert meditators from different Theravada traditions around Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Thailand, to learn about their practices, and build a relationship with them, as well as the prestigious Chiang Mai University in preparation for future neuroscience and phenomenological studies.