Estados de consciencia durante la práctica meditativa: un estudio neurofenomenológico

Abstract

This Dissertation is structured in two studies. Study 1 includes an ad hoc design of a scale which characterizes the states of consciousness during meditation practice (EECM), consisting of 26 items with three- factor structure: "Transcendence" (F1), "mental silence" (F2) and "physical and mental stability" (F3). In Study 2 electroencephalographic (EEG) activity and subsequent data provided by the subjects about their experience in meditation were jointly analyzed. These data are obtained from two different sources (1) scores on the sub-factors of the EECM developed in Study 1 and (2) an indication of in which of the following four microstates of increased depth- the subject was at certain moments, wandering mind, one mind, silent mind and penetrating consciousness. According to the results of Study 2, the "deeper" states (i.e., with higher scores on the sub-factors of the EECM, or penetrating consciousness) are characterized by increased activity of the fastest waves in parietal-occipital areas (specially in the gamma frequency, and with less intensity in beta2), minor theta activity in certain posterior areas, and in frontal beta1 activity. On the other hand, the wandering states (lower scores in the EECM, wandering mind) are characterized by decreases in gamma/beta2 in posterior areas, and increased activity in the theta waves and beta1 in these regions. These results confirm that the subjective experience when meditating is related to its neurophysiological correlates and demonstrate the usefulness of the neurophenomenological approach in research on meditation practices.