- Advanced meditators report stronger non-dual experiences during breath-watching meditation than novices and controls.
- Across participants, intrinsic neural timescales are longer during internal attention than during external attention.
- Advanced meditators show similar intrinsic neural timescales for internal and external attention, reduced timescale difference correlates with stronger non-dual reports.
Commun Biol. 2026 Jun 12. doi: 10.1038/s42003-026-10473-9. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Distinguishing between self (internal) and environment (external) is fundamental to human experience, yet mind-body traditions describe non-dual states where this boundary dissolves. However, the neural basis of non-duality remains underexplored. We investigate this in advanced and novice meditators from the Isha Yoga tradition and meditation-naïve controls using psychological scales and EEG-based intrinsic neural timescales (INT). Subjects perform breath-watching meditation (internal attention) and a cognitive task (external attention), allowing us to operationalize non-duality as reduced internal-external distinction. Key findings include: (a) advanced meditators report stronger non-dual experiences during breath-watching than novices and controls; (b) across participants, INTs are longer during internal than external attention; (c) advanced meditators show similar INT durations between internal and external attention; and (d) this reduced INT difference correlates with stronger reported non-dual experiences. These results suggest that similar duration of intrinsic neural timescales during internal and external attention may serve as a neural signature of non-duality.
PMID:42286132 | DOI:10.1038/s42003-026-10473-9
Share Evidence Blueprint
Save to Google Notes
Search Google Scholar
Save as PDF
⭐ My Revision List
