Understanding the Nature of Oneness Experience in Meditators Using Collective Intelligence Methods

Abstract

Research on meditation and mindfulness practice has flourished in recent years. While much of this research has focused on well-being outcomes associated with mindfulness practice, less research has focused on how perception of self may change as a result of mindfulness practice, or whether these changes in self-perception may be mechanisms of mindfulness in action. This is somewhat surprising given that mindfulness derives from traditions often described as guiding people to realize and experience the nonseparation of self from the world or its "oneness" with the whole of reality. The current study used a collective intelligence methodology, Interactive Management (IM), to explore the nature of oneness experiences. Five IM sessions were conducted with five separate groups of experienced meditators. Participants generated, clarified, and selected oneness self-perceptions they believed most characterized their experience both during meditation and in their everyday experience in the world. Each group also developed structural models describing how highly ranked aspects of oneness self-perceptions are interrelated in a system. Consistent themes and categories of oneness experience appeared across the five IM sessions, with changes in the sense of space (unboundedness), time, identity, wholeness, and flow highlighted as most influential. Results are discussed in light of emerging theory and research on oneness self-perception and non-dual awareness.

From Self-Esteem to Selflessness: An Evidence (Gap) Map of Self-Related Processes as Mechanisms of Mindfulness-Based Interventions

“…In theoretical and preliminary empirical studies, experiences of a perceived diminishment or dissolution of the boundaries that separate self and world have been defined and measured through an array of largely overlapping constructs, including self-transcendent experience ( Yaden et al, 2017 ), lack of sense of boundaries ( Ataria, 2015 ; Ataria et al, 2015 ), non-dual awareness ( Hanley et al, 2018 ), oneness experience ( Van Lente and Hogan, 2020 ), and selflessness ( Dor-Ziderman et al, 2013 ; Dambrun, 2016 ). Confusingly, in other contexts the identical terms selflessness ( Dambrun and Ricard, 2011 ; Hanley et al, 2017 ) and self-transcendence ( Vago and Silbersweig, 2012 ; Kang, 2019 ) have been used to refer to allocentric forms of identity – a social identity construct about the degree to which other people are included in one’s self-concept.…”

Enhancing the implementation and sustainability of fundamental movement skill interventions in the UK and Ireland: lessons from collective intelligence engagement with stakeholders

“…These barriers were categorised using the paired-comparison method ([ 28 ]; cf. [ 41 ]). The CI facilitation team (Author 1 and Author 2) conducted open coding and category creation.…”

“…A structural meta-analysis of the three models was conducted to understand the relationship between categories of barriers. In order to carry out this analysis, the following scores (i.e., position score, antecedent/succedent score, influence score) were computed to estimate the influence of each category, as per reported process in [ 41 ].…”

“…The analysis and reporting process used in the current study follows the standard processes of generating categorised field representations of ideas and for meta-analysis of ISM structure as described in [ 41 ]. Barrier statements in response to the initial trigger question collated from participants were analysed by barrier categories.…”

Implicit-explicit gradient of nondual awareness or consciousness as such

“…(Metzinger 2020;Tang and Holzel 2015;Woods et al 2020). In addition to newly developing methods of assessing participants' experience, neuroscience studies have significantly increased our understanding of consciousness in contemplative and altered state experiences (Ataria et al 2015;Hanley et al 2018;Lente and Hogan 2020;Lutz and Thompson 2003;Petitmengin et al 2019; but see Krageloh ).…”