Meditators describe dissolving into oneness. Near-death experiencers describe leaving their bodies. Musicians and athletes describe “flow,” where time disappears. What is happening in the brain during these expanded states of consciousness? Neuroscience doesn't have all the answers, but it has uncovered some fascinating clues.
What is “expanded consciousness”?
The phrase covers experiences where your ordinary sense of self, time and separation shifts: deep meditation, flow, awe, mystical experiences and near-death experiences. People often describe feeling more connected, more present or boundless.
What neuroscience has found
The default mode network and the sense of self
The default mode network is a set of brain regions most active when your mind wanders, replays the past or thinks about yourself. Studies of experienced meditators have found reduced activity in this network during meditation. Researchers suggest this may help explain the quieter, less self-focused states meditators report.
Meditation changes the brain
Research suggests regular meditation is associated with changes in attention, emotional regulation and stress response. Some studies report structural differences in meditators' brains, though scientists continue to debate how large and lasting these effects are.
Flow states
During flow, people become fully absorbed in a task and lose track of time and self-consciousness. Researchers link flow to shifts in attention and reduced self-monitoring.
Near-death experiences
Some studies have recorded surges of organized brain activity around the moment of death, in animals and in a small number of dying patients. Some researchers see this as a possible basis for NDEs. Others point to reports of accurate perceptions during periods of minimal brain function and argue the brain can't fully explain them. The debate is very much open. Hear experiencers and researchers for yourself in our guide to near-death experience documentaries.
Does brain activity explain it all?
This is where science meets philosophy. Finding the brain activity that accompanies an experience doesn't settle whether the brain creates consciousness or filters it, a question thinkers have debated for more than a century. Some philosophers even propose that consciousness is a basic feature of reality. See Is the Universe Conscious?
Neurosurgeon Dr. Eben Alexander, who had a profound experience during a week-long coma, shares his view in The Science of the Afterlife on Expanded Awareness.
Exploring expanded states safely
- Meditation is the most accessible, well-studied path. Start small and build.
- Awe and nature reliably shift perspective.
- Stay grounded, especially after intense experiences. See Grounding Techniques.
- Be cautious with shortcuts. Substances and extreme practices carry real risks and should only be approached with medical and legal awareness.
New to all this? Start with Consciousness 101, and watch Consciousness First free on New Reality TV.
Frequently asked questions
What happens in the brain during meditation?
Studies of experienced meditators show changes in attention networks and reduced activity in the default mode network, which is linked to mind-wandering and self-focused thought.
Can neuroscience explain spiritual experiences?
Neuroscience can identify brain activity that accompanies spiritual experiences, but whether that activity fully explains them remains a philosophical question.
What is the default mode network?
It's a set of brain regions most active during rest, daydreaming and thinking about yourself. Quieting it is associated with the less self-focused states described in meditation.