People have been practising mindfulness meditation and using psychedelics for thousands of years. Despite their distinct historical contexts, these two sacred practices have more in common than previously thought. Both have been independently studied for their potential to favour positive thinking and improve mental health. But if we fuse the two together, could we unlock the potential to permanently shift consciousness into a more tranquil state of mind?
The power of mindfulness meditation
From its roots in Eastern religious groups to its current popularity in the West, mindfulness has been widely practised for centuries. To be mindful is to be aware, so the practice of mindfulness meditation is the non-judgemental awareness of the present moment.
There are countless mindfulness techniques- focussed attention, mantra recitation, breathwork, compassion meditation- each with a distinct cultural history. The shared aim between all meditative practices is to cultivate meta-awareness, the ability to recognise when the mind has wandered and re-focus your thoughts.
Humans have a tendency to time travel as our minds wander; we dwell on the past and agonise over future uncertainties. But mindfulness focuses on the present moment, and this alters activity in a brain system called the default mode network, or DMN.
The DMN is most active during absentminded thoughts about ourselves, our past, and our future; it is responsible for generating our ego. In times of stress and anxiety, our ego becomes self-critical, sending the default mode network into overdrive.
By imaging the brains of lifelong meditators, scientists have shown that regular mindfulness training can gradually dampen activity in the default mode network. Not only does this occur during meditation, but it also weakens the DMN in our normal, mind-wandering brain state.
Interestingly, the effects of brain training aren’t just limited to long-term meditators. Researchers have demonstrated that just 7-weeks of twice-weekly mindfulness practice is enough to see significant changes in the default mode network.
The benefits of mindfulness are immediate; it is an effective way to reduce anxiety, even after just one session. Mindfulness-induced stress relief is directly correlated with DMN breakdown; the more we practice, the weaker the connectivity in the default mode network, and the greater the improvements to mental health.
Psychedelics in psychiatry
Psychedelic drugs have been studied as a tool to treat mental health disorders since the 1950s. Longstanding legal restrictions have seriously impeded their research, but there is an increasing body of evidence to suggest a role for LSD, psilocybin, DMT, MDMA, and ketamine in the treatment of:
- Major depressive disorder
- Existential anxiety in cancer patients
- Substance abuse disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
As with mindfulness, the therapeutic potential of psychedelics is down to their ability to collapse the default mode network. This silences our ego and, simultaneously, shifts our brain into an elevated state of consciousness that permits disorganised communication between diverse brain regions. In other words, psychedelics cause negative thought pathways in the DMN to be shut off and new pathways to be formed.
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is the clinical administration of psychedelic substances within a traditional therapy session. As the psychedelic brain state is less rigid than the everyday brain, the guidance of a trained therapist can shift perspective, evoke personal revelations, and cultivate a completely new way of thinking.
Psychedelics, meditation, and mysticism
The psychedelic experience brings about profound revelations; we deeply question our reality, our existence, and our life’s purpose. Yet, mindfulness focuses on mental clarity. We try to switch off our thoughts. To exist only in the here and now. But if our thoughts whilst on psychedelics and whilst practising mindfulness are so wildly different, how do they have such similar effects on the brain?
A psychedelic trip and the deep meditative state share one key characteristic: the mystical experience. According to writer and theologian Alan Watts, this is a ’state of consciousness in which the individual discovers himself to be one continuous process with the Universe, or the ultimate and eternal reality’. Both meditation and psychedelics are linked to spirituality, and their ability to evoke mystical experiences has been documented for thousands of years.
Over time, both practices have been adopted by western culture, and scientists are now attempting to bring some clarity to the mystical experience. According to a review published in Current Topics in Behavioural Neuroscience, mystical experiences are a consequence of a disintegration of the default mode network.
Mysticism conjures feelings of spacelessness and timelessness. As the DMN upholds our ability to mentally time travel, its breakdown underlies this transcendence of time – a shared feature of both the psychedelic experience and a deep meditative state.
Both psychedelics and mindfulness quieten the DMN, subsequently silencing our ego. Those who have encountered a mystical experience have described feelings of self-acceptance, compassion, and unity. Without a self-critical voice, we are able to reflect deeply and free of judgement, and it is this that underpins the role of psychedelics and mindfulness in the treatment of mental health.
Mysticism conjures feelings of spacelessness and timelessness. As the DMN upholds our ability to mentally time travel, its breakdown underlies this transcendence of time – a shared feature of both the psychedelic experience and a deep meditative state.
But both interventions act over different time courses. Psychedelics rapidly, but temporarily, disintegrate the default mode network, whereas mindfulness only induces changes to our brain with consistent practice. So, if psychedelics and meditation have comparable psychological outcomes but act via different brain mechanisms, could their combined use enhance their effectiveness?
Psychedelic-assisted mindfulness
The concept of combining psychedelic use with mindfulness meditation was investigated in 2019. In two studies, psilocybin- the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms- was administered in a random, double-blind manner to volunteers at a 5-day mindfulness retreat.
Psilocybin decoupled the neural connections between two major regions of the DMN, far more than the placebo drug. This was associated with a deeper meditative state and a greater ego loss. These neurological changes were even visible 4 months after the initial dosage, suggesting that psychedelic-assisted mindfulness can yield greater, more permanent psychological benefits than either intervention alone.
In a follow-up study of experienced meditators in a similar 5-day retreat, a high dose of psilocybin resulted in greater ego-dissolution than in those who took the placebo. They also reported more positive feelings of openness, optimism and fewer adverse effects. Transient feelings of anxiety have been reported as an unwanted side effect of psychedelic use. But if combined with mindfulness, breathing techniques and non-judgemental awareness may help to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety during psychedelic therapy.
Traditional mindfulness meditation takes considerable time and effort to master, which isn’t ideal for those at a crisis point with their mental health. But combining mindfulness with psychedelics may fast-track the brain to that of an experienced meditator, rapidly improving mental health. In the future, it is thought that this could be an alternative therapeutic avenue for those with treatment-resistant depression.
Psychedelics and mindfulness are therefore said to have a synergistic relationship, meaning their combined effect is greater than the sum of its parts.
Mindfulness as an integration tool
During a psychedelic trip, many images, memories, and often cryptic messages are brought to the surface. It can be hard to make sense of them, but it is important to consolidate these feelings and experiences- and this is achieved by a process called integration.
Integration aims to implement any lessons learnt during a trip into our day-to-day lives. In trials of psychedelic therapy, a follow-up talking therapy session has been used as an integration tool to help patients achieve long-lasting transformations in lifestyle and mindset. For those who take psychedelics in pursuit of enjoyment or self-understanding, integration has a less rigid definition. Some will journal or write poetry about their experience. Others will seek guidance from friends or a counsellor.
Mindfulness is not just useful during a trip, but it may hold promise as an integration tool. Bringing attention to the mind and body during mindfulness is a grounding experience. After an eventful psychedelic journey, this could help us to re-centre our thoughts and confront emotions from the psychedelic experience without judgement.
Mindfulness is a tool that can be used independently. With sustained practice, mindfulness can improve emotional resilience, making us more equipped to deal with negative emotions. This may also reduce the likelihood of relapsing into a state of poor mental health and help to maintain the positive outcomes of psychedelic therapy.
The future of psychedelic meditation
Due to legal restrictions on psychedelics, there is a substantial lack of research into their use as a mental health tool. And there is even less evidence to support the idea of combining them with meditation. That’s not to say it won’t work, but there’s still a lot that we don’t know.
As our understanding of the default mode network grows, it is becoming clear that mindfulness and psychedelic therapy share the ability to rewire the way we think. Used together, psychedelics could accelerate our minds into a deeper meditative state, and mindfulness could make the positive outcomes of psychedelic therapy more permanent.
Considerably more research is needed, but there is huge promise in combining psychedelic use with mindfulness meditation. The nation’s mental health is at a crisis point; there is an urgent need for clinical interventions that elicit immeasurable and permanent change- could psychedelic-assisted mindfulness be the answer?
