Advances in Contemplative Science - Volume II

This Research Topic is the second volume of the collection 'Advances in Contemplative Science’, please find the first volume here.

Over the last twenty years, a great amount of research has been conducted in the field of “Contemplative Science” (CS), considered a crossroads between contemplative spiritual traditions and neuroscience. This is a relatively heterogeneous discipline that includes quite different techniques (mindfulness, compassion, body-mind techniques, etc.), distinct approaches from secular to religious traditions (Buddhism, Vedanta, shamanism, monotheistic religions, etc.), and different sets of terminology that frequently require clarification. One of the more challenging features of CS is its methodology, given the difficulty involved in assessing its introspection dimension. The consequence of all these aspects is that CS has become one of the newest and most interesting fields of research in psychology.

The goal of this Research Topic on “Advances in Contemplative Science (CS)” is to show the new fields of research within this area of Neuroscience. Any of the different disciplines encompassed by CS are welcome, including but not restricted to, mindfulness, compassion, acceptance, equanimity, nonduality, and any other technique that may be broadly covered by this domain. Authors can approach the topic from any of the interdisciplinary subjects that intersect with CS such as medicine, psychology, education, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, new technologies, and religion, for instance. The goal of this issue is to further knowledge into the less known aspects of CS, such as how these disciplines modify the human brain, the description of the effects of CS from the inner experience of the meditator, and the mechanisms of action involved in these techniques.

The scope of the Research Topic includes the different disciplines usually considered to be contemplative sciences, such as mindfulness, compassion, acceptance, equanimity, nonduality, and body disciplines, also in addition to other less researched aspects such as lucid dreams, mantras, and the effect of retreats. Studies based on practices from different traditions such as Buddhism, Daoism, Zen, Vedanta, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, or any other religion would be considered, as well as studies from a secular perspective. Finally, the kind of papers considered acceptable for this issue include systematic reviews and meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, papers using qualitative methods, genetic or neurobiological research, epidemiological studies, and descriptive and opinion papers.