Study Finds Evidence Of Higher Consciousness From Psychedelics
Scientists have found the first evidence of a higher state of consciousness by measuring the complexity of brain activity of people under the influence of psychedelics. The study measured magnetic fields generated by brain activity and used the data to create an index of varying levels of consciousness.
The study, conducted by a team at the University of Sussex in England, looked at the diversity of brain signals, a measure of the complexity of brain activity, in people under the influence of psilocybin, LSD, and ketamine, compared to the brain activity of people in lower levels of consciousness, such as sleep, anesthesia, and ‘vegetative’ states.
Participants under the influence of these drugs showed higher than baseline diversity, or higher levels than someone who is simply awake. This is the first time a measure of an elevated consciousness has been recorded in a study of its kind.
The researchers were quick to point out that their measure of higher consciousness doesn’t necessarily imply that the psychedelic state is better or higher functioning than our normal waking state. Instead the index they’ve used shows that the psychedelic state increases small magnetic fields produced by the brain and higher neural-signal diversity in all three types of drugs.
According to the study, “During the psychedelic state, the electrical activity of the brain is less predictable and less ‘integrated’ than during normal conscious wakefulness.”
One researcher involved in the study, Dr. Muthukumaraswamy, said he was surprised the results were consistent with each drug, despite their differing pharmacology. He and his colleagues believe that their research could lead to carefully-controlled use of the drug for therapeutic treatment in patients suffering from severe depression.
The group found correlation between participants’ reports of changes in intensity of the psychedelic experience and changes in brain signal diversity. They believe this shows there is a difference in aspects of brain activity in our everyday conscious experience.
This study comes after recent trials have shown psilocybin can flip a “reset” mechanism in the brains of people suffering from depression. Similar studies found benefits in the therapeutic use of ketamine and LSD for people suffering from a range of physical and psychiatric issues, including drug addiction and PTSD.
Similar studies have been conducted to test electroencephalography, or EEG, on participants in deep states of meditation, finding increased levels of alpha and theta wave activity. It’s unclear whether this recent study plans on testing participants levels of brain-signal diversity in non-intoxicated, altered states of consciousness.
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Brain Scans of Shamans Show Ability to Alter Consciousness Naturally
A new study is the first to investigate what occurs in an alternate state of consciousness by looking inside the brain of a shaman.
Shamanism is considered to be the most ancient form of healing and spiritual practice. While science has been studying the healing benefits of the psychoactive plants used by shamans to enter into an altered state of consciousness, there have been very few studies to look at the neurological nature of the state itself. A groundbreaking new study investigated the shamanic state of consciousness accessed without the use of psychedelics.
Carlos Tanner is a longtime student of traditional shamanism and the director of the Ayahuasca Foundation. an educational and ceremonial center in Peru. “Shamanism refers to an alternate dimension, a dimension where spirits reside, where communication is possible, where greater insights can be acquired and brought back to the waking-day life,” Tanner said. “So a shaman would be someone who can enter into a different dimension and then pull that back.”
The process by which shamans access this state is rooted in the rich tradition of what Tanner calls, a ‘science of consciousness enhancement.’
“Oftentimes, there is the term ‘ceremony’ to describe the intentional entrance into this shamanic state. So there would be a preparation where there might be rituals to essentially prepare, certain clothing might be worn, and the use of certain tools, oftentimes a musical instrument, might be used,” Tanner said.
“All of those are a beautiful science of consciousness enhancement that, I think, has been developed through the continual use of a psychotropic substance, although to a point where, in many cases, the psychotropic substance is no longer needed to enter that state because the consciousness enhancement that was provided by the psychotropic substance can be accomplished without it.”
Richard Harris Ph.D. is a researcher at the University of Michigan who conducted the recent study on the shamanic state of consciousness. Dr. Harris and his team were interested in investigating this state in its purest form, unaffected neurologically by the use of any exogenous substances. To facilitate the entrance into the altered state without the use of psychedelics, the practitioners all listened to a recording of shamanic drumming.
“So, we did a study with 24 shamanic practitioners and 24 normal, control individuals and we collected EEG data (electroencephalogram data), you know brain activity data, while each participant had their eyes closed while they were listening to classical music which was the control condition, and then while they were listening to shamanic drumming music which was the more experimental condition,” Dr. Harris said. “So, what we’re doing with the shamanic drumming, we’re using the person’s own physiology to engender the state.”
