THE SCIENCE

The All Here Meditation Institute pursues the enhancement of the practice of meditation through evidence based scientific research.

Amongst our research, we study the various meditation traditions and classify them into distinct types of practices, conducting research into these practices in order to understand the neuroscientific and physiological impacts.

We are investigating advanced meditation practitioners from different traditions:

• Vedic Yogic tradition
• Buddhist Theravada Tradition: Pa Auk tradition, Mahashi tradition, Thai Forest Tradition, Yogavacara tradition
• Zazen
• Tibetan Tantric practices
• Other eastern and western traditions

Our goal is to offer a comprehensive suite of services tailored specifically to the needs of experienced meditation practitioners, allowing them to gain deeper insights into their meditative technique, monitor their progress, and optimise their overall experience.

There is a lack of facilities dedicated to providing assessments for advanced meditators. All Here meditation labs will fill this gap.

At All Here meditation labs, ancient traditions meet cutting-edge science. We offer assessment services to help meditators check, understand, and monitor their progress. Our goal is to promote a deeper, evidence-based understanding of meditation.

Our services include:

• Assessment as a service for expert meditators based on scientific findings: EEG, ECG, fMRI & other physiological measurements
  • EEG features: The frequency bands and power (Alpha, Theta, Delta, Beta, Gamma, infraslow), the topographic distribution of the EEG signal, baseline analysis (trait), comparison between the baseline and a meditative state (state). Further EEG advanced features such as connectivity, asymmetry, phase lag, etc.
  • Physiological measurements: Heart rate, HRV, respiratory rate, skin conductance, etc.
  • fMRI access: Functional MRI to study brain activity and structure during meditation.
  • Cognitive and behavioral tasks

We are committed to advancing the scientific understanding of meditation through research and collaborations with leading scientists.

Our locations worldwide include:

• Geneva, Switzerland
• Coming soon: Bengaluru, India; USA; South Korea

Join All Here meditation labs to refine your practice and be part of the future of meditation

Researching expert meditators presents several challenges due to the unique nature of their practice and the complexities involved in studying their experiences. Here are some of the key challenges:

1. Limited Scientific Understanding: The scientific understanding of expert meditators is still in its early stages. Most research has focused on the effects of meditation interventions rather than the actual states experienced by long-term practitioners. Much of the existing research tends to measure changes before and after a meditation program or intervention, rather than exploring the nuanced meditative states that expert meditators may enter.
2. Rich and Diverse Traditions & Complexity of Meditative States: Meditation practices are highly diverse across different traditions (e.g., mindfulness, Zen, Vipassana), making it challenging to generalize findings across all expert meditators. Meditative states are complex and vary widely even among expert practitioners. Capturing these states accurately and consistently through scientific methods requires sophisticated experimental designs and analysis techniques.
3. Difficulty in Accessing Expert Meditators: High-level meditators often reside in remote areas or monastic settings, making them difficult to recruit for studies. Additionally, gaining their trust and cooperation can be challenging due to their dedication to privacy and their practice. Research involving expert meditators must navigate ethical considerations, such as respecting their privacy, cultural beliefs, and the potential impact of scientific scrutiny on their spiritual practices.
4. Objective and Subjective Measures: In scientific publications, the meditation experience of practitioners is frequently categorized based on quantitative metrics such as the total hours of practice, frequency, and duration of sessions. The question arises whether these quantitative measures always correlate with the qualitative level of meditation attained by the practitioner. To understand the meditative states of expert meditators, combining objective measures (such as EEG to monitor brain activity and other measurements to monitor the physiology) with subjective reports (self-assessments of experience) is essential. Interpreting subjective experiences in a standardized and reliable manner requires methodological attention.

Addressing these challenges requires interdisciplinary collaboration, innovative research methodologies, and a deep respect for the traditions and practices of expert meditators. As research progresses, overcoming these hurdles will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the potential benefits and mechanisms of meditation.