Thoughtseeds: A Hierarchical and Agentic Framework for Investigating Thought Dynamics in Meditative States.

A computational model called the Thoughtseeds Framework simulates thought dynamics during focused-attention Vipassana meditation. It treats thoughts as dynamic attentional agents organized in a hierarchy of nested Markov blankets across three levels: knowledge domains, a network where thoughtseeds compete, and meta-cognition that regulates awareness. The model generates four states—breath control, mind wandering, meta-awareness, and redirecting to breath—through self-organizing interactions. Expert meditators sustain control dominance, reinforcing focused attention, while novices show frequent and prolonged mind wandering, reflecting instability. The framework integrates Global Workspace Theory and active inference to explain how meta-awareness shapes a unitary meditative experience, offering testable predictions about meditation skill development.

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Abstract

The Thoughtseeds Framework introduces a novel computational approach to modeling thought dynamics in meditative states, conceptualizing thoughtseeds as dynamic attentional agents that integrate information. This hierarchical model, structured as nested Markov blankets, comprises three interconnected levels: (i) knowledge domains as information repositories, (ii) the Thoughtseed Network where thoughtseeds compete, and (iii) meta-cognition regulating awareness. It simulates focused-attention Vipassana meditation via rule-based training informed by empirical neuroscience research on attentional stability and neural dynamics. Four states-breath_control, mind_wandering, meta_awareness, and redirect_breath-emerge organically from thoughtseed interactions, demonstrating self-organizing dynamics. Results indicate that experts sustain control dominance to reinforce focused attention, while novices exhibit frequent, prolonged mind_wandering episodes, reflecting beginner instability. Integrating Global Workspace Theory and the Intrinsic Ignition Framework, the model elucidates how thoughtseeds shape a unitary meditative experience through meta-awareness, balancing epistemic and pragmatic affordances via active inference. Synthesizing computational modeling with phenomenological insights, it provides an embodied perspective on cognitive state emergence and transitions, offering testable predictions about meditation skill development. The framework yields insights into attention regulation, meta-cognitive awareness, and meditation state emergence, establishing a versatile foundation for future research into diverse meditation practices (e.g., Open Monitoring, Non-Dual Awareness), cognitive development across the lifespan, and clinical applications in mindfulness-based interventions for attention disorders, advancing our understanding of the nature of mind and thought.