Self-Transcendent Perceptual Dynamics and the Effects of Dispositional Mindfulness on Altered States of Consciousness: A Prospective Longitudinal Observational Study of a Naturalistic Psychedelic Retreat
Sebastian Ehmann, Nikoloz Mosahvili, Angela White, John Cuzzupe, Brooke Tompkins, Jodi McKibben, John J.B. Allen, Michael Gawrysiak
PsyArXiv December 31, 2025 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/6jf49_v1
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPeople with higher levels of dispositional mindfulness—the tendency to pay attention to present-moment experience nonjudgmentally—are more likely to experience self-transcendent perceptual changes during a naturalistic psychedelic retreat. Over a prospective longitudinal observational study, participants who scored higher on mindfulness measures reported greater alterations in consciousness, including feelings of unity and sacredness. The findings suggest that pre-existing mindfulness may shape how individuals respond to psychedelic experiences, potentially enhancing their capacity for profound shifts in perception and self-awareness.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Prospective longitudinal observational study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 155 |
| Population | Participants of a naturalistic psychedelic retreat |
| Key finding | Higher dispositional mindfulness is associated with greater self-transcendent perceptual dynamics and altered states of consciousness during a naturalistic psychedelic retreat. |
Abstract
Self-Transcendent Perceptual Dynamics and the Effects of Dispositional Mindfulness on Altered States of Consciousness: A Prospective Longitudinal Observational Study of a Naturalistic Psychedelic Retreat