Course Syllabus

 

Neuroscience of Mindfulness and Meditation Preliminary Syllabus

 

Semester & Location:	Summer Session 2, starting in 2026 - DIS Stockholm
Type & Credits:	Elective Course - 3 credits
Study Tour:	Lyon, France
Major Disciplines:	Psychology, Neuroscience, Pre-Medicine/Health Science
Prerequisite(s):	One course in neuroscience, physiological psychology, biological psychology, or neuroanatomy at university level.
Faculty Members:	Annelies van't Westeinde (current students please use the Canvas Inbox)
Program Contact:	Department email address psy.cns@dis.dk
Time & Place:	Time: TBA Classroom: TBA Please check day-to-day details in Canvas calendar

 

Course Description

What are the neural and cognitive mechanisms underlying meditation and yoga? How do yoga and meditation allow us to explore the depths of consciousness and also improve our mental and physical health? Although these practices have increased in popularity in recent decades, our scientific understanding of how meditation and yoga impact the brain and body is still limited. In this course, we will dive into the origins of meditation and yoga, explore the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying meditation, and consider the potential for long-term changes in the brain through regular practice. We will also explore the more immediate effects of yoga and evaluate the potential of yoga and meditation as evidence-based holistic therapies. Finally, we will touch upon questions regarding the neural basis of expanded or altered states of consciousness, both through meditation and the use of psychedelic substances that temporarily alter our state of mind, with enduring effects in terms of neural and cognitive functioning and potential implications for clinical interventions. 

 

Learning Objectives

Students in this class will:

• Develop a broad understanding of the origins of yoga & meditation
• Understand the physiological effects of practicing yoga
• Understand the neural mechanisms underlying meditation using different techniques, and the long-term changes they cause in the brain
• Understand the potential of yoga, meditation and psychedelics for mental health improvement, as well as the underlying mechanisms of change
• Critically evaluate scientific literature on meditation and yoga
• Understand the use of different neuroimaging methods in meditation and yoga research, and know which method to choose for relevant research questions

 

Course Overview

The course will consist of three themes, covering the following broad topics:

Theme Yoga

• Origins
• Breathing & asana (posture) effects on the nervous system
• Yoga as therapy

Theme Meditation

• Origins & classification
• Neural mechanisms of state and trait meditation
• Meditation as therapy

Theme Altered States of Consciousness

• Spiritual experiences during meditation
• Psychedelics
• Risk factors

 

Students will examine current research and review articles in the areas of yoga, meditation and psychedelic research. The course will combine experience of yoga and meditation with critical reflection of current literature in the field.

In this course each and every one of us has the equal and unique responsibility to facilitate the most optimal learning outcomes. Students are expected to:

• Complete all reading assignments prior to coming to class
• Contribute to class discussions and group activities
• Draw upon your experiences from the field studies on yoga and meditation
• Work independently and be active in group work
• Write down reflections throughout the course

Be punctual and attend all classes; missing classes without a legitimate excuse will result in a lower participation grade

Study Tour: Lyon, France

This study tour offers the opportunity to dive deeply into mindfulness, yoga, and meditation practices, while exploring the beautiful city and surroundings of Lyon, France. During the tour you will practice meditation and experience how mindful awareness changes our perception of life in different settings. We will also do a deep dive into ourselves to discover the stillness within peaceful environments. The experience-based focus will be combined with critical scientific thinking about methods of studying the effects of meditation on the brain and wellbeing.

Faculty

Annelies van't Westeinde, PhD. Annelies obtained her PhD in Medical Science from Karolinska Insitutet in Sweden. She has a Bachelor's degree in psychobiology and a Master's degree in neuroscience from the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Annelies started practicing yoga and meditation during her undergraduate studies and has completed a Raja yoga teacher training in France, a Heartfulness yoga teacher training in India, and a Heartfulness meditation teacher trainer in India. After completing her Master’s degree in neuroscience she worked in the field of autism and went on to do her PhD on brain health in patients with primary adrenal insufficiency, using functional and structural MRI. She now works as a postdoctoral researcher at Karolinska Institute, continuing to investigate brain health in patients with rare endocrine and metabolic disorders. Her interests include the impact of hormones on brain and behaviour, and the effects of yoga and meditation on the brain.

Readings (preliminary)

Students will read primarily journal articles during the course, both original studies and reviews. This reading list is in progress and will include articles such as the ones noted below. The list will be updated as the course is being developed further, thus articles may be added or removed from this list. All readings will be made available on Canvas. 

Theme Yoga

Original articles

Kwok JYY et al., (2019) Effects of Mindfulness Yoga vs Stretching and Resistance Training Exercises on Anxiety and Depression for People With Parkinson Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Anasuya et al., (2021) Yoga Practitioners Exhibit Higher Parasympathetic Activity and Baroreflex Sensitivity and Better Adaptability to 40 mm Hg Lower-Body Negative Pressure.

Reviews

Rådmark L,et al., (2019) A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Mindfulness Based Interventions on Heart Rate Variability and Inflammatory Markers.

Theme Meditation

Original articles

Torske et al., (2024) Mindfulness meditation modulates stress-eating and its neural correlates.

Bauer, C. et al., (2019) From state-to-trait meditation: reconfiguration of central executive and default mode networks.

Bréchet, L. et al., (2021) Reconfiguration of electroencephalography microstate networks after breath-focused, digital meditation training.

Mahone et al., (2018) fMRI during Transcendental Meditation practice.

Ventura et al., (2024) Intrinsic neural timescales exhibit different lengths in distinct meditation techniques.

Han et al., (2024) Enhancing specialization of attention-related EEG power and phase synchronism brain patterns by meditation.

Meta analysis

Tomasino, B. et al., (2014) Disentangling the neural mechanisms involved in Hinduism- and Buddhism-related meditations.

Reviews

Kora, P. et al., (2021) EEG based interpretation of human brain activity during yoga and meditation using machine learning: a systematic review.

Zagkas et al., (2023) How does meditation affect the default mode network:  a systematic review.

Tang YY, et al., (2015) The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation.

Chiesa A, et al., (2013) Mindfulness: top-down or bottom-up emotion regulation strategy?

Lutz A,  et al., (2019) The epistemic and pragmatic value of non-action: a predictive coding perspective on meditation.

Sezer et al., (2022) resting-state fMRI functional connectivity and mindfulness in clinical and non-clinical contexts: A review and synthesis

Rajjoub et al., (2024) Meditation for perioperative pain and anxiety:  a systematic review.

Theme Altered states

Original articles

Siegel, J. S. et al., (2024) Psilocybin desynchronizes the human brain. 

Galante et al., (2024) Altered states of consciousness caused by a mindfulness-based programme up to a year later: results from a randomised controlled trial.

Skosnik et al., (2023) Sub-acute effects of psilocybin on EEG correlates of neural plasticity in major depression: Relationship to symptoms.

Shao et al., (2021) Psilocybin induces rapid and persistent growth of dendritic spines in frontal cortex in vivo.

Reviews

Van't Westeinde A,  et al., (2022) Heartfulness Meditation: A Yogic and Neuroscientific Perspective.

 

Field Studies

Field Study 1: Yoga

Location: To be announced

Topic: To be announced

 

Field Study 2: Meditation

Location: To be announced

Topic: To be announced

 

Guest Lecturers

To be announced.

 

Approach to Teaching

I enjoy sharing my passion for science & meditation and like to engage students during classes. This may include asking questions, insights and experiences, and sharing reflections and understanding of the topics studied. The classes will consist of both lectures, discussions and assignments, during which you are expected to participate actively. Critical evaluation of research is core to science, so I will actively try to stimulate you to think critically, form constructive feedback and come up with new angles and ideas. Own experience of yoga and meditation will also be a part of this course, and I highly value sharing experiences with each other, so that we can learn not only from scientific research but also gain our own understanding of the topics. In addition to understanding and experience, I also hope to stimulate students to find the meaning of doing research, and how it will benefit humanity and society. Most importantly, I want to stimulate a learning environment that is inclusive and safe, in which everybody feels free to express their thoughts, and where curiosity and inspiration are fostered.

DIS Accommodations Statement 

Your learning experience in this class is important to me.  If you have approved academic accommodations with DIS, please make sure I receive your DIS accommodations letter within two weeks from the start of classes. If you can think of other ways I can support your learning, please don't hesitate to talk to me. If you have any further questions about your academic accommodations, contact Academic Support acadsupp@dis.dk. 

Expectations of the Students

Active participation: Students are expected to participate actively in class. This includes taking part in the discussions, asking or answering questions. To create a supportive learning experience for everybody, you are also expected to listen to your fellow students, encourage each other to think critically and give constructive feedback. You may express both your opinion as well as facts supported by research. References to scientific sources in a discussion are highly appreciated. You are expected to behave professionally and treat each other with empathy. This includes respecting questions and comments from others.

Absences: Students have to inform the teacher in advance in case they cannot attend a class. Missing a class unexcused will affect the active participation grade i.e. a 7% decrease of the grade. Just being present to all classes will be awarded with a C. You need to actively work to increase your grade.

Preparation to the class: To engage with the class material properly, you are expected to come to class prepared. To this end, you are expected to spend 6 hours per week outside of class time with the different materials. This includes but isn't restricted to:

• read and understand the required readings before class. Think about what the crucial points in the reading are, what did you find interesting, what is still unclear. Take your own notes so that we can discuss and answer your questions in class. This will also serve as a start for creating your own study guide.

In class and after: Slides include graphs, pictures and illustrations necessary to understand the class. Students are expected to take notes complementing and explaining the slides. Slides are a support and should be treated as such and not as the main source of info required. Class content need to be written down individually by the students. Outside of class the work will include, but may not be limited to, preparing for journal clubs and working on the final project (see below). I expect students to put effort in the assignments so that the learning objectives can be met.

 

Evaluation

The course consists of lectures, discussions and assignments at home and in class as well as field studies. Students’ attendance of the classes, field studies and their active participation in the discussions are mandatory and taken into account in the evaluation. In discussions and assignments (in class or during field studies), students are required to demonstrate that they read and understood the required literature. They should be able to integrate their knowledge to discuss in depth research questions and topics. Showing independent and critical thinking is expected. During in-class group assignments, you are expected to contribute to discussions even if you are not the presenters. Creative thinking, insights and sharing of your opinions and thoughts will be graded as active participation.

Grading

Assignment	Percent
Active participation and engagement	15%
In-class assignments (including study tour assignments)	15%
Online discussion forum	10%
Meditation journal	10%
Journal clubs	20%
Final course project	30%

 

Participation (15%)

Active participation in class and engagement in classes, field studies and guest lectures are important because they show that you are taking responsibility for your own learning. It also demonstrates that you are keeping up with the readings and understanding the theoretical perspectives discussed in class. It is imperative that you show development in your knowledge and grasp of theory and research relating to yoga and meditation, as well as improvement in your reflection and analytical skills during the course.

Active participation and engagement includes asking questions related to readings and material presented in the class and taking part in discussions, enriching the class experience for everyone. During presentations in class, all students have to actively engage in answering/asking questions and participate in the discussion. The grading of this course component will also include evaluation of teamwork when it occurs in class. 

Attendance is mandatory according to DIS policy. Unexcused abscences will result in a lower attendance grade. Illness or force majeur abscences are considered excused but you must notify the faculty.

 

In-class assignments (15%)

Assignments completed during class time vary. They may include answering and discussing questions, completing non-graded quizzes, and asking questions during student presentations. On some occasions there may be specific discussion topics, during which you will be divided in groups to prepare a small debate with the other groups about the topic.

 

Online discussion forum (10%)  

We will have a dedicated discussion thread connected to each of our field studies. In each of them you will be prompted to make connections between theory and experience. Contributions are personal and primarily reflections but links to theoretical constructs seen in class are also expected for full marks. You are also expected to engage with posts from fellow classmates. A complete contribution to a discussion thread consists of one personal post plus 2 replies.  

 

Meditation Journal (10%)

During the three weeks course you will be asked to meditate for yourself on a daily basis and keep a journal in which you note your experience. You will also fill out a questionnaire on mindful awareness at the start, middle and end of the course. At the end of the course, you will be asked to write a small summary based on your experiences and your mindful awareness scores. You will be expected to be able to link your experience to the research you learned about meditation. Your daily reports will need to be handed in alongside the summary.

 

Journal Clubs (20%)

There are two Journal Clubs during the summer and have a seminar structure. The purpose is to have a more in-depth discussion on current debates, research findings, or theoretical perspectives in the field. Through this process, you should become more familiar with reading academic texts, understanding research methods, and becoming more aware of the current state-of-the-art in the field of meditation and yoga research. You are split into 3 groups, and for each Journal Club, each group will be assigned one article to present and lead the discussion around it for approximately 30 minutes (but you must read all 3).

 

Final course project (30%)

Students will work in groups on a final course project. In your group you will create an evidence-based yoga, meditation and/or psychedelics intervention for a specific group of people. You will be required to do a literature search and come up with neuroscientific and psychological evidence to support the intervention. Target groups could for example include people with autism spectrum disorder, chronic pain, long-covid, social anxiety, inmates, elderly people close to death, or students struggling to find direction in life. Either yoga, meditation, psychedelics or a combination of those may be chosen for the intervention, as long as you can defend your program with scientific evidence. You will need to consider the specific target group, their symptoms and pathophysiology, consider the generic effects of yoga and meditation, as well as disease specific exercises that would help the target group. Integration with traditional views and philosophies on which yoga and meditation are based are welcomed, but the gap in evidence needs to be pointed out. Suggestions for studies that could validate your intervention are also appreciated. The project will be assessed at several timepoints during the course, to ensure progression. On the last day, projects will be presented to fellow students, which will count in the final grade for the project. More information about the project will be provided on Canvas.

 

Course Policies

Policy on late papers: It is crucial for your learning that you stay on task and hand in assignments on or before the due date. All work– including in-class projects – have to be completed in order to pass the class. Late papers will be accepted, but your grade for the paper will be reduced by half a point for each day that it is late.

Policy for students who arrive late to class: Class will start on time; it is up to the student’s responsibility to arrive accordingly.

Use of laptops or phones in class: Laptops are accepted in class if students consider it to be beneficial for their learning to type their notes. However, the use of laptops is restricted to class work. Using laptops to search the web, engage in social media, or play games will affect your participation grade.

Academic Honesty

Plagiarism and Violating the Rules of an Assignment

DIS expects that students abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. DIS assumes that all students do their own work and credit all work or thought taken from others.  Academic dishonesty will result in a final course grade of “F” and can result in dismissal. The students’ home universities will be notified. DIS reserves the right to request that written student assignments be turned in electronic form for submission to plagiarism detection software.  See the Academic Handbook for more information, or ask your instructor if you have questions.

Class Representatives: Each semester DIS looks for class representatives to become an official spokesperson for their class group, addressing any concerns that may arise (in academic or related matters), suggesting improvements and coming up with new ideas. Class representatives are a great way for DIS faculty to ensure better and timelier feedback on their courses, assessments and teaching styles, and as such perform an invaluable role in connecting student needs with faculty instruction during term time. Class Representatives will be elected in class at the beginning of the semester.

 
Academic Regulations

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

• Course Enrollment and Grading
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code

 

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org

 

Please note that the Course Summary is preliminary and therefore subject to change.