This project investigates how structured contemplative practices—specifically Vedic chanting performed in real-world spiritual contexts—shape neural, physiological, and psychological dynamics. Despite substantial evidence that meditation enhances autonomic flexibility, neural plasticity, cognitive function, and well-being, most studies rely on Western laboratory samples or qualitative field reports, limiting both ecological validity and generalizability.
We bring portable EEG, ECG, and respiratory monitoring into authentic ritual environments to quantify how chanting organizes brain–body rhythms. Drawing on neural resonance theory, we model how oscillatory dynamics—including theta–gamma coupling, cardiorespiratory synchronization, and brain–heart interactions—emerge through coordinated sound, rhythm, and collective participation. Data will be collected in Mauritius, where long-term collaborations with practitioners, temples, and spiritual communities allow deep integration with cultural context.
By combining neural and autonomic measures with first-person perspectives, the project will generate the first richly multimodal, ecologically grounded dataset on chanting meditation. Outputs will include open-access datasets, peer-reviewed publications, and dynamical models linking acoustic structure, social context, and experiential reports. These findings will advance scientific understanding of contemplative practice as a culturally embedded strategy for resilience and may lay the foundation for translational applications in stress reduction, cognitive health, and well-being.
