Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
A conversation with Dr Ruben Laukkonen—cognitive scientist, neuroscientist and meditator —exploring the cutting edge of contemplative science and the mysterious experience of consciousness coming to a complete stop - cessation. - rubenlaukkonen.com
To join future events, newsletter and access ad-free event recordings go to:
adventuresinawareness.com
Ruben completed an award-winning PhD on the cognitive science of insight at The University of Queensland in 2019, followed by post-doctoral research at the Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam on the computational neuroscience of meditation. Ruben is now a Senior Lecturer at Southern Cross University where his lab uncovers empirically grounded and experientially authentic models of meditation, insight, psychedelics, and consciousness. Using a combination of methods including neuroimaging, machine learning, and phenomenology, his team is investigating some of the rarest states of consciousness available to human beings
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00:00:00 Introduction
00:04:54 What Makes Meditative Cessation Unique?
Defines how intentional cessation differs from sleep, anesthesia, or trauma.
00:10:52 From Mindfulness to Advanced States: A New Wave of Research
Introduces a shift in meditation science toward rare and transformative states.
00:21:08 EEG Findings: What Happens in the Brain During Cessation?
Reveals broad changes in brain activity linked to deep meditative absorption.
00:41:09 Computational Reset: Why Cessation Transforms the Mind
Explains how cessation may reduce grasping by resetting deep mental patterns.
00:44:08 Have You Personally Experienced Cessation?
00:45:55 How Science Informs Meditation (and Vice Versa)
00:47:04 Predictive Processing and the Present Moment
00:48:33 Understanding the Four Selves in Meditation
00:49:39 Science vs. Philosophy: Are They Really Separate?
00:51:00 Why All Maps Are Just Maps
00:52:23 Meditation, Science, and the Mystery of Insight
00:54:08 Did Science or Meditation Come First?
00:55:46 Balancing a PhD with Deep Practice
00:57:28 Is Awareness Just Another Dependent Arising?
01:02:08 Did Ramana Maharshi Experience Cessation?
01:04:02 Grasping at Awareness: A New Kind of Samsara
01:06:44 Emptiness, Insight, and the Path that Keeps Unfolding
01:08:17 Is the Goal of Buddhism Reducing Suffering or Knowing Reality?
01:10:46 Wisdom and Compassion as Two Wings of the Path
01:13:36 Could We Ever Measure Clinging in the Brain?
01:17:02 Using Brain Flexibility to Detect Reduced Clinging
01:18:50 Can Meditators Adapt to Reality Shifts Faster?
01:21:45 Does Meditation Increase Mental Model Stability?
01:22:04 Does Cessation Challenge Idealist Philosophy?
01:24:46 Why I No Longer Start From Consciousness
01:26:08 Consciousness: A Useful Concept or an Assumption?
01:28:32 Would Cessation Undermine the Idealist View?
01:30:12 What Happens Just Before Cessation?
01:32:00 Investigating the Nature of Awareness Itself
01:34:00 Not Everyone Needs Cessation – And Why That Matters
01:36:59 Reuben’s View: Emptiness Over Idealism
01:38:38 On Being Misrepresented by “Metaconsciousness” Critics
01:41:03 The Subtle Dualism of “Everything is Consciousness”
01:44:14 Open Audience Q&A Begins
01:45:05 What Meditation Practice Leads to Cessation?
01:47:15 Why Integrity and Sincerity Matter More Than Method
01:51:03 Upcoming Conference Appearances (Europe 2025)
01:53:04 What Is Cessation Really? And What Is Emptiness?
01:57:11 Emptiness as the Lack of Essence in All Things
Video editing by willbourchier.com
Banner art by instagram.com/jadewade
A conversation with Dr Ruben Laukkonen—cognitive scientist, neuroscientist and meditator —exploring the cutting edge of contemplative science and the mysterious experience of consciousness coming to a complete stop - cessation. - rubenlaukkonen.com
To join future events, newsletter and access ad-free event recordings go to:
adventuresinawareness.com
Ruben completed an award-winning PhD on the cognitive science of insight at The University of Queensland in 2019, followed by post-doctoral research at the Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam on the computational neuroscience of meditation. Ruben is now a Senior Lecturer at Southern Cross University where his lab uncovers empirically grounded and experientially authentic models of meditation, insight, psychedelics, and consciousness. Using a combination of methods including neuroimaging, machine learning, and phenomenology, his team is investigating some of the rarest states of consciousness available to human beings
Your contributions support future content, and are greatly appreciated:
- adventuresinawareness.com/membership
- One-off PayPal donations: paypal.com/paypalme/adventuresin
Follow the Adventure:
- adventuresinawareness.com
- Subscribe to us on youtube: youtube.com/@adventuresinawareness
- Twitter: https://x.com/AdvInAwareness
- iTunes: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adventures-in-awareness/id1535917754
- Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2jiebSpdVu9YbpLOtWlKYU
- Facebook: facebook.com/adventuresinawareness
00:00:00 Introduction
00:04:54 What Makes Meditative Cessation Unique?
Defines how intentional cessation differs from sleep, anesthesia, or trauma.
00:10:52 From Mindfulness to Advanced States: A New Wave of Research
Introduces a shift in meditation science toward rare and transformative states.
00:21:08 EEG Findings: What Happens in the Brain During Cessation?
Reveals broad changes in brain activity linked to deep meditative absorption.
00:41:09 Computational Reset: Why Cessation Transforms the Mind
Explains how cessation may reduce grasping by resetting deep mental patterns.
00:44:08 Have You Personally Experienced Cessation?
00:45:55 How Science Informs Meditation (and Vice Versa)
00:47:04 Predictive Processing and the Present Moment
00:48:33 Understanding the Four Selves in Meditation
00:49:39 Science vs. Philosophy: Are They Really Separate?
00:51:00 Why All Maps Are Just Maps
00:52:23 Meditation, Science, and the Mystery of Insight
00:54:08 Did Science or Meditation Come First?
00:55:46 Balancing a PhD with Deep Practice
00:57:28 Is Awareness Just Another Dependent Arising?
01:02:08 Did Ramana Maharshi Experience Cessation?
01:04:02 Grasping at Awareness: A New Kind of Samsara
01:06:44 Emptiness, Insight, and the Path that Keeps Unfolding
01:08:17 Is the Goal of Buddhism Reducing Suffering or Knowing Reality?
01:10:46 Wisdom and Compassion as Two Wings of the Path
01:13:36 Could We Ever Measure Clinging in the Brain?
01:17:02 Using Brain Flexibility to Detect Reduced Clinging
01:18:50 Can Meditators Adapt to Reality Shifts Faster?
01:21:45 Does Meditation Increase Mental Model Stability?
01:22:04 Does Cessation Challenge Idealist Philosophy?
01:24:46 Why I No Longer Start From Consciousness
01:26:08 Consciousness: A Useful Concept or an Assumption?
01:28:32 Would Cessation Undermine the Idealist View?
01:30:12 What Happens Just Before Cessation?
01:32:00 Investigating the Nature of Awareness Itself
01:34:00 Not Everyone Needs Cessation – And Why That Matters
01:36:59 Reuben’s View: Emptiness Over Idealism
01:38:38 On Being Misrepresented by “Metaconsciousness” Critics
01:41:03 The Subtle Dualism of “Everything is Consciousness”
01:44:14 Open Audience Q&A Begins
01:45:05 What Meditation Practice Leads to Cessation?
01:47:15 Why Integrity and Sincerity Matter More Than Method
01:51:03 Upcoming Conference Appearances (Europe 2025)
01:53:04 What Is Cessation Really? And What Is Emptiness?
01:57:11 Emptiness as the Lack of Essence in All Things
Video editing by willbourchier.com
Banner art by instagram.com/jadewade
