word count: 167 Figures: 5 AbstractContemplative practices are thought to modify one's experience of self and fundamentally change self-referential processing. However, few studies have examined the effect of long-term meditation training on brain correlates of self-referential processing.Here we used the self-referential encoding task (SRET) to examine event-related potentials (ERP) during assessment of pleasant and unpleasant self-views in long-term meditators versus age-matched meditation-naïve control participants. Compared to controls, meditators endorsed significantly more pleasant and fewer unpleasant words as self-referential. We also found a between-group difference in the early component of the late-positive-potential (LPP) of the ERP characterised by a higher response to unpleasant versus pleasant words in controls and no difference in meditators. While acknowledging the limitations of a cross-sectional study design, these findings suggest that long-term meditation training might alter self-referential processing towards a more adaptive view of self and neural equivalence towards pleasant and unpleasant self-views. These findings suggest that long-term meditation training may impact brain and behavioural mechanism that support a more flexible and healthy relationship to one's self.

Contemplative practices are thought to modify one’s experience of self and fundamentally change self-referential processing. However, few studies have examined the effect of long-term meditation training on brain correlates of self-referential processing. Here we used the self-referential encoding task (SRET) to examine event-related potentials (ERP) during assessment of positive and negative self-views in long-term meditators versus demographically-matched meditation-naïve control participants. Compared to controls, meditators endorsed significantly more positive and less negative words as self-referential. We also found a between-group difference in the early component of the late-positive-potential (LPP) of the ERP characterised by a higher response to negative versus positive words in controls and no difference in meditators. These findings suggest that long-term meditation training alters self-referential processing towards a more adaptive view of self and neural equivalence towards positive and negative self-views. Such changes may be one aspect of how meditation modifies the relationship to self.

Objectives: To investigate outcomes and predictors of a Tibetan Buddhist meditation process called Feeding Your Demons® (FYD) vs. a waitlist (WL) control group of meditation practitioners with moderate depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. Methods: 61 meditators (70% female; mean age = 44.05, SD = 11.20; 43.5% White, 39% Asian, 9.3% Hispanic, 8.3% other) were randomly assigned to 1-month of FYD practice or WL groups. Participants completed self-report assessments at baseline and post-FYD/WL. Results: Intention-to-treat analysis found that, compared to WL, FYD yielded significantly greater decreases in stress symptoms and increases in self-compassion. Moderator analyses showed baseline lesser history of psychiatric problems (but not number of years of meditation practice) predicted greater reduction in depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. Regression analyses found that the number of FYD sessions completed predicted post-FYD increases in self-compassion and satisfaction with life, as well as decreases in stress, depression, and intolerance for uncertainty. Conclusions: FYD practice may enhance multiple facets of psychological health in adults in a dose dependent manner. An RCT with an active comparison training is necessary to determine the specificity of FYD related effects and to identify mechanisms of change.