Somatic Calibration, Iterative Self-cultivation, and Transmutation

Somatic Calibration

Somatic calibration is the foundational process of aligning body awareness with inner regulation. It involves refining the nervous system’s perception of tension, balance, and breath so the individual can consciously adjust posture, movement, and energetic flow. Through repeated sensory feedback, such as the proprioceptive and interoceptive signals used in qigong, tai chi, or dao yin, the practitioner learns to listen to the body and respond with precision. This phase trains one’s sensitivity and coherence: the capacity to detect micro-imbalances before they manifest as dysfunction.

In neurophysiological terms, this process strengthens the communication between the insula, anterior cingulate cortex, and prefrontal regions, the areas responsible for awareness, regulation, and decision-making (Khalsa et al., 2018). In Taoist and martial frameworks, this is the stage of refining jing or the raw essence, by bringing unconscious patterns into conscious alignment.

Iterative Self-Cultivation

Once somatic awareness becomes stable, iterative self-cultivation begins. “Iterative” means cyclical—one polishes the self repeatedly through mindful practice, reflection, and correction. In martial and meditative traditions, this is the ongoing cycle of practice → feedback → adjustment → integration. Each repetition deepens skill while gradually refining the character, much like tempering a sword through alternating heat and cooling.

This process embodies the principle of gongfu (功夫), the disciplined accumulation of effort over time. As the practitioner works through layers of physical, emotional, and cognitive conditioning, they develop what Confucian and Daoist classics call de (virtue or cultivated power). Modern psychology parallels this with neuroplastic adaptation—deliberate repetition that rewires synaptic pathways for stability, emotional regulation, and self-mastery (Davidson & McEwen, 2012).

Transmutation

Transmutation represents the culmination of these iterative refinements, the conversion of base tendencies into higher expression. In Taoist alchemy (neidan), it is the transformation of jing → qi → shen—essence into energy into spirit. Through calibrated awareness and continuous self-cultivation, internal friction and limitation become fuel for illumination.

In practical terms, transmutation is both psychological and energetic. It’s the capacity to metabolize fear into courage, pain into empathy, or adversity into wisdom. Physiologically, such transformation parallels shifts in endocrine and autonomic balance, where once-stressful stimuli now trigger coherence rather than reactivity. Spiritually, it marks the emergence of authenticity and radiant presence, the “light that guides others.”

Interconnection of the Three

Somatic calibration refines awareness and alignment.
Iterative self-cultivation builds discipline and stability.
Transmutation realizes integration and illumination.

Together, they form a living spiral rather than a straight line: each turn of cultivation enhances sensitivity (calibration), which allows deeper refinement (iteration), which in turn fuels higher transformation (transmutation). The cycle never ends, but rather it simply ascends toward subtler planes of being.

References:

Davidson, R. J., & McEwen, B. S. (2012). Social influences on neuroplasticity: Stress and interventions to promote well-being. Nature Neuroscience, 15(5), 689–695. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3093

Khalsa, S. S., Rudrauf, D., Damasio, A. R., & Davidson, R. J. (2018). Interoceptive awareness and its relationship to anxiety, depression, and well-being. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 373(1741), 20170163. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2017.0163

Four-Phase Expansion of the Jing–Qi–Shen Developmental Model

Phase 1 — Foundational Awareness: Somatic Calibration (Jing)

Phase 1 represents the foundational stage where the practitioner learns to attune their physical body, the Jing level, through heightened somatic awareness and physiological regulation. At this level, the focus is on:

Interoception: sensing internal signals such as breath, heartbeat, and muscular tension
Proprioception: detecting body position and micro-adjustments
Regulatory Responsiveness: adjusting posture, breathing, and alignment

Somatic calibration stabilizes the “base material” of the human system. In Taoist internal arts, this is the earliest refinement of Jing: raw essence becoming cleaner, clearer, and more governable.

Neuroscientifically, this phase strengthens communication between the insula (interoceptive awareness), anterior cingulate cortex (attention and motivation), and prefrontal cortex (regulation and decision-making). When these systems integrate, the practitioner becomes capable of sensing imbalances long before they erupt into dysfunction (Khalsa et al., 2018).

This phase is therefore concerned with:

Cultivating “felt sense”
Stabilizing the nervous system
Learning to “hear” the body
Establishing physical coherence

Without Phase 1, progression into deeper phases becomes imbalanced or potentially unsafe.

This is the Jing → stability transformation.

Phase 2 — Cyclical Refinement: Iterative Self-cultivation (Qi)

Once somatic clarity is established, the practitioner advances toward the mental-energetic domain, the Qi level. This phase introduces iterative practice and self-correction, forming the living engine of personal development.

Here, the operating principle is iteration:

Practice → feedback → correction → integration → renewed practice

Across martial arts, meditation, and qigong lineages, this cyclical refinement is recognized as gongfu (kung fu), not mere skill, but the cultivated discipline earned through dedicated repetition. Each iteration reshapes:

Motor pathways
Emotional patterns
Cognitive habits
Energetic circulation

Modern neuroscience parallels this with experience-dependent neuroplasticity or the gradual restructuring of brain networks for resilience, emotional regulation, and attentional stability (Davidson & McEwen, 2012).

Spiritually and philosophically, Phase 2 is where one begins forging de (virtue, cultivated inner power). The practitioner transitions from merely feeling the body to shaping the self.

At this stage, Qi becomes more coherent and directed. Mental habits are tuned, intentions sharpen, and discipline becomes embodied.

This is the Qi → refinement transformation.

Phase 3 — Synthetic Integration: Transmutation (Shen)

Phase 3 transitions from refinement into whole-system synthesis, corresponding to the Shen level, with awareness, meaning, and inner illumination.

Here the practitioner no longer simply adjusts the body (Phase 1) or trains the mind through iteration (Phase 2). Instead, they convert base tendencies into higher capacities. This includes:

fear → insight
pain → empathy
discipline → wisdom
adversity → meaning

This is the essence of transmutation in internal alchemy (neidan):

Jing → Qi → Shen → back to emptiness and clarity

Physiologically, this level parallels harmonization of endocrine rhythms, autonomic coherence, and emotional centers that once produced reactivity but now produce calm presence.

Psychologically, the practitioner embodies authenticity rather than performance. Their presence becomes stabilizing to others, as they can become “the light that guides.”

Phase 3 is where:

the body listens
the mind learns
consciousness reorients toward clarity

This is the Shen → illumination transformation.

Bring it all together – the Harmonization (Integration of Jing–Qi–Shen)

My diagrams and progression of images naturally imply a fourth phase, which is the integrative stage where Jing, Qi, and Shen no longer operate as separate domains but revolve in a recursive living spiral.

Here, the practitioner reaches a point where:

Somatic calibration is continuous and automatic
Iterative self-cultivation is self-initiating
Transmutation becomes a way of life
All three influence each other simultaneously

This is the phase where the circle completes itself yet continues upward, a spiral path rather than a linear one.

In this 4th Phase the practitioner embodies:

Physical alignment (Jing)
Effortless posture, efficient movement, regulated physiology.

Mental clarity and energetic coherence (Qi)
Stable attention, balanced emotions, refined intentions.

Spiritual awareness (Shen)
Insight, compassion, spaciousness, wisdom.

Harmonized integration
The practitioner is no longer “performing techniques” as
they have become the technique.

This is the lived outcome of the entire model of the Warrior, Scholar and Sage:

Somatic Calibration → Iterative Self-cultivation → Transmutation → Integrated Being.

How the Four Phases Correspond to my Diagrams (Stages 1–4)

Stage 1 (Jing/Qi/Shen circles):

Introduces the classical triad, three aspects as separate yet related.

Stage 2 (Physiology/Psychology/Philosophy overlay):

Connects each classical aspect with modern disciplines.
This becomes the foundation of Phase 1.

Stage 3 (Somatic Calibration / Iterative Self-cultivation / Transmutation overlay):

Maps each classical component into the three functional processes.
This is Phase 2 and Phase 3.

Stage 4 (Full elaborated diagram with figures):

Demonstrates the mature, embodied expression of all three components working in harmony.
This represents Phase 4.

Integrated Summary

Phase 1—Somatic Calibration: tuning the body (Jing), establishing stability and awareness.
Phase 2—Iterative Self-cultivation: tuning the mind (Qi), cultivating discipline, neuroplasticity, and virtuous habits.
Phase 3—Transmutation: tuning the consciousness (Shen), converting tendencies into illumination.
Phase 4—Recursive Harmonization: integrating Jing–Qi–Shen into a coherent, unified mode of being.

Together these phases describe a complete developmental alchemical model bridging Taoist tradition, neuroscience, psychology, and embodied martial philosophy.

Distance Between Words, Space Between Thoughts

The phrase “distance between words, space between thoughts” invites contemplation of both communication and consciousness. It suggests that meaning and wisdom arise not merely from the words or thoughts themselves but from the intervals between them, in the pauses, silences, and moments of reflection that allow comprehension to deepen. Just as music depends on silence to shape melody, awareness depends on mental stillness to reveal insight.

Silence Within Speech

Philosophically, language is a double-edged instrument. It enables expression but also confines it. Ludwig Wittgenstein (2013) argued that the limits of our language are the limits of our world; yet within those limits, silence holds a special power, where it points to what words cannot capture. The distance between words represents this silent gap where meaning crystallizes. In conversation, it is the pause that allows listening; in poetry, it is the rhythm that gives emotion room to breathe.

In mindfulness traditions, similar emphasis is placed on the pause between breaths or thoughts. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali describe mental control not as suppression but as recognition of the stillness between modifications of the mind (citta-vṛtti nirodha). This stillness parallels the spaces between words: both act as boundaries that define expression while inviting contemplation beyond it (Feuerstein, 1989).

The Space Between Thoughts

The space between thoughts is where consciousness reclaims its sovereignty. Neuroscientific studies on meditation suggest that when the brain transitions from active thinking to a resting state, networks associated with self-referential processing, such as the default mode network (DMN), quiet down and allowing awareness to expand beyond habitual mental chatter (Brewer et al., 2011). In this spacious awareness, thoughts can be observed rather than obeyed.

From a Taoist perspective, this reflects the concept of wu wei, or “effortless action” that arises from harmony with the natural flow of existence. When thought pauses, intuition and spontaneous wisdom emerge. Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching reminds us that “the usefulness of a pot lies in its emptiness” (Mitchell, 2006). The space is not absence but potential as it allows all forms to exist.

Communication, Presence, and Mindful Dialogue

Applied practically, the distance between words cultivates mindfulness in communication. Modern life is saturated with noise. Such as digital, emotional, and informational, leaving little room for genuine listening. Yet, when one learns to pause before responding, the conversation gains depth. Marshall Rosenberg (2015) emphasized that nonviolent communication begins with awareness of one’s inner state before speaking; silence becomes an ally rather than an awkward void.

Similarly, in contemplative psychology, the space between thoughts allows the practitioner to discern reaction from response. Viktor Frankl (1959) famously wrote, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our power to choose our response.” This power to pause, to inhabit the space between thoughts, grants freedom from reflexive conditioning and opens the door to wisdom.

The Aesthetic of Intervals

Artists, writers, and martial artists alike understand that mastery lies not in constant motion but in timing and the intervals that define rhythm and flow. In calligraphy, the beauty of each stroke depends on the proportion of blank space around it; in tai chi or qigong, the pauses between movements express the continuity of energy rather than its cessation (Shahar, (2008). In both language and life, pacing and silence create balance.

__________

Distancebetweenwordsspacebetweenthoughts

Distance Between Words, Space Between Thoughts

__________

The Presence Beyond Thought

Ultimately, distance between words and space between thoughts converge in the practice of presence. When we learn to honor the intervals, whether in speech, thought, or action, we align with a deeper rhythm of consciousness that underlies all form. The wisdom of silence is not emptiness but awareness itself. In those spaces, the mind becomes clear, the heart receptive, and communication authentic.

To live with awareness of the spaces between words, between breaths, between thoughts, is to step into the fullness of being. In that quiet expanse, truth is not spoken but known.

References:

Brewer, J. A., Worhunsky, P. D., Gray, J. R., Tang, Y.-Y., Weber, J., & Kober, H. (2011). Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(50), 20254–20259. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1112029108

Feuerstein, G. (1989). The Yoga-Sūtra of Patañjali: A New Translation and Commentary. Shambhala Publications. https://archive.org/details/yogasutraofpatan00pata

Frankl, V. E. (1959). Man’s Search for Meaning. Beacon Press.

Mitchell, S. (Trans.). (2006). Tao Te Ching. Harper Perennial.

Rosenberg, M. B. (2015). Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life (3rd ed.). PuddleDancer Press.

Shahar, M. (2008). The Shaolin Monastery: History, Religion, and the Chinese Martial Arts. University of Hawai‘i Press. https://archive.org/details/shaolinmonastery0000shah

Wittgenstein, L. (2013). Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (1st ed.). Taylor and Francis. Retrieved from https://www.perlego.com/book/1557526/tractatus-logicophilosophicus-pdf

The Eternal Now – Consciousness Momentarily Residing in Form

“It has always been now, it has always been you, you have always been here, the eternal consciousness momentarily residing in form.”

The Paradox of Presence

The statement above points to one of the most profound realizations of human existence, that time, identity, and consciousness are not separate phenomena but reflections of a single continuum of awareness. Philosophically, this view resonates with both Eastern metaphysics and Western phenomenology: that reality unfolds perpetually in the now, and that what we call “self” is consciousness temporarily clothed in matter. The phrase invites a dismantling of the illusion of separation between past and future, self and other, body and spirit. What remains when all temporal and spatial distinctions dissolve is pure presence where consciousness experiencing itself through form (Tolle, 1999; Advaita Vedānta, as cited in Deutsch, 1980).

The Illusion of Time and the Continuum of Now

Human cognition evolved to perceive time linearly: a succession of moments divided into past, present, and future. Yet, physics and mysticism alike challenge this perception. Einstein (1955) remarked that the distinction between past, present, and future is a “stubbornly persistent illusion.” From a quantum or relativistic standpoint, all events exist simultaneously in a spacetime continuum. Similarly, Buddhist philosophy teaches that impermanence does not imply temporal fragmentation but the constant flux of a timeless now where each moment birthing the next without true separation (Nagarjuna, as translated in Garfield, 1995).

To say “it has always been now” is to step outside the psychological construct of time and into the living awareness that precedes it. In this state, “now” is not a fleeting instant but an eternal dimension as the background of all experience. Every thought, sensation, and memory arises within this unbroken field of presence. Awareness never departs; only the forms within it shift and fade like clouds across an unchanging sky.

The Self as Eternal Witness

“It has always been you” is not a statement of personal identity but of essential consciousness where we are the observer behind all experiences. In Advaita and Taoist traditions, the self is not the personality but the awareness that perceives both body and mind. This is the “Atman” that is identical with “Brahman,” or the “original face before you were born,” as Zen expresses it (Suzuki, 1956). The conscious witness is silent, unbounded, and ever-present and is the same essence that animates all beings.

In Western phenomenology, Husserl and later Sartre described consciousness as “intentionality”: a self-revealing light in which objects appear (Husserl, 1931). That same light is the “you” in the aphorism and not the egoic self but the perceiving essence. When the individual realizes this, the boundary between “me” and “world” dissolves, revealing that both are movements within the same consciousness. As Alan Watts (1966) observed, “You are an aperture through which the universe is looking at and exploring itself.”

The Eternal Return of Being

“You have always been here” expresses the nonlocal and non-temporal quality of consciousness. While the body appears and vanishes in linear time, awareness, as the ground of all perception and has no beginning or end. In Taoist cosmology, the Tao is “formless yet ever-generative,” present before the birth of heaven and earth (Lao Tzu, trans. Mitchell, 1988). Similarly, Christian mysticism speaks of the “Kingdom of Heaven within,” pointing toward an eternal reality accessible through direct awareness rather than belief.

From the standpoint of experiential practices such as meditation, qigong, or contemplative stillness, one discovers that consciousness is not in the body; rather, the body is in consciousness. This reversal reveals that the witness has never left the moment or the universe it perceives. The “here” of consciousness is not a coordinate but a state of being.

Form as Temporary Expression of the Infinite

The final phrase, “the eternal consciousness momentarily residing in form,” brings the insight full circle. It affirms embodiment without attachment in that awareness chooses, or perhaps naturally manifests, as form to know itself. Matter, from this view, is crystallized consciousness; each organism is a unique configuration through which the universal intelligence experiences itself. The Tao manifests as “the ten thousand things,” yet remains unchanged in essence.

From a scientific lens, the body is a temporary aggregation of atoms forged in stars, recycled endlessly through the cosmos. The same elements that compose the body once burned in ancient suns and will again form new worlds (Greene, 2004). To realize this is to understand that life and death are merely transitions in the ongoing dance of energy where consciousness momentarily taking shape to perceive its own reflection.

The Practice of Remembering the Eternal

Philosophical insight becomes transformation only through direct realization. Meditation, breathwork, and mindful presence are methods of reuniting awareness with its source. When the mind ceases its incessant narrative of past and future, one awakens to what has never moved or the now. This awakening does not erase individuality but illuminates it with depth and humility. To live from this awareness is to act without resistance, to see oneself as both participant and witness in the cosmic unfolding.

Conclusion: The Still Point of Being

“It has always been now, it has always been you, you have always been here” points to the truth that existence is not a journey toward some future awakening but the continuous revelation of what already is. Consciousness is eternal, form is transient, and the realization of this unity is liberation. In this recognition, all striving dissolves, not into nihilism, but into reverence. The eternal consciousness does not seek permanence in form; it celebrates the impermanence through which it comes to know itself.

To awaken to this is to stand still at the center of the ever-turning wheel of time and recognize: you were never elsewhere, and you have never been anyone else.

References:

Deutsch, E. (1980). Advaita Vedānta: A Philosophical Reconstruction. University of Hawaii Press.

Einstein, A. (1955). Letter to Michele Besso. In The Born–Einstein Letters. Macmillan. https://archive.org/details/5760562-Einstein-letter-to-Besso-1951

Garfield, J. L. (1995). The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way: Nāgārjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikā. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780195103175.001.0001

Greene, B. (2004). The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality. Alfred A. Knopf. https://archive.org/details/fabricofcosmossp0000gree

Husserl, E. (1931). Ideas: General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology (W. R. Boyce Gibson, Trans.). Allen & Unwin.

Lao Tzu. (1988). Tao Te Ching (S. Mitchell, Trans.). Harper & Row. https://ia600209.us.archive.org/16/items/taoteching-Stephen-Mitchell-translation-v9deoq/taoteching-Stephen-Mitchell-translation-v9deoq_text.pdf

Suzuki, D. T. (1956). Zen Buddhism: Selected Writings. Doubleday. https://archive.org/details/zenbuddhism0000dtsu

Tolle, E. (1999). The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment. New World Library.

Van Es, D. (2019, November 14). One Yoga — TripuraShakti. Tripurashakti. https://www.tripurashakti.com/one-yoga/one-yoga

Watts, A. (1966). The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are. Pantheon Books. https://archive.org/details/bookontabooagain00watt

The Still Mind and the Snow Globe

“When the waters settle, the reflection is clear; when stirred, the light is scattered.” – Taoist proverb

The human mind can be likened to a Christmas snow globe. When resting in stillness, it is calm and transparent, revealing its contents clearly. When shaken, the glittering particles obscure the view until motion ceases and calm returns. In much the same way, the human mind loses clarity when it is agitated by thought, emotion, or distraction. Yet, when stillness is restored, insight becomes visible again.

This analogy is ancient in spirit though modern in form. Taoist, Buddhist, and contemplative traditions have long taught that the unsettled mind is filled with “ten thousand thoughts” and is like muddy water that cannot reflect the sky. When the water is left alone, sediment sinks and the surface becomes clear, mirroring reality without distortion. Neuroscience has since confirmed that mental agitation disrupts attentional networks and self-regulation, whereas calm awareness engages prefrontal regions that enhance clarity and emotional balance (Vago & Silbersweig, 2016).

Agitation, Clarity, and the Nature of Mind

Just as the snowflakes in a globe swirl when shaken, so do thoughts and emotions when the mind is disturbed by stress, fear, or overstimulation. The more one reacts, the longer the “flakes” take to settle. Mindfulness teacher Jillian Pransky (2023) uses this same metaphor to describe how meditation allows the inner “snow” to fall to rest and thus revealing stillness and depth beneath the surface.

In a similar vein, meditation research shows that repeated exposure to calm awareness enhances the brain’s ability to disengage from habitual thinking and recover from agitation (Fox et al., 2016). Thus, stillness is not passivity; it is active regulation, a physiological return to balance. This capacity for returning to center is what Tai Chi and Qigong practitioners seek to cultivate daily.

The Snow Globe and the Internal Arts

In Qigong and Tai Chi, movement arises from stillness and returns to it. Between each form lies a subtle pause or an internal settling. When agitation arises, practitioners are taught to “let the mind sink to the dantian,” mirroring how snow settles to the bottom of the globe. Breath slows, the nervous system calms, and the clarity of awareness expands.

Daoist classics such as the Qingjing Jing emphasize this principle: “If the mind is pure and still, all things will become clear of themselves” (Li, 1981). Stillness (jing) is not an absence of life but the foundation for transformation. Without it, internal energy (qi) becomes scattered, and consciousness (shen) clouded. With it, harmony between body, breath, and mind is restored, a concept echoed in modern psychophysiology as “parasympathetic dominance,” when calm awareness stabilizes physiological rhythms (Mayo Clinic, 2023).

From this lens, the snow globe becomes a teaching instrument:

The glass represents the body—transparent but containing.
The water symbolizes consciousness.
The flakes represent thoughts, memories, and emotions.
The base is the dantian—the center of gravity, both physical and spiritual.
When the practitioner “shakes” with stress or emotion, the particles rise and obscure vision. When stillness returns, the scene or the true nature of mind becomes visible once again.

Table: Mind States vs. Snow-Globe States

Aspect	Snow Globe State	Mind State Equivalent	Practical Cultivation Method
Unsettled	Shaken; snow whirling chaotically	Agitated thoughts, anxiety, scattered focus	Pause; deep diaphragmatic breathing; grounding awareness in body
Settling	Flakes gradually fall	Thoughts subside; awareness re-centers	Gentle movement; slow Qigong; rhythmic breathing
Still	Water clear and unmoving	Calm mind; perceptual clarity; inner balance	Meditation; standing post; mindful observation
Re-agitated	Globe shaken again	Emotional disturbance or overstimulation	Recognize trigger; respond with patience and non-reactivity
Restored Clarity	Scene visible again	Insight, creativity, emotional regulation	Continued practice of calm-abiding (samatha) and mindful awareness

Embodied Awareness and the Settling of Qi

In Tai Chi, teachers often say, “Where the mind goes, qi follows.” When the mind is disturbed, the qi scatters; when the mind is calm, qi gathers. The settling of mental “snow” mirrors the condensation of energy within the body’s core. The nervous system reflects this change: heart rate variability improves, cortisol decreases, and attention stabilizes (Fox et al., 2016; Mayo Clinic, 2023).

This internal stillness is not a withdrawal from life, but rather it is refinement. It allows the practitioner to perceive without distortion and to respond without haste. It is what the Zen tradition calls mushin, “no-mind,” where thought does not vanish but becomes transparent and responsive rather than turbulent (Li, 1981). The snow globe thus offers a contemporary bridge between contemplative science and ancient practice, a visualization of how calm leads to wisdom.

Transmutation Through Stillness

The deeper message of this metaphor lies in transformation. When one repeatedly allows the snow to settle, a new pattern of being forms. Neural pathways shift; emotional reactivity decreases; intuition sharpens. In Taoist alchemy, this is nei dan or the refinement of essence (jing) into energy (qi), and energy into spirit (shen). What begins as calming the surface mind evolves into inner transmutation or the awakening of clarity that is no longer dependent on circumstance.

Therefore, to train the mind is not to eliminate its contents but to see through them, to let every swirl of snow reveal rather than obscure. Through stillness, awareness refracts light instead of scattering it. Through daily practice, one learns to set down the globe and simply watch the snow fall.

“The mind once still is capable of reflecting heaven and earth.” – Zhuangzi

References:

Fox, K. C. R., Dixon, M. L., Nijeboer, S., Girn, M., Lifshitz, M., Ellamil, M., Sedlmeier, P., & Christoff, K. (2016). Functional neuroanatomy of meditation: A review and meta-analysis of 78 functional neuroimaging investigations. arXiv preprint arXiv:1603.06342. https://arxiv.org/abs/1603.06342

Fox, K. C. R., Kang, Y., Lifshitz, M., & Christoff, K. (2016). Increasing cognitive-emotional flexibility with meditation and hypnosis: The cognitive neuroscience of de-automatization. arXiv preprint arXiv:1605.03553. https://arxiv.org/abs/1605.03553

Li, J. (1981). Qingjing Jing (清靜經): The Scripture of Clarity and Stillness. Beijing: Zhonghua Shuju. https://archive.org/details/daoist-scripture-qing-jing-jing-louis-komjathy/QJJ%20-%20Louis%20Komjathy%20%28Editor%29/

Mayo Clinic. (2023, December 14). Meditation: A simple, fast way to reduce stress. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858

Pransky, J. (2023, June 11). a meditation to create space in the midst of chaos — jillian pransky. Jillian Pransky. https://www.jillianpransky.com/blog/creating-space-snowglobe-meditation

Vago, D. R., & Zeidan, F. (2016). The brain on silent: mind wandering, mindful awareness, and states of mental tranquility. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1373(1), 96–113. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13171