Science & Research
Peer-reviewed studies on meditation, 5-MeO-DMT, and the role of preparation and integration
Ancient practice, modern inquiry. This page shares peer-reviewed research related to meditation, 5-MeO-DMT, and the psychological processes that support preparation and integration. The purpose is not to reduce sacred work to science, but to offer a credible, accessible foundation for readers who want to understand what modern research is beginning to observe. Current findings are encouraging, but research on 5-MeO-DMT remains early and should be interpreted with care.
Meditation & the Brain
Meditation Changes Brain Structure
What they studied:
People completed an 8-week mindfulness program, and researchers compared brain scans before and after.
What they found (simple):
Increased gray matter in areas related to:
memory
emotional regulation
self-awareness
Participants also reported reduced stress
Why it matters:
Meditation doesn’t just “feel good”, it physically changes the brain in ways that support stability and awareness.
Meditation Improves Mental Health and Emotional Regulation
What they studied:
A large review of many mindfulness studies.
What they found (simple):
Reduced anxiety, depression, and stress
Improved emotional regulation
Increased ability to observe thoughts without reacting
Why it matters:
This supports meditation as a real preparation practice — helping people stay grounded before and after deeper experiences.
5-MeO-DMT (Bufo-Related Research)
5-MeO-DMT and Improvements in Depression & Anxiety
What they studied:
Researchers observed participants in a structured group setting who inhaled vaporized 5-MeO-DMT. Participants completed standardized psychological questionnaires measuring depression, anxiety, and stress before and after the experience.
What they found (more specific):
Participants showed significant reductions in:
depression
anxiety
stress
These improvements were observed within 24 hours after the session
The strongest improvements were reported in participants who had high scores on “mystical-type experiences” (feelings of unity, transcendence, or deep meaning)
Why it matters:
This suggests that the quality and depth of the experience, not just the substance, may play a major role in psychological outcomes. In other words, how the experience is held and interpreted matters.
5-MeO-DMT and Increases in Mindfulness & Life Satisfaction
What they studied:
This study followed 42 participants across multiple locations who inhaled vapor from dried toad secretion containing 5-MeO-DMT. Researchers measured psychological outcomes before, within 24 hours after, and 4 weeks after the experience.
What they found (more specific):
Within 24 hours:
noticeable reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress
At 4 weeks:
increased life satisfaction
increased mindfulness traits, especially:
non-judgment (less self-criticism)
present-moment awareness
Participants also reported a lasting sense of meaning and psychological openness
Why it matters:
This study shows that changes were not just immediate, some effects continued weeks after a single experience, particularly in areas closely related to meditation practice (awareness, non-reactivity, and acceptance).
Psychedelics and Meditation Work Together
What they studied:
This is a review of multiple studies and emerging research examining how mindfulness-based practices and psychedelic experiences interact.
Instead of testing one group, the researchers analyzed patterns across existing data to understand whether these two approaches share mechanisms — and whether they may enhance each other when combined.
What they found (more specific):
Both meditation and psychedelics appear to work through similar psychological mechanisms, including:
• increased present-moment awareness
• reduced attachment to thoughts (sometimes called “decentering”)
• antidepressant-like effects on mood
Psychedelics were shown to:
• increase mindfulness capacities even without prior training
• deepen states like ego-dissolution, which are linked to therapeutic outcomes
Meditation training was shown to:
• intensify the depth of the psychedelic experience
• help individuals stay more present and engaged during it
• When combined, early evidence suggests a “synergistic effect” — meaning the benefits may be stronger together than either alone
Why it matters:
This study helps explain why this model works structurally, not just intuitively:
▫️ Meditation builds the capacity to stay present and navigate the experience
▫️ Psychedelics can rapidly open access to deeper states of awareness
▫️ Together, they may reinforce the same underlying processes:
• awareness
• acceptance
• emotional flexibility
In simple terms:
➔ Meditation helps you hold the experience
➔ The experience helps you access deeper awareness faster
➔ Together, they may create more stable and lasting change
Rather than separate paths, meditation and psychedelic experiences may be working on the same system, from different directions.
✦ Temple of Spirit Alchemy is a registered temple in the State of Texas, gathered in service of the sacred. Through meditation, ceremony, and the holy sacrament, we exist to guide all sincere seekers into direct communion with the Divine.