Non-ordinary states of consciousness (NSCs) induced by hypnosis, meditation, and psychedelics have become increasingly popular in research and clinical practice. However, no contemporary unifying framework has been proposed for their study.

A neurophenomenological (NP) approach for the study of NSCs provides a unique opportunity to rigorously investigate content-based and structural aspects of consciousness as dynamic (i.e., process-based), together with their embeddedness at multiple scales comprising brain, mind, body, and context.

We illustrate this by providing examples from research using traditional and NP approaches regarding the effects of hypnosis, meditation, and psychedelics on core experiences (e.g., agency, pain, and the sense of self)

The NP approach to NSCs stresses the importance of experienced-based know-how for their research and application, and has ethical implications related to the traditional conceptions of health and pathology.