**4. The Sphere Model of Consciousness and the position within the sphere**

The Sphere Model of Consciousness [15] aims to symbolize the phenomenology of consciousness utilizing the geometrical properties of spatial coordinates within a spherical framework (see **Figure 1**).

**Figure 1.** *The Sphere Model of Consciousness (adapted from [11, 13, 15]).*

*Hypnotherapy and Hypnosis*

**3.2 Quadrato Motor Training (QMT)**

promote cognitive and psycho-emotional well-being.

tracts related to sensorimotor and cognitive functions [165].

especially the visual system [159, 160]. Similar to Rimbert et al. [5], Marson et al. [161] further found post-movement beta rebound [162] between consecutive trials,

Quadrato Motor Training is a mindful movement practice based on the Sphere Model of Consciousness. Participants are asked to move within a square (*quadrato,* in Italian), according to a specific sequence of instructions. QMT requires a high level of attention divided between the body and the spatial coordinates incorporated in the quadrato space, as well as silent waiting for the next instruction. Previous studies showed that QMT enhances theta activity and improves cognition (for a recent review, see [163, 164]). At the behavioral level, these changes have been associated with improvements in cognitive and psycho-emotional functioning [162, 165–167], considered important aspects of health and well-being.

What appears to make QMT different from other forms of physical activity is its impact on interhemispheric functional connectivity in the theta and alpha bands. In contrast to studies of other types of physical activity that focused on local changes in activity and have usually not reported changes in long-range connectivity, studies of healthy populations engaging in QMT have demonstrated both increased EEG power [168, 169] and coherence [170–173], especially in the theta and alpha bands. Indeed, both single sessions and protracted periods of QMT were found to result in increased intra- and interhemispheric functional connectivity in the theta and alpha bands [170–173]. Increased theta and alpha functional connectivity is thought to reflect improved cognitive functions and higher states of consciousness, due to better integration of information and communication across brain regions [174–176]. As such, these findings provide additional evidence relating to QMT's capacity to

Moreover, Ben-Soussan et al. [170] also found improved spatial cognition and reflectivity in groups who underwent a single session of QMT, in comparison to two control groups that underwent either simple motor or verbal training. The improvements were thought to stem from changes in functional connectivity, as evidenced by changes in intra- and interhemispheric coherence in theta and alpha bands [170]. Until recently, there has been a paucity of studies that investigated neural modu-

lation during meditative movement. In a recent pilot study, De Fano et al. [163] examined five volunteers performing a single session of QMT characterized by three "blocks" which are rounds of the QMT routine. Since QMT requires executive control, which involves frontal theta activity, higher frontal theta power toward the last of the three QMT blocks, compared to the starting one, is expected. Indeed, a trend of increased theta activity was observed toward the last two blocks compared to the first one, which may reflect not only the cognitive control required by QMT performance but also the increase in cognitive effort that occurs overtime [163]. Going back to the theme of navigation and its connection to attention and salience dorsal and ventral streams discussed above, which are further related to the superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculi [177], 6 weeks of daily QMT was further found to increase white matter integrity as indicated by increased fractional anisotropy in the superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculi, as well as in additional

Another meditative movement paradigm, tai chi, has been more heavily studied. Several electroencephalography EEG studies have reported that tai chi can produce

namely, increased beta activity both in diagonal and vertical movements.

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**3.3 Tai chi and qigong**

Each axis of the SMC represents the deployment and polarity of an aspect of experience, with an equilibrium point in the center of the sphere and a graduated scale indicating distance from the center. The center of the sphere represents an equilibrium point, with respect to three spatial coordinates, namely: (1) a horizontal *emotion axis* (e.g., representing the emotional polarities of unpleasant and pleasant), (2) a vertical *self-determination axis* representing the dimensions of value and aspiration [15], and (3) a *time axis* (e.g., representing the temporal deployment of past to future). The center can be considered a state of "Overcoming the Self," that is, a state of neutrality and detachment from the usual experiences of the Narrative and Minimal selves [15], which is crucial to hypnosis and different meditative practices [183]. Berkovich-Ohana and Glicksohn [28] suggested that experiences related to the Narrative Self are perceived as further away from the body, more abstract, and related to the future and the past. Narrative Self, Minimal Self, and Overcoming of the Self are represented in the SMC as concentric circles around the center of the sphere, with greater distance from the center signifying a more abstract experience of oneself. We shall now merge the electrophysiological and neuroanatomical findings in order to see how one can voluntarily move toward the center of the sphere.
