ASSC Sattelite Retreat

ASSC Sattelite Event on
Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness

10 - 14 July

Ligres Crete

This post-ASSC 2025 sattelite event will serve as an interdisciplinary workshop retreat to advance research on consciousness, altered states, and computational phenomenology. It will integrate perspectives from neuroscience, VR, computational modeling, and philosophy, fostering collaboration among researchers with a shared interest in non-ordinary conscious states. A key focus will be on the measurement of subjective effects in altered states research, exploring innovative experiential approaches using VR to induce and study these phenomena. The workshop will also highlight neurophenomenological methods that bridge first-person experience with third-person data, particularly at the intersections of art and neuroscience. Through focused discussions, cross-disciplinary talks, and collaborative sessions, participants will explore formal models of consciousness, including mathematical frameworks and neural modeling approaches. The workshop aims to establish a long-term research consortium, promoting sustainable partnerships and open collaboration to bridge empirical and theoretical perspectives in the study of altered states.

The retreat is designed as a smaller, more intimate gathering of around 35 researchers with a shared interest in altered states of consciousness. Unlike the main conference, which primarily focuses on published work, this retreat will emphasize ongoing and future research, fostering discussions that lead to new collaborations. The aim is to create a space where researchers can connect organically, exchange ideas, and explore potential synergies—whether intellectual, financial, or infrastructural—through a bottom-up approach driven by participant interactions and shared interests.
This approach also informs our selection criteria. Rather than prioritizing traditional academic achievements, we focus on whether applicants’ research interests, ongoing projects, and ambitions align with the retreat’s thematic tracks and contribute meaningfully to productive and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Organization Team

Track 1. Measuring Subjective Effects of Altered States

This track explores open-science methods for systematically capturing and comparing subjective experiences in altered states, using validated psychometric questionnaires and large-scale data-sharing platforms. It emphasizes refining altered-state taxonomies, improving reliability via dose-response analyses, and integrating quantitative approaches with phenomenological insights to evaluate subjective alterations from various induction techniques. Organized by Timo Torsten Schmidt and Cyril Costines.

Experience of Unity

Spiritual Experience

Blissful State

Timo Torsten Schmidt

Cyril Costines

Track 2. Virtual Reality approaches to study Altered States

This track explores state-of-the-art VR approaches for inducing altered states of consciousness (ASCs) by disrupting multisensory integration, altering self-representation, and simulating complex perceptual distortions. It will feature demonstrations of systems such as the Hallucination Machine and the bioresponsive Viscereality Project, facilitating discussions on phenomenological insights and the effectiveness of VR in evoking ASCs. Organized by Keisuke Suzuki, Pawel Motyka, and George Fejer

Track 3. Lived Experiences

This track examines how lived experience, experiential methods, and personal immersion in practices such as breathwork and meditation can enrich academic investigations of consciousness. Through guided sessions and open dialogue, participants will explore integrating introspective perspectives into empirical work, bridging qualitative approaches with cognitive sciences, and reflecting on how personal experience shapes research design. Organizers: Mar Estaralles, Jonas Mago

Track 4. Formalizing a Non-Ordinary State Space
curated by the Qualia Research Institute

This track explores computational and phenomenological frameworks for visualizing structural and dynamic dimensions of consciousness, highlighting tools designed to replicate psychedelic visual effects. Demonstrations of QRI's technologies—including their computational toolbox for modeling experiential properties—will illustrate how core theories such as Valence Structuralism and the Coupling Kernels paradigm can help map non-ordinary states, offering insights into subjective experience and human well-being.
Organized by the Qualia Research Institute and Andrés Gómez Emilsson.

Dynamic Coupling Kernel Animation (Responsive & Transparent)

Location

The workshop will take place at Vrachos Villa, a serene retreat in Crete offering a spacious and comfortable environment for in-depth discussions and collaboration. The villa provides accommodation for up to 31 participants, with additional lodging available in nearby hotels for those requiring alternative arrangements. Transport to and from the venue will be organized, ensuring smooth arrival and departure logistics. Participants are expected to arrive on the July 10th, and departures will be coordinated for July 14th, with assistance available for transfers to the nearest transport hubs.

Place: Ligres, Crete | https://www.vrachos.gr/
Date: 10th - 14th of July, 2025

Application Form | Deadline : 30th of April

* Indicates required field

Name *

First

Last

Email *

Academic Affiliation *

Dietary Restrictions (vegetarian, vegan, allergies) *

Gender *

This post-ASSC retreat is designed as a smaller, more intimate gathering of around 35 researchers with a shared interest in altered states of consciousness. Unlike the main conference, which primarily focuses on published work, this retreat will emphasize ongoing and future research, fostering discussions that lead to new collaborations. The aim is to create a space where researchers can connect organically, exchange ideas, and explore potential synergies—whether intellectual, financial, or infrastructural—through a bottom-up approach driven by participant interactions and shared interests.
This approach also informs our selection criteria. Rather than prioritizing traditional academic achievements, we focus on whether applicants’ research interests, ongoing projects, and ambitions align with the retreat’s thematic tracks and contribute meaningfully to productive and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Which track interests you most, or where can you make the most impactful contribution? This is not about participation—all tracks are open—but about where your expertise and experience can add the most value. Please select all that apply. *

Track 1 - Subjective Effects Track 2 - Virtual Reality Track 3 - Lived Experiences Track 4 - Qualia Research

Describe your ongoing research projects: *

Please describe your motivation to join this post-conference retreat: *

Retreat Information

The retreat fee is €500 per person, covering accommodation, meals, travel assistance, program facilitation (including curated topics and themes), and a professionally curated evening gathering featuring local Greek musicians—aligning with our commitment to cultural sustainability.

We encourage participants to seek institutional funding from their universities. The main ASSC conference concludes on Wednesday, and this retreat runs from Thursday to Monday, ensuring a seamless continuation of discussions and collaborations. Because of this continuity, participants can often book their expenses for both the main conference and the retreat as one continuous academic event, increasing the likelihood of securing funding. If you are applying for funding to attend the main conference, we strongly recommend requesting an additional €500 to cover the retreat as part of your funding application.

To facilitate this, we can provide official receipts, documentation, and proof of participation. Additionally, all attendees will receive an invitation to present at the retreat, which may further strengthen their case for funding approval.

In cases of financial hardship, we can make individual exceptions, asking participants to cover only the basic costs of housing and food, depending on their access to personal funding.

How will you cover the €500 retreat fee? *

Accommodation Preferences – Double Beds

Most beds at the retreat are single beds, but a limited number of double beds are available. While all participants will be accommodated in their own beds, sharing a double bed is optional and will only be considered in the following cases:

A participant who would otherwise be unable to attend (e.g., bringing a small child).
Two participants who know each other and wish to share.
A participant bringing a spouse/partner (lowest priority, subject to availability, with an additional fee of €300).

Would you be open to sharing a double bed under any of these circumstances? *

No, I prefer a single bed. Yes, if it allows me to attend with my child. Yes, I know another participant who wants to share with me. Yes, if space allows, I would like to bring my spouse/partner (€300 fee applies).

Additional comments for the organizers (e.g., feedback, relevant details, or personal circumstances you’d like to share) *

This event is made possible through the support of the
Qualia Research Institute

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ASSC Sattelite Event on​Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness