From Altered States to Altered Traits: How Real Transformation Happens

In the 1960s, the modern quest for altered states of consciousness began. The Beatles were singing about “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” Timothy Leary was giving LSD to Harvard undergraduates. Transcendental Meditation was proclaiming a fourth state of consciousness — different from waking, sleeping, and dreaming. And in 1969, psychologist Charles Tart edited the seminal volume Altered States of Consciousness, a book that helped put the serious scientific study of these states on the map. I remember discovering this book in college. I was a young student, and it became one of my early bibles. Alongside its chapters on psychedelics, meditation, and hypnosis, it sparked a deep fascination that ultimately shaped my path into psychology and neuroscience.

But something important was missing.

Forty-eight years later, Dan Goleman and I published Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain and Body. We wrote that while altered states are fascinating, it is really altered traits we should be caring about.

So what is the difference? And why does it matter so much — especially now?

States: Fleeting Glimpses of Possibility

A state is a temporary inner experience. It can be calm, love, insight, or bliss. States arise through meditation, psychedelics, retreats, even music or awe in nature. They are often compelling — a temporary shift above the surface of our usual worry, rumination, or busyness.

States are important. They show us what’s possible.

But they don’t last. And if we cling to them, or judge ourselves when they fade, they can even lead to disillusionment. The opportunity is to use them as inspiration — not as the goal.

Traits: Enduring Qualities That Shape a Life

A trait, by contrast, is enduring. It shows up across situations, and even under stress. Traits reflect who we are becoming. The idea of trait transformation has deep roots in both East and West. Aristotle, for example, emphasized the formation of character — enduring moral qualities like honesty, generosity, or courage. If someone behaves kindly only in some situations, we don’t call them a kind person — we call them inauthentic.

It is the stability of kindness across contexts that makes it a virtue.

The same applies to qualities like patience, resilience, or compassion.

And despite some early skepticism in psychology, decades of research now show that traits can be cultivated. The brain is plastic. We change — not just how we feel moment-to-moment, but who we are over time.

Skills: The Missing Link Between States and Traits

So how does a momentary state become a lasting trait?

The answer lies in skills — trainable capacities like awareness, connection, insight and purpose. Skills, when practiced consistently, activate states. Over time, repeated states begin to imprint as traits.

Skills → States → Traits.

This is the core insight at the heart of Dharma Lab, and at the heart of our scientific work: that the mind can be trained, and transformation is a learnable process.

This also means the path is accessible. You don’t need a psychedelic journey or a monthlong retreat to change your life. In fact, our research has shown that even five minutes a day, for one month, can produce meaningful benefits in wellbeing, biology, and behavior.

A Meditation Path Grounded in Science and Wisdom

In Buddhist traditions, the distinction between transient states and stabilized traits is foundational. Gom, the Tibetan word for meditation, literally means “to become familiar with.” We’re not seeking a peak experience — we’re learning how to become familiar with the basic nature of our mind.

And as practitioners of both dharma and science, Cort and I are deeply curious about how these timeless insights converge with modern research on neuroplasticity, epigenetics, and human flourishing.

It’s Easier Than You Think

There’s a misconception that transformation requires years of monastic practice. That’s simply not true. What matters more is consistency. What matters is intentionality. What matters is that we begin.

Even a few minutes of daily practice — breathing mindfully while doing the dishes, offering genuine appreciation to someone, pausing before reacting — can change the brain. These small acts are what we call microdosing wellbeing. Short times, many times. These little bouts of practice can happen everywhere, all the time!

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What You Can Try Right Now

✅ Reflect on a recent state of calm, clarity, or joy. What triggered it?

✅ Choose one skill you’d like to build — like patience, compassion, or appreciation.

✅ Practice it for a few minutes each day. Track your experience.

✅ Notice how, over time, these qualities may arise spontaneously. That’s a trait in the making.

Feel free to try this 5-minute guided meditation right now or later in your day as a practice.

Meditation #3 - Short Moments of Appreciation (5min)

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Let’s Stay in Conversation

This topic is one of the core themes of our upcoming book Born to Flourish (coming March 2026), and of Dharma Lab itself.

We’ll be exploring questions like:

• What does the science say about how meditation reshapes traits?

• What distinguishes a transient insight from lasting wisdom?

• How do psychedelics relate to this path of skill development?

• What practices are most effective for real change?

We’d love to hear from you:

What state inspired you to begin this journey?

What trait are you cultivating now?

What skill do you most want to develop in the year ahead?

Leave a comment, send us a question, or join one of our upcoming live AMAs. We’ll keep diving deeper — and we’ll do it together.

With warmth and curiosity,

Richie & Cort

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Do you have topics you would like to see in future posts, suggestions for features, or areas of improvement? We would love to hear from you HERE!

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