Researchers developed a new brain-monitoring technique called the Inner Dereification Index that can detect when someone is meditating versus mind-wandering using only a brief EEG recording. By analyzing electrical activity in specific brain regions involved in self-awareness and personal thoughts, the method can accurately track meditation progress in real-time with 99.6% accuracy. The technique works with minimal training data and shows that certain meditation practices—particularly Tibetan Buddhist techniques aimed at experiencing the emptiness of self—create distinctive brain patterns. This breakthrough could enable real-time meditation feedback devices and personalized meditation guidance.