Vedic Science International Multidisciplinary Peer-reviewed Journal 

The articles below are the official digital versions of peer-reviewed papers from the print edition of the Vedic Science Journal.

Article  Information

Journal: Vedic Science
Volume: 28 | Issue: 3 | Year: 2026
Pages: 48–67
DOI:  https://doi.org/10.66718/vsj.v28.i3.06    
Received: 20 July, 2026
Accepted:  26 August, 2026
Published: 30 Sept., 2026

The Cognitive Stillness Protocol: A Psycho-Behavioral Framework for Sthitaprajnata (Equanimity)

Dr. K. V. Sarma, Independent Researcher, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Dr. Lochan Sai Ganesh Bandreddi, MBBS, Independent Researcher, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Abstract

Background. Pervasive burnout, existential dissatisfaction, and fragmented self-experience have become defining features of modern professional life, yet established interventions address symptoms more readily than their deeper self-referential roots.

Objective. This paper proposes a conceptual integration of Vedantic philosophy with contemporary cognitive-behavioral perspectives, offering a structured framework for cultivating Sthitaprajnata (equanimity).

Approach. Drawing on the Bhagavad Gita’s principle of Nishkama Karma (action without attachment to outcome) and the Jnana Yoga tradition associated with Ramana Maharshi, the paper introduces the Cognitive Stillness Protocol, a four-stage developmental model organised around the classical Vak hierarchy of consciousness: Vaikhari, Madhyama, Pashyanti, and Para. The protocol rests on a two-part behavioral principle, namely sustained purposeful action combined with the deliberate, gradual reduction of ego-centric reward-seeking.

Contribution. We propose a theoretical correspondence between these stages and neuro-cognitive constructs associated with the Default Mode Network (DMN) as a hypothesis for future empirical testing. We further distinguish the protocol’s structure from established interventions such as MBSR and ACT, and specify validated instruments for each construct the protocol claims to affect.

Conclusion. The model is presented as a conceptual and clinically suggestive framework. It identifies points of convergence with the existing contemplative-science literature and outlines the empirical work, including head-to-head comparative trials, required before any causal or mechanistic claims can be supported.

Keywords

Sthitaprajnata; Vak hierarchy; Default Mode Network; Nishkama Karma; contemplative neuroscience; equanimity

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How to cite this article

Sarma, K.V., Bandreddi, L.S.G  (2026). The Cognitive Stillness Protocol: A Psycho-Behavioral Framework for Sthitaprajnata (Equanimity). Vedic Science, 2026 (3), 48-67. ISSN: 0975-0312 (Print). DOI: https://doi.org/10.66718/vsj.v28.i3.06