Fig. 9: Potential cortical implementation.

Hierarchical predictive coding scheme showing how the three mind-body techniques may synergistically facilitate a more flexible and adaptive predictive system: Reconceptualization remodels priors and hyper-priors; the healing ritual, acting as an open-label placebo, opens the system to new predictive avenues; and meditation weakens descending predictions to facilitate their replacement with new beliefs and present-centered sense data and activates sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic responses. New predictions alter allostatic setpoints and autonomic regulation.