Volume 44 Issue 22 - Archives Nd: Fill & Download for Free

Re: The Transcendental Meditation TechniqueIndependently Published and Peer-Reviewed ResearchYounger Biological Age:1. Glaser JL, Brind JL, Vogelman JH, Eisner MJ, Dillbeck MC, Wallace RK, Orenteich N. Elevated serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels in practitioners of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) and TM-Sidhi programs. Journal of Behavioral Medicine 1992 15(4):327-341 Compared to controls, middle aged and older individuals practicing the TM technique have been found to maintain higher levels of DHEA-s a hormone that declines steadily throughout adult life. Low levels of DHEA-s have been linked to a variety of diseases and with increased mortality. On average levels of DHEA-s in people practicing the TM technique were comparable to levels of non-meditators who were 5 to 10 years younger - a difference that could not be explained by variations in diet, weight, or exercise habits. Indications of Younger Biological Age: Increased DHEA-S Levels in Female and Older Male Practitioners of the TM and TM-Sidhi Programme. Studies show DHEA-S acts as a mood elevator (anti-depressive).Hormonal Changes Related to Increased Emotional Stability:1. Bujatti M, Riederer P. Serotonin, noradrenaline, dopamine metabolites in Transcendental Meditation. Journal of Neural Transmission 1976 39(3):257-267 Practitioners of the TM technique showed highly significant increases in levels of 5-HIAA (a serotonin metabolite) indicating an increase in rest and fulfillment and lower levels of VMA (an adrenaline and non-adrenaline metabolite) indicating a decrease in the fight or flight (arousal) response as compared to control subjects.2. Jevning R, Wilson AF, Davidson JM. Adrenocortical activity during meditation. Hormones and Behavior 1978 10(1):54-60 The practice of the TM technique was associated with an acute decline in adrenocortical activity. Since increased adrenocortical hormone levels are well-established correlates of both acute and chronic stress, the decline seen to result from the practice of Transcendental Meditation has important implications for counteracting stress.3. Jevning R, Wilson AF, Smith WR. The Transcendental Meditation technique, adrenocortical activity, and implications for stress. Experientia 1978 34(5):618-619 The practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique was associated with an acute decline in adrenocortical activity. Since increased adrenocortical hormone levels are well-established correlates of both acute and chronic stress, the decline seen to result from the practice of Transcendental Meditation has important implications for counteracting stress.4. Mills PJ, Schneider RH, Hill D, Walton K, Wallace RK. Beta-adrenergic receptor sensitivity in subjects practicing Transcendental Meditation. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 1990 34(1):29-33 Decreased Sensitivity to Stress Hormones: Reduced Beta-Adrenergic Receptor Sensitivity. At rest and in response to some stress tests, Transcendental Meditation participants maintained lower levels of blood pressure and other physiological indices of stress.5. Walton KG, Schneider RH, Nidich SI, Salerno JW, Nordstrom CK, Merz CN. Psychosocial stress and cardiovascular disease. Part 2: effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation program in treatment and prevention. Behavioral Medicine 2002 28(3):106-123 The TM technique has acute as well as longitudinal effects on reducing baseline cortisol as well as average cortisol across stress sessions.6. MacLean CR, Walton KG, Wenneberg SR, Levitsky DK, Mandarino JV, Waziri R, Hillis SL, Schneider RH. Effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on adaptive mechanisms: changes in hormone levels and responses to stress after four months of practice. Psychoneuroendocrinology 1997 22(4):277-295 More Adaptive Biochemical Response to Stress: Decreased Baseline Cortisol and Decreased Overall Cortisol During Stress Session; Enhanced Cortisol Response During Stressful Challenge with Rapid Return to Baseline; Decreased Plasma Serotonin Relative to Controls for Baseline, Average and Response to Stress. (In contrast to whole body serotonin metabolism, low plasma serotonin indicates decreased stress and decreased risk of High Blood Pressure. Low Baseline Cortisol and Enhanced Cortisol Response to stress is a more stable and adaptive physiological profile.Increased Efficiency and Stability of Endocrine Functioning:1. Werner OR, Wallace RK, Charles B, Janssen G, Stryker T, Chalmers RA. Long-term endocrinologic changes in subjects practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program. Psychosomatic Medicine 1986 48(1/2):59-66 Long term practitioners of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program showed increased efficiency and stability of endocrine functioning.Increased Efficiency in Neuroendocrine Regulation1. Jevning R, Wells I, Wilson AF, Guich S. Plasma thyroid hormones, thyroid stimulating hormone, and insulin during acute hypometabolic state in man. Physiology and Behavior 1987 40(5):603-606 The Transcendental Meditation practice was found to have both short- and long term effects on thyroid function, suggesting more efficient neuroendocrine regulation.Increased Arginine Vasopressin, Related to Learning, Memory:1. O'Halloran J, Jevning R, Wilson AF, Skowsky R, Walsh RN, Alexander CH. Hormonal control in a state of decreased activation: potentiation of arginine vasopressin secretion. Physiology and Behavior 1985 35(4):591-595 During the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique, there was a dramatic increase in a hormone associated with body fluid balance as well as with learning and memory.Increased Plasma Prolactin, Related to Relaxation1. R, Wilson AF, VanderLaan EF. Plasma prolactin and growth hormone during meditation. Psychosomatic Medicine 1978 40(4):329-333 Plasma prolactin was found to increase in both short- and long-term practitioners of the Transcendental Meditation technique either towards the end or shortly after the practice. Prolactin is an indicator of relaxation and promotes neurogenesis. (production of neurons (brain cells). Eyes closed rest did not produce an increase in prolactin. The increase in prolactin found during sleep is found to immediately wane on awakening. The persistence of the TM-associated prolactin increase suggests that the events involved are different from those activated in sleep.Increased Serotonin Related to Physical and Mental Health:1. Walton KG, Francis D, Lerom M, Tourenne C. Behaviorally-induced alterations in urinary 5-hydroxyindoles. Transactions of the American Society for Neurochemistry 1983 14:199 Length of time spent in the practice of Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program influenced the daily rhythms of the serotonin metabolite 5-HIAA and similar substances. Since serotonin is important in physical and mental health, these changes could mediate some beneficial effects of the program.Less Aggressive Behavior in Patients with Aggressive Behavior; Decreased Seizures in Epileptic Patients; Improved Cognitive Functioning in Mentally Retarded:1. Subrahmanyam S, Porkodi K. Neurohumoral correlates of Transcendental Meditation. Journal of Biomedicine 1980 1:73-88 Levels of catecholamine and steroid metabolites, plasma cortisol, and serum cholesterol were found to decrease over a six-month period of the Transcendental Meditation technique. Furthermore, normalization of neurotransmitter metabolite levels, plasma cortisol levels, and EEG features was found to occur as a result of the Transcendental Meditation technique in patients with aggressive behavior, moderate mental retardation, or epilepsy. Considerable clinical improvement was observed in all patients under study: bouts of aggressive behavior were reduced in frequency and severity in aggressive patients; IQ and general cognitive functioning improved in mentally retarded subjects; and the frequency and severity of epileptic seizures were reduced in epileptic patients. It is concluded that the Transcendental Meditation technique has both a beneficial effect on general health and therapeutic value in specific conditions.Reduced Symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome:1. Paul-Labrador M, Polk D, Dwyer JH, Velasquez I, Nidich SI, Rainforth M, Schneider RH, Bairey Merz CN. Effects of a randomized controlled trial of Transcendental Meditation on components of the metabolic syndrome in subjects with coronary heart disease. Archives of Internal Medicine 2006 166(11):1218-1224 This 16-week, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 103 coronary heart patients found that the Transcendental Meditation technique improved blood pressure and insulin resistance components of the metabolic syndrome as well as cardiac autonomic nervous system tone compared with a control group receiving health education. These results suggest that the TM technique may modulate the physiological response to stress and improve coronary heart disease risk factors. Stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenalin aggravate insulin and glucose levels. Reducing these neurohormones through the Transcendental Meditation technique helps to balance glucose and insulin in the blood. This helps to normalize metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Full Article The American Medical Association was so impressed by the research showing that TM was the only technology documented in medical literature to be able to address all three components of the "metabolic syndrome", that they issued a press release which resulted in thousands of articles world-wide.Enhanced Neurotransmitter Functioning:1. Elias AN, Wilson AF. Serum hormonal concentrations following Transcendental Meditation: potential role of gamma aminobutyric acid. Medical Hypotheses 1995 44(4):287-291 The authors review research on the hormonal changes associated with the Transcendental Meditation Technique and attempt to understand these changes in light of the known effects of the neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) on hormonal secretion and release, proposing that one of the mechanisms by which the Transcendental Meditation Technique produces relaxation is by enhancing the effects of an endogenous neurotransmitter.Pain Relieving and Anti-Depressive:1. Jevning R, Pirkle H, Wilson AF. Behavioral alteration of plasma phenylalanine concentration. Physiology and Behavior 1977 19(5):611-614 Plasma phenylalanine concentration was found to increase during the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique, while no change was seen during ordinary relaxation. Phenylalanine is reputed to have pain relieving and an anti-depressive effects.Improved Neuroendocrine Balance:Hawkins MA. Effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation program in criminal rehabilitation and substance abuse recovery: a review of the research. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation 2003 36(1-4):47-66 Incarcerated Offenders show decreased aggression, decreased hostility, decreased in-prison rule infractions and decreased substance abuse as well as increased moral judgement. Significant reduction in the risk factors that underlie substance dependence, particularly reduction in anxiety, depression, neuroticism, and other forms of psychological distress. The TM Program produces a wide range of improvements in psychophysiological well-being as indicated by better psychological health, enhanced autonomic functioning, and improved neuroendocrine balance resulting in significantly lower recidivism rates for parolee practitioners and lower relapse rates.Walton KG, Levitsky DK. Effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on neuroendocrine abnormalities associated with aggression and crime. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation 2003 36(1-4):67-88 The TM Program reduces stress induced abnormalities in the neuroendocrine systems. Abnormalities in the neuroendocrine systems have been related to impulsivity, aggression and crime.Normalizing Hormones and Reducing/Preventing Cardiovascular Disease:1. Walton KG, Fields JZ, Levitsky DK, Harris DA, Pugh ND, Schneider RH. Lowering cortisol and CVD risk in postmenopausal women: a pilot study using the Transcendental Meditation program. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2004 1032:211-2152. Walton KG, Pugh BS, Gelderloos P, MacRae P. Stress reduction and preventing hypertension: preliminary support for a psychoneuroendocrine mechanism. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 1995 1(3):263-283This study found lower levels of vanillylmandelic acid, indicating reduced turnover of norepinephrine and epinephrine, reflecting reduced sympathetic nervous system activity. This may contribute to reduced contractility or reactivity of the vascular smooth muscle and thus to reduced peripheral resistance leading to reduced cardiovascular disease risk. Other stress related hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, aldosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) change with TM practice, suggesting a mechanism by which the practice may reduce blood volume and normalize blood pressure.3. Walton KG, Schneider RH, Nidich SI, Salerno JW, Nordstrom CK, Merz CN. Psychosocial stress and cardiovascular disease. Part 2: effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation program in treatment and prevention. Behavioral Medicine 2002 28(3):106-123 The TM technique has acute as well as longitudinal effects on reducing baseline cortisol as well as average cortisol across stress sessions.Additional studies related to hormonal system:1. Infante JR, Peran F, Martinez M, Roldan A, Poyatos R, Ruiz C, Samaniego F, Garrido F. ACTH and beta-endorphin in Transcendental Meditation. Physiology and Behavior 1998 64(3):311-3152. Infante JR, Peran F, Rayo JI, Serrano J, Dominguez ML, Garcia L, Duran C, Sanchez R, Roldan A. Daytime hormonal rhythms in practitioners of the Transcendental Meditation-Sidhi program. Biomedical Research 2010 21:161-1663. Infante JR, Torres-Avisbal M, Pinel P, Vallejo JA, Peran F, Gonzalez F, Contreras P, Pacheco C, Roldan A, Latre JM. Catecholamine levels in practitioners of the Transcendental Meditation technique. Physiology and Behavior 2001 72(2):141-1464. Tooley GA, Armstrong SM, Norman TR, Sali A. Acute increases in night-time plasma melatonin levels following a period of meditation. Biological Psychology 2000 53(1):69-785. Walton KG, Pugh ND. Stress, steroids, and ‘Ojas’: neuroendocrine mechanisms and current promise of ancient approaches to disease prevention. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 1995 39(1):3-366. Walton KG, Cavanaugh KL, Pugh ND. Effect of group practice of the Transcendental Meditation program on biochemical indicators of stress in non-meditators: a prospective time series study. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality 2005 17(1):339-376SECTION 2Increased Emotional Stability:Sheppard DH, Staggers F, John L. The effects of a stress management program in a high security government agency. Anxiety, Stress and Coping 1997 10(4):341-350 The data suggests that a significant reduction in trait anxiety and depression values occurred over the three month treatment period in the group practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique. There was also a significant drop in state anxiety from baseline in the TM group. After a three year lapse without ongoing program or instructor support, state anxiety, trait anxiety, depression and self-concept all measured significantly improved in the TM group. There was also a significant drop in state anxiety from baseline in the TM group.Haratani T, Hemmi T. Effects of Transcendental Meditation on mental health of industrial workers. Japanese Journal of Industrial Health 1990 32:656 Takashi Haratani This was a five month study conducted by the researchers at Japan’s National Institute of Industrial Health. (A branch of the Japanese Ministry of Labor) industrial employees practicing the TM technique showed increased emotional stability, reduced anxiety, decreased tendency to neurosis and reduced insomnia and smoking compared to controls. Improvement in General Physical and Mental Well-Being in Industrial Workers: Decreased Physical Complaints; Decreased Impulsive Tendency; Reduced Emotional Instability. Overall, employees practicing TM improved significantly on 10 out of 14 mental health scales, whereas controls improved on only one.Ljunggren G. The influence of Transcendental Meditation on neuroticism, use of drugs and insomnia. Lakartidningen 1977 74(47):4212-4214 Improvements in neuroticism and insomnia, and reduced use of tranquilizers were found to result from three months’ practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique. These findings indicate a relief from stress and increased psychological balance.Overbeck K-D. Auswirkungen der Technik der Transzendentalen Meditation (TM) auf die psychische und psychosomatische Befindlichkeit. Psychotherapie-Psychosomatik Medizinische Psychologie 1982 32(6):188-192 After four to six months of regular practice of the TM technique subjects showed decreases in psychosomatic complaints, musculo-skeletal complaints, oversensitivity and in limitations caused by physical and general ailments when compared to a non-meditating control group. Increases in efficiency and emotional stability were also seen. The improvement in these parameters were associated with the experience of inner harmony during the TM technique.Jevning R, Wallace RK, Beidebach M. The physiology of meditation: a review. A wakeful hypometabolic integrated response. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews 1992 16(3):415-424 The authors propose that practice of the Transcendental Meditation Technique creates an integrated physiological response with peripheral circulatory and metabolic changes subserving increased central nervous activity, and review data from previous research on physiological changes associated with the Transcendental Meditation ProgramEppley K, Abrams A, Shear J. Differential effects of relaxation techniques on trait anxiety: a meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology 1989 45(6):957-974 A Meta-Analysis conducted at Stanford University looked at 146 separate studies on the effectiveness of any mental technique that had any published research on it and compared the effectiveness of those technologies to the effectiveness of TM. This list of 146 studies included comparing TM to biofeedback, progressive muscle relaxation, mindfulness, relaxation response, and many other mental techniques. TM was found to be twice as effective as any other mental technique in reducing anxiety and if only rigorous research was considered then TM was found to be 3 to 4 times as effective in reducing anxiety than any other mental technique. In addition, not one of the other techniques significantly reduced anxiety in comparison to a placebo. (Cohens d=.07). These results were found after controlling for confounding variables such as mental health status of the population, age, sex, experimental design, attrition, duration and hours of treatment, pre-test anxiety and expectation effects.Aron EN, Aron A. Transcendental Meditation and marital adjustment. Psychological Reports 1982 51(7):887-890 This study found increase marital satisfaction and adjustment in couples who practice the TM technique. Married women who had learned the Transcendental Meditation technique showed greater marital satisfaction than matched non-meditating controls. This result was significantly greater in women who were regular in their practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique.Orme-Johnson DW, Moore RM. First prison study using the Transcendental Meditation program: La Tuna Federal Penitentiary. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation 2003 36(1-4):89-96 After practicing the TM Technique for 2 months, inmates showed increased stability of the autonomic nervous system, decreased rigidity, decreased obsessive thoughts, decreased compulsive behavior, decreased psychasthenia (including phobias and excessive anxiety), decreased social introversion, decreased SSRR, improved integrated function of the frontal lobes beneficial for rehabilitation.Brooks JS, Scarano T. Transcendental Meditation in the treatment of post-Vietnam adjustment. Journal of Counseling and Development 1985 64:212-215 Over a three month period, people practicing the TM program showed clear-cut improvements in all aspects of PTSD syndrome, with significant decreases in depression, anxiety, insomnia, alcohol consumption, improvement in family problems, reduced severity of delayed stress syndrome and less emotional numbness, as well as greater ease in obtaining a job. By contrast the control group, who received standard treatment with psychotherapy showed no significant change on any measure.Alexander CN, Rainforth MV, Gelderloos P. Transcendental Meditation, self-actualization, and psychological health: a conceptual overview and statistical meta-analysis. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality 1991 6(5):189-247 In a statistical review of 42 independent research results the TM program was found to be three times as effective as other meditation and relaxation procedures in increasing self-actualization an overall measure of positive mental health and personal development. Further analysis revealed that the technique is exceptionally effective in developing three independent components of this dimension: emotional maturity, a resilient sense of self, and a positive integrated perspective on ourselves and the the world Increased Self Actualization through Transcendental Meditation in Contrast to other Procedures as Demonstrated by Meta-Analysis; Improvement in the Measured Components of Self-Actualization: Increased Time Competence (Ability to Live in the Present; Ability to Connect Past, Present, and Future Meaningfully); Increased Inner-Directedness (Independence; Self-Supportiveness); Increase Self-Actualizing Value (Holding Values of Self-Actualizing People); Increased Existentiality (Flexibility in Application of Values); Increased Spontaneity; Increased Self-Regard; Increased Self-Acceptance; Increased Nature of Man Constructive (See Man as Essentially Good); Increased Synergy (Sees Opposites of Life as Meaningfully Related); Increased Acceptance of Feelings; Increased Capacity for Intimate Contact (Warm Interpersonal Relationships); Increased Emotional Maturity; Increased Integrative Perspective on Self and World; Increased Resilient Sense of SelfChandler HM, Alexander CN, Heaton DP, Grant J. Transcendental Meditation and postconventional self-development: a 10-year longitudinal study. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality 2005 17(1):93-122Nidich SI, Seeman W, Dreskin T. Influence of Transcendental Meditation: a replication. Journal of Counseling Psychology 1973 20(6):565-566 Using Shostram’s Personal Inventory (POI) changes on several measures in the direction of self-actualization were shown to occur in subjects practicing the TM technique after just 10 weeks.Seeman W, Nidich S, Banta T. Influence of Transcendental Meditation on a measure of self-actualization. Journal of Counseling Psychology 1972 19(3):184-187 Using Shostram’s Personal Orientation Inventory (POI) People practicing the TM technique after just 2 months showed increased self-actualization as compared to controls.Hjelle JA. Transcendental Meditation and psychological health. Perceptual and Motor Skills 1974 39(5):623-628 People practicing the TM technique for approximately 2 years were found to be more self-actualized, more internally controlled and less anxious than subjects about to begin the technique.Ferguson PC, Gowan JC. Psychological findings on Transcendental Meditation. Journal of Humanistic Psychology 1976 16(3):51-60 The effect of the TM technique in reducing negative personality traits and increasing self-actualization was marked and cumulative.Berg WP, Mulder B. Psychological research on the effects of the Transcendental Meditation technique on a number of personality variables. Gedrag: Tijdschrift voor Psychologie (Behaviour: Journal of Psychology) 1976 4:206-218 Subjects practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique were found to increase in self-esteem, ego strength, satisfaction and self-actualization. Significant reductions in physical and social inadequacy, neuroticism, depression, and rigidity were found in short term meditators (9 weeks after learning TM), whereas no change occurred in controls. In comparison with non-meditating control subjects, long term meditators (mean time of practice one and one-half years) showed remarkably higher levels of self-esteem, satisfaction, ego strength, self-actualization, and trust in others, as well as improved self image. Long term meditators also showed remarkably less neuroticism, depression, and sensitivity to criticism compared with non-meditating controls. these results indicate that the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique allows development of a more harmonious personalty in the direction of self-actualization.Gaylord C, Orme-Johnson D, Travis F. The effects of the Transcendental Meditation technique and progressive muscular relaxation on EEG coherence, stress reactivity, and mental health in black adults. International Journal of Neuroscience 1989 46(1/2):77-86 Participants in the Transcendental Meditation program increased in EEG coherence during the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique. Meditators also decreased in neuroticism and anxiety and increased in mental health over the one-year study period.Turnbull M, Norris H. Effects of Transcendental Meditation on self-identity indices and personality. British Journal of Psychology 1982 73:57-69 The practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique was found to result in a stronger self-identity.