Positive Health Online

Abstract

TRAVIS, Psychology Department, Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, IA 52557, USA, compared electroencephalogram (EEG) and autonomic patterns during transcending to 'other' experiences during Transcendental Meditation (TM) practice .

Background

Methodology

To correlate specific meditation experiences with physiological measures, the investigator rang a bell three times during the TM session and subjects categorized their experiences around each bell ring.

Results

Transcending, compared with 'other' experiences during TM practice, was marked by: 1) significantly lower breathing rates, 2) higher respiratory sinus arrhythmia amplitudes, 3) higher EEG alpha amplitude, and 4) higher alpha coherence . Skin conductance responses to the bell rings were larger during transcending.

Conclusion

According to the author, the findings suggest that monitoring patterns of physiological variables may index dynamically changing inner experiences during meditation practice. This could allow a more precise investigation into the nature of meditation experiences and a more accurate comparison of meditation states with other eye-closed conditions.

References

Travis F. Autonomic and EEG patterns distinguish transcending from other experiences during Transcendental Meditation practice. International Journal of Psychophysiology 42 (1): 1-9. Aug 2001.