TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION TECHNIQUE An evidence-based approach to mind-body balance Maharishi Ayurveda Training Program Level 1, Module 1 Transcending From Charaka Samhita (principal text of Ayurveda): Direct contact with the least excited state of awareness (Atma) is the most powerful means of promoting health. Complete transcending (of mental activity) is the best among the sources of health and happiness. The Transcendental Meditation Technique Ayurveda Traditional Medical System of India Yogas chittavrtti-nirodhah Patanjali Yoga- Sutra, 1.2 250 BC Yoga is the least excited state of consciousness, pure consciousness Copyright 2014, Maharishi Ayur-Veda Association of America 5.1
Transcendental Meditation Simple, effortless practice No concentration or contemplation Maintained in its purity through the age-old tradition of Vedic masters Scientifically validated: Over 350 published peer-reviewed research studies NIH grant support: over $25 million Scientific Research on the Transcendental Meditation Program Effortlessness of Transcending No effort is needed to shift the attention to a more charming melody; the process is automatic. There is no loss in energy between starting to listen and enjoying the music with rapt attention Since the field of eternal freedom is absolute bliss, the process of uniting the mind with it, once having begun, comes to completion without loss of energy or effort. -Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Translation and Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, II 40, Penguin Books, Baltimore, 1969 Mind-Body Effect during TM As the mind settles down, the body becomes deeply relaxed, experiencing a unique quality of profound rest ( restful alertness ). Wallace RK, Benson H, Wilson AF. A wakeful hypometabolic physiologic state. American Journal of Physiology 1971;221:795-9. Wallace RK, Benson H. The physiology of meditation. Scientific American 1972;226:84-90. Copyright 2014, Maharishi Ayur-Veda Association of America 5.2
Change in Oxygen Consumption Unique State of Restful Alertness Neutralizes the burden of stress and fatigue in the body Promotes orderliness and balance in mind and body Enhances ability to adopt healthy behaviors and avoid negative behaviors EEG Coherence during TM Increased EEG Phase Synchrony During TM Control, Resting Eyes Closed Transcendental Meditation Front Middle Back Raw EEG tracings during TM practice from 19 tracings from the front, middle and back of the brain over 8 seconds. Note the global alpha bursts across all brain areas during Transcendental Meditation practice. Travis et al, 2009 Compared to a baseline of sitting with eyes closed, EEG synchrony among all brain areas increased during TM, but did not increase in non-meditating controls who continued resting with eyes closed. Hebert JR, Lehmann D, Tan G, Travis FT, Arenander A. Enhanced EEG alpha time-domain phase synchrony during Transcendental Meditation: implications for cortical integration theory. Signal Processing 2005 85(11):2213-2232 Copyright 2014, Maharishi Ayur-Veda Association of America 5.3
Meta-Analysis of Trait Anxiety Effects of TM on Trait Anxiety Standard Difference in Means (d) 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 Progressive Relaxation All Relaxation Transcendental Meditation Other Meditation Effect sizes are treatments compared to non-treated controls, means and standard errors. Reference: Eppley 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 Selection Criteria: Journals/ dissertations Random assignment Authors neutral or negative toward TM. 143 studies in all Anxiety Greater than this % of General Population 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% Median 40% High Anxiety Patients Moderate Anxiety Patients Orme-Johnson, D., Barnes, V., Effects of the Transcendental Meditation Technique on Trait Anxiety: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2013; doi:10.1089/acm.2013.0204 Before TM After TM Transcendental Meditation and PTSD Results of two randomized controlled trials Plasma Cortisol Decreased PTSD Through TM: Vietnam Veterans Decreased PTSD through TM: Congolese Refugees Stress reactivity p <.1 PTSD Sympoms p <.05 Emotional numbness p <.025 Depression p <.025 Family problems p <.05 Insomnia p <.001 Anxiety p <.005 Alcohol p <.005 Employment problems p <.05-0.25 0.25 0.75 1.25 1.75 2.25 Effect Size Scale:.2 = small,.5 = medium,.8 = large PTSD Symptoms (PCL-C) 85 81 77 73 69 65 61 57 53 49 45 41 37 33 29 25 21 17 0 50 100 150 Days Psychotherapy TM Brooks JS, Scarano T. Transcendental Meditation and the treatment of post-vietnam adjustment. Journal of Counseling and Development, 1985;64:212-5. TM Controls Rees B, Travis F, Shapiro D, Chant R. Reduction in post traumatic stress symptoms in Congolese refugees practicing Transcendental Meditation. Journal of Traumatic Stress. 2013:1-14. Jevning R, Wilson AF, Smith WR. The Transcendental Meditation technique, adrenocortical activity, and implications for stress. Experientia 1978 34(5):618-619 Copyright 2014, Maharishi Ayur-Veda Association of America 5.4
Changes in systolic blood pressure in older African Americans after three months: Transcendental Meditation vs. Progressive Muscle Relaxation Meta-Analysis II: Decreased Blood Pressure through Transcendental Meditation compared to other techniques Systolic Blood Pressure Change (mm Hg) 0-5 -10-15 0 1 2 3 Months of Treatment EC PMR p <.02 TM p <.0004 R. Schneider, F. Staggers, C. Alexander, et al. Hypertension 1995, vol. 26, pp. 820-827 This meta-analysis of 107 published studies on stress reduction and blood pressure found that only the Transcendental Meditation program had a statistically significant impact of reducing high blood pressure among hypertensive subjects. Reference: Current Hypertension Reports 9: 520-528, 2007. Effects of Stress Reduction on Carotid Atherosclerosis Decreased Insulin Resistance through Transcendental Meditation INTIMA-MEDIAL THICKNESS Adjusted mean changes in millimeters + 0.1 + 0.05 0 p <.038-0.05 TM Health Education - 0.1 Castillo-Richmond AB, Schneider RH,et al. Effects of Stress Reduction on Carotid Atherosclerosis in Hypertensive African Americans. Stroke, 2000: 31; 568-573 This randomized controlled clinical trial among individuals with stable coronary heart disease found that 16 weeks of practice of the Transcendental Meditation Program, in contrast to participation in a health education program, led to a significant reduction in insulin resistance based on a ratio of glucose to insulin. Reference: Archives of Internal Medicine 166: 1218-1224, 2006. Copyright 2014, Maharishi Ayur-Veda Association of America 5.5
Reduced Drug and Alcohol Use through the Transcendental Meditation technique Reduced Rates of Death, Heart Attack, and Stroke with Transcendental Meditation Reference: Alexander CN, Robinson P, Rainforth MV. Treating alcohol, nicotine and drug abuse through Transcendental Meditation: A review and statistical meta-analysis. Alcohol Treatment Quarterly. 1994;11:13-87. Schneider RH, Grim CE, Rainforth MA, Kotchen TA, Nidich SI, Gaylord-King C, et al. Stress reduction in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease: Randomized controlled trial of Transcendental Meditation and health education in Blacks. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. 2012;5(6):750-8. Reduced Hospitalization Rates through the Transcendental Meditation technique Long-Term Effects of the Transcendental Meditation Technique on Objective Measures -48% all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, & strokes, 10 years study, N = 202 Schneider RH, Grim CE, Rainforth MA, Kotchen TA, Nidich SI, Gaylord-King C, et al. Stress reduction in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease: Randomized controlled trial of Transcendental Meditation and health education in Blacks. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2012;2(5). -43.5% prison recidivism, 15 years study, N = 248 Rainforth MV, Bleick C, Alexander CN, Cavanaugh KL. The Transcendental Meditation program and criminal recidivism in Folsom State Prisoners: A 15-year follow-up study. J Offender Rehabil. 2003;36:181-204. -13.8% annual reductions in physician costs, 14 years study, N = 2,836 Herron R, Hillis S. The impact of the Transcendental Meditation program on government payments to physicians in Quebec: An update. Am J Health Promot. 2000;14(5):284-93. -74% reduction in hospital days/1000, 11 years study, N= 693 Orme-Johnson DW, Herron RE. An innovative approach to reducing medical care utilization and expenditures. The American Journal of Managed Care. 1997;3(1):135-44. Medical care utilization and the Transcendental Meditation program, Psychosomatic Medicine 49: 493-507, 1987. Marked growth of ego and moral development, 10 years study, N = 136 Chandler H, Alexander C, Heaton D, Grant J. Transcendental Meditation and postconventional self-development: a 10-year longitudinal study. J Soc Behav Pers. 2005;17(1):93-122. Copyright 2014, Maharishi Ayur-Veda Association of America 5.6
Different Mechanics of Meditation: Vedic, Buddhist, and Chinese Traditions Focused attention (Concentration): Zen-3rd ventricle, Diamond Way Buddhism, Qigong, Tibetan Buddhist Loving-kindness meditation Open Monitoring (Mindfulness): Zazen, Vipassana, Sahaja Yoga Automatic Self-Transcending: Transcendental Meditation Travis, F. T., & Shear, J. (2010). Focused attention, open monitoring and automatic selftranscending: Categories to organize meditations from Vedic, Buddhist and Chinese traditions. Consciousness and Cognition, 19(4), 1110-1118. EEG Distinctions Between Three Types of Meditation Highest Cognitive Control Lowest Focused Attention Open Monitoring Automatic Self- Transcending Gamma (20-50 Hz) Theta (4-6 Hz) Alpha1 (8-10 Hz) Travis, F. T., & Shear, J. (2010). Focused attention, open monitoring and automatic self-transcending: Categories to organize meditations from Vedic, Buddhist and Chinese traditions. Consciousness and Cognition, 19(4), 1110-1118. Effects of Mindfulness, TM and Other Meditation on Trait Anxiety Effect Size (r, 95% CI) 0-0.1-0.2-0.3-0.4-0.5-0.6 Mindfulness Other TM A meta-analysis of three types of meditation found that the TM technique produced a greater reduction in trait anxiety than Mindfulness or other meditation techniques (30 studies). Sedlmeier, P., Eberth, J., Schwarz, M., Zimmermann, D., & Haarig, F. (2012). The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 138(6), 1139-1171. Comparison of Three Types of Meditation on Psychological Variables Mean Effect Size (r, ± Std. Err.) 0.45 0.40 0.35 0.30 0.25 0.20 0.15 0.10 0.05 0.00 p =.01* Mindfulness Other TM Composite index of beneficial changes in trait anxiety, negative emotion, neuroticism, perception, self-concept, and self-realization. *Comparison of TM with the other types of meditation Orme-Johnson DW & Dillbeck MC. Methodological Concerns for Meta-Analyses of Meditation: Comment on Sedlmeier et al. Psychological Bulletin 2014; 140(2):610-16. Copyright 2014, Maharishi Ayur-Veda Association of America 5.7
American Heart Association Learn and Live the Transcendental Meditation technique is the only meditation practice that has been shown to lower blood pressure all other meditation techniques, including MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction), received a 'Class III, no benefit, Level of Evidence C' recommendation and are not recommended in clinical practice to lower blood pressure at this time. Brook, R. D., Appel, L. J., Rubenfire, M., et al (2013). Beyond medications and diet: Alternative approaches to lowering blood pressure : A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association(61) American Heart Association Learn and Live Lower blood pressure through Transcendental Meditation practice is also associated with substantially reduced rates of death, heart attack and stroke. Further Resources www.normanrosenthal.com www.tm.org www.tm.org/healthpro info@tmhealthprofessionals.org (844) 733-3786 Copyright 2014, Maharishi Ayur-Veda Association of America 5.8