Transcendental Meditation and Performance

[Guest guest]

Some of you may have read about the claims made that a form of mantra ( " magic

word " ) chanting meditation known as TM (Transcendental Meditation) will

improve physical and mental health and performance, as well as enable you to

" levitate " physically as a more advanced practitioner and create world peace

by action at a distance.

Here is a collection of web resources which analyse the claims and myths

proliferated by this commercially very successful venture by the Maharishi

Mahesh Yogi, who first catapulted onto the Western stage when the singing

group, The Beatles, briefly became his devotees in India.

<http://minet.org/>

<http://www.trancenet.org/index2.shtml>

<http://www.unstress4less.org/>

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While research shows that TM may have relaxation benefits comparable to

self-hypnosis or sitting with eyes closed, other relaxation practices have not

demonstrated the negative effects

reported by TM practitioners - which range from headaches and muscle twitches to

anxiety, depression and m

ental breakdown. This information is provided so that you may make an informed

decision regarding

Transcendental Meditation.

<http://www.unstress4less.org/transcendental_meditation-harmful-abstracts.htm>

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Metabolic Rate, Respiratory Exchange Ratio and Apneas During [TM] Meditation.

Kesterson

and Noah F. Clinch. American J of Physiology, March 1989, R637.

A careful, in-depth investigation into the effects of TM practice on

respiration and metabolism, revealing that TM produces no deeper state of

rest than from just sitting with eyes closed, even in advanced practitioners,

and thatthe TM practice does not produce a hypometabolic state as claimed by

MIU's Wallace.

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One of the TM Organization research claims is that TM practice induces a

unique fourth major state of consciousness: " These findings led researcher

Dr. Wallace to conclude that restful alertness is a fourth major state

of consciousness, termed transcendental consciousness, that is physi

ologically distinct from ordinary waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. " A

related claim is that TM practice " increased EEG coherence " .

However the evidence reflected in objective research is that TM practice does

not produce increased EEG coherence nor does it induce a unique state of

consciousness " beyond that produced by muscle relaxation and there was no

evidence that the EEG changes were different from those observed in stage

'onset' sleep. No support was found for the idea that transcendental

meditation is a fourth stage of consciousness.

Reference:

Metabolic and EEG changes during transcendental meditation: an explanation.

Fenwick PB, son S, Gillis L, Bushman J, Fenton GW, I, Tilsley C,

Serafinowicz H Biol Psychol 1977 Jun; 5(2): 101-18

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Research Showing No Unique Benefits of TM

<http://www.unstress4less.org/transcendental_meditation-tmresearch-unique.htm>

More Resources Analysing TM

<http://www.unstress4less.org/transcendental_meditation-helpful.htm>

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Dr Mel C Siff

Denver, USA

Supertraining/

[Guest guest]

Odd you should bring this matter up all of a sudden as its something

I've thought about a lot in light of an article I read recently. It was

a review of a study paper, peer-reviewed, but unfortunately not yet

indexed on the medline so I could not find its exact reference. What i

do know is that it was performed by Guang yue, a physiologist at the

Cleveland Clinic foundation.

It consisted of monitoring brain wave patterns as the ten volunteers

intensely imagined doing a biceps exercise for several minutes. This

was repeated 5 days a week for 3 months. An EMG was attached to the

biceps muscle to assure there was no involuntary contraction of the

muscle that could throw off any conclusions. At the end of three months

the researchers found an increase 13.5% lean muscle in the volunteers.

Both diet and exercise were controlled factors.

The study clearly goes to document that the mind certainly is capable

of promoting neuro-muscular responses beyond our normal capabilities,

and seeing how there was no muscular involvment, perhaps outside of the

normal capabilities. It is then understandable that many things that

could not be explained by science affected the human condition,

especially in health and well-being. If the mind can be stimulated

enough you can improve performance and heal yourself. But it involves

trickery, and perhaps some prefer to be tricked by ayurvedic nonsense

rather than anything else. Its not so outrageous that one allows

himself to be fooled into believing he can do more, and ultimately

achieving that goal. What is sad is that some attach a price-tag to

this, such as Dr.Chopra. Our mental and physical health should not be

responsible for another man's wealth.

But this to demonstrate that being the ultimate rationalist all the

time, may be holding back our gains rather than stimulating them.

Van Mol

Belgium

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