experiments in control heart and pulse -...

Experiments in India on "Voluntary" Controlof the Heart and Pulse

By M. A. WENGER, PH.D., B. K. BAUCHI, Pii.D., AND B. K. ANAND, M.D.

PROMINENT among the many claims ofunusual bodily control that emanate from

practitioners of Yoga is the ability to stopthe heart and radial pulse. Such claims oftenhave been authenticated by physicians, andone " experiment" employed a loud-speakersystem so that a large crowd could hear theheart sounds before and after their disappear-ance. To our knowledge, however, only oneinvestigator had published electrocardio-graphic results before the work now reported.In 1935 a French cardiologist, Dr. Therese

Brosse, took portable apparatus to India andobtained measurements from at least one per-son who claimed the ability to stop the heart.A published excerpt from her data4 involvingone electrocardiographic lead, a pneumogram,and a pulse wave recording from the radialartery, shows the heart potentials and pulsewave decreasing in magnitude approximatelyto zero, where they stayed for several secondsbefore they returned to their normal magni-tude. The data were held to support the claimthat the heart was voluntarily controlled to apoint of approximate cessation of contraction.During our investigations in India wve

searched for persons who claimed to stop theheart or pulse, and were cordially assisted bymany individuals including the Indian press.We found four. Another claimed only to slow

From the University of California, Los Angeles;The Medical School, University of Michigan, AnnArbor; and the All India Institute of MedicalSciences, New Delhi.

This work was made possible by grants from theRockefeller Foundation, The Rackham Foundation ofthe University of Michigan, and subcontract AF 18(600)-1180 from George Washington University, andwas sponsored by the Indian Council of MedicalResearch. Individual acknowledgments have been re-corded elsewhere.`~The analysis of the data wassupported, in part, by research grant M-788 fromthe Institute of Mental Health, National Tnstitutesof Health, U. S. Public Health Service.

Circulation, Volume XXIV, December 1961

the heart. Of the four, only three consentedto serve as subjects, and one of these claimedhe was too old to demonstrate heart stoppingwithout a month or so of preparatory prac-tice. Since he was the subject studied by Dr.Brosse in 1935 we were particularly anxiousto gain his cooperation and, after considerablepersuasion, he consented to demonstrate forus the method he had employed in "stoppingthe heart" for Dr. Brosse.

Apparatus and ProceduresOur apparatus has been described elsewhere.1i3

Briefly, it consisted of an 8-channel Offner type-Tportable electroencephalograph with appropriatedetectors and bridges for DC recording of respira-tion, skin temperature, electrical skin conductance,and finger blood volume changes. Procedures va-ried according to the cooperativeness of the sub-ject and other circumstances. For that reason theresults are reported for individual subjects.

ResultsThe first two subjects claimed they could

stop the heart. No. 1. Shri Sal Gram, at Yoga-shram, New Delhi, made four attempts at onesession. Only one electrocardiographic lead(III) and respiration were recorded, in whatwas planned as a preliminary experiment. Thesubject stood in a semi-crouched posture withthe left side pressed against a table. Underretained deep inspiration considerable muscen-lar tension was apparent in neck, chest, abdo-men, and arms. Stethoseopically detectedheart sounds either disappeared briefly orwere obscured by sounds from muscle action.Palpable right radial pulse weakened or dis-appeared briefly at each attempt to stop theheart. Electrocardiographic records were re-plete with muscular artifacts but were read-able for rate and QRS potential changes.Little change occurred in magnitude of poten-tials; changes in heart rate were small. Therewas no indication of heart arrest. The subjectrefused fnl th er cooperation.

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WENGER, BAGCHI, ANAND

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Figure 1One "heart stopping" attempt by Shri Ramananda Yogi. The channels and variables are(1) muscle potentials, right biceps; (2) muscle potentials, right abdominus rectus; (3)electrocardiographic lead I; (4) electrocardiographic lead II; (5) electrocardiographiclead III; (6) plethysmograph, left index finger; (7) respiration. Calibration was 100puv/cm. for the electromyogram and 1 mv/cm. for the electrocardiogram. Chart speedwa.s 1.25 cm./sec.

No. 2. Shri Ramananda Yogi, of Andhra,age 33, at All India Institute of Medical Sci-ences, New Delhi, made seven attempts on 2days, and additional experiments on a thirdday during fluoroscopy and x-ray photog-raphy,* all in a supine position. This workwas initiated in the laboratory of the thirdauthor who became interested in the resultsand was asked to collaborate. His account ofthe second and third days of experimentationfollows:

I examined Shri Ramananda Yogi on March 7,1957, during two experiments in which he claimedhe could stop the heart and pulse. He was inves-tigated during these experiments electroencephalo-graphically and electrocardiographically by Drs.Wenger and Bagehi, who also recorded his fingerblood volume, respiration, blood pressure, andmuscular activity. In the first experiment, ShriRamananda Yogi stopped his respiration after tak-ing four deep breaths. The breath was held in in-spiration with closed glottis and the chest and

*The radiologic investigations were conducted atTrwin Hospital with the assistance of Dr. N. G.Gadekar. The authors are grateful to him for hiscollaboration.

abdominal muscles were strongly contracted. Bythis maneuver the pressure in the thorax wasraised. During this period I could feel a very fee-ble pulse which had a normal rate in the beginningbut became quick in the later part of the experi-ment. The heart sounds could not be heard but onecould hear faint murmurish sounds due to the con-traction of the thoracic muscles. The neck veinsbecame distended. The breath was held for 15seconds. This was immediately followed by quick-ening of the respiration, quick and deep pulse, andloud heart sounds. After a few seconds the heartrate returned to normal. The resting blood pres-sure had been 130/96 mm. Hg. Immediately fol-lowing the breath holding it was raised to 210/100.During the breath-holding period when the pulse

was almost imperceptible and no heart soundscould be heard, the electrocardiograph continuedto show contractions of the heart. The electrocar-diographic pattern showed a slight right axis de-viation which disappeared when respiration startedagain.

In the next experiment, he repeated the sameprocedure but held the breath in expiration. Allother maneuvers were the same. The pulse, al-though very feeble, could still be felt. No heartsounds could be heard. Venous congestion in theneck took place. The electrocardiograph showedthat the heart contractions continued but this time


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Figure 2From demonstration by Shri Krishnamacharya of method used in "heart stopping."Electrocardiographic leads I and III, and respiration, are shown in that order (a) at rest,and (b) during demonstration. Calibration was 1 mv./1.5 cm. Chart speed was 2.5 cm./sec.

there was a slight left axis deviation. All otherresponses were similar to those in the first experi-ment.Next day Shri Ramananda Yogi had skiagrams

of the chest taken before experimentation andduring two experiments, again attempting to stopthe heart and pulse, one holding the breath in in-spiration, and the other holding the breath in ex-

piration. In both experiments one finds that themaximum transverse measurement of the heartdecreases. Normally the maximum transverse meas-

urement was 12 em. During the first experiment(inspiration) it was decreased to 11 cm. Duringthe second experiment (expiration) it was de-creased to 11.5 cm.

Figure 1 shows the first attempt of March7. During maintained inspiration the QRSpotential is seen to decrease in lead I and toincrease in lead III. (In the second attempt,during maintained expiration, the potentialsincreased in lead I and decreased in lead III.)The first two channels show muscle action po-

tentials from the right biceps and the rightabdominus rectus at the level of the umbilicus.


Marked increases are seen to have occurredin the abdominal recording only. The plethys-mographic recording shows that the fingerpulse was always detectable, and that thepulse volume was greatly increased imme-diately after termination of the attempt. Nounusual changes were detected in the electro-encephalographic records.*

No. 3. Shri T. Krishnamacharya, of Madras,age 67, at Vivekananda College, Madras. Thisgentleman was the one who had "stopped hisheart" for Dr. Brosse in 1935 but would notrepeat the attempt for us. He finally con-sented to demonstrate the method he hademployed, but with minimum apparatusattached: a blood pressure cuff, electrocardio-graphic leads I, II, and III, and a respiration

*This subject had engaged in a number of pit-burial demonstrations but refused us cooperation inthat respect. Recently, however, he has cooperatedwith the third author and Dr. GuIzar Singh in scehwork. The results are to be reported soon.

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WENGER, BAGCHI, ANAND

Variability in Heart Period inno. 4 (HP in seconds)

Table 1Last Phase of Heart Slowing Experiments of Subject

1 2 3*

1.21.11.42.62.51.9A) 9

2.12.01.7

4/250.6-0.9

1.21.61.42.01.62.92.22.3211.6

0.70.80.90.91.21.61.82.01.70.9

0.8 0.9 0.62.6 2.9 2.0

b)elt; 1io101 of which he would tolerate fastenedtightly. Ile said his radial pulse might stop,but his heart wouldn't. The method provedto be similar to that employed by Shri Ramna-nanda Yogi during maintained inspiration.The muscular effort expended was less, butthe periods of maintained inspiration were

oonsiderably longer. Again, the blood pres-

sure increased, the maximum change beingfrom 128/80 to 140/105. There were no defi-nite "attempt" periods for this subject. Hemerely permitted us to record data while hereclined and engaged in praniayarua (breatheonitrol) as he pleased. On three attempts tomeasure blood pressure no sounds could beheard from the braeuial artery. On anotherday with the subject seated, a physician was

permitted to palpate both radial arteries andlisten to heart sounds stethoscopically.t Ilereported no absence of heart sounds but atone time the radial pulse was not detectableiii either wrist.We believe the most significant data from

these experiments are the changes in QRSpotemitials in leads I and III (fig. 2). As we

previously had found with Shri Ramananda

tThe authors are indebted to Dr. S. T. Narasimhanof Madras for his assistance in this experimentand for his genial aid in our Avork.

Yogi, duIuiiigi maintained inspiration withglottis closed and with increased tension inabdominal nmuscles, the heart potentials de-creased in lead I but increased in lead III.Aogain, right axis deviation of the heart isindicated.

No. 4. Shri N. R. Upadhyaya, age 37, atKaivalyadhamna, Lonavla. This gentleman didnot claim to stop the heart. He claimed onlyto slow it. Ile was a student of Yoga withmore than 5 years of training, and had dis-covered accidentally that he could slow hisheart. The maneuver occurred in the recliningposition and during maintained inspiration.Just before the attempt a rolled towel was

inserted under the lumbar area of the spinewhich gave a support 4 or 5 inches in height.After inspiration the subject engaged in theYogic posture known as utddiyanta, which in-volves a raising of the diaphragm and an in-ward distention of the abdomen, and accom-

panied it with another posture known as

jalandabar bandha, in which the chin is de-pressed and extended toward the chest.We tested him on 3 days, and on the first

2 days applied electrocardiographic chestleads V2 and V5 in addition to standard leadsI, II, and III. There were only small changesin the magnitude of the QRS potential in any


1 2

5/230.7-0.8

Experiment no.

DateInitial rangeLast 10heart periods

Just aftermaneuverLongest 1iP

1.81.81.82.81.9

2.12.02.01.8

1.32.12.52.01.82.42.00 .)

2.11.4

1 2

5/240.7-0.9

1.9 1.71.8 2.01.9 1.91.9 1.91.9 1.81.8 1.81.8 1.81.6 1.81.6 1.81.5 1.3

1.2 0.7

2.-8 2.9

* U7ddiia(fnlaIaloiie

1.2 0.92.8 2.5

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IDDFigure 3

One attempt by Shri Upadhyaya to slow the heart. Sequential portions of the recordingof electrocardiographic leads I and III are shown. Calibration was 1 mv/cm. Chart speedwas 1.25 cm./sec. The P wave disappeared (x) and was absent for 16 heart cycles. Thelongest cycle length (Y) was almost 3 seconds.

lead. There was, however, a marked slowingof the heart in each test. In addition to brady-cardia we found an increase in the P-R inter-val and finally a marked decrease or disap-pearance of the P wave. Thus a nodal rhythmappeared for a few beats before the subjectterminated the maneuver. Figure 3 demon-strates the longest P-wave depression we ob-tained. The longest eycle length was approxi-mately 3 seconds.Our attempts to discover the mechanisms

contributing to these results were not fruitful.Circulation, Volume XXIV, December 1961

Pressure on the carotid sinuses produced anincrease rather than a decrease in heart rate.The chin lock alone (jalandabar bandha) pro-duced little or no change. Uddiyana aloneproduced some bradyeardia and one cycle ofalmost 2 seconds' duration, as may be seen inthe third column of table 1. The other columnsof the table show (a) the durations of thelast 10 cycle lengths in the six main experi-ments, (b) the premaneuver range, (c) thefirst postmaneuver heart period, and (c) thelongest recorded heart period. The period-to-

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1WENGER, BAG CHI, ANAND)

Ramananda Yogi N. K. Upadyaya Sal Gram T. Krishna-maoharya

HP PV

HP

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1231456 123 456

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123 456 12 3156 12 345

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Means for Means for 1 Means for Means for7 experiments 9 experiments experiment 7 experiments 3 experiments

Figure 4Sum malri of experiments onl control of the heart. Each entry for heart period (LIP)and finger pulse volume (PI,) represents ))ooled meaws for samples of 10 heart cycies

from each phase of each experiment. Differ(e)t phases of thle erperinients are indicated

as follows: 1. Initial rest. 2. After inutrn(ti(Jn$. 3. Fastest RI? 0and lowest PV duringinonen"(1 1e slowiS'est H (alnd highest PI (1?cia ing and jost (after. ninele e). A. 50 lip after

soalmple no. 4. 6. 100 HP after sample no. 4.

p)eiod variability is al)parent. Of additionalinterest is the observation that only on thelast day of ex)erilnentation was the imaneuvermaintained for 10 or iiore heart cycles beyondthe greatest bradyeardia. Apparently experi-

ence or amount of attached apparatus, or

both, influence the effects of this maneuver.

This subject is still available for research.Subsequent work by Indian investigators sup-

ports the above observation in that a heartperiod of 5.6 seconds has now been recorded.5Perhaps they will discover the mechanismsunderlying. the effect.

DiscussionIt is obvious that the subjects we tested do

not voluntarily control the heart muscle di-rectly. In each instance some striated muscleaction intervenes. Through muscular andrespiratory control certain changes do occur

in circulatory variables. Figure 4 showschanges in heart period and (for some sub-jects) finger pulse volume for the Indian

sul)jec ts and for one American (D)rt. Cllen)

who attempted to repeat the Valsalva experi-ment. Decreased heart rate was greatest inthe subject who claimed only to slow theheart. The greatest changes in finger pulsevolume occurred in Shri Ramnananda, who ex-

erted utmost effort to demonstrate "heartstopping." Dr. Cullen employed less effort,although his pattern for heart period is notgreatly different from that of Shri Raina-nanda.For the first three subjects we assume that

by increased tension in the muscles of theabdomen and thorax, and with closure of theglottis, there is developed an increased intra-thoracie pressure that interferes with thevenous return to the heart. With little bloodto pllulp the heart, sounds are diminished, as

*The authors are indebted to Dr. Thomas Cullen,University of California, Los Angeles, for his par-ticipation in this experiment and for his assistancein analysing the data.

Circulation, Volume XXIV, Dccember 1961

T. D. Cullon

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well as being masked by muscular sounds, andthe palpable radial pulse seems to disappear.High. amplification finger plethysmographycontinues to show pulse waves, however; andthe electrocardiograph shows that the heartgoes on contracting. The electrocardiographalso shows right axis deviation under deepinspiration. The QRS potentials in lead I aremarkedly decreased. It seems, therefore, thatDr. Brosse's record of "heart control" is tobe so explained. She recorded lead I onlyfrom Shri Krishnamacharya. Had she re-corded lead III, or had she recalled the resultsof the Valsalva maneuver, she probably wouldnot have claimed that her subject voluntarilycontrolled his heart.

It is of interest to know l hat our conclusionshave had a forerunner in India. After com-pletion of our work we discovered a mono-graph published in 1927 by Dr. V. G. Releof Bombay.6 Although he published no data,he writes of electrocardiographic records andx-rays on one subject, and reached conclusionssimilar to ours, although he extended themmore than we care to do.Our fourth subject demonstrated a different

phenomenon that further research may ex-plain. It could be said that he "stopped theheart" for a few seconds. We prefer to assumethat by some striated muscular mechanism hestimulated the vagus output to the sinoatrialnode, interrupted it. and thus interruptedregular cardiac cycles and a nodal rhythmwas briefly established.

In this connection a recent publication inCalifornia is of interest.7 A patient com-plained of heart slowing when he relaxed.Published electrocardiograms show a period ofstandstill of approximately 5 seconds followedby a QRS potential with no P component.The report, supplemented by private corre-spondence, indicates that there were nochanges in QRS magnitude but that the Pwave at the end of the periods of bradyeardiawas reduced or absent. Contrary to our Indiansubject, he apparently employed no interven-ing muscular or respiratory mechanism. Hemerely relaxed. His data call to mind other

examples of voluntary control over suppos-edly involuntary musculature, such as onereported by Lindsley and Sassman8 with pilo-motor control, and one2 with sudomotor con-trol. Such examples probably are to be ex-plained in terms of accidental conditioning.

Summary and ConclusionsAmong other studies in India the authors

investigated four practitioners of Yoga in re-spect to control of the heart and pulse. Twoclaimed to stop the heart. One formerly madethis claim but only demonstrated his method.The fourth claimed only to slow the heart.The method for the first three was similar,

involving retention of breath and considerablemuscular tension in the abdomen and thorax,with closed glottis. It was concluded thatvenous return to the heart was retarded butthat the heart was not stopped, although heartand radial pulse sounds weakened or disap-peared.The fourth subject, with different interven-

ing mechanisms also presumably under stri-ated muscle control, did markedly slow hisheart. The data indicate strong increase invagal tone of unknown origin.

References1. BAGCHI, B. K., AND WENGER, M. A.: Electro-

physiological correlates of some yogi exercises.In EEG, Clinical Neurophysiology and Epi-lepsy. London, Permagon Press, 1959, p. 132.

2. WENGER, M. A., AND BAGCHI, B. K.: Studiesof autonomic functions in practitioners ofYoga in India. Behavioral Se. 6: 312, 1961.

3. WENGER, M. A., AND BAGCHI, B. K.: A reporton psychophysiological investigations in India.Mimeographed MS for limited circulation.

4. BROSSE, T.: A psycho-physiological study. MainCurrents in Modern Thought 4: 77, 1946.

5. KUVALAYANANDA, S.: Kaivalyadhama, Lonavla(Bombay State), India. Unpublished research.

6. RELE, V. G.: The Mysterious Kundalini. Bombay,D. B. Taraporevala Sons & Co., Ltd., 1927.

7. MCCLURE, C. M.: Cardiac arrest through volition.Calif. Med. 90: 440, 1959.

8. LINDSLEY, D. B., AND SASSMAN, W. H.: Auto-nomic activity and brain potentials associatedwith voluntary control of the pilomotors. (MM.arrectores pilorum). J. Neurophysiol. 1: 342,1938.


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M. A. WENGER, B. K. BAGCHI and B. K. ANANDExperiments in India on "Voluntary" Control of the Heart and Pulse

Print ISSN: 0009-7322. Online ISSN: 1524-4539 Copyright © 1961 American Heart Association, Inc. All rights reserved.

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