Meditation Practices that Involve Contemplation and/or Concentration, e.g., Visualization, Guided Imagery, and

Mindful Focusing, etc.

Active Mind

Tran

scen

din

g

WakingState

Transcendental Consciousness4th State — Bliss

Laozi—the TaoPlato—the Good, the One, the Beautiful

Plotinus—the InfiniteChristianity—the Kingdom of Heaven Within

Ralph Waldo Emerson— the Oversoul

Transcendental Consciousness4th State — Bliss

Laozi—the TaoPlato—the Good, the One, the Beautiful

Plotinus—the InfiniteChristianity—the Kingdom of Heaven Within

Ralph Waldo Emerson— the Oversoul

Transcendental Meditation

Transcendental Meditation

Deep Relaxation

RestfulAlertness

EEGCoherence

FrontFront

MiddleMiddle

Eyes Open TM PracticeEyes Closed

Increased EEG Coherence through the Transcendental Meditation

technique

References: International Journal of Psychophysiology, 116, 1519-38 (2006); Biological Psychology, 61, 293-319 (2002); Consciousness and Cognition, 8(3), 302-18 (1999); Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 35 (1973); International Journal of Neuroscience 14: 147–151, 1981.

Feeling Less Old through the Transcendental Meditation technique

5

4

3

2

p < .05

TM

tech

niqu

e

Min

dful

ness

Relax

atio

nRes

pons

e

No

Trea

tme

nt

Feel

ing

Old

Rat

ing

Scal

e *

Reference: Alexander, C. N., Langer, E. J., Newman, R. I., Chandler, H. M., and Davies, J. L. (1989). Transcendental Meditation, mindfulness, and longevity: an experimental study with the elderly. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57 (6): 950–964.

Improved Cognitive Flexibilitythrough the Transcendental Meditation technique

75

50

25

0

p < .001

TM

tech

niqu

e

Min

dful

ness

Relax

atio

nRes

pons

e No

Trea

tme

nt%

Cor

rect

at

Post

test

*

100

Reference: Alexander, C. N., Langer, E. J., Newman, R. I., Chandler, H. M., and Davies, J. L. (1989). Transcendental Meditation, mindfulness, and longevity: an experimental study with the elderly. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57 (6): 950–964.

Improved Associate Learningthrough the Transcendental Meditation technique

6

5

4

3

p < .05

TM

tech

niqu

e

Min

dful

ness Rel

axat

io

nRes

pons

e

No

Trea

tme

nt

Wec

hsle

r M

emor

y Sc

ale

*

Reference: Alexander, C. N., Langer, E. J., Newman, R. I., Chandler, H. M., and Davies, J. L. (1989). Transcendental Meditation, mindfulness, and longevity: an experimental study with the elderly. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57 (6): 950–964.

Decreased Systolic Blood Pressure through the Transcendental Meditation technique

145

135

125

115

p < .01

TM

tech

niqu

e

Min

dful

ness

Relax

atio

nRes

pons

e

No

Trea

tme

nt

Syst

olic

Blo

od P

ress

ure

(mm

Hg)

Reference: Alexander, C. N., Langer, E. J., Newman, R. I., Chandler, H. M., and Davies, J. L. (1989). Transcendental Meditation, mindfulness, and longevity: an experimental study with the elderly. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57 (6): 950–964.

Increased Longevitythrough the Transcendental Meditation technique

80

70

60

50

p < .00025TM

tech

niqu

e

Min

dful

ness

Relax

atio

nRes

pons

e

No

Trea

tme

nt

% A

live

After

36

Mon

ths

100

90

Oth

er

Reference: Alexander, C. N., Langer, E. J., Newman, R. I., Chandler, H. M., and Davies, J. L. (1989). Transcendental Meditation, mindfulness, and longevity: an experimental study with the elderly. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57 (6): 950–964.

Effects of stress reduction on all-cause mortality on older subjects: Pooled results of two randomized trials

(N = 202)

60

40

20

0

RR = .77, p < .04

Cum

ulat

ive

% S

urvi

ving

100

80

TM

tech

niqu

e

0 5 1510 20

Com

bin

ed

cont

rols

Year

s

Effects on Carotid Atherosclerosisin African Americans with Hypertension

Ch

an

ge in

Caro

tid

In

tim

a-M

ed

ia

Th

ickn

ess (

mm

)

+ 0.1

- 0.1

+ 0.05

- 0.05

p < .045

0

Health Education

TM technique

- 0.15

Reference: Castillo-Richmond, A., Schneider, R. H., Alexander, C. N., Cook, R., Myers, H., Nidich, S., et al. (2000). Effects of stress reduction on carotid atherosclerosis in hypertensive African Americans. Stroke, 31: 568–573.

Increased Physiological RelaxationMeta-analysis of 32 studies

TM

tech

niqu

e

Plas

ma

Lact

ate

Effec

t Si

ze (S

tand

ard

Dev

iatio

ns)

0

Respi

ratio

n Rat

e

Basal

GSR

0.

20.

40.

60.

81.

0

Rest

Reference: Dillbeck, M., and Orme-Johnson, D. (1987). American Psychologist, 42, 879–881.

Effectiveness in Reducing Trait AnxietyMeta-analysis of 146 studies

TM tec

hniq

ue

Effec

t Si

ze (S

tand

ard

Dev

iatio

ns)

0

Plac

ebo

Oth

er R

elax

atio

n

0.

20.

40.

60.

81.

0Reference: Eppley, K., Abrams, A., Shear, J. (1989). Differential effects of relaxation techniques on trait anxiety: a meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 45 (6): 957–974.

Relax

atio

n Res

pons

e

Oth

er M

editat

ion

PMR

EMG-B

iofe

edba

ck

Man

tra

Med

itat

ion

Conc

entrat

ion

Increased Self-ActualizationMeta-analysis of 42 studies

Effec

t Si

ze (S

tand

ard

Dev

iatio

ns)

0

Oth

er R

elax

atio

n

Oth

er M

edita

tion

0.

20.

40.

60.

81.

0Reference: Alexander, C. N., Rainforth, M., & Gelderloos, P. (1991). Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 6, 189–247.

TM tec

hniq

ue

Effectiveness in Decreasing Alcohol UseMeta-analysis of 97 studies

TM

tech

niqu

e

Effec

t Si

ze (S

tand

ard

Dev

iatio

ns)

0

Peer

Influe

nce

Relax

ati

on

0.

20.

40.

60.

81.

0Alexander, C.N., Robinson, P., & Rainforth, M. (1994). Treating and preventing alcohol, nicotine, and drug abuse through Transcendental Meditation: A review and statistical meta-analysis. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 11, 13–88.

DUI

Prog

ram

s

Prev

entiv

eEd

ucat

ion

Effectiveness in Decreasing Drug AbuseMeta-analysis of 70 studies

Effec

t Si

ze (S

tand

ard

Dev

iatio

ns)

0

Peer

Influe

nce

Prev

entiv

e

Educ

atio

n

0.

20.

40.

60.

81.

0Alexander, C.N., Robinson, P., & Rainforth, M. (1994). Treating and preventing alcohol, nicotine, and drug abuse through Transcendental Meditation: A review and statistical meta-analysis. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 11, 13–88.

TM tec

hniq

ue

Effectiveness in Decreasing Cigarette UseMeta-analysis of 131 studies

TM

tech

niqu

e

Effec

t Si

ze (S

tand

ard

Dev

iatio

ns)

0

Uncon

vent

ion

al

Trea

tmen

t

Phar

mac

olog

ic

al

Trea

tmen

t

0.

20.

40.

60.

81.

0Alexander, C.N., Robinson, P., & Rainforth, M. (1994). Treating and preventing alcohol, nicotine, and drug abuse through Transcendental Meditation: A review and statistical meta-analysis. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 11, 13–88.

Indi

vidu

al

Coun

selin

g

Self-

help

Kits

Improved Psychological OutcomesMeta-analysis of 51 studies

Effec

t Si

ze (S

tand

ard

Dev

iatio

ns)

0

Zen

Relax

atio

n

Respo

nse

0.

20.

40.

60.

81.

0Reference: Ferguson, P. C. An integrative meta-analysis of psychological studies investigating the treatment outcomes of meditation techniques. (1981). Doctoral thesis, School of Education, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.

TM tec

hniq

ue

Stress Reduction Programs in Patientswith High Blood Pressure

Meta-analysis of 17 Studies

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

TMtechnique

ProgressiveMuscle

Relaxation

SimpleBiofeedback

Relaxation-Assisted

Biofeedback

StressManagement

plus Relaxation

* * *

Blo

od

Pre

ssu

re C

han

ge

Score

s

* p = .0002

* * p = .02S

BP

SB

P

SB

P

SB

P

SB

P

DB

P

DB

P

DB

P

DB

P

DB

P

Reference: Rainforth, M. V., Schneider, R. H., Nidich, S. I., Gaylord-King, C., Salerno, J. W., Anderson, J. W. (2007). Stress reduction programs in patients with elevated blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Current Hypertension Reports, 9 (6): 520–528.