Transcendental Meditation technique

An evidence-based approach to mind-body balance

© 2014, TM Health Professionals Program

Meta-Analysis of Trait Anxiety

Selection Criteria:

• Journals/dissertations

• Random assignment

• Authors neutral or negative toward TM.

• 143 studies in all

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

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Effects of TM on Trait Anxiety

High AnxietyPatients

ModerateAnxiety Patients

An

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ty G

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an

th

is

% o

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40%

Before TM

After TM

Orme-Johnson D, Barnes V. (2013) Effects of the Transcendental Meditation Technique on Trait Anxiety: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine; doi:10.1089/acm.2013.0204

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

Reduced Rates of Death, Heart Attack and Stroke

with Transcendental Meditation

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Schneider RH, Grim CE, Rainforth MA, Kotchen TA, 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. 5(6):750-8, 2012.

Ris

k o

f E

ven

ts (

Exp

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um

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of

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ts

per

Year

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on

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Health Education Transcendental Meditation

48% lower rate

in Transcendental Meditation

practitioners over 5 years follow-

up(p =.025)

Effect of Transcendental Meditationon Carotid Atherosclerosis

INTIMA-MEDIAL THICKNESS

Adjusted mean changes in millimeters

- 0.1

+ 0.1

+ 0.05

- 0.05

TM

Health Education

p < .038

0

This 8-month randomized controlled trial showed that the Transcendental Meditation program significantly reduced carotid artery atherosclerosis in high risk subjects. Castillo-Richmond AB, Schneider RH,et al. Effects of Stress Reduction on Carotid Atherosclerosis in Hypertensive African Americans. Stroke, 2000: 31; 568-573.

Decreased Insulin Resistancethrough Transcendental Meditation

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.

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TranscendentalMeditation

HealthEducation

p=.01

Effects of Mindfulness, TM and Other Meditation on Trait Anxiety

A meta-analysis of three categories 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.

Mindfulness Other TM

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-0.15-0.1

-0.050

Eff

ect

Siz

e (

r, 9

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Comparison of Three Types of Meditation on Psychological

Variables

Mindfulness Other TM0.00

0.05

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Comparison of TM with other types of meditation on a composite index of beneficial changes in trait anxiety, negative emotion, neuroticism, perception, self-concept, and self-realization: a meta-analysis.Orme-Johnson DW & Dillbeck MC. Methodological Concerns for Meta-Analyses of Meditation: Comment on Sedlmeier et al. Psychological Bulletin 2014; 140(2):610-16.

Transcendental Meditation and PTSDDecreased PTSD through TM in Congolese Refugees : a

randomized controlled trial

War refugees with severe PTSD demonstrated marked reduction of PTS symptoms after 30 days of TM practice. Rees B, Travis F, Shapiro D, Chant R. Reduction in post traumatic stress symptoms in Congolese refugees practicing Transcendental Meditation. Journal of Traumatic Stress. 2013:26(2):295-8.

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TM ControlsDays

PT

SD

Sym

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PC

L-C

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Reduced Symptoms of PTSD

Transcendental Meditation

Brook

s, 1

985

Rees,

201

4

-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-10

Eff

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e (

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Mindfulness Meditation

Kearn

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Kearn

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-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-10

Eff

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Brooks, 1985. Journal of Counseling and Development 64: 212-15. Rosenthal, 2011. Military Medicine 176, no. 6 : 626. Rees, 2014. Journal of Traumatic Stress 27, no. 1: 112-15. Rees, 2013. Journal of Traumatic Stress 26: 295-98. Kearney, 2013. Journal of Clinical Psychology 69, no. 1 : 14-27. Bremmer, 2011. American Psychosomatic Society Conference, San Antonio, Texas. Kearney, 2012. Journal of Clinical Psychology 68, no. 1: 212-15. King, 2013. Depression and Anxiety 30, no. 7 : 638-45. Orme-Johnson, 2014. Meta-analysis of meditation and PTSD, manuscript.

Reduced Symptoms of PTSD

Mindfulness TM

-3.5

-3

-2.5

-2

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

Meta-Analysis of Eight StudiesS

tan

da

rdiz

ed

Diff

ere

nce

in

M

ea

ns (

d)

p = .0004

Orme-Johnson DW. The effects of Transcendental Meditation and Mindfulness on PTSD: A meta-analysis. 2014.

“…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)

AmericanHeartAssociation®

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Lower blood pressure through Transcendental Meditation practice is also associated with substantially reduced rates of death, heart attack and stroke.

AmericanHeartAssociation®

Learn and Live

Brook et al., Beyond Medications and Diet: Alternative Approaches to Lowering Blood Pressure. A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association. Hypertension, 61: 1360-1383, 2013.

Recommended Reference:

Transcendence: Healing and Transformation through

Transcendental Meditation

by Norman Rosenthal, MDClinical Professor of Psychiatry

Georgetown University School of Medicine

Tarcher Penguin Books (2012) A New York Times bestselling book