The Neurophysiology of Enlightenment: How the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Program Transform the Functioning of the Human Body by Robert Keith Wallace

Author:Robert Keith Wallace [Wallace, Robert Keith]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Dharma Publications
Published: 2016-04-07T16:00:00+00:00

Other Studies

A number of studies have also been conducted on other clinical and health-related conditions. The effects of the TM technique on bronchial asthma were evaluated in a six- month random-assignment crossover study by Wilson and coworkers (1975) at the University of California at Irvine. Twenty-one stable asthmatic patients were randomly divided into two groups and were evaluated by a variety of pulmonary function tests, a symptom severity questionnaire and diary, as well as physical evaluations.

Group A began and practiced the TM technique twice a day while group B began reading the book The Science of Being and Art of Living by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, which describes the theory and benefits but not the detailed instruction of the TM technique. After three months the groups crossed over, that is, Group A was asked to stop meditating and start reading and Group B was instructed to stop reading and to start the practice of the TM technique. After three months of practicing the TM technique Group A showed a significant improvement in forced expiratory volume, peak expiratory flow volume, and airway resistance. When they ceased meditating for the last three months of the study their respiratory functions declined again toward their initial levels.

In Group B, after the first three months of reading there was no significant change in any respiratory functions but after the second three months, during which they practiced the TM technique, their airway resistance significantly improved. Six and twelve-month evaluations assessed the severity of asthma symptoms by questionnaires, a daily diary, and physicians’ evaluations. In the majority of subjects, the TM program had markedly improved the asthmatic condition. The authors concluded that the TM program may be a useful adjunct in the treatment of asthma (Honsberger and Wilson, 1973, Wilson et al., 1975).

In another study which supports these findings, Corey (1973) reported an increase in specific airway conductance and forced expiration volume in TM subjects as compared with controls, thus indicating general improvement in respiratory functions even in normal subjects.

The TM program has been found useful in the treatment of insomnia. Miskiman (1972) studied a group of medically referred chronic insomniacs who reported that time taken to fall asleep ranged from 78 minutes prior to learning the TM technique to 15 minutes after learning it. These changes were still intact at a one year follow-up. Fuson (1976) replicated the results of this study. Miskiman (1972) also reported faster recovery from sleep deprivation in TM subjects versus controls.

The TM program has been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of a number of major and minor psychiatric disorders (Rigby, 1977; Suurkula, 1977; Egerman, 1981; Wood, 1981; Brooks and Scarana, 1985). For example, in an outpatient setting, Dick and Ragland (1973) found that clients of a university counseling center who were randomly assigned to learn the TM program showed significantly greater positive changes on a variety of personality scales over eight weeks compared with controls practicing an eyes-closed rest, placebo-type practice. In a comprehensive study on TM and childbirth involving

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