THE EFFECTS OF HIMALAYAN MEDITATION ON THE NEURO.PHYS¡OLOGY OF

REGULAR PRACTITIONERS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Kumar Pravin, Prabhu Gopalkrishna,Fernandez Manuel,Bharati Swami Veda

Meditation Research lnstitute, SwamiRama Sadhaka Grama, Rishikesh, (lndia)

is the .fanskrit word formedtaÍian. /lls a §tate

in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. lt is both an

irward contemplation in the broader sense and

to the intermediate state between mere

to an object (dharana)and complete absorption

) [Monier Monier-Williams, a Sanskrif-

Dictionaryl. When thought or environment

our autonomic nervous system, the latter

adapting to the changes: We shiver when we feel

our heart beats faster when we run, and we sweat

we experience stress. Howeve¡ with conscious

we can influence these autonomic functions.

gives us the powerto influence the autonomic

system. Swami Rama demonstrated voluntary

orer skin temperature and blood flow at the

Foundationo. ln the scientific literature,

groups have reported increased galvanicskin

(GSR) (Cuthbert, 1981; Goleman &

rlz, 1976; Holms, Solomon, CioPPro, and

, 1980; Orme-Johnson, 1973; Trsvid and

,1999; Wallace and Benson,1972; Wallace,

, and Wilson ,1971).The effects of meditation on

resistance suggest decreased sympathetic activity

move towards a relaxed state (Jevning, 1992). The

of meditation on heart rate tend to be less

, however. Several studies have shown

decreases in heart rate during meditation

1981 : Holmes et al, 1980; Orme-

1973) suggesting relaxation. However, others

shown no change or an increase of heart rate

meditation (Heide & Borkovec, 1983; Ley, 1988;

, 1977; Wenger, 1998; Nesvold & Fagerland,

1); Libby & Worhunsky, (2012).). There are several

explanations for these inconsistencies in heart

measures, including: the experience level of the(Corby, Roth, et al., 't978), the meditato/s

of consciousness" as reported by subjects during

(Farrow, 1982), the timing of measures

1992), and relaxation-induced anxiety (Heide

appears to shift sympatho-vagal balance in favour of

-aeepupulbo-Jtr-4aziozor4lP¿l=r-a-&7alcs--12J-1=D)Electroencephafography (EEG) ís a techníque that

allows researchers to look at activation in regions of the

brain by readiñg electrical activi§ emanating from

regions of interest. Electrode placed on the scalp, and

the changes in electrical activi§ over time for different

regions is recorded and compared. Extensive research

exists that used EEG to study meditative states. Such

studies usually report that slow alpha activi§ is increased

(mean square amplitude) in central and frontal regions,

with high voltage theta burst activity in the frontal region

(Banquet, 1972; Herbert & Lehmann, 1977;Kamei, et al.,

2000; Khare, et al., 2000; Walla ce, 1971). Beta and delta

activi§ are §pically decreased or do not change' Sleep,

rest, and meditation have been compared on EEG and

like other physiological measures and with few

exceptions (Fenwick, eta',.,1977\, meditation has been

found to have its own signature (Banquet,1973; Farrow,

1982; Herbert & Lehmann,1977; Jacobs, et al-, 1996).

For example, long-term meditators in meditative states

have been found to produce theta-burst activi§, whereas

such a phenomenon has not been found in restful or

sleeping states (Herbert & Lehmann, 1977).ln this study

we used Fz(3Oo/o from nasion) frontal lobe for examine

effects of meditation (lngvar, 1994. Frith & friston, 1991;

Posner & Petersen 1990; Pardo & Fox 1990; Vogt &

Finch 1992; Herzog & Lele, 1990. Lazar et al. 2005)show

Frontal lobe is responsible for attention and reasoning it

goes restduring deep meditation (Lazaret al. 2003)..

2.0 Materials and Methods

2.1 Participants

A total of N= 16 Gurukulam students (regular meditator)

(F=3, M= 13) were assessed age (M=28.94, SD. 10.64,

Min 18- max 62 years). As a group, these individuals had

been meditating for a considerable period of time, t hour

in the morning and evening; all had been meditating daily

(7days/week) for at least one year with at least 1+ hours

or more per day. Participants are regular residential

student of the Gurukulam program at Swami Rama

Sadhaka grama, Rishikesh, lndia. They were tested for, 1983; Ley, 1988;Wenger, 1998). Meditation

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baseline when they first joined the program; then theywere tested after every four months for one year.

2.2 Recording devices and sensors

An eight-channel, multi-modali§ encoder with EEGProComp lnfinitiof Thought Technology was used. EEGData were collected at point Fzand referenced to linkedearlobes. Skin conductance (SC) electrodes wereattached to the right and index finger palmer surfaces. ABlood Volume Pulse (BVP) waveform (Photoplethysmograph) was fixed to the left index palmer side at thefingertip.

2.3 Procedure

Four sessions were recorded for the experirnental aswell as for the control tasks. The experimental taskconsisted of 15 minutes of meditation and the controltask consisted of 15 minutes of thinking: for both cases,only the last 3 minutes were recorded for data analysis.Participants were instructed to sit in the same posture forboth the experimental and control tasks. During thecontrol task the participants were asked to think aboutneutral past events or future planning. This controlcognitive engagement was a state of "mind-wandering".This is a condition highly contrasted to the purposeful

attention engagementof the meditation state (Christoff etal., 2009; Small, Wood, and Schooler,2006). There arefour sessions have been conducted. First session hasbeen done for base line on day of enrolment in

Gurukulam study then after every four month data havebeen taken for over one year.

2.4 Analysis

Forthe present analysis we took the last 3 minutes of thedata after 10 minutes of participant involvement in themeditation or mind-wandering session. This is sobecause we want to give sufficient time to the participant

to get into the condition of a meditation state. We did notwant to average the whole session of 15 minutesbecause it might contain unwanted recording before theirinvolvement into the session.

2.4@l EEGanalysis

We manually cleared all the artifacts in the data. Then weimported these data into EEGLAB running on Matlab(Delorme and Makeig 2004; Delorme et a12007). Theoutput power values in pV'were then log-transformed to

dB units using 10*log,o (UV') formula topower value distributions. Statisticalconducted using repeated measure analysis d(RMANOVA) with the factor of statecontrol) and electrode was placed at Fz

evaluating the level of attention and level ofgamma during control and meditation tasks.of drowsiness and meditative depth duringand control conditions have been collectedquestionnaire. Graph of experimental andhave been generated by using EEGLABMatlab (Delorme and Makeig 2004; Delonne

2,4 (bl Skin Gonductance and Bloodanalysis.

Data collected in digital form from promnpcentral tendency as mean and dispersion redeviation of whole session. These valuesstatistical formula and RMANOVAhas been

3.0 Result

Self-report scales on the basis of questionn*tparticipants EEG The "depth of meditative(1-10) self-report scale indicated that fumeditative depth experienced during thewas 6.63 t 1.70 and hours of meditation per1.3 hrs. t 0.62. There is no reliable correlationnumbers of hrs. meditation and depth of0.006 p<0.96). Figure 1. lllustrates the meanspectral data averaged across meditation andthought state of four sessions which taken afuof 4 months for over one year. EEG majordelta ('t-4 Hz), theta @-8Hz), alpha (8-12H2),25Hz), gamma (2545H2). Findings aredifferent in gamma power of EEG spectrumcontrol task and meditation. ln lower alpha bdras well as rneditation show significantsessions from each other. Fig2A. and Fig2B.opposite in changes during sessions of lowergamma. First session afterfour months lowerhighest level where as in gamma region juslafter four month gamma is at lowest levelsessions. Second session lower alpha is lowersession whereas in gamma power secondhigher than first session. Such difference couHcontrolgroup, though same group is in

as in controlthinking task.

<I*l'q frr uqme-eogk

Figl: EEG wave pattern and frequency in Hz for Fz

channel in control group.

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Black spot belowthe graph show RMANOVA P<0. 01 level.

EEG Spectrum, Meditation

Fig 2. EEG wave pattern and frequency in Hz for Fz

channel in Meditation group

Fig 2: Gamma power of spectrum show significantchanges at p< 0.01

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Fig - 38

Frg 3A: EEG power spectrum of alpha waves during controllask 38: meditation session. 38 and 48 show coherence3€tween gamma and alpha spectrum, first session is the lowestr aloha and the highest in gamma. Such coherence could notinci in control group (Fig 3A and 4A)

Fig 4A

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Fig 48

Fig 4A. Presents Gamma (35-45H2) waves duringcontrol task and 48: show meditation session and darkspot below the horizontal axis show the significantdifference at 0.0i level (RMANOVA) among successivesessions. 48: show the statistically significant whereas4A: no significant at all.

Tablel: RM ANOVA Blood Volume Pulse (BVP)

controland meditation*SS (sum of square), df (degree of freedom),MS(mean square),

!;

t-

U.

Source

Between

Error

SSdfMSF900 control 3 300 control 6.90

628.7 Med 209.6 med

1955.36 control 45 43.45 control 9.04

1042.4 med 23.16 med

p

control 0.01

med

"The twelve-months meditation -training programmewith Gurukulam students had a statistically significantdecrease in Blood Volume Pulse after one year ofmeditation practice, F(3, 45) = 6.90 (control),9.04(meditation), p < .01 ."

Morarji Desai National lnstitute of Yoga 21"'June - lnternational Day of Yoga 155

Graphl: Grand mean of blood volume pulse between

control and meditation task'

I mesnBVP

l

l79 ,*

Source SS

Between 5.85

8.43

Error 33.02

44.23

i contr¡l [1ed¡tatr+n I

t.._._*.--*---*i;6te ,: tiu ANovÁ=k¡ñ-cóñ¿uctance in control

and med¡tation conditions

*not significant at 0'05 level' P= 2'81

dfMSFPcontrol 3 1.95 control 2'67* control 0'05

Med 2.81 med

control 45 0.73 control 2'87 med

med 0.98 med

Graph 2: Grand mean of skin conductance between

control and meditation grouP

mean shin conductance

nredit¿tion

-rt

directly involved in meditation (Richard J' et al 2003 Kolb

& Whishaw, 1990, Ch. 19)' The meditation state shows

significantchangesinthebrain'selectrophysiology*ñ"r"r" the control state does not show such a change

in lower alpha (B-10 Hz) as well as in the gamma (3545

Hz) region of EEG spectrum' While lower alpha and

grr." changes in simultaneously four session were

Iignificantly different on 0'01 level of significance' As in

tná f¡rst session after four months of meditation practice

gamma power was at the lowest level and low alpha dine nignest (green line shows first session)' Second

session after eight months of meditation practice gamrTE

increased (Desmedt & Tomberg' 1994) and low alpla

decreased. At last session gamma further increased ard

alpha further decreased' Whereas' no such changes in

controlstate.Gammapowerisknowntocorrespondbstimulusrepresentation,featurebindingandperceptudawareness (fries et al' 2001' 2008) and selectÍve

attention (Fell et al. 2003)' Decrease in Gamma poYtrer

after four months may be because of focus on breathirg

which is less imaginary state' Since Himalayat

meditation comes under concentrative meditation type'

selective attention increases after long time meditaüsl

practice, so this meditation has impact on gamma range'

Therelativeimpactofmeditationongammafrequencydepends on various factors like type of meditaüor

practice and time spent in meditation practice' As we saw

inthisresult,firstfourmonthpracticeshowexacflyopposite to what had been shown after eight month cf

plactice. As Blood volume pulse (BVP) concerns' I,no*radecreaseofalmostonebitperminuteafterfoumonths of meditation practice (Stephen D' et al 20121

Skin conductance or stress level decreased in

meditation. So it prove our theory that Himalayrt

Meditation practice bring change in trait as well state dbrain and body and it helps in stabilizing optimurn

homeostasis with environment and lead toward the

tranquili§ of body, heart and brain'

References:

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"The twelve-months meditation -training programme

with Gurukulam students had a statistically significant

decrease in Skin Conductance, F(3' 45) = 2'6' (control)

P*, >0.05, 2.87(meditation), p < 0'05'"

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4.0 Discussion

Himalayan meditation practice involves concentration on

breathing first and then on mantra (Lane' Seskevich' &

Pieper, iool). EEG measurements were progressively

oUtained from students of Gurukulam in four stages of

their meditation right from their onset at the Gurukulam

program. There were two contrasting cognitive

"oná¡tion. recorded: one was a meditative state and the

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made with one channel and one true electrode placed at

point Fz (Frontal-zenith, 30% total distance from nasion

io inion, corresponding to the midline of the upper frontal

lobe). The frontal lobe is an important area which is

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