Benefits of Meditation

Benefits of Meditation: Meditation is a powerful instrument for spiritual development because it transcends the limitations of the body and psyche. Teachers and practitioners of these "inner technologies" have also experienced the numerous physical and mental benefits of yoga and meditation. In recent years, an increasing number of scientific studies and research on meditation have validated these claims. Isha's introductory practice is Shambhavi Mahamudra, an ancient kriya with millions of devoted practitioners who claim that regular practice of the meditation improves their emotional balance, concentration, focus, stability, and health. Several scientific studies have measured the various benefits of regular kriya practice, both in terms of brain activity during the kriya and in terms of statistical research on how it impacts people's health and happiness.

How does the Kriya Work?

Most individuals are dissatisfied or unhealthy because their physical, mental, and "pranic" bodies are out of alignment. Sadhguru explains, "There is a way to engineer our system, to make this body, this mind, and the very chemistry within us the way we desire." Traditionally, Yoga considers the human body to consist of five distinct layers: the physical body, the mental body, the pranic energy body, the etheric body, and the ecstatic body. Most individuals are dissatisfied or unhealthy because their physical, mental, and "pranic" bodies are out of alignment. Sadhguru explains, "If they are appropriately aligned, a human's natural expression will be one of overwhelming pleasure. Now, we are examining the technology of keeping these three organisms in constant alignment, so that pleasure is no longer an accident, but a normal condition, a natural way of life for you."

Studies on Shambhavi Mahamudra

Diverse studies have been conducted on Shambhavi Mahamudra: some have examined its effect on disease status and medication use, others have focused on menstrual disorders, and still others have examined the advantages of this meditation on sleep, heart rate variability, brain activity, etc. Other studies have examined habitual meditators' general well-being and enhanced attention span. Let's examine the findings of some of the most important studies.

Benefits of meditation #1: Improved cardiac health

Two investigations published in 2008 and 2012 investigated the effect of Shambhavi Mahamudra on cardiovascular health. During the practice, participants demonstrated a more balanced Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System and an overall increase in Heart Rate Variability (HRV). A higher HRV has been associated with greater resistance to adverse situations and is believed to confer a greater survival advantage. On the other hand, a reduced HRV has been associated with a variety of cardiac conditions, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, chronic heart failure, and myocardial infarction. Researchers conclude that practitioners of Shambhavi Mahamudra and other Isha Yoga techniques have a higher exercise tolerance, a better cardiac response to stressful situations, and a lower likelihood of developing hypertension or cardiac issues such as ischemia or infarction.

Benefits of meditation #2: Greater coherence within the brain

The Centre for Biomedical Engineering at IIT Delhi examined EEG (Electroencephalography) data from the brains of kriya practitioners before, during, and after practice. The results demonstrate that practitioners experienced an increase in coherence between the right and left hemispheres of the brain. EEG coherence is recognized as a measure of the connectivity between various brain regions. A greater coherence indicates an increase in the exchange of information between various regions, as well as an improvement in functional coupling and coordination. Higher coherence levels are also correlated with higher IQ and creativity test scores, as well as emotional stability and cognitive flexibility. Additionally, the researchers measured signals at prominent EEG spectral regions known as alpha, beta, delta, and theta. In general, Shambhavi practitioners exhibited greater alpha band power, indicating that they experienced lower tension levels. There was an increase in the strength of the delta and theta bands, while the power of the beta band decreased significantly. A decrease in the strength of the beta band indicates a decreased susceptibility to mental tension, exhilaration, and anxiety. Higher theta and delta activity has been associated with conscious access to deeper states of meditation, according to previous research. Researchers observe that the combination of delta and alpha rhythms reflects an innate intuitive empathetic radar, a sort of sixth sense.

Benefits of meditation #3: Improved sleep

A study presented at the 20th Congress of the European Sleep Research Society in Lisbon, Portugal, contrasted the sleep patterns of 15 male meditators and 15 male non-meditators of comparable age and education. Participants ranged in age from 25 to 55 years old. The meditators practiced Shambhavi Mahamudra in addition to other Isha Yoga techniques. Participants' entire-night polysomnographic measurements and EEG data were recorded, along with other parameters. Compared to the control group of non-meditators, the percentage of REM sleep, sleep efficiency, and total sleep time of meditators were significantly higher. In addition to improved sleep quality, meditators experienced fewer awakenings after falling asleep. The study concludes that consistent Shambhavi meditation practice has a positive effect on sleep quality.

Benefits of meditation #4: Improved attention and focus

A study published in the journal Perception examined the performance of 89 participants on the Stroop and attentional blink tasks before and after a three-month Isha Yoga meditation retreat. The Stroop task investigates interference in reaction time. For instance, when the name of a color is printed in a different color (for instance, "red" is printed in black), respondents may misidentify the printing color. After the retreat, participants in the study were less likely to make mistakes than before. Similarly, participants in the attentional blink task identify various visual stimuli presented for extremely brief durations. The participants' pre-retreat detection accuracy was 58% and their post-retreat detection accuracy was 69%. The conclusion of the researchers is "the hypothesis that meditation tends to improve allocation of attentional resources." A similar study by a team from the Université de Toulouse, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour, UC Irvine, and Indiana University School of Medicine examined how Isha Yoga practices improve performance in attentional tasks due to better allocation of attentional resources, an ability to sustain attention and focus, faster re-allocation of attentional resources, greater cognitive flexibility, and a decrease in automatic response. Compared to control groups drawn from the general population, the cognitive systems of meditators appear to have undergone structural, anatomical, and functional changes.

Benefits of meditation #5: Reduced menstrual disorders

It is estimated that 75% of women experience menstruation-related issues, which have a significant physical, psychological, social, and economic influence on their lives. Even when patients opt for surgery as a last resort, it is well-known that the most common treatments for such conditions provide inadequate relief. Yoga is currently one of the most prevalent alternative treatments for numerous disorders. The effects of meditation and yoga on such conditions have been studied for some time and show tremendous promise. A team from the Indiana University School of Medicine administered a questionnaire to 128 female Shambhavi Mahamudra practitioners between the ages of 14 and 55 from the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, Malaysia, and Lebanon. 72% of respondents practiced daily, while the remainder practiced 1-3 times per week. The questionnaire queried respondents about the prevalence and impact of various menstrual disorders prior to beginning the kriya and after at least six months of practice. Included were Dysmennorhea, symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, heavy menstrual flow, irregular menstrual cycle, the need for medical or surgical intervention for disorders, and the impairment of work during menstruation. The results demonstrated a 57% reduction in the severity of Dysmennorhea, a 72% reduction in psychological symptoms including irritability, mood shifts, weeping episodes, melancholy, and arguments, a 40% reduction in breast swelling and tenderness, and a 50% reduction in bloating and weight gain. The incidence of severe menstrual discharge decreased by 87%, and the frequency of irregular cycles decreased by 80%. There was a 63% reduction in the need for medical or surgical interventions, and an 83% reduction in instances of work-related impairment. The authors conclude that kriya "can be considered as an adjunctive therapy for menstrual disorders given the improved symptoms in all parameters."

Also read: Taking Good Care of Your Eyes

Other benefits of meditation

In response to a questionnaire about the benefits of practicing Shambhavi Mahamudra, 536 respondents indicated that the kriya had helped them reduce medication and eliminate depression, allergies, asthma, and other maladies. 91% reported an increase in inner calm, 87% in emotional equilibrium, 80% in mental clarity, 79% in energy levels, 74% in self-confidence, and 70% in concentration and efficiency. 87% of depressed meditators reported improvement, 25% reduced their medication, and 50% were able to discontinue their medication. Similarly, 86 percent of those with anxiety reported improvement, 28 percent reduced their medication, and 50 percent were able to discontinue their medication. 73% of insomniacs reported improvement, 40% reduced their medication dosage, and 30% were able to discontinue their medication. Those with inadequate resistance to colds and flu, as well as those with migraines, asthma, fibromyalgia, gastrointestinal disorder, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and a variety of other chronic illnesses, experienced comparable improvements.

In brief

The practice of Shambhavi Mahamudra is associated with a reduction in tension and anxiety, a lift in mental alertness and focus, and an increase in self-awareness. It is also evident that regular practice improves cardiac health and eliminates or significantly reduces the need for medication for a variety of conditions, including hypertension, depression, and menstrual problems.