Dr. Oz recommends meditation for heart health, high cholesterol and diabetes

Meditation is emerging as a powerful stress-buster. Research shows that it can have health benefits equivalent to or better than some of the leading medications for reducing high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Dr. Oz, a meditator himself, talks about how the Transcendental Meditation technique reduces the three main risk factors for heart disease.

"As a heart surgeon, I see the effects of stress on the heart as the leading cause of death in the Western world. This meditation, we believe, can help a lot of people. It's important to understand exactly how TM reduces stress and stress-related disorders."

Stating that high cholesterol is the first major risk factor for heart disease, Dr. Oz cited a one-year study on people with high cholesterol who practiced the TM technique. The study found that cholesterol was reduced by 10 percent, or 30 milliliters. "Now, if you are on medication for cholesterol, we hope you can get 30 milliliters lower," he said.

The second risk factor for heart disease, cautioned Dr. Oz, is high insulin or diabetes. "A randomized clinical trial funded by the NIH found improvements in insulin resistance, glucose and even insulin levels themselves, after just four months of TM practice, in over 100 people who had coronary blocks. This dramatic change was significantly better than just teaching people about their health."

Meditation also helps reduce hypertension -- the third main risk factor -- according to a randomized control study on people suffering from high blood pressure. "Those practicing the TM technique had a significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, of 11 and 6, respectively. Those are big numbers. We don't get these kind of results all the time with medications."


The outcome of a long-term randomized trial on patients with coronary heart disease showed similar promise. Those practicing the TM technique during this 10-year period were found to have 47 percent less incidence of mortality, heart disease and stroke. "This impact in the TM group is stunning -- unimaginable. When you talk about these causes of death and you can reduce them by that much, as well as non-fatal strokes and non-fatal heart attacks, these are spectacularly large impacts."

If we're under stress, it's even harder -- we're more likely to overeat and find ourselves less motivated to exercise and more susceptible to smoking, drinking and other addictive behaviors. Meditation adds a powerful engine to your health resolutions. What's more, it's easy!

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John Hagelin: The Power of The Collective

By Ken Chawkin

"Nobody would have ever guessed—I wouldn’t have guessed—the extraordinary degree to which you can reduce social violence through meditation."—John Hagelin

A remarkable series of scientifically credible studies has shown a link between group meditation and lowered incidents of violence and crime. And why not, argues Hagelin: If meditation is good for the individual, it should

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Your Brain on East-Facing Buildings, and open thread

Here are a few images found on the web. These are from an online presentation, "Intro To Maharishi Sthapatya Veda," which is the TM movement's architecture and construction product, promoted by the very same people who attempt to sell Transcendental Meditation as some kind of "scientifically validated" practice.

Despite the reference to "neuro-scientific research" in the second slide, there is zero scientific evidence that indicates that physical orientation has any direct effect on the human brain. Of course, that doesn't stop the promoters of TM from making these sorts of outrageous claims, that aren't even clearly supported by the religious traditions of India. In other words, it appears "Maharishi" and his entourage may have made this stuff up. It's a uniquely megalomaniacal stance, this claim that almost all buildings across the planet should be bulldozed and rebuilt according to their rigid strictures.

The first slide is very similar to a poster I once found taped to the doors of a since-demolished building at the Maharishi University of Management, announcing that certain doors were not to be used. Here's my previous article with a picture of that poster, and more about the 70 million dollar office building that was built near Washington, DC, to comfort those few people who've developed this kind of peculiar phobia about the orientation and design of buildings. Or as a peculiar gimmick to sell the building to renters - funny, that trick doesn't seem to have worked, at last glance the building still sits mostly empty.

The TM-Free News Brief is on hiatus this week.


If you don't see an "add your comment" link below, click on the article title to see the comments. Disqus seems to have broken something this morning. It's fixed.

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Quantum Physicist John Hagelin: The Discovery of the Unified Field

The Discovery of the Unified Field: Part One — The field of perfect order and unity at the basic of nature's functioning



The Discovery of the Unified Field: Part Two — What is consciousness?




The Discovery of the Unified Field: Part Three — How to experience the Unified Field




The Discovery of the Unified Field: Part Four — The Unified Field is Consciousness



The Discovery of the

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Dr. John Hagelin on Consciousness and the Unified Field

Part Two: Dr. John Hagelin on Consciousness and the Unified Field(Click here to watch part one)

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Quantum Physicist Dr. John Hagelin: Consciousness and the Unified Field

Dr. Hagelin answers questions about the true nature of consciousness, the discovery of the unified field, and how it is, from the perspective of quantum physics, that the entire universe is nothing more than fluctuations of consciousness.

Part One
(Click here to watch part two) 


John Hagelin, Ph.D., is a world-renowned quantum physicist, educator, public policy expert, and leading proponent

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Video: Maharishi on Yoga and Transcendental Meditation practice

Maharishi on Yoga and Transcendental Meditation practice:  
"Yoga we know is the summation of all the trends of mind - Yoga, Samadhi, Transcendental Consciousness. How it becomes perfected? Yoga becomes perfected when the Yoga state is not disturbed by anything. What could be the disturbing element—because that Yoga state is absolute silence—what could be disturbing to it? Only the activity

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Video: Maharishi on Creating Ideal Relationships

Maharishi on Creating Ideal Relationships: Relationships are based on giving, Maharishi points out. But we can only give what we have — or what we are. Effective meditation creates a situation whereby we have more to give. Developing one's inner potential through twice-daily practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique establishes the basis of truly fulfilling relationships. (3:17)

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How different meditation techniques affect the brain

Many people ask how different meditation and relaxation techniques affect the brain. Are the effects significantly different? Can computer brain imaging actually show the areas of the brain enlivened by different techniques? The emerging scientific paradigm in neuroscience is that each general category of meditation has its own signature brain pattern.

Three major types of practices have been classified according to EEG pattern and the type of cognitive processing (or mental activity) involved: 1) controlled focus (concentration), 2) open monitoring (mindfulness type practices), and 3) automatic self-transcending (such as Transcendental Meditation). Each type of meditation engages the mind in a very different way and has a specific EEG pattern.

Neuroscience have discovered that concentration techniques, such as many Zen practices that involve controlled focus, typically show strong gamma waves (Lutz A, et al, 2004).

Mindfulness meditation (or open monitoring) typically produces frontal theta, an EEG pattern associated with memory tasks and internal focus (Cahn, Delorme, & Polich, 2010).

The Transcendental Meditation technique has been shown (in both new long-term meditators) to consistently produce high alpha coherence in the prefrontal cortex and throughout the rest of the brain (Travis et al, "Cognitive Processing," 11, 1, 2010.). Alpha waves are associated with a relaxed yet alert state of mind, and heightened coherence indicates  increased efficiency of brain functioning.

Also, the scientific literature shows that different practices consistently produce measurably different results regarding levels of rest, reduction of anxiety and depression, and effects on health and self-actualization. Often research on one meditation technique is wrongly attributed to another. When choosing a meditation technique, it is advised to look into the scientific research, if any, done on that specific technique. Pubmed.org is a good source in general and doctorsontm.org presents research on the TM technique.

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Brainwave Coherence During the Transcendental Meditation technique

Brain researchers have found that during practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique, the brain becomes more coherent and integrated, and that this heightened efficiency of brain functioning grows over time through twice-daily practice — even outside of meditation — improving mental performance and overall health.

 
What is Brain Wave Coherence?Everyone’s brain emits faint electrical

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Learning the Transcendental Meditation technique: The Seven-Step TM Course

Phase 1: The initial seven steps

Step 1: Introductory Lecture A vision of possibilities through the Transcendental Meditation program—enhancing mental potential, health and social relationships, and promoting world peace. (1 hour)

Step 2: Preparatory Lecture The mechanics of the TM technique—how it works, why it is easy to learn and effortless to practice, how it is different from other forms

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Transcendental Meditation and Getting out of a Rut

"Many people feel trapped by their circumstances. The main problem we need to address when feeling trapped, is the feeling of being trapped - not the circumstances, per se. As long as the focus remains on the circumstances, the entrapment will continue." Russel Bishop, international consultant and life coach.

I find that Transcendental Meditation is a great way to get out of a rut (and stay out!) because it de-fogs the mind so you can clearly hear your inner voice again. Stress, worries and fatigue cramp the mind's natural appetite for life and ability to handle challenges. When the awareness is dull and uncreative, one's circumstances can seem doomed. The feeling of being trapped comes from consciousness being stuck on the surface level of the mind. Looking for a way out of a situation and not being able to see beyond the circumstances creates even more stress and frustration.

Most people find that resolving a troubled situation is much easier if you can get some distance from it. The TM technique allows you to transcend the problem and contact deeper levels of Being that are teaming with creativity and inspiration. I'm not talking about just watching your thoughts or breath, but diving deep within where the mind gets satiated with its own silence and inner bliss.

Within just a few minutes of practice of Transcendental Meditation, the mind feels relieved of tension as it effortlessly settles and expands beyond its normal limitations. After meditation, one sees the same old rut with new perspectives and insights and even the most mundane activity is infused with fun and energy.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

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