Research on the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programs

82 papers found

• 1973· Psychosomatic Medicine· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 1
  Orme-Johnson, D. W. Autonomic stability and Transcendental Meditation. Psychosomatic Medicine 35: 341–349, 1973.

  Subjects practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique showed greater autonomic stability.

  • Response to Stress: Faster Habituation of Skin Resistance Response to Stressful Stimuli
  • Response to Stress: Fewer Multiple Skin Resistance Responses
  • Electrophysiological: Fewer Spontaneous Skin Resistance Responses
  • + 1 more findings
• 1977· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 1
  Haynes, C. T.; Hebert, J. R.; Reber, W.; and Orme-Johnson, D. W. The psychophysiology of advanced participants in the Transcendental Meditation Program: Correlations of EEG coherence, creativity, H-reflex recovery, and experience of transcendental consciousness. Psychophysiology Laboratory, Centre for the Study of Higher States of Consciousness, Maharishi European Research University, Switzerland, 1976.

  High EEG coherence, high creativity, rapid neuromuscular recovery, and experience of transcendental consciousness are all correlated in individuals participating in an advanced Transcendental Meditation program.

  • Electroencephalographic: Correlations among High EEG Coherence, High Levels of Creativity, Greater Neurological Efficiency (Faster H-Reflex Recovery), and Clarity of Experiences of Transcendental Consciousness
• 1977· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 1
  Orme-Johnson, D. W.; Kolb, D.; and Hebert, J. R. An experimental analysis of the effects of the Transcendental Meditation technique on reaction time. International Center for Scientific Research, Maharishi International University, Fairfield, Iowa, USA, 1973.

  People practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique had faster reactions after a period of the technique than after a period of rest.

  • Motor Performance: Faster Reactions
  • Motor Performance: Faster Reactions
• 1977· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 1
  Heaton, D. P.; and Orme-Johnson, D. W. The Transcendental Meditation Program and academic achievement. International Center for Scientific Research, Maharishi International University, Fairfield, Iowa, USA, 1974.

  Students practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique showed an increase in grade point average.

  • Academic Performance: Improved Academic Performance among University Students
• 1977· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 1
  Orme-Johnson, D. W.; and Duck, B. Psychological testing of MIU students: First report. Department of Psychology, Maharishi European Research University, Switzerland, and International Center for Scientific Research, Maharishi International University, Fairfield, Iowa, USA, 1974.

  Students at Maharishi International University practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique scored consistently higher than other college students on scales of self-actualization.

  • Self Development: Greater Time Competence (Ability to Live in the Present, and Ability to Connect Past, Present, and Future Meaningfully)
  • Self Development: Greater Inner-Directedness (Independence, Self-Supportiveness)
  • Self Development: Greater Self-Actualizing Value (Holding Values of Self-Actualizing People)
  • + 5 more findings
• 1977· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 1
  Orme-Johnson, D.; Kiehlbauch, J.; Moore, R.; and Bristol, J. Personality and autonomic changes in prisoners practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique. University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA, 1971.

  Physiological stability and psychological adaptability increased in prisoners practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique.

  • Rehabilitation of Offenders: Fewer Spontaneous Skin Resistance Responses of Prisoners
  • Rehabilitation of Offenders: Decreased Psychasthenia (Decreased Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior, Increased Behavioral Flexibility) of Prisoners
  • Rehabilitation of Offenders: Decreased Social Introversion (Increased Social Ease and Outgoingness) of Prisoners
• 1977· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 1
  Orme-Johnson, D. W.; Arthur, G. K.; Franklin, L.; and O’Connell, J. The Transcendental Meditation technique and drug abuse counselors. Department of Research and Evaluation, Drug and Alcohol Abuse Control and Prevention Program, Fort Bliss, Texas, USA, 1972.

  Mental health improved in people practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique.

  • Psychological Health: Improved Mental Health
  • Psychological Health: Decreased Anxiety
  • Psychological Health: Decreased Hypochondria
  • + 1 more findings
• 1977· Research Review· Collected Papers Vol. 1
  Orme-Johnson, D. The dawn of the Age of Enlightenment: Experimental evidence that the Transcendental Meditation technique produces a fourth and fifth state of consciousness in the individual and a profound influence of orderliness in society. Department of Psychology, Maharishi European Research University, Switzerland, 1976.

  A review of scientific data shows that a fourth state of consciousness is reached through the Transcendental Meditation program. It is seen that repeated experience of this state develops a fifth state of consciousness, cosmic consciousness or enlightenment, in which behavior is spontaneously "in accord with all the laws of nature." The enormous influence of orderliness that individuals growing toward enlightenment are now having on world consciousness provides evidence for the dawn of the Age of Enlightenment.

  • Theoretical Paper—Consciousness: Theoretical and Review Paper—Cosmic Consciousness
• 1977· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 1
  Orme-Johnson, D. W.; Clements, G.; Haynes, C. T.; and Badaoui, K. Higher states of consciousness: EEG coherence, creativity, and experiences of the Sidhis. Centre for the Study of Higher States of Consciousness, Maharishi European Research University, Switzerland, 1977.

  EEG coherence, creativity, and experiences of higher states of consciousness were found to be positively correlated.

  • During the Practice—Brain Activity: Maximum EEG Coherence Associated with Experiences of the TM-Sidhi program
  • During the Practice—Brain Activity: Correlations among High EEG Coherence, Experiences of Higher States of Consciousness, Experiences of the TM-Sidhi program, and High Levels of Creativity
• 1977· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 1
  Orme-Johnson, D. W.; and Granieri, B. The effects of the Age of Enlightenment Governor Training Courses on field independence, creativity, intelligence, and behavioral flexibility. Centre for the Study of Higher States of Consciousness, Maharishi European Research University, Switzerland, 1977.

  Controlled, longitudinal studies showed that field independence, creativity, intelligence, and behavioral flexibility are increased by Age of Enlightenment Governor Training Courses in which course participants learn and practice the "sidhis"—procedures in which natural and evolutionary desires are effortlessly projected from the deepest level of the mind to result in materialization at the level of experience and physiological performance.

  • Cognitive Performance: Increased Field Independence (Growth of a More Stable Internal Frame of Reference) through TM-Sidhi program
  • Cognitive Performance: Increased Creativity—Increased Figural Fluency and Originality through TM-Sidhi program
  • Cognitive Performance: Increased Intelligence through TM-Sidhi program
  • + 2 more findings
• 1977· Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology· Research Review· Collected Papers Vol. 2
  Orme-Johnson, D. EEG coherence during Transcendental Consciousness. Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology 43(4): 581–582 (abstract), 1977.

  Very high EEG coherence, indicating increased orderliness of brain functioning, was found to be characteristic of the experience of transcendental consciousness during Transcendental Meditation. High correlations were, found between: 1) coherence, 2) creativity, 3) clarity of experience of transcendental consciousness, 4) H-reflex recovery, and 5) suspension of respiration.

  • Review Paper—Physiology: Review Paper—Brain Functioning
• 1978· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 3
  Orme-Johnson, D. EEG coherence and the TM-Sidhi Program. Maharishi International University, Fairfield, Iowa, USA. Findings presented at the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 28 August 1978.

  Theta and alpha coherence between the two cerebral hemispheres were found to increase over a two-month period in subjects who learnt the TM-Sidhi program.

  • Electroencephalographic: Longitudinal Increases in Interhemispheric EEG Coherence through the TM-Sidhi program
• 1979· Research Review· Collected Papers Vol. 4
  Orme-Johnson, D. W.; Wallace, R. K.; Dillbeck, M. C.; and Kay Rosenberg, N. Recent biochemical and physiological research on the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Program: Clinical and epidemiological applications. Center for the Study of Higher States of Consciousness, Maharishi International University, Fairfield, Iowa, USA. Paper presented at the American Psychiatric Association, 132nd Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 17 May 1979.

  This paper provides an extensive discussion of electrophysiological and biochemical research on the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program, including some interesting findings on EEG coherence not previously reported in the literature. Research is reviewed from the theoretical perspective of the nature of consciousness and the principles of its development as systematically expounded by Maharishi in the Science of Creative Intelligence. The authors emphasize the value of Maharishi's insights in relation to some major constructs within psychiatry and discuss important clinical and epidemiological applications of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program.

  • Review Paper—Physiology: Review Paper—Electrophysiological and Biochemical Research
• 1981· International Journal of Neuroscience· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 3
  Orme-Johnson, D. W.; and Haynes, C. T. EEG phase coherence, pure consciousness, creativity, and TM-Sidhi experiences. International Journal of Neuroscience 13: 211–217, 1981.

  Subjects practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program with clear experiences of pure consciousness and the TM-Sidhi techniques were found to have higher EEG alpha coherence and higher creativity than subjects with less clear experiences.

  • Electroencephalographic: Clear Experiences of Pure Consciousness and TM-Sidhis Correlated with Higher Frontal EEG Alpha Coherence and Greater Creativity
• 1981· International Journal of Neuroscience· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 3
  Dillbeck, M. C.; Orme-Johnson, D. W.; and Wallace, R. K. Frontal EEG coherence, H-reflex recovery, concept learning, and the TM-Sidhi Program. International Journal of Neuroscience 15: 151–157, 1981.

  Frontal EEG coherence and H-reflex recovery were found to be correlated with flexibility of concept learning in subjects practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique. Instruction in the TM-Sidhi program was seen to improve efficiency on a concept-learning task.

  • Cognitive Performance: Increased Efficiency of Concept Learning as a Result of the TM-Sidhi program
  • Electroencephalographic: Greater Flexibility of Concept Learning Correlated with High Frontal EEG Alpha and Theta Coherence during the Transcendental Meditation technique, and with Greater Neurological Efficiency (Faster H-Reflex Recovery)
• 1981· College Student Journal· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 3
  Aron, A.; Orme-Johnson, D.; and Brubaker, P. The Transcendental Meditation Program in the college curriculum: A 4-year longitudinal study of effects on cognitive and affective functioning. College Student Journal 15(2): 140–146, 1981.

  Increases in intelligence, self-confidence, sociability, psychological health, and social maturity were found in students practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique at Maharishi International University.

  • Cognitive Performance: Increased Intelligence
  • Self Development: Increased Self-Confidence
  • Social Behavior: Increased Sociability
  • + 2 more findings
• 1981· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 4
  Orme-Johnson, D. W.; Wallace, R. K.; Dillbeck, M. C.; Alexander, C. N.; and Ball, O. E. Improved functional organization of the brain through the Maharishi Technology of the Unified Field as indicated by changes in EEG coherence and its cognitive correlates: A proposed model of higher states of consciousness. Departments of Psychology and Biology, Maharishi International University, Fairfield, Iowa, USA; Department of Psychology and Social Relations, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; and Department of Education, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA. Paper presented at the American Psychological Society Annual Convention, Los Angeles, California, USA, September 1981.

  The effects of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program were studied in terms of the functional organization of the brain, as reflected in patterns of EEG coherence and in the correlations of these patterns with measures of cognitive performance and emotional health. Findings indicated that higher levels of coherence in the frontal cortex relative to the occipital area are, in general, correlated with higher levels of cognitive performance and greater emotional stability. Furthermore, results showed increases in both alpha and theta EEG coherence levels as a result of learning the TM-Sidhi program, with proportionately greater increases taking place in the frontal lobes compared to the occipital lobes. The authors discuss their findings in terms of the development of higher states of consciousness through the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program.

  • Electroencephalographic: Higher Frontal EEG Coherence Correlated with Superior Cognitive Performance (Verbal Intelligence, Principled Moral Reasoning, and Grade Point Average) and Greater Emotional Stability (Lower Neuroticism)
  • During the Practice—Electroencephalographic: Increased EEG Coherence During the Transcendental Meditation Technique
  • Electroencephalographic: Stabilization of Increased EEG Coherence Following the Transcendental Meditation Technique
  • + 3 more findings
• 1981· Journal of Crime and Justice· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 4
  Dillbeck, M. C.; Landrith III, G. S.; and Orme-Johnson, D. W. The Transcendental Meditation Program and crime rate change in a sample of forty-eight cities. Findings also published in Journal of Crime and Justice 4: 25–45, 1981.

  In a five-year follow-up study of Borland and Landrith's pioneering work on the Maharishi Effect, an analysis of 48 cities confirmed that crime rate decreases when one percent of a city population practices the Transcendental Meditation technique. A reduced crime trend was found to continue throughout the follow-up period.

  • Sociological—Reduced Crime: Decreased Crime Rate (Cities, USA, 1973–1977)
• 1982· International Journal of Neuroscience· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 3
  Orme-Johnson, D.; Dillbeck, M. C.; Wallace, R. K.; and Landrith III, G. S. Intersubject EEG coherence: Is consciousness a field? International Journal of Neuroscience 16: 203–209, 1982.

  EEG coherence was found to increase between subjects practicing Transcendental Meditation at precisely the time at which 2,500 individuals were engaged in the group practice of the TM-Sidhi program over 1,000 miles away. The authors propose that consciousness is an underlying, unbounded field which is enlivened during the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program. This study therefore helps to explain the mechanics of the Maharishi Effect, whereby even a small fraction of a population practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program creates coherence in the collective consciousness of the whole society.

  • Electroencephalographic: Increased Intersubject EEG Coherence Associated with Group Practice of the TM-Sidhi program
• 1982· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 3
  Wallace, R. K.; Mills, P. J.; Orme-Johnson, D. W.; Dillbeck, M. C.; and Jacobe, E. The paired H reflex and its correlation with EEG coherence and academic performance in normal subjects practicing meditation. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts 8: 537, 1982.

  Paired H-reflex recovery was found to be correlated with EEG coherence and academic performance in participants in the Transcendental Meditation program.

  • Electroencephalographic: Greater Neurological Efficiency (Faster H-Reflex Recovery) Correlated with High EEG Coherence and Superior Academic Performance