A Unique State of Restful Alertness
By Roger Chalmers, MD
Extensive physiological research over 40 years has shown that Transcendental Meditation gives rise to a unique physiological state characterized by deep rest [101-122]; increased orderliness and integration of brain functioning [101-104, 107-109, 119-120, 141, 143-155]; increased blood flow to the brain [112, 116, 160]; decreased peripheral vascular resistance [34]; features directly opposite to the physiological and biochemical effects of stress (including high and stable galvanic skin resistance [101-103, 105, 111, 118, 274], decreased plasma cortisol [123-126], reduced arterial blood lactate [101-103, 105, 112-114], and deep muscle relaxation [140, 147]); and other distinctive neuroendocrine changes [121-131, 133-134, 137-139].
Taken together, these studies clearly distinguish the physiology of TM from sleep, drowsiness, or ordinary relaxation. Researchers have concluded that TM gives rise to a fourth major state of consciousness – Transcendental Consciousness – which is both experientially and physiologically distinct from waking, sleeping, and dreaming. Like these three states, Transcendental Consciousness has its own unique correlates, aptly described as a state of ‘restful alertness’ in mind and body [101-109, 119-120, 141, 143-145, 151-155].
EEG (‘brain wave’) studies show that while the level of excitation in the nervous system is greatly reduced during TM, wakefulness increases [101-103, 107, 119, 141, 143-147]. At the same time, the degree of integration between different areas of the brain is increased [141, 145-147, 154], with high EEG coherence between front and back of the brain and between right and left cerebral hemispheres [119-120, 148-149, 152].
High EEG coherence during TM has been found to correlate with higher scores on measures of creativity, intelligence, concept learning, academic performance, mathematical skills, moral reasoning, emotional stability, neuromuscular efficiency, self-development, self-awareness, and experiences of higher states of consciousness; and with lower anxiety and neuroticism [172-176, 145, 199, 216].
Sophisticated neurophysiological and neuroimaging techniques are shedding further light on TM’s integrative effects on the brain [142, 144, 160]. A magneto-encephalographic study identified the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate brain regions as the source of the widespread EEG alpha wave activity observed during TM [144]. Positron emission tomography also highlighted the role of the prefrontal cortex (the highest level of regulation in the brain), showing increased blood flow to this region [160], consistent with the findings of earlier cardiovascular research [112, 116].
Increased brain integration as a result of TM is also evident in EEG patterns outside of meditation, including during challenging cognitive tasks (see below under ‘Comprehensive Benefits in Education’) [149, 156-159, 161-166]. Research on the brain’s response to pain, using functional magnetic resonance imaging, indicates that regular practice of TM reduces distress associated with painful stimuli, without impairing sensory acuity [142].
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