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Meditation and the Relaxation Response
Abstract
This chapter discusses meditation; its psychological, behavioral, and physiological effects; and how it can be effectively incorporated into the routine care of individuals who require mental and medical interventions. The relaxation response is the biological consequence of a wide variety of mental focusing techniques, one of which is meditation. A variety of techniques can be used to elicit the relaxation response, including meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, yoga, exercise, repetitive prayer, and the presuggestion phase of hypnosis. Although all of these strategies result in the same physiological response, two components appear to be essential to achieving the relaxation response: mental focusing and adopting a passive attitude toward distracting thoughts. For many patients with psychological disturbances who might be hesitant to enter therapy, relaxation response training is a nonthreatening intervention that can be introduced prior to other more rigorous forms of therapy such as cognitive therapy or medication. Meditation and other modes of eliciting the relaxation response can be a means of preparing for standard psychotherapy by allowing the patient to observe thoughts and mental events. Relaxation-response training can also be used to facilitate behavior modification goals. The relaxation response has been associated with improvements in many medical conditions including hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, chronic pain, insomnia, side effects of cancer therapy, side effects of AIDS therapy, infertility, and preparation for surgery and X-ray procedures.
... No outward indication of intense concentration." 13 Neither assistant felt he could say a word. After a few minutes, Einstein would suddenly come back to normal consciousness, "a smile on his face and an answer to the problem on his lips." ...
... Hoffman said the ideas "seemed to come from left field, to be quite extraordinary." 13 Given the commitment to do so, and with both science and biography to guide us, it should be possible to take what has been learned about the genius process and develop training programs that create the right conditions to produce breakthroughs. And the research results are there when one looks. ...
... 14 Benson's work is remarkably similar to research in more spiritually oriented forms of meditation, 15,16 as well as altered states of consciousness studies. 13 Psychologist Dean Radin, reviewing the literature of experimental work explicitly linking nonlocal experiences with meditation, said this: "It is relevant that a review of 16 experiments reported in the 1970s, 17 all investigating various nonlocal phenomena associated with meditation, estimated that their combined results were significant at P ϭ 6 ϫ 10 Ϫ12 ," which suggests the linkage is a strong one. 18 Radin says, "it appears to be a special population." ...
... (Lehrer, in Preface to Linden, 1990). Benson (1975) introduced a straightforward non-cultic form of meditation in the US, and surveyed the essential elements of meditational practice in philosophic, religious and psychotherapeutic settings (Benson et al, 1974). Other useful recent contributions have been by D. H. Shapiro (1982), D. A. Shapiro (1987), Carrington (1987) and Delmonte (1985). ...
... (Lehrer, in Preface to Linden, 1990). Benson (1975) introduced a straightforward non-cultic form of meditation in the US, and surveyed the essential elements of meditational practice in philosophic, religious and psychotherapeutic settings (Benson et al, 1974). Other useful recent contributions have been by D. H. Shapiro (1982), D. A. Shapiro (1987), Carrington (1987) and Delmonte (1985). ...
... The therapist, sitting to one side where he may observe without being a distraction, commences a spiel of words directing attention to bodily sensations: "You are becoming aware of the posi tion of your hands... whether they are warm or cool... tingly feelings in your hands ... the position of your arms, aware of tension... being replaced by relaxation ... becoming heavy ... relaxation deep ening" and so on, and then: "You are now letting come into your mind a calm, peaceful picture ... through looking at the picture deeper into controlled relaxation ...". In accordance with all trance induction manoeuvres (Benson et al, 1974) state ments are given in the passive tense and not as active instructions such as "Now relax your arms ... now think of a calm scene". The emphasis of this spiel on bodily sensations harks back to the origins of ACT in autogenic training. ...
Anxiety pervades every aspect of human activity and experience. It is a normal state and a spur to action, but readily exceeds normal limits in intensity, duration and appropriateness to the stimulus or situation. Anxiety is manifest by the mood of fearfulness, behaviour marked by restlessness and avoidance of situations, increased arousal with insomnia, excessive preoccupation with thoughts on the theme of insecurity, and a wide range of somatic symptoms which are based on muscular tension, hyperventilation leading to paraesthesiae and faintness, and symptoms based on overactivity of the autonomic nervous system. Excessive anxiety and situational avoidance leads to diminution of performance and limitation of endeavour. In the context of physical illness, anxiety increases the distress of symptoms, may confuse diagnostic procedure, prolong recovery time from acute illness, cause failure to comply with effective treatment and promote destructive habits such as reliance on alcohol or excessive use of sedative drugs.
... No outward indication of intense concentration." 13 Neither assistant felt he could say a word. After a few minutes, Einstein would suddenly come back to normal consciousness, "a smile on his face and an answer to the problem on his lips." ...
... Hoffman said the ideas "seemed to come from left field, to be quite extraordinary." 13 Given the commitment to do so, and with both science and biography to guide us, it should be possible to take what has been learned about the genius process and develop training programs that create the right conditions to produce breakthroughs. And the research results are there when one looks. ...
... 14 Benson's work is remarkably similar to research in more spiritually oriented forms of meditation, 15,16 as well as altered states of consciousness studies. 13 Psychologist Dean Radin, reviewing the literature of experimental work explicitly linking nonlocal experiences with meditation, said this: "It is relevant that a review of 16 experiments reported in the 1970s, 17 all investigating various nonlocal phenomena associated with meditation, estimated that their combined results were significant at P ϭ 6 ϫ 10 Ϫ12 ," which suggests the linkage is a strong one. 18 Radin says, "it appears to be a special population." ...
Stephan A. Schwartz is the editor of the daily Web publication The SchwartzReport (http://www.schwartzreport.net), which concentrates on trends that will shape the future, an area of research he has been working in since the mid-1960s. For over 35 years he has also been an active experimentalist doing research on the nature of consciousness, particularly remote viewing, healing, creativity, religious ecstasy, and meditation. He is the author of several books and numerous papers, technical reports, and general audience articles on these topics. He can be reached via e-mail at saschwartz@schwartzreport.net.
... In his book, Psychotherapy East and West, Watts (1961) compared concepts and methods of Eastern Buddhism with Western psychotherapy and demonstrated how both possess deep human wisdom. In his book, The Relaxation Response, Harvard physician Herbert Benson (2000Benson ( , 1975 defined the relaxation response as a physical state which invokes deep physical relaxation, and is the opposite of the fight-flight response. He used a staunchly scientific approach to show that meditation, as well as prayer, hypnosis, and yoga were diverse forms of the relaxation response. ...
... REBT practitioners might more fully integrate TB's meditative, quieting response as a way to reduce unproductive and self defeating cognitive chatter. As Benson (2000) found among the Tibetan monks he studied, meditation can produce a mental and physical state of deep relaxation that can help to increase the ability to control thoughts and actions and can increase the human resilience and inner strength that REBT attempts to promote. Thus, TB's meditative methods can increase the effectiveness of REBT by helping persons to increase self control and self acceptance. ...
This article explores conceptual and methodological similarities between Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) and Tibetan Buddhism (TB). The authors examine some of the values and concepts they share. They compare the two systems on a number of issues: philosophical underpinnings, concepts of what causes human psychopathology, techniques to bring about change, outcome expectancies and goals. The purpose of this exploration is to increase awareness of the need for Western psychotherapists to develop a comprehensive science of the mind to help humans overcome difficulties and to live more fulfilling lives.
... Recommendations typically include meditating in a seated position with eyes closed using the mantra.The relaxation response method is also a secular mantra-based practice in which the participant chooses a personal mantra, which may be a word, sound, or even a short prayer. Use of the relaxation response does not require a trained teacher, and it can be learned through personal guidance or the use of printed materials (Benson, 1975). ...
... Specific detaus of the studies addressing meditation interventions for adolescents in schools are provided in Table 1. (15) Twice daily (15) Twice daily (15) Twice daily ( 15) Twice daily (15-20) Twice daily (15-20) Twice daily (15-20) Twice daily (10) Twice daily (10) Benson's (1975) relaxation response method of meditation was used as an intervention for higii school sophomores (Benson et al., 1994). Students, as part of health classes, were taught the elements of the relaxation response, including instructions for focusing attention, pacing the breath, relaxing, and maintaining a passive attitude. ...
Schools are searching for innovative ways to meet the unique academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs of adolescents, many of whom face serious personal and family challenges. An innovative practice that is currently being introduced into school settings is meditation. Types of meditation offered in school-based settings include mindfulness meditation, the relaxation response, and Transcendental Meditation. These practices, as cognitive-behavioral interventions that are available for use by social workers and other school professionals, help students to enhance academic and psychosocial strengths and improve self-regulation capacities and coping abilities. This article defines meditation and meditative practices, reviews the literature showing the benefits and challenges of offering meditation to adolescents in a school-based setting, and describes the relevance of these practices for adolescents. The article also discusses implications for school social workers, teachers, and school administrators and reflects on the current research and future efforts toward building the research base for the promising practice of meditation in schools.
... Patients are taught relaxation techniques to minimize physiological responses to stress and decrease sympathetic arousal. Relaxation therapy can include progressive muscle relaxation (63), autogenic relaxation training (64), and meditation or passive relaxation (65). The type of training does not seem important in headache improvement (66). ...
... In the relaxation group, the patients trained individually once a week under the supervision of a registered physiotherapist. The relaxation programme described by Larson and Andrasik (178) was based on progressive and auto genic relaxations techniques (63,65). They also practised breathing techni ques, stresscoping techniques, how to relax during activity, and how to relax in everyday living. ...
... These physiological and psychological changes created through prayer may be, in and of themselves, health-promotive. Benson (1975Benson ( , 1984 and Malony (1985b, 1985c) hypothesized that prayer facilitates relaxation, leading to decreased heart rate, lessened muscle tension, and slowed breathing. The reduction in tension facilitated by experienced praying may also facilitate improvements in mood tone and subjective well-being, leading to a state of peace and calm during prayer and extending into other areas of the life of the pray-er (Martin & Carlson, 1988). ...
... Thus prayer, especially by experienced pray-ers, may promote health through the induction of relaxation and psychological peace. As well, faith in prayer's efficacy may facilitate spiritual discipline and positive expectations (Benson, 1984;Kiesling & Harris, 1989). ...
Critically reviews theoretical and empirical literature on the relationship between prayer and health, focusing on conceptual issues regarding the conduct of research relevant to evangelical scholars. Future directions for advancing understanding of prayer's health-promoting effects are explored. Frequency of prayer and presence of religious and mystical experience during prayer predict indexes of subjective well-being, but weak methodologies (design flaws and confounding variables) cast doubt on findings. Prayer is relied on for coping with difficult circumstances and may serve a stress-deterrent effect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
... Examples include the word "home" or imagining meaningful relationship ties (such as one's family member). The following eight-step instructions could be conveyed as a rule-ofthumb in recommending meditation practices for GAD patients (Friedman, Myers, & Benson, 2001): (a) select a word/ short phrase which stems from your belief system (e.g., "Peace," "Calm," "Om," "Shalom," "The Lord is my shepherd," "Insha'Allah"); (b) sit quietly in a comfortable manner; (c) close your eyes; (d) relax your muscles particularly around your neck and shoulders; (e) slow your breathing down to a natural pace and mentally recite the focus word, phrase, or prayer as you exhale; (f) adopt a passive stance-watch different thoughts float in and out of your mind and gently steer your attention to the silent repetition if other distracting thoughts arise; (g) proceed with the meditation for 10 to 20 min; (h) refrain from standing up immediately. Sit quietly for another minute or so to allow other thoughts to return before rising. ...
Cognitive‐behavioral therapy (CBT) fundamentally aims to ameliorate generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms, which stem from habitual, inflexible, and spiraling systems of interaction between somatic, cognitive, and emotional responses to appraised threats. This chapter describes the core components of CBT often employed in clinical trials of GAD based on established manuals as well as recent treatment packages for GAD based on a CBT rationale such as metacognitive therapy, intolerance‐of‐uncertainty therapy, or emotion‐regulation therapy. It discusses the implementation of CBT by including self‐monitoring, relaxation training, progressive muscle relaxation, imagery training, meditation, applied relaxation, self‐control desensitization, stimulus control, worry exposure, and cognitive restructuring. Several studies have examined predictors of treatment outcome for GAD. Anxiety severity at baseline predicted higher severity post‐treatment as well as poorer follow‐up outcomes 10 to 14 years post‐treatment.
... Additionally, Steinberg et al. (2017) revealed that a mindfulness-based intervention that included yoga, meditation, and mindfulness developed for surgical ICU personnel decreased the stress levels of participants in their feasibility study. Significant decrease in the stress scores of ICU nurses observed in the present study could be attributed to the relaxation effects of PMR and music interventions which included energy restoration in the body and reduction of autonomic stimulation (Benson, 1975). ...
... Additionally, Steinberg et al. (2017) revealed that a mindfulness-based intervention that included yoga, meditation, and mindfulness developed for surgical ICU personnel decreased the stress levels of participants in their feasibility study. Significant decrease in the stress scores of ICU nurses observed in the present study could be attributed to the relaxation effects of PMR and music interventions which included energy restoration in the body and reduction of autonomic stimulation (Benson, 1975). ...
... There are a number of beneficial physiologic changes associated with body relaxation: hypothalamus is stimulated, breathing and heart rate decreases, blood pressure and levels of blood lactate (anxiety) lower, sympathetic nervous system activity (flight-or fight response) and metabolism is reduced, parasympathetic nervous system activity and alpha brain waves increase, oxygen consumption and muscle tension decreases (Benson, 1975). Once learned, relaxation of the physical organism can help tune the body's defenses against stress and stress-triggered illnesses, including high blood pressure (Benson, 1984(Benson, , 1987. Benson (1996) documents scientific studies that validate the significance and importance of belief-inspired healing that utilizes the "faith factor." ...
... Evaluation Factual information is minimized and self-referential information is maximized to handle short-term stress and usually recovers well from it. A stress response is not necessarily a problem and can also be functional when it is short lived [23], but not when it is prolonged and habitual. When we experience an ongoing disequilibrium between these components, it becomes chronic. ...
This chapter focuses on explaining emotional experiences. It helps to perceive the deeper nature of body sensations and their central role in emotional experiences. The chapter guides and assists in minimizing emotional reactivity and creating more curiosity and interest for applying the skills during and outside a meditation practice. Change is not limited to our direct experience. The adaptability of the brain is known as brain reorganization or “neuroplasticity”. The brain tends to cement the embodiment of mental, emotional, and behavioral habits, and this makes change difficult to undertake. For mindfulness to be fully established, we need to train ourselves to recognize the universal reality of impermanence across four dimensions of existence: the body, sensations in the body, mental states, and mental content. No matter what it is that we are trying to handle, there is no limit to our ability to overcome craving and aversion through proper training.
... Evaluation Factual information is minimized and self-referential information is maximized to handle short-term stress and usually recovers well from it. A stress response is not necessarily a problem and can also be functional when it is short lived [23], but not when it is prolonged and habitual. When we experience an ongoing disequilibrium between these components, it becomes chronic. ...
Integrating Buddhist and Western psychology with current findings in neuroscience, this chapter describes crucial aspects of how our mind and body process emotional information, and how to overcome our emotional reactivity. It also explains how we become attached to immediate pleasures, which we rely on to feel “happy” at the cost of a more reliably fulfilling life. This chapter provides a scientifically informed explanation for how mindfulness training can benefit you and is, therefore, more theoretical than the rest of the book. Please bear with me during this important chapter and take your time to reread it if necessary. It will make even more sense once you have started your mindfulness practice – the advantage of experiential learning. Leave aside whatever may seem a little obscure at this stage until your training develops, as we will return to these concepts in the next few weeks with some useful illustrations.
... The relaxation response is a meditative technique developed by Benson (1984) with an emphasis on relaxing muscle groups and specifying the word "one." According to Williams & Harris (2001), achievement-oriented athletes may find the word "one" stimulating because it can be associated with arousal that accompanies winning or being the best. ...
... The prevalence of praying for the sick, its growing acceptance among traditional denominations, the emergence of new religious groups with therapeutically oriented theologies, and the increasing recognition of the positive effects of "belief" in bringing about recovery from illness (Benson, 1984) lead to a number of important, but as yet unanswered questions about faith healing. Most of the social science research on faith healing to date (e.g. ...
During the last decade the traditional Christian practice of faith healing has reemerged in a number of mainline denominations.
Most of the recent social science investigation of faith healing has been qualitative in nature. The present study explored
faith healing practices in the context of a larger survey research project on education and health care. A sample of 586 adult
respondents in the Richmond, VA SMSA were asked about their use of prayer in dealing with physical illness. The single most
striking finding was that 14 percent of the respondents reported having experienced a healing which they attributed to prayer
or regarded as a divine healing. Reported instances of faith healing probably would have been higher had the item wording
encouraged reporting of multiple incidents and of non-physical healings. Multivariate analysis suggests that faith healing
is not concentrated among deprived populations but rather is widely diffused through a broad range of churches and segments
of the general population.
... However, our study is unusual both in suggesting thatfor this particular group of male meditators at leastexperiences of SWB in meditation may be more infrequent than many people believe, but also that such positive experiences can be particularly potent. Contrary to depictions of mindfulness, and meditation generally, as a relaxing process of self-tranquillization (Friedman, Myers, & Benson, 2001), so-called mental stillness, frequently portrayed as characterizing the meditative state in the literature (Zahourek, 1998), was achieved neither frequently nor easily. (Again though, this finding may be a function of the specific types of practice undertaken by these participants, and cannot be generalised to other forms of practice not reported on here, such as Transcendental Meditation.) ...
Although empirical interest in meditation has flourished in recent years, few studies have addressed possible downsides of meditation practice, particularly in community populations. In-depth interviews were conducted with 30 male meditators in London, UK, recruited using principles of maximum variation sampling, and analysed using a modified constant comparison approach. Having originally set out simply to inquire about the impact of various meditation practices (including but not limited to mindfulness) on men’s wellbeing, we uncovered psychological challenges associated with its practice. While meditation was generally reported to be conducive to wellbeing, substantial difficulties accounted for approximately one quarter of the interview data. Our paper focuses specifically on these issues in order to alert health professionals to potential challenges associated with meditation. Four main problems of increasing severity were uncovered: Meditation was a difficult skill to learn and practise; participants encountered troubling thoughts and feelings which were hard to manage; meditation reportedly exacerbated mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety; and in a few cases, meditation was associated with psychotic episodes. Our paper raises important issues around safeguarding those who practise meditation, both within therapeutic settings and in the community.
... These molecules that possess a strong CNS affinity may also be involved in the placebo response (besides dopamine and serotonin) (Fuente-Fernandez, Schulzer, & Stoessl, 2002;Sher, 2003) and facilitate positive CAM effects or subjective feelings of wellbeing and relaxation. Moreover, they own a stress-antagonizing capacity -like CAM Stefano, et al., 2003;Benson, 1984;de la Torre & Stefano, 2000;Esch, 2003c;Esch, 2003b;Salamon, et al., 2003;Spintge, 1985;Steelman, 1990;Knight & Rickard PhD, 2001;Fricchione, Mendoza, & Stefano, 1994;Moyer, Rounds, & Hannum, 2004;Diego, Field, Sanders, & Hernandez-Reif, 2004;Walach, Guthlin, & Konig, 2003;Lund, et al., 2002;Piotrowski et al., 2003;Woods & Dimond, 2002;Wikstrom, Gunnarsson, & Nordin, 2003;Yun, et al., 2002;Lim, Ryu, Kim, Hong, & Park, 2003). The relief of stress or detrimental effects related to stress, i.e., stress-associated diseases, may be due to the CAM-connected reduction of norepinephrine reactivity/turnover or a decreased autonomic nervous system hyperresponsiveness (e.g., see Esch, 2003b;Woods, et al., 2002;Yun, et al., 2002)). ...
Currently, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) are experiencing growing popularity. However, most of the underlying physiological and molecular mechanisms as well as participating biological structures are still speculative. Meditation was examined with regard to the central nervous
system activity pattern involved. Frontal/prefrontal and limbic brain structures play a role
in CAM, including meditation. Particularly, left-anterior regions of the brain and reward
or motivation circuitry constituents are involved, indicating positive affect and emotion-
related memory processing. Thus, trust and belief in a therapist or positive therapy
expectations seem to be important. In this regard, endogenous morphine is emerging as a
chemical messenger involved in limbic processes.
... They were seated in a chair and attached via electrode leads to the physiological recording equipment. Physiological arousal levels were manipulated using paced respiration at 10 and 20 br.p.m.: control of respiration rate is a widely accepted and effective technique for changing physiological and psychological arousal (e.g., Benson, 1985). Baseline measurements were made at a respiratory pacing rate of 10 or 20 br.p.m. for a period of 1 to 2 minutes while participants relaxed prior to commencement of the experimental manipulation. ...
Optimal arousal models contend that high arousal contributes to inhibited ath- letic performance, whereas there is reversal theory research which indicates that high positive arousal may enhance performance. To test these claims, 22 male and 6 female elite athletes were induced into high arousal telic (goal-directed) and high arousal paratelic (non goal-directed, process focussed) motivational states and tested on a standard hand strength task. Personalized guided imagery tech- niques and paced breathing were used to change psychological and physiological arousal. Significant increases in strength performance occurred when arousal was high and experienced as pleasant excitement in the paratelic condition (i.e., high positive arousal). Heart rate and other indicators of parasympathetic and sympa- thetic nervous system activity were not found to mediate between psychological arousal and performance. Where athletic performance requires maximal motor strength over a short period, performance benefits of high arousal may be maxi- mized by restructuring motivational state.
... Imagery Assessment-Seated in a quiet, dimly lit room, with electrodes placed, participants were instructed to listen to the auditory scripts with eyes closed, vividly imagining the events described, as if actively involved. Throughout the recording session, soft tones cued participants to relax, breathe slowly, and silently repeat the word "one" to stabilize between-trial physiological activity (36). Imagery scripts were interspersed every 36 seconds in the tone series, with content pseudorandomized so that no more than 2 stimuli of the same hedonic valence (pleasant, neutral, unpleasant), or content category (e.g., panic attack) were presented consecutively. ...
Understanding of exaggerated responsivity in specific phobia-its physiology and neural mediators-has advanced considerably. However, despite strong phenotypic evidence that prominence of specific phobia relative to co-occurring conditions (i.e., principal versus nonprincipal disorder) is associated with dramatic differences in subjective distress, there is yet no consideration of such comorbidity issues on objective defensive reactivity.
A community sample of specific phobia (n = 74 principal; n = 86 nonprincipal) and control (n = 76) participants imagined threatening and neutral events while acoustic startle probes were presented and eyeblinks (orbicularis occuli) recorded. Changes in heart rate, skin conductance level, and facial expressivity were also measured.
Principal specific phobia patients far exceeded control participants in startle reflex and autonomic reactivity during idiographic fear imagery. Distinguishing between single and multiple phobias within principal phobia and comparing these with nonprincipal phobia revealed a continuum of decreasing defensive mobilization: single patients were strongly reactive, multiple patients were intermediate, and nonprincipal patients were attenuated-the inverse of measures of pervasive anxiety and dysphoria (i.e., negative affectivity). Further, as more disorders supplanted specific phobia from principal disorder, overall defensive mobilization was systematically more impaired.
The exaggerated responsivity characteristic of specific phobia is limited to those patients for whom circumscribed fear is the most impairing condition and coincident with little additional affective psychopathology. As specific phobia is superseded in severity by broad and chronic negative affectivity, defensive reactivity progressively diminishes. Focal fears may still be clinically significant but not reflected in objective defensive mobilization.
... Two meta-analyses indicated that relaxation is beneficial in the reduction of anxiety (Manzoni, Pagnini, Castelnuovo, & Molinari, 2008; Thorp et al., 2009). It may be that Reiki produces a therapeutic effect by inducing relaxation; if this is the case, then this would be consistent with the classic studies of Benson, author of The Relaxation Response (1975 Response ( , 2000) and widely recognized for pioneering research in mind-body medicine and health care (e.g., Benson, 1979 Benson, , 1984 Esch, Stefano, Fricchione, & Benson, 2002; Galvin, Benson, Deckro, Fricchione, & Dusek, 2006; Peters, Benson, & Porter, 1977). Benson (2000) observed that progressive muscle relaxation, meditation , and prayer seemed to have similar physiological and cognitive effects. ...
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of Reiki as an alternative and complementary approach to treating community-dwelling older adults who experience pain, depression, and/or anxiety. Participants (N = 20) were randomly assigned to either an experimental or wait list control group. The pre- and posttest measures included the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form, Faces Pain Scale, and heart rate and blood pressure. The research design included an experimental component to examine changes in these measures and a descriptive component (semi-structured interview) to elicit information about the experience of having Reiki treatments. Significant differences were observed between the experimental and treatment groups on measures of pain, depression, and anxiety; no changes in heart rate and blood pressure were noted. Content analysis of treatment notes and interviews revealed five broad categories of responses: Relaxation; Improved Physical Symptoms, Mood, and Well-Being; Curiosity and a Desire to Learn More; Enhanced Self-Care; and Sensory and Cognitive Responses to Reiki.
... Searching on the term meditation produces 1787 papers between 1951 and 2009. 39 This work, in turn is remarkably similar to research directly linking meditation with success performing nonlocal experiences conducted under controlled conditions. 40 Psychologist Charles Tart over 30 years ago explicitly linked states of consciousness with scientific research, 41 and Radin reviewed the literature of experimental work explicitly linking nonlocal experiences with meditation. ...
Two hundred years of reductive materialism has failed to explain the extraordinary experiences we know as moments of genius, religious epiphany, and psychic insight. This paper proposes that these three experiences are in essence the same experience, differentiated only by intention and context. It reaches this conclusion based on well-conducted experimental research across the continuum of science--work that proposes a new interdependent model of consciousness that takes into consideration a nonlocal linkage or entanglement, as an aspect of consciousness not limited by space and time. The paper surveys some of the most important relevant research from quantum biology, physics, psychology, medicine, anthropology, and parapsychology. It proposes that more attention should be paid to the autobiographies, correspondence, and journals of men and women to whom history unequivocally accords the designation of genius, saint, or psychic, offering examples from these sources. And it presents comparisons between ethnohistorical material and spiritual traditions, suggesting they arrive at a similar worldview. Finally, it proposes that meditation research, some examples of which are cited, be seen in the context of psychophysical self-regulation, and that it offers one powerful avenue for producing these exceptional experiences.
... n, Lipworth, and Burney (1985) assessed 111 chronic pain patients. One group was trained in meditation, while a comparison group was treated via the more traditional methods (including nerve block, TENS, physical therapy, analgesics, and antidepressants). The meditation group exhibited significant improvement as compared to the "traditional" group. Benson (1984) discussed the successful treatment of headaches, back pain, angina pectoris, and hypertension using meditative techniques. He also mentioned one patient's ability to control many of the side effects associated with her cancer chemotherapy, including pre-and postchemotherapy nausea. Anderson (1983) used a simple word meditation technique ...
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Texas Tech University, 1987. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 70-75).
Seit Jahrhunderten werden religiöse Methoden gelehrt, die der inneren Sammlung und Meditation dienen. Seit Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts haben sich verschiedenste Entspannungstechniken, fernöstlicher und westlicher Prägung, etabliert. Dabei bildeten sich zwei große Strömungen aus. Zum einen die klassischen Entspannungstechniken. Sie basieren zu einem großen Teil auf der Arbeit von Edmund Jacobson. Zum anderen die fernöstlich geprägten achtsamkeitsbasierten Techniken, die heute mehrheitlich in säkularer Form praktiziert werden. Auf dieser Grundlage entstanden strukturierte Entspannungsverfahren, welche systematisch erlernt werden und einen generalisierten Entspannungszustand bewirken. Systemische unterscheiden sich von den lokalen Entspannungstechniken durch ihren nicht-strukturbezogenen Ansatz: Die Entspannung wird nicht eigentlich gemacht, sondern sie stellt sich ein, wenn Technik, Kognition und Umfeld dies ermöglichen. Vermittelt wird der Zustand der Entspannung durch das autonome Nervensystem mit seinen peripheren Akteuren, dem Sympathikus und dem Parasympathikus. Achtsamkeitsbasierte und klassische Entspannungsverfahren entwickeln ihre Wirkung auf biologischer, psychologischer und einer verhaltensbezogenen Ebene. In der Entspannungstherapie ist das unmittelbare Zusammenwirken von Körper und Geist offensichtlich: Stress, Angst oder Depression wirken sich „top-down“ auf den Körper aus, und körperliche Zustände wie Schmerz oder Muskelspannung beeinflussen ihrerseits „bottom-up“ die Emotion und Kognition. Achtsamkeitsbasierte und klassische Methoden vermögen diese Wechselbeziehung darzustellen und zu beeinflussen.
Cancer touches the lives of millions worldwide each year. This is reflected not only in well-publicized mortality statistics but also in the profound - though much more difficult to measure - effects of cancer on the health-related quality of life, economic status, and overall well-being of patients and their families. In 2001, the US National Cancer Institute established the Cancer Outcomes Measurement Working Group to evaluate the state of the science in measuring the important and diverse impacts of this disease on individuals and populations. The findings and recommendations of the working group's 35 internationally recognized members are reported in Outcomes Assessment in Cancer, lucidly written and accessible to both researchers and policy makers in academia, government, and industry. Originally published in 2005, this volume provides a penetrating yet practical discussion of alternative approaches for comprehensively measuring the burden of cancer and the effectiveness of preventive and therapeutic interventions.
Description of the interactions of emotional and cognitive mind, brain and body systems in health and disease and proposals for on demand placebo responses through various techniques including emotional and behavioral methods.
In diesem Kapitel geht es um die „Präsenz“ und „4-6-Atmung“ sowie um Entspannung in der Vorstellung eines „Wohlfühl- und Kraftorts“. Um Präsenz herzustellen, schauen Sie in der Umgebung etwas an, was Ihnen besonders gefällt, und versuchen, die positiven Eigenschaften des Objekts in sich selbst zu finden. Dabei sind Sie neugierig auf die weitere Entwicklung Ihrer Vorstellungswelt. Bei der 4-6-Atmung zählen Sie langsam in Tausenderschritten von ein- bis viertausend bei der Einatmung und dann ohne nennenswerte Pause langsam in Tausenderschritten von ein- bis sechstausend bei der Ausatmung („Magic-Finger-Trick“) und machen Sie sich dabei so schwer wie möglich. Auf diese einfache Art und Weise werden Sie mit Sicherheit innerhalb von 3–6 min eine wohltuende Entspannungsreaktion im ganzen Körper auslösen. Stellen Sie sich tagtraumartig einen wunderbaren Wohlfühl- und Kraftort in allen Ihren Sinneskanälen vor: Was schauen Sie dort mit dem geistigen Auge am liebsten an? Was hören Sie dort? Ist es dort eher warm oder kühl? …
As patients face serious and chronic illness, they are confronted with the realities of dying. Spiritual and existential issues are particularly prominent near the end of life and can result in significant distress. It is critical that healthcare professionals know how to address patients’ and families’ spiritual concerns, diagnose spiritual distress and attend to the deep suffering of patients in a way that can result in a better quality of life for patients and families. Tools such as the FICA spiritual history tool help clinicians invite patients and families to share their spiritual or existential concerns as well as sources of hope and meaning which can help them cope better with their illness. This article presents ways to help clinicians listen to the whole story of the patient and support patients in their care.
There are no accurate statistics on marital infidelity. However, undoubtedly in all societies, marriage is founded on a contract in which the partners commit to stay faithful to each other. Marital infidelity occurs when one of the partners, who had already committed to monogamy, secretly violates the commitment. Focusing on the important role of family members, research shows that family education in combination with CBT techniques has desired effects on treatment of sexual disorders, especially marital infidelity and sexual variety seeking. The current study intended to investigate the efficacy of family therapy combined with CBT techniques on treatment of sexual variety seeking. The present research utilized a case study design, in which several variables are studied among a small number of subjects. In the current study, three subjects aged 28, 28, and 48 years, and diagnosed with having the desire for sexual variety were studied and treated. Findings indicated the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral family therapy on termination of extramarital affairs, and return to marital interactions. Follow-up visits confirmed that the clients have still stayed committed to their marital life, and no infidelity and extramarital affairs were reported. Consistency of the results of the current research with those of the prior studies was also discussed in detail.
Khodayarifard, M., Alavinejad, S., Sajjadi-Anari, S., & Zandi, S. (2017). Efficacy of family therapy combined with CBT techniques on treatment of sexual variety seeking. Rooyesh-e- Ravanshenasi Journal, 5(4), 85-116. (In Persian)
Integrating Buddhist and Western psychology with current findings in neuroscience, this chapter describes crucial aspects of how mind and body process emotional information, and how to overcome the emotional reactivity. It provides a scientifically informed explanation for how mindfulness training can be benefited. The chapter looks at the descriptions of situation, sensory perception, evaluation, reaction and co-emergent body sensation functions. It then discusses the adverse consequence that identifying with the views and emotional experiences can have on the well-being. To the extent that a stressful situation is experienced, disequilibrium between the aforementioned four functions of the mind takes place. Neurological research shows that this disequilibrium state occurs during distressing experiences and learned by the brain over time when distress is habitual, as in chronic depression. The practice of mindfulness develops the means to discover and modify mind-body dynamic interactions in a way that makes a tangible difference in life.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been applied effectively to a wide range of mental health problems and is the most supported psychological treatment for coronary artery disease (CAD). In this chapter, issues regarding CBT theory and practice and the most important studies published on cardiac patients over the last several years are described. Using CBT appears to be effective at reducing psychological symptoms in CAD patients, but discordant results exist for clinical outcomes. Further studies are required, especially targeting patient subgroups with different needs.
The significance of doctor-patient communication in therapy in general and in nonpharmacological therapy in particular is enormous. Good communication enables more efficient diagnosis and treatment. With pharmacological therapy, the doctor is required to diagnose the disease and offer either further investigation or a specific drug. With the classical form of therapy, the doctor-patient communication commonly flows on two planes and is unilateral in both of them, namely, personal information and professional information.
Stress and anxiety have historically played a role in many theories of personality and behavior. Both psychoanalytic theorists and behaviorists have postulated that anxiety is the central component of neurotic disorders. Operant investigators, however, have been reluctant to use the concept of anxiety either as an explanatory concept or in a descriptive manner.
It has been demonstrated that similar psychophysiological effects can be produced both by relaxation training and by simply sitting quietly (Cork and Cox, 1982). In using subject samples that included individuals with neuroticism scores in the abnormal range, the data showed that control sessions and relaxation training were psychophysiologically equivalent regardless of subjects’ level of neuroticism and prior experience with relaxation or meditation techniques. This pattern of effects may be partly determined by psychosocial factors together with other non-specific effects of the experimental environment (Orne, 1962).
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5915/28-4-8093 This paper covers the historic perspective of Sufi traditions and outlines the various practices this tradition has given us, some of which have been adopted by western physicians and practitioners. The practice of retreat and "Dhikr" will be dealt with in detail with information as to the benefits for the body and soul.
Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders, to which psychologists have paid special attention. In recent years, many methods have been employed for treating depression. According to research findings, the family has an important role in the development, maintenance and treatment of the depression syndrome. Research findings also reveal that Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT) is effective in the treatment of depression. Therefore, family therapy, with an emphasis on the cognitive-behavioral approach, is suggested as an effective approach in treating depression. Based on these grounds, the main purpose of this study was to examine the effects of family therapy as an effective treatment for depression.
The purpose of this study was examined the effects of the K-MBSR program according to the length of the training period. Three versions of the K-MBSR program were compared: a 4-week program composed of formal meditation an 8-week program with official meditation and a 12-week program that combined the 4-week and 8-week programs. The 4-week K-MBSR program did not result in a significant decrease in depression, anxiety, or negative emotion. The 8-week and 12-week K-MBSR programs decreased the score of depression significantly, and the effect continued until 8 months. The effect of the 12-week K-MBSR program was greaterthan the effect of the 8-week program, but not significantly. The result of this study indicates that the effect of the 4-week K-MBSR program appears insignificant. The effects of the 8-week and 12-week programs are almost the same, but the effect of 12-week K-MBSR program showed a slightly greater effect in the post-test and 8-month test. The findings were discussed the effect of k-MBSR Program and recommendations for further research.
The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of meditation programs for stress reduction in the elderly. Meditation program for elderly stress reduction were made based on K-MBSR program and kriya yoga. Study was to examined the effectiveness of meditation on stress reduction in the elderly. The program measured the effectiveness of the stress reduction techniques on stress response, depression, anxiety, and quality of life throughout pre-post testing in both the meditation group and the control group. The result indicated that. Stress, depression and anxiety decreased and QOL increased in meditation group. The results of study 1 indicate that meditation program for elderly stress reduction effects on reducing stress and increasing quality of life. These results discussed in connection with cure mechanism for further research.
This paper provides a meta-theoretical context for a spiritually oriented psychotherapy, namely Constructivism. It also presents some empirical and theoretical support for this Constructivist position which is consistent with cognitive psychology and concepts from both Western and Eastern traditions. It summarizes the work of Mahoney on Constructivism and integrates it with Personal Construct Psychology. It then provides the perceptual, theoretical, and empirical underpinnings for an integrative, holistically oriented clinical model that focuses on how clients construct their realities. The paper concludes with a discussion of the levels of therapeutic work that clients contract for, placing them in charge of their lives. The goal, for clients who chose the deepest path, is the philosophical understanding that they create the relative realities to which they respond, causing both their suffering and potential liberation. The ultimate choice is theirs, and not the therapist's.
Little is known about the relationships between spiritual resources and life attitudes of homeless African American women. Spiritual resources may serve as protective factors for women leaving homelessness. This descriptive study examines spiritual resources, life attitudes, and selected demographics of 160 African American women who were homeless in the Midwestern United States. Participants ranged in age from 30-62 years of age and reported being homeless 1-9 times, with a mean of 1.94 (SD = 1.53) times. The authors draw inferences for how spiritual resources and life attitudes can influence women's efforts to leave homelessness and identify implications for nursing practice.
This paper aimed to critically review and summarize empirical evidence concerning the efficacy of psychoeducation or relaxation-based stress management interventions on stress-related variables in people with mental disorders. Electronic databases were used during the literature search. Thirteen articles that fulfilled the preset eligible criteria were included in the review. Findings indicated that psychoeducation and relaxation-based interventions mitigated stress and depression; and enhanced relaxation intensity and knowledge on stress management. However, mixed results were obtained on anxiety. In addition, interventions using virtual reality technology revealed positive effects on depression, relaxation intensity and anxiety. Limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Educational consultants are often asked to help teachers and parents develop strategies that address the homework problems of students with reading and writing disabilities. Frequently, these students resist completing homework, which can cause considerable family strife and negatively affect school-family relationships. Thus, consultants must know how to structure homework for these students and how to work with their teachers and parents to enhance students' motivation to complete homework. In this article we (a) examine the value of homework for students with reading and writing problems; (b) provide guidelines and suggest practical solutions to their homework problems from the perspective of curiosity theory, learned helplessness, behaviorism, and anxiety reduction; and (c) describe the consultant's role in ameliorating homework problems.
This article briefly outlines the literature on the needs of dementia family carers, with a focus on psychosocial interventions to reduce distress in this population. A distance-based intervention is described that is appropriate for use with rural and other carers who have limited transportation. Depressed female carers are provided with a 10-part video series, workbook, and 12 weekly telephone coaching sessions that are focused on reducing depression and upset following difficult patient behaviors. A case study is provided to illustrate the benefits of the program.
This paper juxtaposes Asian spiritual narratives on meditation alongside medical and scientific narratives that emphasize meditation's efficacy in mitigating distress and increasing well-being. After proposing a working definition of meditation that enables it usefully to be distinguished from categories of similar practices such as prayer, I examine meditation's role in Mind/Body medicine in the West. Here, I survey a number of scientific studies of meditation, including the work of Dr. Herbert Benson and his colleagues who examine a meditational variant they call the Relaxation Response', to examine the breadth of efficacy claims made on behalf of the complex and multidimensional grouping of diverse practices we have come to as meditation'. Among other positive outcomes, meditation has been credited with reducing blood pressure, anxiety, addiction, and stress, while Relaxation Response has been shown to decrease sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity, metabolism, pain, anxiety, depression, hostility, and stress. I conclude the paper by suggesting that findings from cognitive neuroscience on the subject of visual imagery can be used to elucidate genres of meditative practice that focus on internal visualization sequences, and I use practices from the Rnying ma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism to illustrate why certain integral aspects of meditation forever will remain beyond scientific grasp.
Discusses findings from a 1985 survey of 560 randomly selected households that focused on religiosity and subjective perceptions of well-being, including items measuring the frequency of prayer, prayer experiences, and different forms of prayer, together with more standard measures of religiosity. A factor analysis of 15 prayer activity items identified 4 types of prayer, 3 of which were verbal and the other meditative, that related differently to the well-being measures. Two prayer-related dimensions of religiosity, frequency of prayer and prayer experiences, were among the best predictors of well-being when all other religious measures were controlled. Findings demonstrate that prayer, like its parent concept of religiosity, is clearly multidimensional and contributes to a profiling of well-being. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
This study aimed to further understanding of cognitive behavioral models of panic disorder by determining whether individuals with panic disorder differ from normal controls in the accuracy with which they are able to detect changes in heart rate. Twenty-six subjects with panic disorder and 14 normal controls continuously estimated heart rate changes under two conditions which were designed to increase autonomic arousal and also under a relaxation control condition. Panic-disordered subjects had better cardiac acuity than the controls in the arousal condition, which engendered less feelings of safety and control, but there were no differences between the groups in the other two conditions. Although the panic-disordered subjects scored significantly higher than the controls on a measure of anxiety sensitivity, this variable was not related to cardiac acuity for either group. These results were interpreted as supporting a psychological model of panic disorder which posits increased internal attentional focus as being most likely to occur in situations associated with a perceived pattern of arousal most resembling that occurring during a typical panic attack.
Mental-health professionals often ignore the spirituality and religious beliefs that can aid a person's ability to cope with a life-threatening illness such as HIV/AIDS. As the physical body succumbs to the disease, people with HIV/AIDS search for ways to lower their stress, regain control of their health, attain some peace of mind, and hope to prolong their survival. This sense of personal control is important when dealing with chronic or terminal illness. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of meditation in Thai Buddhist women who are infected with HIV/AIDS. Interviews were conducted with 26 Thai women living in the northern part of Thailand known as Chiang Mai, where the incidence of AIDS is the highest in Southeast Asia. Although the scope of this study is limited and not generalizable, it supports the idea that a spiritual approach to healing, in conjunction with conventional medical treatment, is a source of great comfort to persons living with HIV/AIDS and may influence immune functioning.
Altered states of consciousness provide valuable insights essential for a better understanding of the phenomenon of consciousness.
Improved understanding of physiological correlates of states with expanded consciousness may allow possible use of biofeedback
as a tool for achieving of those states at will. As a consequence, this approach may facilitate improvement of efficiency,
creativity, and spiritual growth. This chapter presents a survey of relevant physiological correlates and present examples
of two specific techniques: slow yogic breathing and chanting. We hypothesize that stabilization of physiological rhythms,
such as breathing, heart rate variability, or blood pressure variability, creates favorable conditions in which states of
expanded consciousness may arise.
Reports that Ss during the practice of transcendental meditation manifested physiological signs of a wakeful, hypometabolic state: (a) reductions in oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide elimination, and rate and volume of respiration; (b) decreased blood-lactate level; (c) slowed heartbeat; (d) increased skin resistance, and (e) an EEG pattern of slow alpha waves with occasional theta-wave activity. These changes bore little resemblance to physiological changes associated with other relaxed states, e.g., sleep and hypnosis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
To examine the hypothesis that the relaxation response is associated with an increase in cardiac parasympathetic tone, the frequency components of heart rate variability during relaxation training were investigated in 16 college students. Electrocardiograms and pneumograms were recorded during a 5-min baseline period followed by three successive 5-min sessions of the autogenic training (relaxation) or by the same periods of quiet rest (control), while subjects breathed synchronously with a visual pacemaker (0.25 Hz). Although neither the magnitude nor the frequeney of respiration showed a significant difference between relaxation and control, the amplitude of the high-frequency component of heart rate variability increased only during relaxation (p= .008). There was no significant difference in the ratio of the low-frequency (0.04–0.15 Hz) to the high-frequency amplitudes. The increased high-frequency amplitude without changes in the respiratory parameters indicates enhanced cardiac parasympathetic tone. Thus, our results support the initial hypothesis of this study. Enhanced cardiac parasympathetic tone may explain an important mechanism underlying the beneficial effect of the relaxation response.
A framework for the integration of meditation and psychotherapy is presented through a consideration of the psychobiological nature of meditation (the relaxation response) and discussion of a traditional meditation practice (mindfulness meditation) as an effective cognitive technique for the development of self-awareness. The mechanisms by which the emotional and cognitive changes of meditation can be of therapeutic value are explored and the synergistic advantages of the combination of psychotherapy and meditation are discussed.
The use of medical services is a function of several interacting psychological and social variables as well as a function of physical malfunction. The clinical significance of addressing patients' psychosocial issues has only occasionally been considered. However, the shift in health care economics toward health care maintenance is responsible for the increased interest in interventions in the domain of behavioral medicine and health psychology. Evidence is reviewed for 6 mechanistic pathways by which behavioral interventions can maximize clinical care and result in significant economic benefits. The rationale for further integration of behavioral and biomedicine interventions is also reviewed.
The purpose of this study was to assess the central nervous system effects of the relaxation response (RR) in novice subjects using a controlled, within- subjects design and topographic EEG mapping as the dependent measure. Twenty subjects listened to a RR and control audiotape presented in a counterbalanced order while EEG was recorded from 14 scalp locations. The RR condition produced greater (p < .0164) reductions in frontal EEG beta activity relative to the control condition. No significant differences were observed for any other frequency band or scalp region. These findings suggest that elicitation of the RR produces significant reductions in cortical activation in anterior brain regions in novice subjects.