Preksha Meditation & Human Health: Preface

Yoga, an accumulation of facts and life knowledge gained from experience concerning the fundamental importance of a constant state of balance is comprised of systematized movements of various organs and position them naturally with full conscious. In other words yoga has created a unity of physical reason and psychological reason called enlightenment. Founded on trust in the natural universe and its fundamental strengths, yoga came into being as a result of conforming to the laws governing natural forces. Its primary goal is the intensification of man's humanity and the improvements of his mental abilities. For centuries, its systems for developing self-control have been evolving; of these systems, meditation is the most important.

Yoga comprises techniques that act simultaneously on mind and emotion and provides a complete philosophy for living. Shri Aurobindo, a great Indian teacher of this century, regarded yoga as a methodical effort towards self-perfection through developing our latent potential on the physical, vital, mental, intellectual and spiritual levels. And the most fundamental step we can take towards expanding the limits of our consciousness is to gain mastery over our mind. Conventional medicine, by concentrating on a physical and mechanistic approach to healing, can do little to relieve causative factors responsible for physiological abnormalities because most of the times they are caused more by life style and attitude.

Modern medicine has countered with symptoms-suppressing treatments which do little to tackle the root cause of the problem. As a result, health has come to be regarded as a static state in which disease is absent, rather than as a dynamic growth process in which one feels truly well on both physical and mental levels.

Mastery of the mind which is essential for maintaining the good health, involves two aspects: the ability to concentrate attention on any given subject or object and the capacity to quieten the mind at will. Yoga is an intelligent skillful means for making the mind quiet, rather than a brutal mechanical technique for stopping it. Meditation is not a simple thing, but neither it is beyond any of us. Preksha Meditation as such is a system of meditation which focuses on to purify the mental states. When mind is constantly choked by contaminating urges, emotions and passions, it hampers the flow of wisdom. When the mind is clean peace of mind automatically surfaces. Balance of mind and the state of well-being are also experienced simultaneously. The practice of Preksha Meditation manifests in terms of notable changes in various systemic activities viz. nervous system, endocrine system, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, and immune system thereby bringing in a complete balanced state of homeostasis, which ultimately yield a state of perfect health.

In the present study it was thought of to investigate the impact of a composite Preksha Meditation practice module in terms of physiological correlates, specifically related to components of

neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory and muscular functions. The basic aim of this study was to understand the pathway of mechanism of this practice module, that's why the subjects incorporated in this study were young and healthy adults.

A few of significant and relevant available studies with reference to our work have extensively been reviewed and the details are provided under the title of review of literature. Although there are quite a few relevant studies available demonstrating various physiological effects of yogic practices (pranayama, meditation and asana) yet the efficacy of practice of meditation, particularly Preksha meditation in terms of neurophysiological, cardiovascular and respiratory functions in normal and healthy adults, could not have been well defined so far.

In the light of reviewed relevant literature and lacunae it was proposed, by the investigator, to work on the problem:

"What is the effect of yoga and Preksha meditation practices (Asana, Pranayama) on Brain waves, Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, PR segment, QRS segment, ST segment, PR interval, QT interval, ST interval, PQ interval, Expired Gas Ratio for 02/C02, Breathing Rate, Peak Inspiratory flow rate, Peak Expiratory flow rate, Vital Capacity, Forced Expiratory Volume, Maximum Voluntary Ventilation and Electromyography in healthy adult volunteers?" with an objective to carry out a detailed scientific evaluation of the efficacy of yogic practices on Neurophysiological, Respiratory, Muscular and Cardiovascular functions along with blood profile of healthy adults.

The undergraduate and postgraduate male and female healthy adults (18 to 25 years of age group) were selected for the research and to assess the effects of the yoga and Preksha Meditation practice on them. A multi-level, multi-group, pre and post group experimental design has been adopted for the present study. The selection of subjects was limited from- among the undergraduate/ postgraduate university students who were living in the hostels and living in a similar trend of life and routine activity to maintain the homogeneity in the study volunteers. The constraints of the feasibility and availability of various facilities were always there to influence the selection of the parameters of evaluation.

The Preksha Meditation-yogic practice module, mentioned below, was conducted by an expert in every morning for a year continuously: -

All the parameters were recorded at the onset and at different follow-up periods and the data obtained were analysed by applying appropriate statistical tools.

The collected data reveals that there is a significant decline in the body weight, heart rate, blood pressure and muscular activity of the experimental group of subjects. The positive co-relation in different components of ECG was noticed in the experimental group of subjects at different observation schedules. The subjects who took the practice of Preksha Meditation- yoga have shown a different pattern of brain waves in which the omission of alpha brain waves were found to be much more as compared to their control counterpart at different levels of observation. Significant improvements in the muscular, cardiovascular and respiratory functions along with blood chemistry were also observed in the experimental group of subjects after the practice of Preksha Meditation module.

The salient points related to the mechanism in operation, bringing in various changes following the Preksha Meditation practices may be enumerated as follows:

1. Strong sympathetic stimulation increases the heart rate 4 to 5 times and also the force with which heart muscle contract here by increasing the cardiac output as much as two to three fold. Inhibition of the sympathetic nervous system can be used to decrease heart rate and strength of ventricular contraction. Strong parasympathetic vagal stimulation of the heart decreases the strength of the heart contraction by as much 20-30%. In addition to that certain other chemical compounds also influence the heart rate. These observations suggest that our yoga practice module causes a shift in the autonomic equilibrium to the parasympathetic side. This inference is supported by Dang et al, (1999) in their findings, which they have stated in reference to certain other yogic practices.
2. Meditation practices modulates ventricular performance by increasing parasympathetic activities and decreasing sympathetic ones. The parasympathetic nervous system, although play a minor role in regulation of circulation, its most important circulatory effect is its control of heart rate by way of parasympathetic fibres carried to the heart in the vagous nerve. Principally parasympathetic stimulation causes a marked decrease in heart rate, blood flow and blood pressure (Guyton, 1991). Our results are also supported by Acharya Mahaprajna (1994). As per their findings, preksha meditation practice stimulates the autonomic nervous system by enhancing and strengthening the functioning of parasympathetic component. Thus it may be inferred that our findings are in conformity with the pathway of mechanism of action of yoga and meditation.
3. Various intervals and segments of an ECG represent ventricular depolarization and repolarization. Many of these segments are the indicator of ventricular function which receives only sympathetic nerve supply. Any change in these segments and intervals as such represents the change in autonomic functions. Our findings have shown positive changes in almost all segments and intervals (as shown in results) indicate a decrease in sympathetic activity and parasympathetic dominance. As elaborated in the scientific basis of meditation it causes inhibition of sympathetic functions and promotion of parasympathetic functions.
4. It has been reported that most meditative practices the EEG patterns exhibit a slowing and synchronization of brain waves, with alpha waves predominating. More advanced practitioners of meditation demonstrate an even greater slowing of their brain waves, with the possible emergence of theta wave patterns. These patterns are consistent with deep relaxation. Alpha rhythm is the classical EEG correlate for a state of relaxed wakefulness, also described as relaxed vigilance (Niedermeyer & Da Silva 1993). Indeed, emotional tension attenuates or blocks the alpha rhythm. Theta activity is associated with emotional processes and indicates relative maturity of the mechanisms linking the cortex, the thalamus, and the hypothalamus; theta rhythm also occurs during a state of maximal awareness (Niedermeyer & Da Silva 1993). Apparently, an alpha wave pattern is most conducive to creativity and to the assimilation of new concepts, whiles the theta response seems to be a stage at which the mind is capable of deep insights and intuition. It is significant to note that practiced meditators can continue to exhibit alpha and theta waves after the meditation period has ended (Wallace et al 1971). Our findings are also in the conformity of earlier explained mechanism, and it can be concluded that practice of yoga and preksha meditation combine results in reduction in electrical activities in neuronal units of brain.
5. The relaxation response following the practice of yoga and preksha meditation, as reported in our findings, seems to be the manifestation of changes in muscle activity. The muscle activity is directly related with the metabolic change. Such metabolic changes that occur during practice of asana and pranayama can account for only altered oxygen utilization. Only a small amount of glycogen re-synthesis occurs and most glycogen is made and utilized from dietary carbohydrates. Much of the lactic acid, which comes as a by-product, is converted to pyruvic acid and used for ATP production via aerobic cellular respiration in the muscles of various vital organs. Significant changes in oxygen utilization of the muscles of those organs occur following the practice of yoga and meditation. Altered reactions further influence the oxygen requirement and production of ATP.
6. Preksha Meditation intervention improves the oxygen supply which ultimately enhances the ATP availability thereby reducing the oxygen debt. This results in enhancement of oxygen level in blood and further modulation in metabolic rate. The impact of such change is exhibited in terms of muscle relaxation, reduction in heart rate and blood pressure along with positive improvement in various components of respiratory functions as observed in the results of the present study.
7. The pathway of mechanism of action of Preksha-yogic practices involves the higher neural centers in the brain. The particular remedial action generated in the cerebral cortex, in terms of thought modulation and pranic balance, is being communicated to the concerned system/ organ through the relative center in the brain. The changes observed in the present study might be attributed to such mechanism of action. It may be inferred that whatever changes has been observed following yoga practice may be the sum total of various neuromuscular control efforts over the respiratory functions of the subject, because practice of yoga includes modulation in both muscular and neural performances.
8. Kayotsarga component of preksha meditation enables the practitioner to activate the protective mechanism and to influence our reaction to stress. It normalizes the metabolic rate and inhibits the secretion of stimulating hormones, and the sympathetic dominance is being counterbalanced by increasing parasympathetic activity (Mahandra Kumar, 1991; Mishra, 1996).
9. Perception of Breathing promotes the means of disposing the waste carbon dioxide and provides a continual replenishment of the oxygen, which thereby maintains the optimal level of metabolism. Balanced metabolism helps innate correction mechanism to operate in full swing. As per philosophical basis of Preksha meditation constituent organs of nervous system and endocrine gland system constitute the psychic centers (chaitanya kendras). These two are the major controlling and coordinating systems of our body. They coordinate the physiological functions of other systems and through them control the functions of the body as a whole. The functional interlocking between them qualifies them to be regarded as constituting a single integrated system called "neuro-endocrine system". Perception of the constituent endocrine glands and neuronal junctions may probably modify the hormonal and neurotransmitter profile which in turn regulates the total metabolism. This may be one of the possible beneficial mechanisms operating in Perception of Breathing.
10. Following our experimental intervention the red blood cells count and haemoglobin level is probably maintained through a 'biphasic mechanism - (1) By enhancing the production of normal hematopoietic growth factor there by enhancing the red blood cells production, and (2) by maintaining the normal life span of existing red blood cells. Most probably the practice of meditation influence the stem cells in Red Bone Marrow. However the exact mechanism could not be explained.
11. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate may also be taken as the indirect index of the immunological state of the person. At one hand rise in erythrocyte sedimentation rate indicates the presence of infective/ inflammative / destructive disease but on the other hand a decline in erythrocyte sedimentation rate may be taken as improvement in anti-inflammatory immune capacity. So it may be inferred on the basis of the present findings that Preksha meditation strengthen the immune system and prevents us from destructive diseases.
12. Preksha Meditation Module causes inhibition of sympathetic nervous system and activation of parasympathetic nervous system, which ultimately decreases the metabolic rate. This may probably be the reason of lower blood glucose level. Changes in blood glucose concentration have exactly the opposite effect on glucagon secretion i.e. a decrease in blood glucose increase glucagon secretion. The Preksha meditation practice module, through parasympathetic dominance may probably not allowing increase in glucagon secretion which may cause a sustained lower blood glucose level.
13. Hormones are the primary regulators of fat metabolism and some important hormones which are involved in this process are insulin, glucagon, epinephrine, human growth hormone and thyroxin. Probably the most dramatic increase that occurs in fat metabolism is that observed during exercise. This results almost entirely from release of epinephrine & norepinephrine by the adrenal medullae as a result of sympathetic stimulation. These two hormones directly activate hormone sensitive triglyceride lipase that is present in abundance in the fat cells and this causes very rapid break down of triglyceride and mobilization of fatty acids. Following our experimental intervention the parasympathetic nervous system got activated, resulting in alteration not only in fat mobilizations but also increase ratio of high density lipoprotein to low density lipoprotein. However the exact mechanism needs to be verified.
14. We are living in the age of technology and industrialization and are constantly subjected to tremendous stresses and tensions. These in turn have made us prone to several psychosomatic diseases. The remedy does not lie in drugs or fantasy but in the process of catharsis and development of the inherent powers. Yoga practice provides us such powers. Another important aspect of our thinking is that we have adopted more rational and scientific thinking that's why we don't believe in a philosophical dogma and in spite of all difficulties we don't come to an agreement with remedies like Yoga and Meditation because of their more philosophical orientation and lack of proven scientific base. The findings of this study have definitely enhanced the acceptability of the benefits of meditation practices thereby yielding a solution to the problem of psychosomatic ailments and stress proneness.

Today medical science is on continuous hunt for a viable and economic preventive as well as therapeutic measure to keep the human society healthy in term of physical, mental, emotional and social health. One should be aware of the fact that to remain fully fit and not to fall in the net of disease is the first and foremost sign of good health. Present therapy systems are applicable only in the diseased state where as yogic sciences are the only sciences that can prevent the disease and keep all the systematic functioning in absolutely ideal state. Thus the findings of this study has helped developing and viable and composite program of yoga practice to fulfil the need of an effective health promoting program for a common man without any material cost.

Meditation is a heritage science of our age old Indian culture which has been practiced for centuries. It has proven its efficacy in both health and diseased state as a therapeutic science of both preventive and curative nature. The academic significance of the present study may be taken as the results of this study which enabled us to understand the mechanism of action of the practice of yoga and preksha meditation and thereby enhanced the current knowledge status about such practices. The understanding of the knowledge of physiological mechanism of the impact of preksha meditation has further enhanced and enriched the knowledge bank of alternative of the heritage of alternative Indian therapy systems yoga and meditation.

Professor J.P.N. Mishra