Prof. J.P.N. Mishra
Our body can adapt to changes in our mood or environment without our conscious effect: we shiver when feel cold, our heart rate, respiratory rate increase when we run & hands get cold when we are nervous. These are autonomic controlled automatically by ANS and CNS. However with conscious effort, we can influence this automatic function.
There are many reports indicating changes by Meditation on various phenomenon of body like-
A review of the scientific literature on meditation reveals that its practice can provide numerous benefits. For example, meditation can reduce stress and anxiety, enhance motor reflexes, increase motor control, increase exercise tolerance, sharpen perceptions, increase awareness, improve concentration, maintain health, provide a general positive outlook on life, and foster the development of a sense of personal meaning in the world.
In general, meditation produces a reduction in multiple biological systems, resulting in a state of relaxation. These changes are, in most studies, significantly different between meditating and non- meditating groups. Benson (1975) argues that this physiological response pattern is not unique to meditation, but is common to any passive relaxation procedure. Although some studies have found no physiological or overt behavioral differences between meditation and other relaxation techniques, it is significant to note that subjects report meditational experiences as more profound and enjoyable than their comparative control groups (Cauthen & Prymak 1977, Kohr 1977). These subjective differences may have critical relevance from a clinical or research perspective.
Scientific studies reveal that meditation produces a specific physiological response pattern that involves various biological systems. The mechanisms most frequently suggested to mediate or produce meditative effects include metabolic, autonomic, endocrine, neurological, and psychological observations. Precisely how these mechanisms are involved in producing the final pattern of responses is yet unclear. The vast complexity of biological organization indicates that the physiological response to meditation probably occurs on a multidimensional, interactive basis.
