Chant yourself healthy: Meditation hailed as

[Still Waters]

It was embraced by The Beatles and became synonymous with the 1960s hippy lifestyle of peace and love.

Now medical experts believe transcendental meditation could be used to treat high blood pressure and psychological problems.

More than five decades after the relaxation therapy became popular, two studies have found that it worked significantly better than good diet and exercise in tackling the stresses of modern life.

Transcendental meditation - known as TM - was spread by the teaching of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who started a worldwide movement in 1957.

The technique involves the daily chanting of a mantra. Advocates include film directors Clint Eastwood and David Lynch and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg.

Following research in the U.S., natural medicine expert Dr Robert Schneider said: 'The clinically significant reductions in depression without drugs or psychotherapy in these studies suggest the transcendental meditation programme may improve mental and associated physical health in older high-risk subjects.'

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[Paracelse]

Haven't read the article yet but shouldn't the title read "MediTation" rather than mediation? Just my 2 (stoopid French) cents :innocent: :innocent: :innocent: :innocent:

[Paracelse]

Critics claim it can be used to spread a quasi-religious message and that meditation can be dangerous for some.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1264395/Chant-healthy-Meditation-hailed-antidote-high-blood-pressure.html#ixzz0khqOfA6r

At least it would be a non-denominational message rather than the one I receive as a child and more peaceful than the beatings I received when refusing to have anything to do with the church... :angry2: :angry2: :angry2:

[Saru]

Haven't read the article yet but shouldn't the title read "MediTation" rather than mediation?

Fixed.

[Virtual Particle]

Health applications and clinical studies

Main article: Health applications and clinical studies of meditation

Scenes of Inner Taksang, temple hall, built just above the cave where Padmasambhava was believed to have meditatedA review of scientific studies identified relaxation, concentration, an altered state of awareness, a suspension of logical thought and the maintenance of a self-observing attitude as the behavioral components of meditation;[5] it is accompanied by a host of biochemical and physical changes in the body that alter metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and brain chemistry.[58] Meditation has been used in clinical settings as a method of stress and pain reduction. Meditation has also been studied specifically for its effects on stress.[59][60]

In June, 2007 the United States National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine published an independent, peer-reviewed, meta-analysis of the state of meditation research, conducted by researchers at the University of Alberta Evidence-based Practice Center. The report reviewed 813 studies in five broad categories of meditation: mantra meditation, mindfulness meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong. The report concluded that "[t]he therapeutic effects of meditation practices cannot be established based on the current literature," and "firm conclusions on the effects of meditation practices in healthcare cannot be drawn based on the available evidence. However, the results analyzed from methodologically stronger research include findings sufficiently favorable to emphasize the value of further research in this field.

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For beginner's I usually recommend 40 minutes a day in sets of 20 minutes.

Any thoughts?

Edited April 10, 2010 by Triad