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Discusses history of demise of meditation in West and reemergence as Eastern system. Explores reasons for this phenomenon. Discusses differences between Eastern and Western meditation, psychology of meditation, research, and applications of meditation to counseling. Concludes meditation may be used as an integral part of pastoral counseling process or as treatment in secular psychotherapy. (Author/ABL)

Tells the story of Tanyangzi, a young visionary and religious teacher in Ming China. Discusses writings relating to her life and teachings. Emphasizes the concern with chastity, publicity, and fictionality as they relate to the male view of female virtue among men of the late Ming period. (DK)

Describes using meditation to write with greater concentration, continuity, and depth, at any level of writing skill. Describes how to consciously cultivate the ability to focus, follow, and trace ideas through writing. (SR)

Discusses the solo experience as an outdoor training technique that promotes development of contemplation and insight; emphasizes man's oneness with nature; and seeks to win some moral, philosophical, spiritual, or religious benefit from solitude. Includes relevant quotations by Thoreau, Wordsworth, and others. (SV)

Reviews psychological perspectives of Buddhism and the universal human problem and its subsequent cures that can be applied to interactions in a counseling relationship. Suggests that meditation techniques can be integrated into current counseling theories. (JAC)

This study evaluated the effectiveness of two relaxation training procedures, one meditative and one behavioral, as compared to a placebo attention focusing procedure. Results indicate that behavior relaxation training, meditation, and attention focusing are all effective relaxation techniques. A discussion and conclusions are given. (MT)

Trained 24 college students in either a meditation or a cognitive self-observation procedure. Both groups showed reliable increases in several dimensions of self-actualization (measured by the Personal Orientation Inventory) and decreases in many common stress-related symptoms (measured by the Symptoms of Stress Inventory). No differential treatment effects were demonstrated. (Author/KS)

Evaluates the use of meditation as a basis for a descriptive writing assignment in advanced composition. (MS)

A critical look at four conventional beliefs that guide research in higher education is presented. These beliefs concern stakeholders, aims of inquiry, paradigm and modes of inquiry, and inquiry perspectives. Higher education should be a field of study where scholars, administrators and faculty provide the lodestar for inquiry. (Author/MLW)

The quality of changes in creative functioning resulting from training in ZEN meditation (Zazen) and relaxation training were compared. Pre-posttest changes in the two groups, as revealed by the General Linear Models Procedure, revealed that the meditation group experienced greater perceived change resulting from new conditions, expression of emotion, internal visualization, and fantasy. (SEW)

Explores the similar and different ways that reading and writing influence consciousness. Summarizes the relationship between reading and writing as meditation--a way of modifying inner speech or composing in the mind. (HTH)

Unique experiences of transcendental levels of awareness are examined relative to theories of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Plato, and C. Jung; autobiographical reports by geniuses of their creative processes; correlations measured between transcendental experiences, physiological functioning creative ability; and the effect of these experiences on relative ability. (MC)

Describes a meditation assignment as a way for students to find connections between two levels of experience, the reader's level of transaction with the text and the level of the reader's own life. Leads students from close analysis to holistic consideration, and finally to philosophical implications. (MS)

Reviews current Supreme Court doctrine as tested in lower federal and state courts in three areas in which public schools are involved. Examines Court decisions on silent meditation, equal access, and baccalaureate and commencement services. Finds the issues have not been fully resolved. (DB)

One teacher's use of a form of meditation accompanied by music in a beginning Spanish class is reported. The approach taken was inspired by the theoretical foundation of Lozanov's Suggestopedia along with a simple exercise called "holding post" adapted from Tai Chi Chuan, an ancient Chinese martial art. (two references) (LB)

When school boards or states have mandated a "moment of silence" in schools, most courts have followed the tenent that if the public perceives the governing body to have approved a daily devotional exercise in public school classrooms, the state is, in effect, advancing religion. (JM)

Context: Mindfulness interventions (yoga, meditation) in traumatic brain injury populations show promising improvements in injury outcomes. However, most studies include all injury severities and use in-person, general programming lacking accessibility and specificity to the nuance of concussion. Therefore, this study investigated the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of an online, concussion-focused meditation intervention among young adults with a concussion history. Design: Unblinded, single-arm, pilot intervention. Methods: Fifteen young adults aged 18 to 30 with a concussion history within the past 5 years completed 10 to 20 minutes per day of online, guided meditations for 6 weeks. Feasibility was assessed using the Feasibility of Intervention Measure. Concussion symptoms were measured using the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptom Questionnaire, perceived stress the Perceived Stress Scale-10, and mindfulness the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics described the study sample and determined intervention adherence and feasibility. Paired sample t tests were used to examine preintervention/postintervention changes in concussion symptoms, perceived stress, and mindfulness, with descriptive statistics further detailing significant t tests. Results: Fifteen participants were enrolled, and 12 completed the intervention. The majority completed 5+ days per week of the meditations, and Feasibility of Intervention Measure (17.4 [1.8]) scores indicated high feasibility. Concussion symptom severity significantly decreased after completing the meditation intervention (11.3 [10.3]) compared with before the intervention (24.5 [17.2]; t[11] = 3.0, P =.01). The number of concussion symptoms reported as worse than before their concussion significantly decreased after completing the meditation intervention (2.7 [3.9]) compared with before the intervention (8.0 [5.7]; t[11] = 3.7, P =.004). Postintervention, 83.33% (n = 10) reported lower concussion symptom severity, and 75.00% (n = 9) reported less concussion symptoms as a mild, moderate, or severe problem (ie, worse than before injury). Conclusions: Findings suggest positive adherence and feasibility of the meditation intervention, with the majority reporting concussion symptom improvement postintervention. Future research is necessary to expand these pilot findings into a large trial investigating concussion-specific meditation programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates that changes in mindfulness predict subsequent changes in well-being in a data set including individuals who recently engaged in psychedelic use.

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) accompanied by cerebrovascular risk factors (CVRFs) are known to increase the risk of developing dementia. Mind-body practices such as yoga and meditation, have been recognized as safe techniques with beneficial effects on cognitive functions in older adults at risk for cognitive decline. We conducted a randomized, controlled trial to assess the efficacy of Kundalini yoga training (KY) compared to memory enhancement training (MET) on mood and cognitive functioning in a group of older women with CVRFs and SCD (clinicaltrials.gov = NCT03503669). The KY intervention consisted of weekly, 60-min in-person classes with a certified instructor for 12 weeks, with a 12-min guided recording for daily homework practice at home. MET involved 12 weekly in-person group classes with 12-min daily homework exercises. Objective and subjective memory performance were the primary outcomes. Peripheral whole blood samples were collected at baseline, 12-weeks, and 24-weeks follow-up for RNA sequencing and cytokine/chemokine assays. A total of 79 patients (KY = 40; MET = 39) were randomized, and 63 completed the 24-week follow-up (KY = 65% completion rate; MET = 95%; χ2(1) = 10.9, p

BackgroundMindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are supported by clinical practice guidelines as effective non-pharmacologic interventions for common symptoms experienced by cancer patients, including anxiety, depression, and fatigue. However, the evidence predominately derives from White breast cancer survivors. Racial and ethnic minority patients have less access to integrative oncology care and worse cancer outcomes. To address these gaps, we designed and piloted a series of mindfulness-based group medical visits (MB-GMVs), embedded into comprehensive cancer care, for racially and ethnically diverse patients in cancer treatment.MethodsAs a quality improvement project, we launched a telehealth MB-GMV series for patients undergoing cancer treatment, delivered as four weekly 2-hour visits billable to insurance. Content was concordant with evidence-based guidelines and established MBIs and adapted to improve cultural relevance and fit (eg, access-centered, trauma-informed, with inclusive communication practices). Program structure was adapted to address barriers to participation, with ≥50% slots per series reserved for racial and ethnic minority patients. Intake surveys incorporated a demographic questionnaire and symptom assessments. Evaluations were sent following the visits.ResultsIn our first ten cohorts (n = 78), 80% of referred patients enrolled. Participants were: 22% Asian, 14% Black, 17% Latino, 45% non-Latino White; 65% female; with a median age of 54 years (range 27-79); and 80% had metastatic cancer. Common baseline symptoms included lack of energy, difficulty sleeping, and worrying. Most patients (90%) attended ≥3 visits. On final evaluations, 87% patients rated the series as "excellent"; 81% "strongly agreed" that they liked the GMV format; and 92% would "definitely" recommend the series to others. Qualitative themes included empowerment and connectedness.ConclusionTelehealth GMVs are a feasible, acceptable, and financially sustainable model for increasing access to MBIs. Diverse patients in active cancer treatment were able to participate and reported high levels of satisfaction with this series that was tailored to center health equity and inclusion.

BACKGROUND: The most common and debilitating side effects of radiation therapy (RT) for prostate cancer (PC) are fatigue, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and depression. Previous research has reported palliative benefits from certain self-management approaches, such as mindfulness meditation. OBJECTIVE: To develop, pre-test, and evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and initial benefit of brief, audio-based mindfulness delivered during daily RT for PC compared to a relaxing music control. METHODS: Following intervention development, participants were randomized to either brief guided mindfulness audio recordings or a relaxing music control during daily RT. A pre-testing phase was first conducted to determine optimal program start time, length, and content most associated with retention. A final program (n = 26) was delivered daily, starting on day one of week 2 of RT and lasting 4 consecutive weeks. Feasibility was defined as ≥70% on enrollment rate, retention, and audio program adherence. Acceptability was measured with a 12-item post-study survey. A secondary focus compared between group changes on patient reported outcomes of fatigue, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and related outcomes at baseline and follow up assessments. Descriptive statistics and general linear models were used. RESULTS: Overall, 76% (n = 38) of approached men enrolled. Pre-testing retention rates were

OBJECTIVE: The aim is to examine whether the addition of Virtual Reality (VR) meditation training to a standard 8-week Mindfulness-Based Health Care Program (MBHC-VR) results in a significantly increased improvement in occupational, mental health, and psychological functioning versus MBHC-only in university students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized controlled clinical trial with three arms (MBHC, MBHC-VR, Control Group), four assessment time points (pre-intervention, inter-session, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up), and mixed methodology will be proposed. University students (undergraduate, master, or doctoral) interested in participating and who meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria will be included over two years. Data will be collected from different ad hoc questionnaires, several standardized tests, and an Ecological Momentary Assessment. We will use R software to carry out descriptive analyses (univariate and bivariate), multilevel modeling, and structural equation models to respond to the proposed objective. The qualitative analysis will be carried out using the MAXQDA program and the technique of focus groups. DISCUSSION: It is expected that with the proposed intervention university students will learn to relate in a healthier way with their mental processes, so as to improve their occupational balance (OB) and their psychological well-being. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT05929430.

Engaging in contemplative practice like meditation, yoga, and prayer, is beneficial for psychological and physical well-being. Recent research has identified several underlying psychological and biological pathways that explain these benefits. However, there is not yet consensus on the underlying overlapping physiological mechanisms of contemplative practice benefits. In this article, we integrate divergent scientific literatures on contemplative practice interventions, stress science, and mitochondrial biology, presenting a unified biopsychosocial model of how contemplative practices reduce stress and promote physical health. We argue that engaging in contemplative practice facilitates a restorative state termed "deep rest," largely through safety signaling, during which energetic resources are directed toward cellular optimization and away from energy-demanding stress states. Our model thus presents a framework for how contemplative practices enhance positive psychological and physiological functioning by optimizing cellular energy consumption. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

BACKGROUND: Assessing the use and effectiveness of complementary and integrative health (CIH) therapies via survey can be complicated given CIH therapies are used in various locations and formats, the dosing required to have an effect is unclear, the potential health and well-being outcomes are many, and describing CIH therapies can be challenging. Few surveys assessing CIH therapy use and effectiveness exist, and none sufficiently reflect these complexities. OBJECTIVE: In a large-scale Veterans Health Administration (VA) quality improvement effort, we developed the Complementary and Integrative Health Therapy Patient Experience Survey, a longitudinal, electronic patient self-administered survey to comprehensively assess CIH therapy use and outcomes. METHODS: We obtained guidance from the literature, subject matter experts, and Veteran patients who used CIH therapies in designing the survey. As a validity check, we completed cognitive testing and interviews with those patients. We conducted the survey (March 2021-April 2023), inviting 15,608 Veterans with chronic musculoskeletal pain with a recent CIH appointment or referral identified in VA electronic medical records (EMR) to participate. As a second validity check, we compared VA EMR data and patient self-reports of CIH therapy utilization a month after survey initiation and again at survey conclusion. RESULTS: The 64-item, electronic survey assesses CIH dosing (amount and timing), delivery format and location, provider location, and payor. It also assesses 7 patient-reported outcomes (pain, global mental health, global physical health, depression, quality of life, stress, and meaning/purpose in life), and 3 potential mediators (perceived health competency, healthcare engagement, and self-efficacy for managing diseases). The survey took 17 minutes on average to complete and had a baseline response rate of 45.3%. We found high degrees of concordance between self-reported and EMR data for all therapies except meditation. CONCLUSIONS: Validly assessing patient-reported CIH therapy use and outcomes is complex, but possible.

AbstractThis article compares meditation and music interventions for dyads of mothers and their preschoolers with reported symptoms of hyperactivity using a pre- and post-test design. Post-test hyperactivity symptoms reduced significantly for both cohorts, but the meditation group reported a greater comparative decrease. In the music group, hyperactivity symptoms reduced and parenting self-efficacy scores improved particularly for preschool boys and their mothers, and dyads with higher intervention compliance. For the meditation cohort, apart from reduced hyperactivity symptoms and better parenting self-efficacy scores, child-parent relationships also improved with reported increase in closeness, decreased dependence and conflict, and better parenting and family adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the proposed mechanism of mindfulness, its impact on body awareness and interoception, and its potential benefits for mental and physical health. Using psychophysical assessments, we compared 31 expert meditators with 33 matched controls (non‐meditators who engage in regular reading, more than 5 h per week) in terms of somatosensory accuracy with a somatosensory signal detection task (SSDT) and interoceptive sensibility via self‐report measures. We hypothesized that meditators would demonstrate superior somatosensory accuracy, indicative of heightened body awareness, potentially linked to increased alpha modulation in the somatosensory cortex, as observed via electroencephalography (EEG). In the SSDT, participants attempted to detect near‐threshold tactile stimuli presented with a non‐informative light in half of the trials. Contrary to our expectations, the findings showed that meditators had a lower decision threshold rather than higher accuracy. EEG results corroborated earlier research, indicating reduced prestimulus alpha power in meditators, suggesting enhanced alpha modulation. Furthermore, a trial‐by‐trial analysis revealed a negative correlation between prestimulus alpha activity and tactile perception. Compared to controls, meditators also reported greater interoceptive sensibility, less emotional suppression, and fewer difficulties in describing feelings. These findings may imply that enhanced tactile perception is associated with lower prestimulus alpha activity by reducing sensory filtering in the somatosensory cortex, thus increasing response rates without necessarily improving accuracy among meditators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiovascular risk factors represent an important health issue in older adults. Previous findings suggest that meditation training could have a positive impact on these risk factors. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of an 18-month meditation-based intervention on cardiovascular health. Methods: Age-Well was a randomized, controlled superiority trial with blinded end point assessment, including community-dwelling cognitively unimpaired adults 65 years and older enrolled between November 24, 2016, and March 5, 2018, in France. One hundred and thirty-four participants were included in this secondary analysis. Participants were randomly affected to an intervention group that received an 18-month meditation-based program or to comparison groups (active control group i.e. non-native language training or passive control group i.e. no intervention). The main outcome was change in the Framingham Risk Score (FRS); other outcomes were changes in cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors. Results: There was no difference in FRS change after 18 months between trial arms (p =.38). When assessing individual cardiovascular or metabolic risk factors, meditation training was associated with a greater reduction in diastolic blood pressure than the comparison group in participants with intermediate to high cardiovascular risk (FRS > 10%) at baseline (p =.03). Conclusion: An 18-month meditation training was not effective to increase overall cardiovascular health in older adults, but improved diastolic blood pressure in a subgroup analysis including at-risk participants. These results suggest a potential benefit of a long-term meditation intervention in older adults at-risk of cardiovascular diseases, and highlights the need for future research in more targeted populations. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02977819. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPsychedelics have shown early evidence for a range of benefits and low harm profiles in extant research. However, adverse effects (AEs) research in psychedelics has been limited, leading to underspecified AE profiles, inconsistent measurement, and potential undercounting of AEs. The development of safe, effective psychedelic therapies and treatments for AEs when they occur requires a thorough assessment of psychedelic-related AEs, their phenomenology, risk factors, and longitudinal duration. This article proposes that research on meditation-related AEs, which overlap in important ways with the phenomenological and contextual characteristics of psychedelic-related AEs, has engaged many methodological challenges present in the study of psychedelic-related AEs. Thus, meditation-related AE research offers thematic and methodological insights that are valuable to psychedelic AE research. An integrative review of extant AE research in both psychedelics and meditation is provided, and an agenda for leveraging meditation research to advance the investigation of psychedelic AEs is recommended. This includes the utility of meditation-related AEs as a comparator condition for psychedelic-related AEs, as well as recommendations for the adoption of (1) detailed and comprehensive, (2) user-informed, (3) impact-based, (4) standardized, (5) unbiased, and (6) representative measures of AEs and (7) examining factors that influence their impacts and trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tai Chi and Baduanjin are nonpharmacological interventions that are widely applied among cancer patients. Objective: This meta-analysis aimed to assess the effect of Tai Chi and Baduanjin on breast cancer patients by summarizing and pooling the results of previous studies. Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library and several databases were searched up to December 1, 2023, to identify high-quality RCTs. Relevant terms such as Tai Chi and Baduanjin were used as keywords. Stata 15.0 software and Review Manager (version 5.3; Cochrane Training) were used to screen the studies, extract the data, code the data, and perform the meta-analysis. The mean differences (MDs) and standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% CIs were used to calculate continuous variables. The Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias. The PICOS framework was used to develop the following eligibility criteria: (i) population - breast cancer patients; (ii) intervention - Tai Chi and Baduanjin intervention; (iii) comparison - Tai Chi and Baduanjin group and different intervention (e.g., regular intervention, routine rehabilitation training, waiting list, sham Qigong, usual care, no intervention); (iv) outcomes - cognitive ability, shoulder joint function, anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep quality, quality of life; and (v) study design - randomized controlled trial. Results: From January 2013 to December 2023, we included a total of 16 RCTs involving 1247 patients. A total of 647 patients were in the experimental group and were treated with Tai Chi and Baduanjin, while 600 patients were in the control group and were treated with traditional methods. The results of our meta-analysis indicate that Tai Chi and Baduanjin yield outcomes that are comparable to those of traditional treatment methods. Specifically, Tai Chi and Baduanjin significantly increased cognitive function, increased shoulder joint function, improved sleep quality indicators and improved quality of life indicators. Furthermore, Tai Chi and Baduanjin significantly reduced anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms, and fatigue symptoms among breast cancer patients. Sensitivity analysis was performed, a funnel plot was constructed. No publication bias was indicated by Egger's or Begg's test. Conclusion: Overall, Tai Chi and Baduanjin are viable and effective nonpharmacological approaches for treating breast cancer patients, as they yield better results than traditional treatment methods. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution due to the limited number of controlled trials, small sample sizes, and low quality of the evidence. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ , identifier CRD42023469301. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]