Consciousness-Based Education - Maharishi University of ...

consciousness-based education and governmentsomatic arousal is a cumulative effect.Other physiological indicators provide additional evidence thatthe Transcendental Meditation program is distinc tive in its abilityto lower stress level. For example, levels of the hormone cortisolare acutely as well as longitudinally affected by stress. Chronic stresstends to elevate baseline and average cortisol, which in turn causes orexacerbates numerous bodily and mental ills, including cardio vasculardisease, alcohol and drug abuse, aggression and antisocial behaviors,and depression. Studies indicate that the Transcendental Meditationtechnique lowers baseline and average cortisol both during the practiceand longitudinally, without interfering with the ability of cortisol toincrease in emer gencies, where an increase is useful for optimally meetingthe challenge (MacLean, Walton, Wenneberg, Levitsky, Mandarino,et al., 1997; Schneider, Alexander, Salerno, Rainforth, & Nidich,2005; Schneider, Bairey-Merz, Salerno, Nidich, Walton, et al., 2002;Walton, Pugh, Gelderloos, & Macrae, 1995).Lowering the average level of arousal, and increasing efficiency ofadaptive mechanisms in the individual, such as those involving cortisol,are expected to have significant effects on stress-related health problems.We have received two large, four-year grants from the U.S. NationalInstitutes of Health to assess the effects of the Transcendental Meditationtechnique on lowering high blood pressure and hypertensive heartdisease in African Americans living under stressful, inner-city conditions.Short-term and long-term randomized, controlled study in thispopulation showed reductions in blood pressure comparable to thoseobtained with pharmaceutical treatments and substantially larger thanthose for progressive relaxation, a physical technique for stress reduction(MacLean, Walton, Wenneberg, Levitsky, Mandarino, et al., 1997;Schneider, Alexander, Salerno, Rainforth, & Nidich, 2005; Schneider,Bairey-Merz, Salerno, Nidich, Walton, et al., 2002; Walton, Pugh,Gelderloos, & Macrae, 1995; Schneider, Alexander, Staggers, Orme-Johnson, Rainforth, et al. 2005). Meta-analyses of randomized studieshave found that the Transcendental Meditation program reduces bloodpressure more than other methods of relaxation (Rainforth, Schneider,Nidich, Gaylord-King, Salerno, et al. 2007) and more than other controls(Anderson, Liu, & Kryscio, 2008). Other findings by this group,in collaboration with other universities, include reduction in carotid504