[h=2]SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ON
OM[/h][h=3]General[/h]It is generally recognized that experiencing a yoga practice is of great importance for all yoga techniques. The physiological and psychological effects of practicing meditation on
Om have been studied. In
Om meditation, the meditators first concentrate on a picture of
Om and then mentally chant
mantra Om effortlessly; this finally leads to a state devoid of effort and focusing, and is characterized by blissful awareness.
[h=2]STUDIES ON AUTONOMIC AND RESPIRATORY VARIABLES[/h]The autonomic and respiratory variables were studied in seven experienced
Om meditators (with the experience ranging from 5 to 20 years). Each subject was studied in two types of sessions–meditation (with a period of mental chanting of
Om) and control (with a period of nontargeted thinking). The meditators showed a statistically significant reduction in the heart rate during meditation compared to the control period. During both types of sessions, there was a comparable increase in the cutaneous peripheral vascular resistance. This was interpreted as a sign of increased mental alertness even while being physiologically relaxed.[
11] Subsequently, a comparison study was done to see the physiological effects which reported that when repetition of
Om was compared with the repetition of
One in 12 meditators, there was a difference in the autonomic and respiratory responses. Both types of sessions resulted in a decrease in the heart and breath rates, but the repetition of
Om alone reduced the skin resistance, suggesting a subtle change in the mental state, related to the significance of the syllable.
Yoga
mantras and prayers have been found beneficial for many physiological and psychological functions of the body. A study was conducted to test whether rhythmic formulae, namely, recitation of the rosary and yoga mantras can synchronize and reinforce inherent cardiovascular rhythms and modify baroflex sensitivity. There were 23 healthy volunteers. It was observed that during both prayers and mantras, there was an increase in the synchronicity of cardiovascular rhythms when they were recited six times a minute. There was also an increase in baroflex sensitivity. These findings suggested that the recitation of the rosary and certain yoga mantras, at specific frequencies, induce favorable psychological and physiological effects.
In summary it was observed that there is cognitive involvement and a combination of mental alertness with physiological rest during the practice of
Om meditation. Also, various
mantras and prayers have been found to be useful in inducing a state of psychological and physiological well-being.
[h=2]STUDIES ON EVOKED POTENTIALS IN EXPERIENCED MEDITATORS[/h]In an early study, middle latency auditory evoked potentials (0-100 ms range) were examined in seven proficient subjects before and during the practice of
Om meditation.[
14] Such a study helped in understanding how neural processing at various levels could change differently during a meditation practice in which thoughts are focused on a word or phrase without a conscious effort to do so (i.e., meditation on the syllable
Om). Similar records were also obtained in seven age-matched “naive” subjects before and during a control period which involved sitting with eyes closed, and with no special instructions for focusing their thoughts. However, there was a small but consistent reduction in the peak latency of the Nb wave (the maximum negativity occurring between 35 and 65 ms). This reduction was observed consistently during three repeat sessions of each subject, while the “naive” subjects did not show this change. These results suggest that during meditation, neural processing at the middle latency auditory evoked potentials level does change and the intersubject variability of middle latency auditory evoked potentials precludes using them as the method of choice for assessing the effects of meditation. Hence middle latency auditory evoked potentials demonstrate small, yet significant changes in the neural activity during meditations.
A subsequent study assessed the effects of OM meditation on middle latency auditory evoked potentials. The experienced meditators showed a significant increase in the peak amplitude of the Na wave (the maximum negative peak between 14 and 18 ms) during the meditation with a significant decrease in the Na wave peak amplitude during the control session . Hence during mental repetition of a meaningful syllable (
Om) and of a neutral syllable (
One), neural changes occurred at the same level (possibly diencephalic) though in opposite directions. To detail this, a significant increase in the peak amplitude of the Na wave occurred during mental chanting of
Om compared to a significant decrease in the Na wave peak amplitude during a control period of mental chanting of a neutral syllable
One. It is recognized that an increase in amplitude is correlated with an increase in the number of neurons recruited, whereas a decrease in amplitude has the reverse connotations.
Experienced meditattors versus non-meditators:Importance of motivation. (Typical example of AEP-MLRs during meditation in an experienced subject (left,12 years experience) and a novice (right, 10 days experience). Telles
et al. 1994, Internal J. Neurosci.)
...
Studies conducted by Telles and Desiraju and Telles
et al. reported changes in peak latencies of middle latency auditory evoked potential components which reflect changes at subcortical and primary auditory cortex levels. These were suggestive of a decrease in sensory transmission time at these neural levels during the practice of meditation on
Om.
[h=3]Summary[/h]Scientific studies on
Om suggest that the mental repetition of
Om results in a physiological state at one time characterized by reduced physiological alertness, increased sensitivity as well as synchronicity, as well as changes at specific levels along the auditory pathway suggestive of increased sensitivity to sensory transmission
[h=2]CONCLUSION[/h]The utterance of
Om consisting of the three letters
A, U, and
M covers the whole process of articulation. This sound represents the primal vibration from which all other sounds and creation emerge. It is considered that one who attains
Om, merges with the Absolute. Scientific studies on
Om suggest that the mental repetition of
Om results in physiological alertness, increased sensitivity as well as synchronicity of certain biorhythms, and an increased sensitivity to sensory transmission.
