How transcendental meditation alters the brain.

KARACHI -- Transcendental meditation (TM) involves sitting with eyesshutfor 15-20 minutes twice a day while saying a mantra. The practice has several advantagesfor mental health but, until now, it was unclear how those effects came about. TM differs from other meditation practices in that it does not require concentration or visualization. Instead, TM practitioners come up with a mantra, which is a word or phrase that has no real meaning. The practitionerssilently think this mantra, allowing the mind to naturally transcend, while both the mind and body remain awake, yet relaxed. Most people can learn TM in a few months, and benefits from regular practice may include reduced feelings of stress and anxiety in a person's everyday life. Previous proof Research has found some evidence of this.

A 2013 study, appearing inMilitary Medicine, listed TM as a feasible treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in activeduty military personnel. Similarly, a study appearing in The Permanente Journal in 2014, concluded that a TM program was effective in reducing psychological distress in teachers. A 2016 study from the same journal found significant reductions in symptoms of trauma...