Travis F, Olson T, Egenes T, Gupta H K
Psychology Dept., Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, Iowa 52557, USA.
Int J Neurosci. 2001 Jul;109(1-2):71-80. doi: 10.3109/00207450108986526.
This study tested the prediction that reading Vedic Sanskrit texts, without knowledge of their meaning, produces a distinct physiological state. We measured EEG, breath rate, heart rate, and skin conductance during: (1) 15-min Transcendental Meditation (TM) practice; (2) 15-min reading verses of the Bhagavad Gita in Sanskrit; and (3) 15-min reading the same verses translated in German, Spanish, or French. The two reading conditions were randomly counterbalanced, and subjects filled out experience forms between each block to reduce carryover effects. Skin conductance levels significantly decreased during both reading Sanskrit and TM practice, and increased slightly during reading a modern language. Alpha power and coherence were significantly higher when reading Sanskrit and during TM practice, compared to reading modern languages. Similar physiological patterns when reading Sanskrit and during practice of the TM technique suggests that the state gained during TM practice may be integrated with active mental processes by reading Sanskrit.
本研究检验了这样一种预测，即阅读吠陀梵语文本（在不了解其含义的情况下）会产生一种独特的生理状态。我们在以下过程中测量了脑电图（EEG）、呼吸频率、心率和皮肤电导率：（1）15分钟的超觉静坐（TM）练习；（2）15分钟用梵语阅读《薄伽梵歌》的经文；（3）15分钟阅读用德语、西班牙语或法语翻译的相同经文。两种阅读条件随机交替进行，并且受试者在每个时间段之间填写体验表格以减少遗留效应。在阅读梵语和进行TM练习时，皮肤电导率水平均显著下降，而在阅读现代语言时略有上升。与阅读现代语言相比，阅读梵语时以及进行TM练习时，阿尔法波功率和相干性显著更高。阅读梵语时和TM技巧练习期间相似的生理模式表明，TM练习期间获得的状态可能通过阅读梵语与活跃的心理过程相结合。
