Research on various groups of patients over the last decades has provided support for stress reduction by meditation techniques involving mindfulness as adjunct treatment. However, less research has been made with non-clinical samples than with patients. For those who are interested in the effect of stress reduction techniques for ordinary people, a recent Swiss study adds to the documentation.
The study was presented at the Annual meeting for Society for Psychotherapy Research, and included 144 stressed adults. They were examined before and after the project, with regard to psychological distress. The participants had on average elevated levels of psychological distress, which is commonly found in stressed persons. Interestingly, they obtained good effect of the stress-reduction technique they learnt. Their psychological distress was significantly reduced, their emotion regulation was improved, and they had more mindful awareness of present experiences. They also had a more non-judgemental accepting attitude towards experiences.
The results support that stress-reduction techniques can be effective not only when provided in the context of medical clinics or academic settings, but also when provided for “ordinary” people; and who doesn’t want to become accepting and non-judgemental towards themselves?
With every newly reported study, it becomes clearer that mindfulness and other forms of meditation suitable for Western, active lives have dramatic and reproducible benefits in reducing anxiety, and in other areas of life as well.
People interested in mindfulness may find the more efficient, and even more effortless mental technique known as transcending to be of interest. Published research on transcending shows increased benefits from transcending, even just within the easily-measured area of anxiety.
The reason is that transcending goes much deeper than just relaxation; it eliminates the stored stresses that weaken our nervous system and are the root cause of anxiety.
The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) is a standard questionnaire that researchers use to measure reduction or increase in anxiety levels. We used this questionnaire, properly administered, to confirm objectively the remarkable impact of the completely natural and effortless mental technique called transcending.
Instruction in transcending is readily available through two unrelated organizations: Transcendental Meditation (www.tm.org) and Natural Stress Relief (www.nsrusa.org).
Many published research studies using the STAI and other measures confirm that a few minutes spent each day practicing transcending will, in most cases, reverse and eliminate anxiety and other symptoms of stored stress. Other studies confirm the self-actualization effects of transcending, as defined by psychologist A. Maslow.
It is valuable for people suffering from anxiety to eliminate stored stress, which requires only 15 or 20 minutes twice a day, sitting comfortably in a chair, experiencing this deep and unique state of restful alertness. Normal individuals can expect greater energy, autonomy, intelligence, insight, compassion, sociability, creativity, and even humor.
I hope that readers of this blog check out the scientific research described on these two websites and consider learning transcending themselves. A better life, free of unnecessary anxiety, is available to everyone through the restful alertness provided by transcending techniques.
David Spector
President
Natural Stress Relief/USA
[…] View the original article here […]