Effect of anapanasati meditation technique through electrophotonic imaging parameters: A pilot study

Background: Mindfulness along with breathing is a well-established meditation technique. Breathing is an exquisite tool for exploring subtle awareness of mind and life itself. Aim: This study aimed at measuring changes in the different parameters of electrophotonic imaging (EPI) in anapanasati medi...

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Main Authors: Guru Deo, R Kumar Itagi, M Srinivasan Thaiyar, Kushwah K Kuldeep
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2015-01-01
Series:International Journal of Yoga
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ijoy.org.in/article.asp?issn=0973-6131;year=2015;volume=8;issue=2;spage=117;epage=121;aulast=
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spelling doaj-3e3fc53543294a1b894177c2caa3d8e62020-11-24T22:53:26ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsInternational Journal of Yoga0973-61312015-01-018211712110.4103/0973-6131.158474Effect of anapanasati meditation technique through electrophotonic imaging parameters: A pilot studyGuru DeoR Kumar ItagiM Srinivasan ThaiyarKushwah K KuldeepBackground: Mindfulness along with breathing is a well-established meditation technique. Breathing is an exquisite tool for exploring subtle awareness of mind and life itself. Aim: This study aimed at measuring changes in the different parameters of electrophotonic imaging (EPI) in anapanasati meditators. Materials and Methods : To carry out this study, 51 subjects comprising 32 males and 19 females of age 18 years and above (mean age 45.64 ± 14.43) were recruited voluntarily with informed consent attending Karnataka Dhyana Mahachakra-1 at Pyramid Valley International, Bengaluru, India. The design was a single group pre- post and data collected by EPI device before and after 5 days of intensive meditation. Results: Results show significant changes in EPI parameter integral area with filter (physiological) in both right and left side, which reflects the availability of high functional energy reserve in meditators. The researchers observed similar trends without filter (psycho-physiological) indicating high reserves of energy at psycho-physiological level also. Activation coefficient, another parameter of EPI, reduced showing more relaxed state than earlier, possibly due to parasympathetic dominance. Integral entropy decreased in the case of psycho-physiological parameters left-side without filter, which indicates less disorder after meditation, but these changes were not significant. The study showed a reversed change in integral entropy in the right side without filter; however, the values on both sides with filter increased, which indicates disorder. Conclusion: The study suggests that EPI can be used in the recording functional physiological and psychophysiological status of meditators at a subtle level.http://www.ijoy.org.in/article.asp?issn=0973-6131;year=2015;volume=8;issue=2;spage=117;epage=121;aulast=Anapanasati meditation; electrophotonic imaging technique; gas discharge visualization; stress and health.
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Guru Deo
R Kumar Itagi
M Srinivasan Thaiyar
Kushwah K Kuldeep
spellingShingle Guru Deo
R Kumar Itagi
M Srinivasan Thaiyar
Kushwah K Kuldeep
Effect of anapanasati meditation technique through electrophotonic imaging parameters: A pilot study
International Journal of Yoga
Anapanasati meditation; electrophotonic imaging technique; gas discharge visualization; stress and health.
author_facet Guru Deo
R Kumar Itagi
M Srinivasan Thaiyar
Kushwah K Kuldeep
author_sort Guru Deo
title Effect of anapanasati meditation technique through electrophotonic imaging parameters: A pilot study
title_short Effect of anapanasati meditation technique through electrophotonic imaging parameters: A pilot study
title_full Effect of anapanasati meditation technique through electrophotonic imaging parameters: A pilot study
title_fullStr Effect of anapanasati meditation technique through electrophotonic imaging parameters: A pilot study
title_full_unstemmed Effect of anapanasati meditation technique through electrophotonic imaging parameters: A pilot study
title_sort effect of anapanasati meditation technique through electrophotonic imaging parameters: a pilot study
publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
series International Journal of Yoga
issn 0973-6131
publishDate 2015-01-01
description Background: Mindfulness along with breathing is a well-established meditation technique. Breathing is an exquisite tool for exploring subtle awareness of mind and life itself. Aim: This study aimed at measuring changes in the different parameters of electrophotonic imaging (EPI) in anapanasati meditators. Materials and Methods : To carry out this study, 51 subjects comprising 32 males and 19 females of age 18 years and above (mean age 45.64 ± 14.43) were recruited voluntarily with informed consent attending Karnataka Dhyana Mahachakra-1 at Pyramid Valley International, Bengaluru, India. The design was a single group pre- post and data collected by EPI device before and after 5 days of intensive meditation. Results: Results show significant changes in EPI parameter integral area with filter (physiological) in both right and left side, which reflects the availability of high functional energy reserve in meditators. The researchers observed similar trends without filter (psycho-physiological) indicating high reserves of energy at psycho-physiological level also. Activation coefficient, another parameter of EPI, reduced showing more relaxed state than earlier, possibly due to parasympathetic dominance. Integral entropy decreased in the case of psycho-physiological parameters left-side without filter, which indicates less disorder after meditation, but these changes were not significant. The study showed a reversed change in integral entropy in the right side without filter; however, the values on both sides with filter increased, which indicates disorder. Conclusion: The study suggests that EPI can be used in the recording functional physiological and psychophysiological status of meditators at a subtle level.
topic Anapanasati meditation; electrophotonic imaging technique; gas discharge visualization; stress and health.
url http://www.ijoy.org.in/article.asp?issn=0973-6131;year=2015;volume=8;issue=2;spage=117;epage=121;aulast=
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