ABSTRACT
Transcendental meditation is a form of mantra meditation which is simple to learn and requires no adherence to any special philosophy. The electroencephalogram (EEG) responses to intermittent photic stimulation were examined in a group of subjects experienced in meditation, and compared with those of a control group. Photic stimulation was then delivered aperiodically around a mean inter-stimulus interval of 10 sec; stimulation was delivered without reference to the EEG pattern. Meditation itself may be an attentional process, but this may also be explained in terms of the attitude of the subjects. The more frequent occurrence of alpha induction in the meditation group also supports the findings of Fenwick. Induction is a phenomenon of lowered arousal, but disappears as the progression towards sleep takes place. The meditators, however, knew that both meditation and they themselves were under test, and consequently would be more likely to maintain attention and be less likely to become drowsy.
