The wide spectrum of benefits from meditation experience is quite impressive. These can range from physical benefits to psychological, emotional and behavioral benefits. There are even benefits that are demonstrated at the level of group consciousness. There have been many studies done on many types of meditation practices but for the sake of simplicity, I will talk about the studies done on perhaps the most systematic and well known of the mantra types of meditation, TM, or transcendental meditation. Many other meditation practices show similar positive results.

Studies of TM practitioners are probably the most published. Many reputable universities including Cal State, Stanford and Hardvard have studied TM for its benefits and placed articles in publications such as Science, Scientific American, American Journal of Physiology, the Journal of Criminal Justice and the Journal of Mind and Behavior to name but a very few. From the many studies, evidence shows TM’s effect on one’s physiology, intelligence, emotional stability and behavior to be very positive. Of the quite long list of beneficial effects of regular TM practice the following stand out (get ready and be patient- it’s a long list) – evidence of deep levels of rest ( blood chemistry), increased brainwave coherence (especially in alpha, delta and theta frequency ranges), increased intelligence growth rate (one year study) and increased learning ability, increased job satisfaction and improved job performance, greater adaptability and tolerance (tolerance to stress and conflict), faster physical reaction time, slower heart rate, normalized blood pressure, decreased anxiety, better sleep quality, less illness in general, lower biological age compared to chronological age, increased creativity, increased self actualization. This is just a portion of the list but I think it should be enough.

So what other benefits can one realize from a regular experience of deep silence? Well, there are some that cannot be proven through scientific study using electrical probes, test tubes or statistics. These can be the general feeling of well being, better decision making and so on. But for still others, meditation stills the mind in order to allow for deeper prayer, prayer that seems to flow effortlessly from the heart. Perhaps this is just a stress releasing process or perhaps it is something more. Only those having the experience can appreciate its importance.