3

Overview

The highest educational goal of every nation isto create ideal citizens, individuals capable of

fulfilling their own goals while upholding the in-terests of others and the progress of the whole so-ciety. For this goal to become a living reality, ed-ucation must actualize the full potential of themost precious resource of the country, the humanbrain of every citizen.Research clearly indicates that education today isnot realizing this immense potential, with the excep-tion of universities and schools that are directly de-veloping the consciousness of the students throughthe approach of Consciousness-Based Education.

Part OnePart One of this document reviews neuroscience re-search findings which show that the brain’s devel-opment and functioning are influenced by experi-ence. The research in this section further suggeststhat the type of experience most valuable for braindevelopment after childhood is experience whichfosters greater integration of brain functioning. Re-search also indicates that the experiences gainedthrough the prevailing educational approach acti-vate specific areas of the brain without fosteringmore integrated functioning of the brain as a whole.The conclusion of this section is that such educa-tion, due to its exclusively segmented approach toknowledge, actually prevents the total develop-ment of brain functioning.

Part TwoPart Two presents evidence from decades of re-search that Consciousness-Based Education, de-veloped by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, does pro-mote holistic brain functioning and expansion ofmental capabilities.Research studies show increased integration ofcortical activity during the practice of Transcen-dental Meditation, as measured by increased syn-chrony and coherence of electroencephalographic

(EEG) activity; and also by greater use of the la-tent reserves of the brain.Research also indicates that participants in theTranscendental Meditation Programme display,outside of the practice, greater integration andefficiency of brain processes that underly cogni-tive functioning, as well as a unique enhancementof the mental abilities associated with higher brainfunctioning. Transcendental Meditation also hasbeen found to develop greater integration of diversestyles of brain functioning; and greater integrationand effectiveness in the total functioning of thebrain, the peripheral nervous system, and neu-roendocrine processes, as reflected in improvedperformance on many physiological, cognitive, andbehavioural variables.

Consciousness-Based EducationTranscendental Meditation is the fundamentaltechnology used in Consciousness-Based Educa-tion. This approach adds study and research in con-sciousness to the traditional study of the academicdisciplines, and includes the twice-daily practiceof the Transcendental Meditation and TM-SidhiProgramme, including Yogic Flying, to directly de-velop full use of the brain’s potential in higherstates of consciousness.Considering institutions as a whole, students at uni-versities and schools using Consciousness-BasedEducation are found to be distinctly more com-mitted academically, more alert, more healthyand balanced, more self-actualized, more satisfiedwith their education, more harmonious in their re-lationships, and more mature in moral judgment,compared to students at other educational insti-tutions.Amidst worldwide dissatisfaction with educationtoday, Consciousness-Based Education has beenshown by research and educational outcomes to besingularly effective in producing students whoare steadily growing in the most cherished qual-ities of human life and the full expression of theircreative powers.

Introduction

Consciousness-Based Education forTotal Development of the Brain

Existing Educationwhich Partially Develops the BrainSummary of Scientific Research

in contrast to

Michael C. DIllbeck and Susan L. DIllbeck,Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, Iowa, USA

Knowledge and Experienceof Consciousness for

Full Development of the Brain

For more than 50 years Maharishi brought tolight detailed knowledge of the highest states

of human development, and the Technologies ofConsciousness, including the Transcendental Medi-tation and TM-Sidhi Programme, for systemati-cally attaining these states.The benefits of these Technologies of Conscious-ness for mind, body, behaviour, and society havebeen documented by over 600 scientific researchstudies, conducted at more than 250 universitiesand research institutes in 33 countries.Maharishi formulated a complete science of con-sciousness—his Vedic Science—from the know-ledge contained in the ancient Vedic Literature.This science describes the seven states of humanconsciousness, and gives the theoretical and prac-tical knowledge for unfolding the full value of hu-man consciousness. Maharishi Vedic Science in-cludes descriptions of the quality of physiology,perception, and behaviour of individuals livinghigher states of consciousness.For example, such individuals display the highestlevels of creativity, intelligence, and organizingpower. Their speech and actions are spontan-eously most nourishing and evolutionary for othersand for the environment. On the platform of innerfulfilment and enlightenment, their desires arealways for the good of all humanity, and areachieved most effortlessly. They radiate an influ-ence of vitality and harmony to the whole society,and are a source of joy and wisdom to all whoknow them.Maharishi Vedic Science describes in detail thequality of human awareness that spontaneouslygives rise to such behaviour. In higher states ofconsciousness, when the full potential of the brainis being utilized, the fundamental field of nature’sintelligence—Transcendental Consciousness, theunified field of natural law1—is fully enlivened inthe individual’s consciousness.Maharishi Vedic Science describes this field as

containing all the laws of nature in their mostconcentrated, abstract form, just as a seed containsthe whole tree. The fundamental dynamics of thisfield are the Veda and Vedic Literature, whosereverberations give rise to all the laws of naturegoverning the orderly evolution of the universe.When this total creative process of nature is en-livened in awareness, the individual spontan-eously makes use of it, commanding the wholefield of action, able to know anything, do anythingright, and achieve any great goal, always sup-ported by the totality of the laws of nature.Under Maharishi’s guidance, Professor TonyNader, M.D., Ph.D., has discovered that the fun-damental structures of the laws of nature ex-pressed in the Vedic Literature are contained in hu-man physiology. This discovery reveals that thephysiology of everyone is the expression of the to-tal intelligence of natural law—that the individ-ual is cosmic. Functioning with cosmic intelli-gence becomes a living reality when the totalpotential of the brain is actualized.This knowledge of human consciousness and howto awaken its unlimited potential has changed theconcept of a university from ‘all knowledge on onecampus’ to ‘all knowledge in every brain’.

Inadequacy of PrevailingSchool and University Education

The inadequacy of education in the world to-day is acutely obvious. At the secondary

level, the problems of school drop-outs, antisocialbehaviour, lack of motivation, dullness, and evendespair are symptomatic of the great frustrationstudents experience when they are not educated tosystematically unfold the unique creative possi-bilities latent within each of them.Post-secondary education has its own particularweaknesses. The segmented and fragmented ex-perience of studying separate disciplines and spe-cializing in an academic field—without the con-comitant experience of the wholeness of knowledgeand the wholeness of life—not only fails to developthe brain’s potential; it actually hinders the de-velopment of the mature intellect and personalityby directing students’ attention only to partialvalues of knowledge.From the state of the world today, and from thequality of leadership in every area of nationaland international concern, it is clear that educa-tion is not offering the knowledge to actualize hu-man potential. Educated people make as many

1 Over the last four decades, modern physics has discov-ered increasingly unified levels of natural law, culminat-ing in the discovery of the unified field of natural law,whose self-interacting dynamics give rise to all forms andphenomena of nature. Leading quantum physicists haveshown the properties of the unified field to be those of con-sciousness. Maharishi Vedic Science makes use of theTranscendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programme toenliven in human awareness this field of nature’s total in-telligence.

mistakes and create as many difficulties for them-selves and others as uneducated people. Gradu-ates are ill-prepared to eliminate the fundamen-tal problems in their areas of expertise and tostructure the steps for balanced progress—socially,economically, environmentally, technologically,politically. They lack the breadth and depth ofcomprehension to spontaneously make decisionsthat will serve the progress and well-being ofeveryone.In light of the enormous possibilities for human lifedetailed in Maharishi Vedic Science, educationeverywhere today can be viewed as miseducative.Rather than giving students the knowledge and ex-perience to live the full value of life, formal edu-cation restricts the students’ awareness to nar-row boundaries, and in so doing prevents the totaldevelopment of the brain in higher states ofconsciousness.

Consciousness-Based Education toFulfil the Goals of Education

Extensive research and decades of experiencewith Consciousness-Based Education have demon-strated that this approach, which adds study andresearch in consciousness to the existing curricu-lum in any country, eliminates the weaknesses ofcurrent education.Research verifies that students at Conscious-ness-Based universities and schools improve sig-nificantly in mental capacity, academic achieve-ment, health, and social behaviour, compared tostudents in other institutions. At the elementaryand secondary levels, year after year classes ofstudents at Consciousness-Based schools, who en-ter at an average level of performance, scoreamong the highest in their nations on nationalstandardized examinations by the time they grad-uate. They also distinguish themselves by win-ning top state and national prizes in an unusuallywide range of subjects, including science, math-ematics, speech, history, poetry, drama, art, mu-sic, and sports.These scientific findings and educational out-comes give additional support to the research out-lined in this document indicating that Conscious-ness-Based Education develops greater use of thebrain’s potential.Experience and research also show that whenany university or school adds to its curriculum a

Consciousness-Based course for all the students,the same desirable changes in academic per-formance and behaviour take place. Studentsgrow in enthusiasm for knowledge, in alertnessand creativity, and in exemplary citizenship—the ability to achieve their goals while promotingthe interests of others. Increasingly they enjoy the‘fruit of all knowledge’—a problem-free, happy,healthy life, spontaneously in harmony with Nat-ural Law.Furthermore, when large groups of students to-gether practise the Transcendental Meditation andTM-Sidhi Programme, including Yogic Flying,an influence of coherence and harmony is gener-ated in the whole society—in the city, state, or na-tion as a whole, depending upon the size of thegroup. This effect is documented by nearly 50studies showing reduced negative trends and im-proved quality of life in society. This influence ofcoherence in society, known as the MaharishiEffect, corresponds with increased brain wavecoherence during the practice of Yogic Flying(please refer to Part Two). In this way, the growthof harmony in society is fundamentally connectedwith development of full brain potential.

This first part of the document contains con-clusions from neuroscience research, with

details of selected studies given in the boxes be-low the main text.

1. The Relationshipof Brain Development to Education

A large body of research reveals that the develop-ment and ongoing state of brain functioning isshaped by the nature of the individual’s experience.Research on brain development in a variety ofspecies shows that specific types of experience arenecessary for the brain to develop properly.For example, in the early stages of life, sensoryexperiences are critical for the development of thecorresponding sensory structures of the brain. Ithas also been found that enriched sensory and

motor environments in infancy contribute to sig-nificantly enhanced development of the brain.(Refer to insert Influence of Experience on BrainDevelopment—Selected Research Findings.)Brain development is thus intimately connectedwith experience. From this perspective, the pur-pose of education, including early education in thefamily, should be to provide the appropriate ex-periences, at every stage of growth, that developthe full potential of mind and body, based on fullydeveloping the brain.Analysing the process of human brain developmentis useful for suggesting the type of educational ex-periences that are especially important at differ-ent stages of growth.

PART ONE

Summary: Deficiency or enrichment of experience has a substantial influence on brain development in younganimals.Sample findings: Neurophysiological research indicates that there are critical periods of brain developmentin which certain types of experience are necessary for the proper development of specific brain structures.For example, when cats were raised in an optical environment in which the visual stimulation of one eyewas restricted to lines of only one orientation (vertical or horizontal), the brain cells corresponding to thateye were only able to be activated by lines of the previously experienced orientation (reference 1). Later re-search found this effect to be associated with lack of a full range of orientation of dendritic fields of pyra-midal cells in the visual cortex (2).Researchers also found that blindness can occur if visual input is disrupted in the early life of animals. Thecells of the eye continue to function properly, but their corresponding areas of the brain do not respond, in-dicating lack of proper connections between eye and brain or within the brain. The same disruption of vi-sion does not cause any long-term effect if it occurs later in life, after the associated cortical areas and theirconnections are already functional (3).An important related finding is that when infant animals of a variety of species are raised in enriched en-vironments that allow for a full range of sensory, motor, and social activity, in contrast to isolation in a cage,there is greater brain development (4). For example, animals raised in enriched environments show an in-crease of up to 10% in overall brain weight after 60 days, which represents increased glia, blood vessels,neuron soma size, dendritic elements, and synapses; the increase in synapses has been estimated as 20%in the cortex (5). Other studies also found that animals raised in enriched environments showed changesin brain chemistry that are associated with enhanced learning ability (increased cortical acetylcholinesterase)(6).These studies establish the principle that experience is related to brain development, and that specifictypes of experience are essential for proper and complete development of the brain.

Influence of Experience on Brain DevelopmentSelected Research Findings

Scientific Research Indicates thatCurrent Education Fails to Develop

the Full Potential of Brain Functioning

tor competencies, and rudimentary language skills.This corresponds to the period when the sensoryand motor areas of the brain have developed andthe language areas are maturing.Primary school education exercises language skillsand the nascent reasoning abilities of the child. Atthis time, language areas of the brain are com-pleting their development and cortical associa-tion areas involved in higher brain functioningare maturing.What kind of educational experience is most valu-able for students after the early grades? After age10, as noted previously, the main locus of brain mat-uration is the integrative systems of the brain.Therefore, the type of experience most crucial forunfolding the individual’s brain potential from mid-dle school through higher education should be thatwhich develops higher integration of brain func-tioning.Unfortunately, education has not included a sys-tematic means to directly promote integratedbrain functioning. Rather, from middle school on-wards, education primarily exercises the indi-vidual’s logical reasoning ability in relation tospecific bodies of knowledge.It is true that reasoning ability depends on thematuration of the brain’s integrative systems;however, limiting the educational experiences ofstudents only to the continued exercise of their rea-soning skills is not sufficient to further develop thebrain’s potential, and to unfold higher integra-tion of brain functioning. This is elaborated inthe following section.

Summary: Human brain development begins with the maturation of sensory and motor areas, and proceedsto the maturation of the cortical areas that integrate various areas of the brain.Sample findings: The cortical circuits that serve sensory functioning (e.g., the visual cortex) are establishedin humans by six to eighteen months of age. The development of areas outside of the visual cortex takesplace over an extended period of time. Cells in the frontal cortex, which is associated with higher brain func-tioning, undergo the majority of their growth after two years of age (7); the extent of the postnatal devel-opment of these cells is also substantial, growing to more than thirty times their dendritic length at birth.Similarly, Broca’s area (associated with speech) has a long period of dendritic development in which ma-ture forms emerge only after six to eight years (8).One index of brain maturation is myelination (development of a myelin sheath on the axons of neurons form-ing the brain’s white matter). In humans, the axons of primary sensory areas and motor areas of the cortex areamong the first to myelinate; axons of unimodal association areas myelinate next; and those of polymodal as-sociation areas of parietotemporal and prefrontal regions are last to myelinate, in adolescence and possibly later(9). The prefrontal cortex is the executive centre of global integrative control, and is a key area in develop-ment of higher states of consciousness through the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programme, asindicated by research in Part Two of this document.

Sequence of Human Brain DevelopmentSelected Research Findings

Brain Development in ChildhoodAs the human brain develops, the primary sensoryand motor areas are the first to mature, within thefirst one or two years of life. The areas associatedwith higher brain functioning mature over a longerperiod of time, through late childhood. The mat-uration of language areas is complete by age 8.After age 10 development continues primarilyin the integrative systems of the brain, whichconnect the various cortical areas. For example,among the last areas of the brain to mature, up toearly adulthood, is the prefrontal cortex, which isassociated with overall integrative control ofbody and mind. (Refer to insert Sequence of Hu-man Brain Development—Selected Research Find-ings.)The development of the brain in childhood is thefoundation for the growth of the child’s sensory,motor, and cognitive abilities. Education focuseson developing these abilities.

Educational Experiences Should PromoteBrain DevelopmentEven if educators do not attend to the process ofbrain development in childhood, they do selectlearning experiences that suit the state of sensory,motor, and cognitive development of school chil-dren. In so doing, they are in fact selecting ex-periences most suitable for the children’s currentstate of brain development.For example, preschool education and family in-teractions in the first years of a child’s life natu-rally stimulate the development of sensory and mo-

2. Education’s Failure to Promote Useof Full Brain Potential

Evidence that current education does not pro-mote full development of the brain is found in re-search on human cognitive development (which,as noted above, reflects brain development). Frominfancy to adolescence, during the period whenthe brain is rapidly maturing, there is concomitantgrowth in general intelligence, ego development,field independence, and other related cognitivevariables. However, after adolescence, when theinitial maturation of brain processes is largelycompleted, these cognitive abilities do not con-tinue to develop. (Refer to insert Development ofCognitive Abilities—Selected Research Findings.)This indicates that despite all efforts of secondaryand higher education, higher cognitive processes,and the corresponding higher potential of thebrain, are not being developed.Narrow Educational Experiences LimitBrain DevelopmentStagnation of development has been rationalized

as ‘adulthood’; it is assumed that with the end ofinitial physical maturation comes the end of fun-damental development of the brain and cognitiveprocesses. Accordingly, secondary and higher ed-ucation students apply their already developedintellectual skills to increasingly specialized bod-ies of knowledge. That is, education remains ‘in-tellect-predominant’; and as students advance intheir education, they focus on increasingly segre-gated or isolated areas of knowledge.As educational experience continues to be re-stricted to narrow channels, the adult brain infact continues to modify its functioning to ac-commodate to those specific narrow channels ofactivity. For example, when perceptual or motorskills are learned (e.g., playing the violin), theadult’s brain modifies its functioning: the cortexhas been found to reallocate the proportion of itsarea that is devoted to the sensory or motor inputsthat are most used. (Refer to insert Cortical Plas-ticity in Adulthood—Selected Research Findings.)Such modification of specific cortical connec-tions presumably occurs not only with the devel-

Summary: Research indicates that many aspects ofcognitive development that are closely related tobrain development do not continue to expand afterlate childhood, despite the efforts of current educa-tion. Examples are general intelligence, field inde-pendence, and ego development.Sample findings: Fundamental cognitive capabil-ities such as intelligence are closely associated witheffectiveness of brain functioning. For example, anaspect of general intelligence called ‘fluid intelli-gence’, which is the ability to reason abstractly andperceive complex relations independent of past ex-perience and education, is associated with the ex-ecutive control functions of the frontal lobes; thefrontal lobes are involved in managing attention inrelation to task requirements that are understoodand remembered (10,11).Fluid intelligence increases developmentally up toage 17 but not thereafter (12,13). Similarly, psy-chometric research indicates that a related measure,the intelligence quotient (IQ), does not increaseafter adolescence. In addition, previous attempts toincrease intellectual ability, particularly general in-telligence, have been generally disappointing and in-conclusive (14,15).Field independence is a measure of ‘psychologicaldifferentiation’, a developmental process underlying

the ability to utilize one’s internal frame of referencefor comprehension of the perceptual and social en-vironment (16); it enables one to maintain innerstability in a changing environment. Field inde-pendence is positively associated with intelligence,including fluid intelligence, and also positively cor-related with cognitive developmental measures suchas formal operational stage and moral reasoningstage (17,18). Field independence, like intelligence,increases developmentally up to about age 17, butdoes not increase after that time (19).Cognitive-structural theorists similarly propose thatcognitive development appears to terminate in astage of abstract reasoning ability that is generallyachieved by middle or late adolescence (20). Awidely used cognitive-structural measure of ego(self) development has also been found to showlittle evidence of change after age 18–20 (21,22).These findings indicate that secondary and higher ed-ucation have failed to systematically develop thehigher brain functioning that is associated with highercognitive development. This is in striking contrastwith the positive effects of Consciousness-Based Ed-ucation, which include greater integration of brainfunctioning, improvement in brain processes associ-ated with more effective cognitive functioning, and in-creased intelligence (please refer to Part Two).

Development of Cognitive AbilitiesSelected Research Findings

9

opment of expertise in a specific activity, but alsoin a specific area of knowledge.However, this modification of the brain’s func-tioning is not a systematic unfoldment of thebrain’s potential. If specific expertise is not use-ful beyond a narrow channel of activity, then thecorresponding specific cortical connections willalso fail to have a broader life-promoting value. Inpractical terms, this means that the skill gained inplaying the violin or in any academic disciplinedoes not lead to skill in all the other activities oflife—it does not develop life as a whole.Another type of research indicating that educa-tional experiences do not develop total brain func-tioning is the study of brain activity during men-tal operations. The conclusion of this research isthat specific cognitive processes and specific do-mains of knowledge are associated with activityin specific localized areas of the brain.For example, research indicates that the mental ac-tivities of reading words and of speaking thosewords each activate different and very specificcortical areas. Similar studies show that separateareas of the brain are activated by memory of dif-ferent categories such as tools, animals, and namesof people. These results are found by neuroimagingstudies that measure changes in blood flow (rep-resenting changes in neural activity) during cog-nitive tasks. (Refer to insert Brain Activation inSpecific Locations During Mental Processes—

Selected Research Findings.)Thus, the educational experiences of masteringspecific areas of knowledge or engaging in a va-riety of focused cognitive performances activateonly very specific areas of the brain rather than de-velop higher integration of brain functioning.

Consequences of Limited Brain DevelopmentThe ineffectiveness of education today, therefore,can be viewed as resulting from focusing thebrain’s activity only in narrow channels withoutalso developing holistic brain functioning, par-ticularly greater integration of brain functioning.The limitation of this approach, according to Maha-rishi’s Vedic Science, is that students are deprivedof the direct experience and understanding of thewholeness of knowledge and the wholeness oflife; Natural Law in its totality remains beyond therange of their direct comprehension. Without thislevel of comprehension, individuals fail to de-velop the ability of spontaneous right thinkingand action, abilities which Maharishi’s Vedic Sci-ence identifies as characteristic of fully developedbrain functioning.Evidence of the failure of education is every-where: under-achievement typifies the averageclassroom; most students do not wish to continueto higher levels of education; narrow thinking,stress, and antisocial behaviour are widespread ineducational environments and expressed in soci-

Summary: Research during the past two decades hasshown that the brain continues to modify its func-tioning based on experience—that accumulated ex-perience in adulthood changes the way the cortexrepresents sensory input.Sample findings: The sensory cortical areas for vi-sion, touch, and hearing represent their sensory re-ceptors on the surface of the body in a topographicmanner; there is a mapping between neighbouringcortical areas and neighbouring skin sites. Changesin cortical map organization occur as a result oftraining animals on tasks that produce specific, dif-ferential patterns of activity in identified sectors ofthe cortex (23–25). These changes in cortical maporganization resulting from experience are referredto as cortical map plasticity.Comparable studies in humans using magnetoen-cephalography (MEG) showed a larger area of cor-tical activity associated with the scalp projections of

the finger used for Braille reading, and a smaller areafor other fingers of Braille readers (26). This method-ology also showed larger somatosensory represen-tation of the digits of the left hand of string players,in comparison to other digits or to the comparabledigits of control subjects (27).

Synaptic plasticity (changes in synaptic strength ofneurons that fire together) has been studied for manyyears and is assumed to underlie the phenomenon ofcortical map plasticity (25).

These findings indicate that the brain’s functioningcontinues to accommodate itself based on one’sspecific experiences. An implication of this researchis that it is vitally important for students to gain ex-periences that promote overall integration and ef-fectiveness of brain functioning rather than beinglimited solely to isolated channels of skill or knowl-edge (please refer to Part Two).

Cortical Plasticity in AdulthoodSelected Research Findings

ety. (Refer to insert Brain Dysfunction Associatedwith Stress-Producing Behaviour—Selected Re-search Findings.) Students are not taught how toawaken their natural capacity to think compre-hensively, behave responsibly, and experiencebliss in gaining knowledge.Consciousness-Based Education offers a gratify-ing contrast to this unfortunate state of educationworldwide. As described in Part Two, this ap-proach gives every student the experience of un-bounded awareness, which enlivens the total po-

tential of brain functioning, and thereby culturesthe most complete expression of one’s creative in-telligence in daily life.

The implication of the findings cited in Part Oneis this: Prevailing educational systems, in whichstudents spend their crucial formative years innarrow boundaries of knowledge, without gainingholistic awareness in higher states of conscious-ness, must be judged as detrimental to the devel-opment of the total potential of the brain.

Summary: Studies using neuroimaging techniqueshave found that specific areas of knowledge andspecific mental processes of memory and languageare each associated with highly specific areas ofactivation in the brain.Sample findings: Functional neuroimaging studiesassess the metabolic or blood flow activity associ-ated with neural activity by using positron emissiontomography (PET) and functional magnetic reso-nance imaging (fMRI). These procedures producethree-dimensional images by using methods of com-puterized tomography. The PET procedure is basedon the measurement of the spatial distribution of aninjected radionucleotide that emits a positron, andfMRI is based on magnetic properties that depend onblood-oxygen level.Neuroimaging studies in humans reveal great speci-ficity in the cortical representation of long-termmemories. For example, separate loci of activation

are found in the left-temporal lobe during naming ofpeople, tools, and animals; this cortical specificity isfurther corroborated by category-specific memorydeficits that occur if there are lesions in those specificareas (28). Cortical specificity is also found in the dif-ferent ways that memories are processed, as indicatedby cortical activation in different medial-temporal re-gions when memories are encoding and when theyare retrieved (29).Asimilar specificity in terms of lan-guage processing has been found from PET studies,leading to a new understanding of language areas ofthe brain in terms of localized components of phono-logical input and output (30).This research indicates that the type of experiencescharacteristic of the usual educational practice—reading, speaking, studying and memorizing specificareas of knowledge, or learning specific skills—ac-tivate only isolated areas of the brain rather than pro-moting integrated functioning of the brain as a whole.

Brain Activation in Specific Locations During Mental ProcessesSelected Research Findings

Summary: Studies using the neuroimaging tech-nique of single photon emission computed tomog-raphy (SPECT) have revealed that that brain func-tioning can be impaired by stress-producingbehaviour to such an extent that ‘holes’ are evidentin the functional pattern of brain activity (31).Sample findings: SPECT analysis assesses the brainmetabolism associated with neural activity, similarto positron emission tomography (PET) describedearlier, but using a longer-lasting gamma-emittingtracer and less expensive equipment. SPECT pro-cedures also create three-dimensional images us-ing computerized tomography procedures.Computer generated SPECT images show activitylevels in the brain, not the actual brain itself. The ar-eas of very low brain activity or functional lesions ap-pear as functional ‘holes’ in the brain—parts of thebrain that are no longer functioning properly.In the ‘healthy’ or ‘normal’ brain (figure 1), the ac-tivity ‘shape’ looks nearly like the physical shape ofthe brain because most of the brain is active. Al-though the severest types of functional holes havebeen found for persons that expose themselves toharmful substances or habits (figures 2–4), notableholes can be seen even in the brains of so-called

healthy or normal people (figure 1). This suportsthe common understanding that average people arenot using their full brain potential.Much larger functional holes are seen in the SPECTimages of people who abuse alcohol (figure 2) ordrugs (figure 3).Very strong effects of functional lesions are seen inthe case of violent behaviour—SPECT images reveala dramatic image of major brain dysfunction in ag-gressive, violent individuals. Brain metabolism of ofa violent individual is strikingly reduced in many ar-eas (figure 4), expecially in the crucial prefrontal lobesthat normally provide executive control and thus aneffective filter against impulsive, aggressive, and vi-olent behaviour.This research demonstrates that the inability of thepresent educational systems to prevent self-damag-ing or violent behaviour in turn contributes to furtherdegradation of brain functioning and anti-social be-haviour. Moreover, this research, by indicating thatfunctional holes exist even in normal subjects, pointsto the need for every child to take advantage of a sys-tem of complete education that can develop the to-tal functioning of the brain.

Brain Dysfunction Associated with Stress-Producing BehaviourSelected Research Findings

Figure 1. Undersideof a ‘healthy’ brain

Figure 2.Alcohol abuse

Figure 3.Drug abuse

Figure 4.Violent subject

SPECT images courtesy of the Amen Clinic.http://www.amenclinics.com/brain-science/spect-image-gallery/

The Consciousness-Based educational ap-proach makes use of the Transcendental

Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programme to develophigher integration of brain functioning and asso-ciated higher cognitive capabilities, as the basis forincreasingly effective and rewarding thought andaction.Transcendental Meditation provides the experienceof wholeness of awareness, unbounded aware-ness, in Transcendental Consciousness. Physio-logical research has established TranscendentalConsciousness as a fourth major state of con-sciousness, a unique state of restful alertness dis-tinct from waking, dreaming, and deep sleep, andcharacterized by enhanced integration of brainfunctioning.This and other research summarized below indi-cate that the experience of Transcendental Con-sciousness is essential for the total developmentof brain functioning. Maharishi’s Vedic Sciencebrings to light that development of total brain po-tential is experienced as the development of higherstates of consciousness.This enlivening of total brain functioning, andthe corresponding actualization of mental poten-tial, are the crucial missing elements in educationtoday, and are provided by Consciousness-BasedEducation.

Overview of Part TwoThe research findings that directly pertain to in-creased integration and effectiveness of brainfunctioning can be summarized in four categories:

Measured during the practice of Transcenden-tal Meditation:1. Greater integration of all cortical areas dur-ing the practice of Transcendental Medita-tion—measured by greater use of the latent re-serves of the brain; increased synchrony andcoherence of electroencephalographic activity atdiverse frequencies and cortical areas; and in-creased cerebral blood flow widely throughoutthe cortex.

Measured Outside the Practice of Transcen-dental Meditation:

PART TWO

Scientific Research Verifies thatConsciousness-Based Education

Promotes Development Towards theFull Potential of Brain Functioning

2. Greater integration of diverse styles of brainfunctioning—as measured by greater activationof each brain hemisphere; and by the unique in-tegration of EEG associated with the experienceof higher states of consciousness.

3. Greater integration and efficiency of brainfunctioning underlying cognitive processes—asmeasured by faster brain processing of cognitiveand sensory stimuli; and by development of cog-nitive abilities that are associated with more in-tegrated brain functioning, including increasedintelligence, field independence, and ego devel-opment, all of which were previously thought tostop developing after the initial maturation of thebrain in late childhood.

4. Greater integration and effectiveness in thetotal functioning of the brain, peripheral ner-vous system, and neuroendocrine processes—measured by more adaptive responses to stress bythe autonomic nervous system and the endocrinesystem; and by reversal of the detrimental effectsof the ageing process, shown in a wide variety ofphysiological, cognitive, and behavioural variables.Findings in each of these four categories are de-scribed below in Sections 1 to 4.

1.Greater Integration of All

Cortical Areas DuringTranscendental Meditation

(1) Use of the hidden reserves of the brainProfessor N. N. Lyubimov of the Moscow BrainResearch Institute of the Russian Academy ofMedical Sciences found that during Transcen-dental Meditation, when a light somatosensorystimulus was given to the skin, then the earlycomponents (less than 100 milliseconds) of the so-matosensory evoked potentials of the brain, whichare associated with sensory input, are more widelydistributed in the brain structures—both in thebrain hemisphere where the response usually oc-curs, as well as in the opposite hemisphere. (Pleaserefer to Figure 5.)

This finding indicates that during TranscendentalMeditation ‘there is an increase in the area of thecortex taking part in the perception of specific in-formation and an increase in the functional rela-tionship between the two hemispheres’ (32).

(2) Greater synchrony of brain functioning,measured at a full range of EEG frequenciesof wakefulness and in all cortical areasSynchrony of electroencephalographic (EEG) ac-tivity reflects integrated functioning of largegroups of neurons. EEG studies have found thatduring the practice of Transcendental Medita-tion, EEG activity is highly synchronized overalmost all cortical areas; this synchrony was mea-sured at all the categories of EEG frequenciesassociated with wakeful awareness (theta, alpha,and beta).At alpha frequencies (8–14 cycles per second) astable alpha rhythm often spreads to the wholecortical surface; at theta frequencies (4–7 cps)occasional hypersynchronous theta bursts arefound over all cortical areas, as well as rhythmictheta trains; and at beta frequencies (15–50 cps)generalized fast frequencies occur with a domi-nant beta rhythm of about 20 cps, as well assmaller amplitude at 40 cps (33,34). Synchro-nous EEG activity at all these frequencies and cor-tical areas reflects a global integration of brainfunctioning.

In addition, individuals practising Transcenden-tal Meditation showed increased alpha phase syn-chrony (reduced millisecond phase lag) betweenfrontal and occipital-parietal areas in contrast toresting with eyes closed, while control subjectsshowed no change over the same period (35).This finding also indicates increased functional in-tegration of the brain that may be fundamental tohigher-order cognitive processes, as evidencedby the fact that decreased alpha brain synchronyassociated with brain pathology is correlated withdeclines in cognitive functioning (35).

(3) Increased EEG coherence at allfrequencies and all cortical areas duringTranscendental ConsciousnessEEG coherence measures the relationship betweenthe EEG activity at two different locations on thescalp; it quantifies the consistency of phase rela-tionship of the two EEG signals at a given fre-quency. Higher EEG coherence thus indicatesgreater integration of brain functioning in themeasured areas.

Research has found that during the practice ofTranscendental Meditation, periods of time iden-tified by respiratory changes as periods of Tran-scendental Consciousness displayed a significantincrease in EEG coherence, averaged over all themeasured frequencies (1–50 cps) and cortical lo-cations (nine pairs of electrodes) (36). (Please re-fer Figure 6.)

This finding indicates that during Transcendental

FIGURE 5. During the Transcendental Medita-tion Programme, early (sensory) components of thebrain’s response to somatosensory stimuli aremore widely distributed across the cortex, indi-cating greater participation of the whole brain inthe response to stimuli. Reference: Human Physi-ology 25: 171–180, 1999.

Increased Use ofHidden Brain Reserves

THROUGH TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION

Top View ofHead

BeforeTranscendental Meditation

DuringTranscendental Meditation

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0

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.015

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.005

0

-.005

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TranscendentalConsciousness

ControlPeriods

Increased EEG Coherence DuringTranscendental Consciousness

THROUGH TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION

FIGURE 6. This study found that many experi-ences of Transcendental Consciousness were as-sociated with periods of natural respiratory sus-pension; and that during these respiratorysuspension periods, individuals displayed highermean EEG coherence over all frequencies andbrain areas, in contrast to control periods wheresubjects voluntarily held their breath. Reference:Psychosomatic Medicine 46: 267–276, 1984.

Consciousness there is increased integration ofbrain functioning, as reflected in the full range ofEEG frequencies and cortical areas measured.

(4) Maximum coherence of brainfunctioning during the TranscendentalMeditation Sidhi Programme and Yogic FlyingEEG coherence over all measured scalp areas andover a broad band of frequencies (4.7–17.9 cps) in-creased significantly immediately before the bodylifted off the ground in TM-Sidhi Yogic Flying (37),to a degree even greater than found during the ex-perience of Transcendental Consciousness dur-ing Transcendental Meditation (36). (Please referto Figure 7.) This finding indicates that stabiliza-tion of Transcendental Consciousness in activitythrough the TM-Sidhi Programme further enlivensoverall coherence of brain functioning.

(5) Increased cerebral blood flowResearch reviewed in Part One has shown that dur-ing specific cognitive processes such as reading,speaking, and memory encoding or retrieval, bloodflow increases only in very isolated parts of the cor-tex (29,30). However, research on Transcenden-tal Meditation has found that during this practicethere is increased cerebral blood flow in bothfrontal and occipital parts of the cortex (38), re-flecting an integrated state of cortical activity ex-tending over large areas of the brain. (Please re-fer to Figure 8.) This finding of increased cerebralblood flow also indicates a state of inner alertnessduring Transcendental Meditation, because incontrast, during light sleep, there is a decrease inrelative cerebral blood flow.

FIGURE 7. This chart compares the effect size of in-creased broadband EEG coherence across all mea-sured scalp locations in two conditions: (1) during pe-riods of respiratory suspension, which were oftenassociated with the experience of TranscendentalConsciousness, and (2) during Yogic Flying. In the caseof Transcendental Consciousness (first reference),the effect size was calculated from the t-test on thechange in EEG coherence from the time period im-mediately before the respiratory suspension; duringa control condition of voluntary breath holding therewas no corresponding change. In the case of Yogic Fly-ing (second reference), the effect size was calculatedfrom means and average standard deviations of theEEG coherence in the 2.12 second period immediatelybefore liftoff of Yogic Flying, in contrast to voluntaryjumping among controls.References: Psychosomatic Medicine 46: 267–276, 1984;International Journal of Neuroscience 54: 1–12, 1990.

Mea

nch

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cipita

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p < .002

0%

3%

6%

9%

12%

TranscendentalMeditation

Controls

Increased Cerebral Blood FlowTHROUGH TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION

FIGURE 8. Individuals who practise the Tran-scendental Meditation Technique displayed sig-nificantly increased cerebral blood flow duringthe practice, in contrast to controls sitting with eyesclosed. Increased blood flow was found widelythroughout the brain during the practice of Tran-scendental Meditation, both in the occipital (back)area of the brain, charted above, and also in thefrontal area of the brain. Reference: Physiology &Behavior 59: 399–402, 1996.

This finding also contrasts to the long-term effectsof the ageing process; cerebral blood flow usuallydecreases with ageing (39).All the findings described above—greater use ofthe hidden or latent reserves of the brain, increasedsynchrony and coherence of electroencephalo-graphic activity at diverse frequencies and corti-cal locations, and increased cerebral blood flowwidely throughout the cortex—all reflect greaterintegration of brain functioning during Transcen-dental Meditation.

2.Greater Integration of

Diverse Styles of Brain Functioning

(1) Greater lateralization of brain activity—Greater activation of each brain hemisphereTasks that require analytic cognitive skills (ver-bal and mathematical tasks) involve greater ac-tivity of the left hemisphere of the brain; tasksthat require spatial ability involve greater activ-ity of the right hemisphere of the brain. Electro-encephalographic research shows that those whopractise Transcendental Meditation display, out-side of the meditation period, greater lateraliza-tion (hemisphere-appropriate activation) of brainfunctioning suitable to the given task. When per-forming analytic tasks, participants in Maha-rishi’s Transcendental Meditation Programmeshow a greater ratio of activation of the left hemi-sphere than controls; and for spatial tasks, theyshow a greater ratio of activation of the righthemisphere (40). (Please refer to FIgure 9.)These findings indicate more flexible functioningof the whole cortex, in which diverse cortical areasare more capable of active involvement, as re-quired by the task.

(2) Integration of diverse styles of brainfunctioning associated with experience ofhigher states of consciousness

Left Hemisphere—Analytic Tasks

Late

raliz

atio

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dex 24

16

8

0

Right Hemisphere—Spatial Tasks

p < .02

TranscendentalMeditation

TranscendentalMeditation

Controls Controls

T

Greater Involvement ofEach Hemisphere of the Brain

in Cognitive FunctioningTHROUGH TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION

FIGURE 9. Participants in the TranscendentalMeditation Programme showed greater activa-tion of the appropriate hemisphere of the brain(lateralization) for both analytic tasks (left hemi-sphere) and for spatial tasks (right hemisphere).This means that among those who practise Tran-scendental Meditation both hemispheres of thebrain respond more flexibly and dynamically totasks, as needed. Reference: Psychophysiology 14:293–296, 1977.

p < .0001

Late

ncy

ofP3

00br

ain

resp

onse

(ms)

500

600

700

400

TranscendentalMeditation

Controls0

More EffectiveInformation Processing

Shorter Latency of Brain Responses

THROUGH TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION

FIGURE 10. Elderly individuals who practiseMaharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Pro-gramme, in comparison to controls of the same age,showed shorter latency of brain response (fasterresponse) in the cognitive processing of visual in-formation. This faster response of the brain con-trasts with the usual decline associated with age-ing, and is an indicator of greater integration ofbrain functioning among those who practise Tran-scendental Meditation. Reference: Psychophysiol-ogy 26: S29 (Abstract), 1989.

A characteristic of higher states of consciousnessdeveloped through Maharishi’s TranscendentalMeditation and TM-Sidhi Programme is the ex-perience of Transcendental Consciousness main-tained outside of the meditation period, includingduring deep sleep.Individuals reporting the experience of Tran-scendental Consciousness during night sleep dis-played EEG activity in theta/alpha frequencies,which is associated with restful alertness, togetherwith delta frequency EEG activity, which is char-acteristic of deep sleep (41). This finding indicatesa profound natural integration of diverse styles ofbrain functioning.

3.Greater Integration and Efficiencyof Brain Functioning Underlying

Cognitive Processes

(1) Faster response of the brain (shorterlatency) in cognitive processing of stimuliCognitive processing involves a sequence of re-sponses in a variety of neural structures; fasterprocessing thus reflects more integrated and effi-cient brain functioning. Those who practise Tran-scendental Meditation show faster response (shorter

latency) of brain evoked potentials in the cognitiveprocessing of stimuli (P300 response) (42–45).(Please refer to Figure 10.) This finding contrastswith what usually occurs due to the ageing process:The brain typically responds more slowly in pro-cessing stimuli, as measured by longer latency ofbrain evoked potentials (46).

(2) Faster response of the brain (shorterlatency) in sensory processing of stimuliIndividuals who practise Transcendental Medi-tation also show faster response of the brain evokedpotentials that are associated with sensory per-ception of stimuli (47). Again, faster processing re-flects more integrated brain functioning.(3) Greater efficiency of preparatory brain re-sponsesIndividuals reporting greater frequency and alsostable experience of Transcendental Consciousnessduring daily activity and during night sleep werefound to have a more efficient style of brain re-sponses in preparation for response to a stimulus(48,49). That is, in simple reaction time tasks, inwhich the response is set but only requires a stim-ulus to activate the response, these subjects hadgreater preparatory responses prior to the stimu-lus. In contrast, in choice reaction time tasks, inwhich the response cannot be determined until thestimulus occurs, these subjects had lower prepara-tory responses prior to the stimulus. These find-

r = .71 r = .50

r = .60 R = .63

r = .43 r = .31

AcademicPerformance

TranscendentalConsciousness

NeurologicalEfficiency

Creativity ConceptLearning

MoralReasoning,

IQ, DecreasedNeuroticism

EEGCoherence

Integration of Brain FunctioningTHROUGH TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION

FIGURE 11. Higher levels of EEG coherence mea-sured during Transcendental Meditation are sig-nificantly correlated with higher creativity, greaterefficiency in learning new concepts, more princi-pled moral reasoning, higher verbal IQ, less neu-roticism, higher academic achievement, clearerexperiences of Transcendental Consciousness, andgreater neurological efficiency (faster spinal reflexrecovery). References: International Journal of Neu-roscience 13: 211–217, 1981; 15: 151–157, 1981;Scientific Research on Maharishi’s TranscendentalMeditation and TM-Sidhi Programme: Collected Pa-pers, Volume 1: 208–212, 1977; Volume 4: 2245–2266, 1989.

ings indicate greater efficiency of response, inwhich activation is not evident before it is neces-sary, and in which activation is greater when it isrequired.This same style of functioning of preparatorybrain reponses was found to develop longitudinallyover a 10-week period among those instructed inthe Transcendental Meditation Technique, in con-trast to control subjects who did not learn thepractice (50).(4) Brain Integration Scale associated withstabilized Transcendental Consciousness anddeveloping longitudinallyA Brain Integration Scale was successful in dis-tinguishing the brain functioning during task per-formance of subjects reporting higher frequencyof, or stabilized experience of, TranscendentalConsciousness; this scale consisted of broadbandfrontal EEG coherence (alpha, beta, and gammafrequencies), higher alpha/beta absolute powerratios, and more efficient brain preparatory re-sponses (as outlined in the previous finding above)(48,49). Longitudial research also confirmed in-creases in this brain integration scale among in-dividuals who learned Transcendental Medita-tion, in contrast to controls (50).

(5) Greater integration of brain functioningcorrelated with improved cognitive abilitiesMany cognitive abilities that improve with regu-lar practice of the Transcendental Meditation Pro-gramme—creativity, concept learning ability, in-telligence, moral reasoning—are positivelycorrelated with higher levels of EEG coherence,particularly in frontal cortical areas (51–53). (Pleaserefer to Figure 11.) As noted previously, increasedEEG coherence, including coherence in frontal ar-eas, is found during practice of the Transcenden-tal Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programme.

(6) Continued improvement of mentalabilities that usually stop developing inlate childhoodIndividuals who learn the Transcendental Medi-tation and TM-Sidhi Programme, in contrast tocontrols, show continuing development of cogni-tive abilities that usually stop growing in latechildhood, including fluid intelligence (54–56), egodevelopment (57), and field independence (56,58).(Please refer to Figures 12–14.) As noted in PartOne of this document, these measures are relatedto one another; one of them, fluid intelligence, hasbeen found to be associated with the higher con-trol functions of the frontal lobes (please refer to

Development of Cognitive Abilities—Selected Re-search Findings). It is likely that this unprece-dented development of global cognitive abilitiesafter childhood, which is promoted by the practiceof Transcendental Meditation, is the expression ofgreater integration and effectiveness of brain func-tioning.

The findings in this section thus indicate greaterintegration and effectiveness of the brain pro-cesses that underlie cognitive functions; and cor-respondingly, a unique improvement in cognitiveabilities.

4.Greater Integration and Effectivenessin the Total Functioning of the Brain,

Peripheral Nervous System, andNeuroendocrine Processes

Higher integration of brain functioning is naturallyassociated with more integrated functioning ofthe physiology as a whole. Among the aspects ofthe nervous system that are most intimately con-nected with brain functioning are the peripheralnervous system, including the autonomic nervoussystem; and endocrine processes, which are underdirect influence of the brain through the hypo-thalamus. Integration in the total functioning ofbrain, peripheral nervous system, and neuren-docrine processes has been found to developthrough the practice of the Transcendental Medi-tation Programme, as indicated by the followingsample research findings.

(1) Faster recovery of the autonomicnervous system from stressIndividuals practising the Transcendental Medi-tation Programme, in contrast to controls, showmore rapid recovery of the autonomic nervoussystem from stress, as measured by habituation ofskin resistance responses (59). The Transcenden-tal Meditation participants also showed a more sta-ble physiological response to the stressful stimu-lus (fewer multiple responses), and had fewerspontaneous skin resistance responses (indepen-dent of the stressful stimulus) than control subjects,

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)

121

116

1985

p < .0001 TranscendentalMeditation

Controls

1987

Development of IntelligenceIncreased IQ in University Students

THROUGH TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION

FIGURE 12. University students who were prac-tising the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programme increased significantly on in-telligence during their education in contrast tostudents at a control university. This measure offluid intelligence is related to the functioning of thefrontal cortex, and thus reflects more effectivebrain functioning. Reference: Personality and In-dividual Differences 12: 1105–1116, 1991.

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40%

30%

20%

10%

0

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TranscendentalMeditation

Controls

Increased Field IndependenceBroader Comprehension and

Greater Ability to FocusTHROUGH TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION

FIGURE 14. Individuals randomly assigned tolearn the Transcendental Meditation Programmedisplayed a significant increase, in comparison tocontrols, on measures of field independence, in-dicating broader comprehension with increasingability to focus. Field independence was previ-ously found to stop developing after about age 17.Reference: Perceptual and Motor Skills 39:1031–1034, 1974.

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Increased Self-DevelopmentTHROUGH TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION

FIGURE 13. University students practising theTranscendental Meditation Programme increasedsignificantly on self-development (ego develop-ment) in a longitudinal study after graduation, incontrast to control students who were not partici-pating in this programme. The TranscendentalMeditation participants showed, as a group, growthto uniquely high levels of development. Reference:Journal of Social Behavior and Personality 17:93–121, 2005.

Reversal of AgeingTHROUGH TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION

indicating more stable as well as more flexiblefunctioning of the autonomic nervous system.

(2) More adaptive neuroendocrine responseto stressIndividuals who learned the Transcendental Medi-tation Programme, in contrast to controls, showedafter four months a more adaptive response to

stress as measured by the following variables:decreased baseline cortisol and decreased overallcortisol during stress session; enhanced cortisol re-sponse during a stressful challenge, with rapidreturn to baseline; and decreased plasma sero-tonin during a baseline period and in response tostress (60). Low baseline cortisol and enhancedcortisol response to stress have been found by

FIGURE 15. Each of the factors listed above gener-ally deteriorate due to ageing. The opposite changeon each factor—indicating a reversal of the ageingprocess—has been measured in research studies on

the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Pro-gramme. Reference: Scientific Research on Maha-rishi’s Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Pro-gramme: Collected Papers, Volumes 1–6.

Throughthe TM

ProgrammeThroughAgeing

Throughthe TM

ProgrammeThroughAgeingPHYSIOLOGY

Blood pressure—systolic !! ""Blood pressure—diastolic !! ""Cardiovascular efficiency "" !!Cerebral blood flow "" !!Vital capacity "" !!Temperature homeostasis "" !!EEG alpha power "" !!Visual evoked potentials—P300 latency !! ""Reflex latency !! ""(monosynaptic reflex)Reflex recovery time (paired H-reflex) !! ""Muscle contraction time !! ""(fast and mixed muscles)Neuromuscular coordination "" !!Insomnia (time to fall asleep) !! ""Sleep disturbance !! ""(awakenings per night)Daytime sleep !! ""Susceptibility to stress !! ""Periodontal health "" !!Erythrocyte sedimentation rate !! ""BIOCHEMISTRYSerum cholesterol !! ""Serum DHEAS "" !!(dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate)

Efficiency of endocrine control "" !!(pituitary-thyroid axis)

Glucose tolerance "" !!

PERCEPTION AND MIND-BODY COORDINATIONVisual acuity "" !!Auditory threshold !! ""Dichotic listening "" !!Field independence "" !!Perceptual flexibility "" !!Behavioural rigidity !! ""Perceptual-motor performance "" !!Reaction time—simple !! ""Reaction time—choice !! ""Complex sensory-motor performance "" !!PSYCHOLOGYFluid intelligence "" !!Creativity "" !!Learning ability "" !!(paired associate learning)

Memory—verbal "" !!Memory—visual "" !!Organization of memory "" !!Cognitive flexibility "" !!Depression !! ""Self-evaluation of health and well-being "" !!REQUIREMENTSFOR MEDICAL CAREPatient days in hospital !! ""(medical and surgical)

Outpatient visits (medical and surgical) !! ""Health care costs !! ""

FIGURE 16. This study followed the mortalitypattern up to 19 years after adults with high bloodpressure learned the Transcendental MeditationTechnique or participated in control interven-tions. The results showed a 23% decrease in mor-tality due to all causes, and a 30% decrease in therate of cardiovascular mortality, among those wholearned the Transcendental Meditation Technique,in comparison to controls. Reference: AmericanJournal of Cardiology 95: 1060–1064, 2005.

previous research to be a more stable and adaptivephysiological profile; low plasma serotonin indi-cates decreased stress and decreased risk of highblood pressure. These results signify more adap-tive and efficient response of neuroendocrine pro -cesses to stress.

(3) Improvement in physiological,cognitive, and behavioural abilities that usually decline with ageingDecline in cognitive functioning with ageing is as-sumed to be associated with neuronal loss (5). Research has shown, however, that Transcenden-tal Meditation improves many physiological, cog-nitive, and behavioural variables that usually de-cline with ageing. These include changes in thefollowing variables most closely related to brainfunctioning: increased cerebral blood flow (38), in-creased EEG alpha power (33,34), faster response(shorter latency) of P300 evoked brain potentials(42–45), increased learning ability and improvedmemory (61), increased creativity (62), increasedintelligence (54–56), faster reaction time (54), in-creased field independence (56,58), and increasedbehavioural flexibility (61). These developments, opposite in direction from theageing process, suggest continued brain develop-ment and increased integration of cortical func-tioning in adulthood through the experience ofTranscendental Meditation. In addition, a wide range of other developmentsopposite in direction to the ageing process occurthrough regular practice of Transcendental Medi-tation, including decreased susceptibility to stress(59), reduction of high blood pressure (63–65), re-duced cardiovascular disease (66), increased serumDHEA-S (dehydroepi androsterone sulfate, anadrenal hormone related to good health in the el-derly) (67), increased efficiency of endocrine con-trol (60), and reduced depression (68,69). (Pleaserefer to Figure 15.) These results indicate greater integration and ef-fectiveness in the total functioning of the brainand related physiological processes; that is, greaterintegration and effectiveness in the interrelationshipamong the cerebral cortex, the subcortical structuresof the brain, the autonomic nervous system, and neu-roendocrine processes.

(4) Reversal of previous decline inphysiological, cognitive, and behaviouralabilities among the elderlyResearch also shows that previous losses in abil-ity due to ageing can also be reversed. Individualsin homes for the elderly who learned the Tran-

scendental Meditation Programme (average age 81years) showed improved learning ability, increasedcognitive flexibility, increased behavioural flexi-bility, reduced systolic blood pressure, improvedmental health, and increased longevity, in contrastto those assigned to various control groups (61,70). (Please refer to Figure 16.) These results sug-gest that previous age-related decline in brain func-tioning, or reduction in the integration and balanceof cortical, subcortical, and peripheral structures,can be reversed through the practice of Transcen-dental Meditation.The broad array of findings in this section thusdemonstrate improvement in the total functioningof brain, peripheral nervous system, and neuren-docrine processes through the Transcendental Medi-tation Programme.

Summary and Conclusion

The neurological and neuro cognitive researchreviewed in Part One of this document indi-

cates that the prevailing systems of education arefailing to develop the full brain potential of everystudent; as a result education everywhere is unableto realize its highest goals.Research shows that experience directly shapes thedevelopment and modification of brain function-ing. Research also suggests that the type of ex-perience most valuable for brain developmentafter childhood is greater integration of brainfunctioning, which is not systematically providedby education. Many aspects of cognitive functioning have theirbasis in the growth of higher, or more integrated,brain functioning. Despite the efforts of educatorsapplying a variety of teaching and curriculum ap-proaches, these cognitive abilities have been foundto stop developing after adolescence. This lack ofcontinued growth of cognitive abilities is com-pelling evidence that education fails to continueunfolding the full brain potential of each student. Research also shows that the brain continues toadapt its functioning to specific channels of learn-ing and behaviour. The cognitive activities typi-cally exercised in education (reading, speaking,memorizing and recall), as well as specific cate-gories of knowledge, activate highly specific ar-eas of the brain, rather than promote more holis-tic or integrated brain functioning.The conclusion from the research reviewed inPart One is that the segmented approach to know-ledge that characterizes education today restrictsthe awareness and brain functioning to narrowchannels of activity. Restricted awareness leads toproblems, mistakes, and the inability to evaluatethe environment and act in a way that consist entlyfavours progress and happiness. The research reviewed in Part Two summarizesfindings in neuroscience, physiology, and psy-chology that verify the development of higher in-tegration of brain functioning, and correspond-ingly, the progressive unfoldment of mentalpotential, through the technologies of Con-sciousness-Based Education, the TranscendentalMeditation and TM-Sidhi Programme.Research shows greater integration of all corticalareas during the practice of these Technologies ofConsciousness, as measured by synchrony andcoherence of EEG activity at diverse frequencies,by greater use of the latent reserves of the brain,

and by increased cerebral blood flow through outlarge areas of the cortex. Participants in the Transcendental Meditation andTM-Sidhi Programme also show, outside the prac-tice, an integration of different styles of brainfunctioning, including greater activation of eachbrain hemisphere; and a unique integration ofEEG, associated with the experience of higherstates of consciousness. They also display greaterefficiency and integration of brain functioning atthe basis of cognitive processes, as measured byfaster brain processing of cognitive and sensorystimuli; and by development of cognitive abilitiesthat are associated with more integrated brainfunctioning—abilities previously found to stopdeveloping in adolescence, after the initial matu-ration of the brain. These findings show that thedevelopment of brain potential and of mental po-tential are simultaneous through the practice ofTechnologies of Consciousness.The research on the Transcendental Meditation andTM-Sidhi Programme also indicates greater inte-gration and effectiveness in the total functioningof the brain, the peripheral nervous system, andneuroendocrine processes. This is evident frommore adaptive responses to stress by the auto-nomic nervous system and the endocrine system;as well as by reversal of the detrimental effects ofthe ageing process, as measured in a broad spec-trum of physiological, cognitive, and behaviouralvariables.The conclusion of this research, supported by morethan 600 research studies on the TranscendentalMeditation and TM-Sidhi Programme and 40 yearsof educational experience, is that it is now possi-ble to develop brain functioning in its totality, forthe enrichment of all aspects of life—mental po-tential, health, behaviour, and the society as awhole. (Please refer to Scientific Research onMaharishi’s Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programme: Collected Papers, Volumes 1–7.)Educators who are sincere in their desire to do themost for their students and to eliminate the weak-nesses of education will avail themselves of thisknowledge and offer Consciousness-Based coursesthrough their educational systems. The result willbe generations of students who are enliveningtheir total brain functioning, on the ba sis of whichthey will lead increasingly problem-free, pro-ductive, and fulfilling lives, directly con tri butingto progress in every area of national life.

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