Transcendental Meditation (TM) has positive and significant documentable effects on neurochemistry, neurophysiology, and cognitive-behavioral aspects. Key effects include reduced anxiety and stress, linked to lower cortisol and norepinephrine levels; increased feelings of pleasure and well-being, linked to greater synthesis and release of dopamine and serotonin; and influence on memory recall and possible consolidation. The review examined 21 papers from PubMed, concluding that TM can serve as a model for research on spiritual meditation. Further studies with innovative designs are needed to analyze neural circuitry and clinical impact.
Spiritual and religious experiences (SREs) are common subjective phenomena involving awareness of transcendence that can change how people view life, death, and suffering. In an online survey of 1,053 Brazilians from all regions, 92% reported at least one SRE in their lifetime, and 47.5% had one frequently. Mystical experiences were reported by 35%, psi-related experiences by 27.7%, and mediumistic experiences by 11%. Half the sample had felt the presence of a dead person, and 70% experienced precognitive dreams at least once. SREs were more common among women but showed no link to income, education, employment, or ethnicity. Mystical experiences were more common in people aged 55 and older. The findings suggest SREs are very prevalent across different population segments and deserve more attention from researchers and clinicians in Brazil.