Cyclic meditation (CM) is a moving meditation technique that combines physical postures with relaxation procedures, derived from an ancient Indian Upanishad. Scientific studies report that practicing CM produces various physiological and mental health benefits, including effects on psychophysiological states. The practice involves a sequence of postures such as isometric muscle contraction, supine rest, standing at ease, bending movements, and backward bending, with emphasis on relaxation and awareness throughout.
Meditative focusing increased sympathetic arousal, as shown by higher low-frequency heart rate variability (HRV), lower high-frequency HRV, and a faster average heart rate. Defocused meditation decreased average heart rate. Both forms of meditation improved attention, measured by increased P300 brain-wave amplitude; defocused meditation also reduced P300 latency, meaning participants responded faster to an auditory oddball task. The findings indicate that meditation's effects on attention and sympathetic activity depend on the type of meditation practiced.
Meditation, as described in traditional yoga texts, progresses through three sequential stages: focused attention, focused attention on the object of meditation, and one-pointed focused attention without effort. Using fMRI, brain activity was compared across these stages and a random thinking control state in twenty-six meditators. Only experienced meditators (averaging 6048 hours of practice) showed significant activation in the right middle temporal cortex, right inferior frontal cortex, and left lateral orbital gyrus during the third, effortless stage. These brain areas are linked to sustained attention, memory, semantic cognition, creativity, and mental detachment.