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Silent illumination: a study on Chan (Zen) meditation, anxiety, and musical performance quality

Peter Lin, Joanne C Chang, Vance Zemon, Elizabeth Midlarsky

Psychology of Music October 10, 2007 DOI: 10.1177/0305735607080840 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed
Sample size 19
Population Music conservatory students
Intervention Chan (Zen) meditation
Duration 8-week intervention
Topics Anxiety Buddhism Meditation
Citations 94
Key findings Chan meditation practice was associated with a positive linear relationship between performance anxiety and performance quality, whereas the control group showed a negative relationship.

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of Chan (Zen) meditation on musical performance anxiety and musical performance quality. Nineteen participants were recruited from music conservatories and randomly assigned to either an eight-week meditation group or a wait-list control group. After the intervention, all participants performed in a public concert. Outcome measures were performance anxiety and musical performance quality. Meditation practiced over a short term did not significantly improve musical performance quality. The control group demonstrated a significant decrease in performance quality with increases in performance anxiety. The meditation group demonstrated the opposite effect — a positive linear relation between performance quality and performance anxiety. This finding indicates that enhanced concentration and mindfulness (silent illumination), cultivated by Chan practice, might enable one to channel performance anxiety to improve musical performance.

In the evidence

This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.

  • State of the evidence: Buddhism Mixed

    Chan meditation did not significantly improve musical performance quality, but the meditation group showed a positive linear relationship between performance anxiety and performance quality, opposite to the control group.

    Synthesized

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on buddhism, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Physiological and subjective effects of Zen meditation and demand characteristics. Male undergraduate volunteers 1977 Randomized controlled trial n = 40
Protocol for a cluster-randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression, implemented in Vietnamese Buddhist pagoda. Adults with depression recruited from Buddhist pagodas around Hanoi, Vietnam 2025 Cluster-randomized clinical trial n = 160
Randomized Controlled Trial of the Tibetan Buddhist Feeding Your Demons Contemplative Process in Meditation Practitioners Meditation practitioners with moderate depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms (70%... 2023 Randomized controlled trial n = 61
Mixed-methods analysis on psychedelic-augmented meditation experiences from a randomized controlled mindfulness retreat Experienced meditators 2026 Randomized controlled trial
Brief mindfulness meditation based on Buddhist Anapanasati regulates stress response in young Chinese males. Young Chinese men aged 20-30 2026 Randomized controlled trial n = 85

Citations in the library

Cited by 20

and 15 more in the library

Cites 14

and 9 more in the library

Related reading

Explore topics

Anxiety Buddhism Meditation