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Neurocognitive and somatic components of temperature increases during g-tummo meditation: legend and reality.

Maria Kozhevnikov, James Elliott, Jennifer Shephard, Klaus Gramann

PLoS One March 29, 2013 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058244 (opens in new tab)

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Characteristics Observational study Peer reviewed
Population Expert g-tummo meditators in remote monasteries of eastern Tibet and Western non-meditator controls
Intervention vase breathing
Measures axillary temperature, electroencephalographic (EEG) activity
Topics Meditation
Keywords Humans Cognition Thermogenesis Religious philosophies Adult Middle aged Tibet Female Cold temperature
Key findings Meditators showed reliable axillary temperature increases up to 38.3°C only during Forceful Breath g-tummo meditation, accompanied by increased alpha, beta, and gamma power, with temperature increases significantly correlating with alpha power increases. The authors propose that a somatic component causes thermogenesis while a neurocognitive component (meditative visualization) sustains the temperature increase; without visualization, both meditators and non-meditators achieved only limited increases within the normal range.

Abstract

Stories of g-tummo meditators mysteriously able to dry wet sheets wrapped around their naked bodies during a frigid Himalayan ceremony have intrigued scholars and laypersons alike for a century. Study 1 was conducted in remote monasteries of eastern Tibet with expert meditators performing g-tummo practices while their axillary temperature and electroencephalographic (EEG) activity were measured. Study 2 was conducted with Western participants (a non-meditator control group) instructed to use the somatic component of the g-tummo practice (vase breathing) without utilization of meditative visualization. Reliable increases in axillary temperature from normal to slight or moderate fever zone (up to 38.3°C) were observed among meditators only during the Forceful Breath type of g-tummo meditation accompanied by increases in alpha, beta, and gamma power. The magnitude of the temperature increases significantly correlated with the increases in alpha power during Forceful Breath meditation. The findings indicate that there are two factors affecting temperature increase. The first is the somatic component which causes thermogenesis, while the second is the neurocognitive component (meditative visualization) that aids in sustaining temperature increases for longer periods. Without meditative visualization, both meditators and non-meditators were capable of using the Forceful Breath vase breathing only for a limited time, resulting in limited temperature increases in the range of normal body temperature. Overall, the results suggest that specific aspects of the g-tummo technique might help non-meditators learn how to regulate their body temperature, which has implications for improving health and regulating cognitive performance.

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Study Year Design Participants
Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students 2006 Observational cohort
Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia 1992 Observational cohort n = 22
Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls 2005 Observational cohort n = 20
Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls 2011 Observational cohort
Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls 2004 Observational cohort

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