Effects of Maharishi Yoga Asanas on Mood States, Happiness, and Experiences during Meditation.
Sonja Gobec, Frederick Travis
International Journal of Yoga 2018 DOI: 10.4103/ijoy.ijoy_66_16 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Matched cohort study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 26 |
| Population | College students |
| Intervention | Maharishi Yoga Asanas |
| Duration | 4-week course |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Emotional states Maharishi mahesh yogi Transcendental meditation Happiness Transpersonal self |
| Key findings | A 4-week Maharishi Yoga Asanas course significantly increased happiness and improved transpersonal self, transpersonal qualities, and sense of personal self during Transcendental Meditation practice. |
Abstract
Many studies showed positive effects of Yoga Asanas. There is no study on Maharishi Yoga Asanas yet. This research replicated and expanded observed improvements on the profile of mood states (POMS) as a result of 2-week Maharishi Yoga Asanas course. Thirteen college students taking part in a 4-week course on Maharishi Yoga Asanas were matched with 13 students taking other courses at the university. The main objective of the study was to assess the effects of Maharishi Yoga Asanas on mood states, degree of happiness, and experiences in Transcendental Meditation (TM) practice. All students were given two psychological tests and additional question before and after their 4-week course: POMS, Meditation Depth Questionnaire, and question about the degree of happiness. Repeated measure MANOVA showed the 4-week Maharishi Yoga Asanas course resulted in significant increase in happiness during the day and significant improvements in (1) sense of personal self, (2) transpersonal qualities, and (3) transpersonal self during their TM practice. This research shows that Maharishi Yoga Asanas affect more than body and mind. Rather they influence much deeper levels of one's subjectivity including one's transpersonal self.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| 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 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Neural Electrical Correlates of Subjective Happiness. Human Brain Mapping June 1, 2025
- Embodied experiences of stress and self-regulation among university students following a brief yoga programme: ‘I could feel myself again’ Body Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy July 6, 2026
- A scientific exploration of stress management techniques in Patanjali Yog Sutra Yoga Mimamsa April 3, 2024
Cites 8
- Effects of the Transcendental Meditation Technique on Trait Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine October 9, 2013
- Effects of Transcendental Meditation in Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Pilot Study Military Medicine June 1, 2011
- Default mode network activation and Transcendental Meditation practice: Focused Attention or Automatic Self-transcending? Brain and Cognition February 1, 2017
- Transcendental experiences during meditation practice. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2014
- Reduction in posttraumatic stress symptoms in Congolese refugees practicing transcendental meditation. Journal of Traumatic Stress April 1, 2013
and 3 more in the library