Siddha Self-Inquiry for Flow, Bliss, and Uvagai: Mindfulness for Intuitive Lifestyle in Complex Cardiac Disease.
Anand Chockalingam, B Ann Bettencourt, Kavin Anand, Smrita Dorairajan, Govindaraju Anbuganapathi, Sharan Srinivas, Venkatachalam Chockalingam
American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine August 12, 2022 DOI: 10.1177/15598276221117091 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case series Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 4 |
| Population | Patients with complex cardiovascular disease |
| Intervention | Siddha-based Hunger Gratitude Experience (HUGE) mindful eating |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Flow Lifestyle Cardiac disease Siddha Bliss Uvagai |
| Key findings | The authors report that four complex cardiac patients who practiced Siddha-based Hunger Gratitude Experience (HUGE) mindful eating described elevated optimism, a deeper experience of life, and simultaneous improvement in physical health and emotional wellbeing with resilience against unforeseen adversities. They acknowledge that suggestion and placebo effects cannot be excluded, and propose that this state reflects "Uvagai," extreme happiness they argue may be accessible with little formal training and therapeutically relevant in cardiovascular disease. |
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mental health disorders contribute to significant healthcare expenses. Lifestyle approaches that empower and enable patients to participate in their recovery are needed with the increasing complexity of cardiac patients. Traditional Tamil medical practice of Siddha self-inquiry meditation targets holistic health through intuitive lifestyle transformation. We describe 4 complex cardiac patients who explored Siddha based Hunger Gratitude Experience (HUGE) mindful eating and reported elevated levels of optimism and deeper experience of life as outlined by the 5000-year-old secular Siddha medical tradition. We cannot exclude the role of suggestion and placebo effect in descriptive series. However, the simultaneous improvement in physical health and emotional wellbeing along with demonstrated resilience against unforeseen adversities suggests this is Uvagai, the true essence of Siddha higher consciousness. Uvagai is extreme happiness and may be accessible universally with little formal training and targets positive psychology to improve wellbeing. While flow and bliss states are transient transcendental experiences, Uvagai may be more profound and therapeutic in CVD despite age and comorbidities. Seeking Uvagai can potentially overcome health disparities, including rural, minority, and underprivileged populations for better health. HUGE allows CVD patients to safely engage in Uvagai, experience higher consciousness and intuitively sustain lifestyle transformation.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brain sources of EEG gamma frequency during volitionally meditation-induced, altered states of consciousness, and experience of the self Advanced meditator | 2001 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Mindfulness Meditation for Alcohol Relapse Prevention: A Feasibility Pilot Study Adult alcohol-dependent graduates of an intensive outpatient program | 2008 | Prospective case series | n = 19 |
| How does it feel to lack a sense of boundaries? A case study of a long-term mindfulness meditator. A single long-term mindfulness practitioner (S) with 40 years of practice in... | 2015 | Qualitative case study | n = 1 |
| Loving‐kindness meditation to enhance recovery from negative symptoms of schizophrenia Individuals suffering from schizophrenia-spectrum disorders with persistent negative... | 2009 | Case study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Problem Gambling A female problem gambler | 2011 | Case study | n = 1 |
Citations in the library
Cites 7
- Psychedelics, Meditation, and Self-Consciousness Frontiers in Psychology September 4, 2018
- Spontaneous Spiritual Awakenings: Phenomenology, Altered States, Individual Differences, and Well-Being Frontiers in Psychology August 19, 2021
- Mindfulness Training: Can It Create Superheroes? Frontiers in Psychology March 26, 2019
- Achieving Flow: An Exploratory Investigation of Elite College Athletes and Musicians Frontiers in Psychology March 30, 2022
- A Review on the Role of the Neuroscience of Flow States in the Modern World. Behavioral Sciences September 9, 2020
and 2 more in the library