During the Transcendental Meditation program, early (sensory) components of the brain’s response to somatosensory stimuli are more widely distributed across the cortex, indicating greater participation of the whole brain in the response to a stimulus. Reference: Human Physiology 25: 171–180, 1999.

Patients with high blood pressure who learned the Transcendental Meditation program showed a significant reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressure after three months, in contrast to those randomly assigned to a control technique or to those who received health education on how to reduce blood pressure through diet and exercise. Reference: Hypertension 26: 820–827, 1995.

Field independence has been associated with a greater ability to assimilate and structure experience, greater organization of mind and cognitive clarity, improved memory, greater creative expression, and a stable internal frame of reference. The results show that practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique develops greater field independence. This improvement in Transcendental Meditation meditators is remarkable because it was previously thought that these basic perceptual abilities do not improve beyond early adulthood. Reference: Perceptual and Motor Skills 39: 1031–1034, 1974.

This study used the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking to measure figural and verbal creativity in a control group and in a group that subsequently learned the Transcendental Meditation technique. On the post-test 5 months later, the Transcendental Meditation group scored significantly higher on figural originality and flexibility and on verbal fluency. Reference: Journal of Creative Behavior 13:169–190, 1979.

Individuals who practiced the Transcendental Meditation technique showed significantly increased skin resistance during the practice, in contrast to controls. Skin resistance is an electrophysiological measure of calmness or restfulness. Reference: Physiology & Behavior 35: 591–595, 1985.

Self-actualization refers to realizing more of one’s inner potential, expressed in every area of life. A statistical meta-analysis of all available research—42 independent studies—indicated that the effect of the Transcendental Meditation technique on increasing self-actualization is markedly greater than that of other forms of meditation and relaxation. This analysis statistically controlled for length of treatment and quality of research design. Reference: Journal of Social Behavior and Personality 6: 189–248, 1991.

People practicing the Transcendental Meditation Program score significantly more positively in how they rate important people in their lives, as compared to controls. Reference: Perceptual and Motor Skills 64: 1003–1012, 1987.

A statistical meta-analysis of 42 independent studies-indicated that the effect of the TM technique on increasing self-actualization is markedly greater than that of other forms of meditation. Reference: Journal of Social Behavior and Personality (1991).