Levels of immune cells in transcendental meditation practitioners.

CONTEXT Relationships between mind and body have gradually become accepted. Yogic practices cause modulation of the immune system. Transcendental meditation (TM) is a specific form of mantra meditation. We reported previously different plasma levels of catecholamines and pituitary hormones in TM practitioners comparing with a control group, and patterns of the daytime secretion of these hormones different from those normally described. AIMS The aim of the following study is to evaluate the immune system in these meditation practitioners, by determining leukocytes and lymphocytes subsets. METHODS TM group consisted of 19 subjects who regularly practice either TM or the more advanced Sidhi-TM technique. A control group consisted of 16 healthy subjects who had not previously used any relaxation technique. Total leukocytes, granulocytes, lymphocytes and monocytes were counted by an automated quantitative hematology analyzer, whereas lymphocytes subsets were determined by flow cytometry. Samples were taken from each subject at 0900 h after an overnight fast. RESULTS The results indicated that the TM group had higher values than the control group in CD3+CD4-CD8+ lymphocytes (P < 0.05), B lymphocytes (P < 0.01) and natural killer cells (P < 0.01), whereas CD3+CD4+CD8- lymphocytes showed low levels in meditation practitioners (P < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in total leukocytes, granulocytes, monocytes, total lymphocytes or CD3+ lymphocytes comparing both groups. CONCLUSIONS The technique of meditation studied seems to have a significant effect on immune cells, manifesting in the different circulating levels of lymphocyte subsets analyzed. The significant effect of TM on the neuroendocrine axis and its relationship with the immune system may partly explain our results.

Le Nouveau Testament en franc̜ois , avec des reflexions morales sur chaque verset, pour en rendre la lecture plus utile, & la meditation plus aisée... Nouvelle edition. Tome premier [-quatrième]

[Bible. N.T. (latin-français). 1704-1705. Quesnel]

Le Nouveau Testament en franc̜ois , avec des reflexions morales sur chaque verset, pour en rendre la lecture plus utile, & la meditation plus aisée... Nouvelle edition. Tome premier [-quatrième]

[Bible. N.T. (latin-français). 1704-1705. Quesnel]

Le Nouveau Testament en franc̜ois , avec des reflexions morales sur chaque verset, pour en rendre la lecture plus utile, & la meditation plus aisée... Nouvelle edition. Tome premier [-quatrième]

[Bible. N.T. (latin-français). 1704-1705. Quesnel]

Le Nouveau Testament en franc̜ois , avec des reflexions morales sur chaque verset, pour en rendre la lecture plus utile, & la meditation plus aisée... Nouvelle edition. Tome premier [-quatrième]

[Bible. N.T. (latin-français). 1704-1705. Quesnel]

Le Nouveau Testament en franc̜ois , avec des reflexions morales sur chaque verset, pour en rendre la lecture plus utile, & la meditation plus aisée... Nouvelle edition. Tome premier [-quatrième]

[Bible. N.T. (latin-français). 1704-1705. Quesnel]

Le Nouveau Testament en franc̜ois , avec des reflexions morales sur chaque verset, pour en rendre la lecture plus utile, & la meditation plus aisée... Nouvelle edition. Tome premier [-quatrième]

[Bible. N.T. (latin-français). 1704-1705. Quesnel]

Le Nouveau Testament en franc̜ois , avec des reflexions morales sur chaque verset, pour en rendre la lecture plus utile, & la meditation plus aisée... Nouvelle edition. Tome premier [-quatrième]

[Bible. N.T. (latin-français). 1704-1705. Quesnel]

Le Nouveau Testament en franc̜ois , avec des reflexions morales sur chaque verset, pour en rendre la lecture plus utile, & la meditation plus aisée... Nouvelle edition. Tome premier [-quatrième]

[Bible. N.T. (latin-français). 1704-1705. Quesnel]

Blessed thorns : a meditation on Spinoza's God

Despite having been published over three hundred years ago, Spinoza's Ethics is a text that is still, even today, widely misunderstood. Two of the more common and persistent misunderstandings revolve around the accusations of some who have labeled his philosophy both atheistic and materialistic. These two misunderstandings date back to the first time the Ethics was published, immediately following Spinoza's death. In an attempt to not only address these accusations, but as well to clear up any misunderstandings surrounding them, this thesis will be split into four chapters that are divided into two main parts. The first half will deal with the question of whether or not Spinoza is an atheist. The second half will deal with the question of whether or not Spinoza is a materialist. In so doing this thesis will establish and defend the position that it is a misreading to characterize Spinoza's philosophy as atheistic and materialistic.

The Impact of Mindfulness Meditation on Educator Growth and Professional Development: A Personal Account

This study examined the use of mindfulness meditation in educator growth and professional development. The purpose was to create recommendations for an effective mindfulness meditation practice for educators. To this end, as the researcher is an educator as well as an experienced mindfulness meditation practitioner, the research methodology was self-study through narrative inquiry. The exploration of mindfulness meditation on the researcher’s personal and professional development was viewed through the lenses of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Mezirow’s transformational learning theory. These theories provided an analytical framework that guided this research. Themes were drawn from the exploration and connected with academic literature. The results were a mindfulness meditation framework for educators that is based on the Socratic Method, and utilizes the conceptual frameworks of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Mezirow’s transformational learning theory.

Father Sean O'Sullivan Meditation Room

A room on Parliament Hill was officially opened in honour of the late Father Sean O'Sullivan. The Father Sean O'Sullivan Meditation Room was designated for prayer, meditation and/or reflection, 18 March 1991, in the East Block.

Le paradis sur terre ou le mystére eucharistique etudié au pointdevus dogmatique, liturgique, ascétique et moral en 77 discours pouvant servir d'instructions, de lectures pieuses et de suets de meditation

UANL

From Sisyphus’s Dilemma to Sisyphus’s Duty? A Meditation on the Regulation of Hate Propaganda in Relation to Hate Crimes and Genocide

Un résumé en français est également disponible.