The human brain gradually declines in capability over time. Transcendental meditation has been shown to help enhance brain function, even in individuals over 20.
Meditation and hypnosis are recognized as effective methods of relaxation and self-management.
Dr. Fred Travis, Director of the Brain Development Center at Maharishi International University, USA, conveyed this during a seminar at UGM Faculty of Psychology titled “Myths to Science: Brain, Transcendental Meditation, Shamanism, and Integral Transpersonal Hypnosis” on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024.
Dr. Travis has long researched the brain’s response to meditation and hypnosis. According to him, meditation addresses anxiety and stress experienced by individuals.
He described a person’s self as a glass of water reflecting sunlight.
Sunlight essentially stands alone and does not rely on anything, while a glass of water sometimes depends on reflected sunlight.
“We can see the reflection of the sun in this glass of water just as we see ourselves. We have our own identity, but external factors influence us, shaping our character,” he explained.
This interpretation illustrates how adaptable and reflective humans are toward their environment, which explains why people can easily experience stress, anxiety disorders, and other psychological issues.
Dr. Travis stated that the human brain gradually declines in function over time. He explained that during the first 20 years, there are drastic changes in the human brain.
Between 10 and 18, the brain starts to lose connectivity between cells. Children have more neural connections than adults.
“Children can adapt to their surroundings. This adaptation process causes neural connections to break when they are not used,” he explained.
He says transcendental meditation has been shown to help improve brain function, even for those over 20. Furthermore, the effects of meditation are not limited by the duration of the practice.
“I studied the brain activity patterns of someone who has meditated for several months compared to someone who has been meditating for decades. The results were no different, which surprised me,” Dr. Travis noted.
Additionally, cognitive function should theoretically improve with longer meditation practices. However, research findings indicate the opposite.
This means one does not need to meditate long to enhance brain function.
“This discovery certainly presents new opportunities in mental self-management methods,” he said.
The seminar also featured other experts in neurology and psychology, including Dr. Ida Bagus Suatama, Dean of the Faculty of Health at Hindu University of Indonesia, and Professor Richard Noakes from the University of Exeter.
Both presented material related to the scientific facts surrounding myths, supernatural phenomena, and hypnosis.
This event was a collaboration between the UGM Office of International Affairs (OIA UGM), the Hypnotic Guide Imagery and Transpersonal Research Studio (HGI Studio), and Education for World Peace and Maharishi International University.
Author: Tasya
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Lintang