Effect of Meditation ('OM' Chanting) on Alpha EEG and Galvanic Skin Response: Measurement of an Altered State of Consciousness

Consciousness is one's awareness of mental activities and processes going on in one's mind at any given moment, as well as one's awareness of objects and events in the external world. It includes awareness of sensations, perceptions, thoughts, feelings and memories. Meditation is a process of employing mental exercises to achieve a highly focused state of consciousness. It is a Vedic exercise which can be used as a powerful instrument to restrain sense organs, control autonomic nervous system and also to attain higher state of consciousness. Through meditation a person is expected to get mental peace. Electroencephalograph (EEG) and Galvanic skin Response (GSR) can be used as indicator of an alteration in an individual's state of consciousness. So the present researcher was interested in investigating the effect of meditation (Om Chanting) on EEG and GSR, an altered state of consciousness, under scientifically controlled conditions. This experimental research measures the effects of Meditation (Om Chanting) on EEG and GSR of female university students (graduates and post graduates). The sample consisted of 20 subjects in the age range of 18 to 24 years through purposive sampling technique. The daily practice time of Meditation session was 20 minutes for one month. Pre test- Post test data was recorded before and after intervention of Meditation session by using single group pre-post research design. Recordings of Electroencephalograph (EEG) and Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) were made on a computerized polygraph (Model Physiopac, PP 4, Medicaid Systems, Chandigarh, India) test. To test the significance of difference between means of pre test and post test scores of alpha EEG and between means of pre test and post test of GSR scores t test was applied. Results showed that mean score of alpha EEG for pretest is 10.41 and for posttest is 11.63. Similarly, for GSR mean score of pretest is 580.72 and for posttest is 700.78. Obtained t value for alpha EEG is 5.08 which is significant at .01 level and for GSR t value is 3.16 which is also significant at .01 level. The present study revealed a significant increase in Alpha EEG and GSR values as an effect of meditation which suggests the positive effect of psychophysiological relaxation. Increase in Alpha EEG and GSR values show the relaxation and decrease in stress level. It gives a stable and consistent measure of the involvement of the subjects. Alpha EEG and GSR also indicate the level of concentration during the practice of meditation. Today, meditation is a form of relaxation and a means of alleviating stress in our everyday lives.