Hinduism

Peter J Bayley et al. (2022) · BMJ open

This parallel-group, randomised non-inferiority trial with 85 military veterans explored whether Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) -- a structured program of breathing exercises (pranayama) and meditation -- works as well as cognitive processing therapy (CPT), a standard trauma-focused psychotherapy, for reducing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. PTSD is a condition that can develop after a traumatic event, involving re-experiencing, avoidance, and heightened arousal. A non-inferiority design tests whether a new approach is not meaningfully worse than an established one, rather than whether it is better, which is appropriate when the existing treatment is already known to be effective. Veterans (88% men, average age 57) with elevated PTSD symptom scores were randomly assigned to SKY (n=41) or CPT (n=44) at a Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic. SKY was taught in small groups over a five-day intensive workshop plus ten weekly sessions (25 hours total), combining five distinct breathing techniques with meditation. CPT consisted of twelve individual sessions over six weeks (12 hours), focused on shifting trauma-related thinking patterns. Symptom severity was measured with the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C), alongside depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II) and mood (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule). Both treatments reduced PTSD symptoms by the end of six weeks (CPT: -6.8 points, effect size d=0.58; SKY: -5.6 points, d=0.41), and the small gap between them (-1.2 points, 95% CI -5.7 to 3.3) fell safely within the study's 10-point margin for calling SKY "not meaningfully worse" -- a pattern that held at 1 month and 1 year. SKY also matched CPT on depression and mood scores through the 1-month mark, though CPT pulled ahead on both by 1 year. Dropout was similar overall (SKY 27% vs CPT 34%), and among veterans who attended at least one session, fewer left SKY (9%) than CPT (29%). Two adverse events occurred in the CPT group (treatment-related distress; a hospital admission for suicidal ideation); none were reported in the SKY group. The authors describe these results as preliminary support for SKY as a non-trauma-focused option for veterans with PTSD symptoms, comparable in the short term to an established first-line therapy. They note SKY involved roughly twice the contact time of CPT, the trial ran at a single site with a moderate sample of 85 participants, and CPT's own effect size was smaller here than in some earlier veteran studies. The authors state that SKY warrants further clinical and research attention.

Waqar Husain et al. (2026) · Brain and behavior

This systematic review of 105 studies examined how religious and spiritual practices -- meditation, prayer, chanting, ritual, and mystical experience -- show up in brain scans. It pooled evidence across eight traditions (Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Santo Daime, Spiritism, Sant Mat, and mixed traditions) and seven brain-imaging methods, filling a gap left by earlier reviews that each covered only one practice or one faith. Neurotheology, the scientific study of how spiritual experience relates to brain function, asks whether these ancient practices leave a measurable, functional signature on the nervous system. Researchers searched three major databases from their earliest records through mid-2026 and found 450 candidate studies; after removing duplicates and screening for eligibility, 105 studies remained. Each had to study real human participants using an objective brain-measurement tool -- functional or structural MRI, EEG, MEG, PET, SPECT, or similar -- during an actual religious, spiritual, or contemplative practice, not passive exposure to religious words or images. Because the studies varied enormously in tradition, practice, and method, the team combined findings narratively rather than statistically averaging them. Meditation studies (the largest group, 35 studies) consistently found quieter activity in the brain's default mode network, the circuit active during mind-wandering and self-focused thought, alongside more efficient attention-related brain activity in long-term practitioners. Prayer (21 studies) activated brain regions used for understanding other people's minds when prayer was personal and improvised, suggesting the brain treats sincere prayer like a real conversation, and activated reward circuitry during peak spiritual feelings among some worshippers. Chanting and recitation (25 studies) calmed emotional brain circuits -- OM chanting, for example, reduced activity along the same pathway targeted by an approved medical nerve-stimulation therapy. Mental-health-relevant findings (14 studies) included a randomized trial in which loving-kindness meditation eased depression symptoms in diagnosed patients, and a mindfulness program that lowered stress-hormone levels months later. Eleven studies of unusual states -- near-death imagery, ayahuasca ceremonies, and trance -- showed the most widespread brain-network changes of any practice type. The review's authors state plainly that religious and spiritual practices are neurologically real, measurable behaviors, not just subjective reports, and that the brain circuits they engage overlap with those disrupted in depression, anxiety, and addiction. They stop short of claiming these practices treat any diagnosed condition, since most studies involved healthy volunteers rather than patients. The search covered only English-language, peer-reviewed studies, and the wide variety of traditions and methods meant the team could describe patterns but not calculate a single combined effect size.

Uttam Kumar et al. (2021) · Scientific reports

This cross-sectional study with 50 male participants explored whether decades of intensive oral memorization can leave a lasting signature on brain structure. It compared 25 Hindu Vedic pandits -- priests and scholars trained from childhood to recite over 20,000 Sanskrit mantras and verses from memory -- against 25 closely matched non-pandit controls. Vedic recitation follows a strict oral tradition (shruti-parampara): hymns are learned entirely by ear, using several formal recitation methods that reorder and repeat words to lock in exact pronunciation and sequence. The study asked which brain regions differ after such training -- regions governing memory, breath control, and precise speech articulation. Fifty right-handed men aged 21-28 took part: 25 pandits who began Vedic schooling around age ten and had logged nearly 17,750 hours of recitation training, and 25 controls matched for age, Sanskrit fluency, and general intelligence. All participants completed a 3-Tesla structural MRI brain scan, analyzed for grey- and white-matter volume, cortical thickness, and the folding pattern (gyrification) of the brain's surface. Memory was measured with the PGI-Memory Scale, a tool standardized for Indian populations covering immediate recall, attention, and retention. Pandits recalled significantly more information immediately after learning it than controls (a score of 11.2 versus 8.7, a large and statistically reliable gap), and this recall advantage tracked closely with the volume of grey matter in the thalamus (more volume, better recall). Brain scans showed pandits had more grey matter in the midbrain, pons, thalamus, and right frontal and pallidum regions -- areas tied to auditory processing, breath regulation, and sustained attention. They also had more white matter near the hippocampus and in frontal and temporal regions supporting memory consolidation, a thicker cortex in areas linked to emotional processing (temporal pole) and memory retrieval (caudate), and more surface folding in regions that coordinate speech articulation (insula, supplementary motor area). The longer a pandit had spent teaching Vedic recitation after training, the more grey matter he had in the angular gyrus, a region tied to retrieving well-learned verbal material. The authors interpret these differences as reflecting the specific mental and physical demands of Vedic training -- precise auditory memory, controlled breathing, and articulate speech -- rather than a single, generic meditation effect. Because the study compared existing groups at one point in time rather than tracking pandits before and after training, it cannot rule out that people with certain brain traits were more likely to complete Vedic schooling in the first place. The sample was small, male-only, and drawn from one religious and linguistic community, limiting how broadly the findings apply.

Tiffany J Barsotti et al. (2023) · Explore (New York, N.Y.)

This exploratory study investigates the effects of encountering a sacred object, specifically the Sri Yantra / Durga Stone, on human biofield responses. The significance of this research lies in its potential to bridge traditional healing practices with modern scientific understanding, particularly in the context of enhancing well-being through sacred objects. The study aims to explore how such encounters influence emotional and physical health, addressing a gap in existing literature regarding the biofield and sacred spaces. The study employed a pre-post single group design with a sample size of 17 participants, aged 38 to 79, consisting of 12 women and 5 men, all of whom provided informed consent. Participants engaged with the sacred object by placing their hand on the Sri Yantra / Durga Stone for up to 3 minutes, optionally reciting a mantra. Outcomes were measured using a Bio-Well device, which assessed emotional pressure, energy levels, and readings from various organ systems before and after the encounter. The intervention was conducted at the Sri Narayani Golden Temple in Vellore, India, with no specific treatment provided beyond the encounter itself. Results indicated a significant increase in the overall Bio-Well energy state, with baseline levels of 53.78 significantly lower than pre-exposure levels of 60.54 (p = 0.005) and post-exposure levels of 66.78 (p < 0.001). Significant changes were also observed in cardiovascular (F(2,32) = 11.441, p < 0.001) and endocrine system assessments (F(2,32) = 10.34, p = 0.001). However, emotional pressure and left/right symmetry measures did not show significant changes (p = 0.017 and p = 0.156, respectively). Participants reported enhanced feelings of energy, emotional balance, and a sense of peace, with no adverse events noted during the study. The findings suggest that exposure to sacred objects may enhance emotional and physical well-being, indicating potential therapeutic applications in clinical settings. However, the study's limitations include the absence of a control group and the short duration of exposure, which may affect the validity and generalizability of the results. Practitioners may consider incorporating similar interventions into therapeutic practices to explore their benefits further. Future research should include control conditions and longer engagement times with sacred objects to better assess their effects on the human biofield and overall health.