Om or AUM Research
Summary of some current Research on Om
Several research Institutes in USA, India, Korea and China are conducting research on short term and long term impact of Om meditation and Om Chanting on our hormonal balance and overall healing of our body and mind. Considerable positive results are obtained. However, more specific research initiatives are required to understand the full potential. Some of the results of these initiatives are as follows:
In study [1], significant deactivation was observed bilaterally during 'OM' chanting in comparison to the resting brain state in bilateral orbitofrontal, anterior cingulate, parahippocampal gyri, thalami and hippocampi. The right amygdala too demonstrated significant deactivation. No significant activation was observed during 'OM' chanting. In contrast, neither activation nor deactivation occurred in these brain regions during the comparative task - namely the 'ssss' pronunciation condition.
In study [2] Yoga and Om meditation practices for three months resulted in an improvement in cardiorespiratory performance and psychologic profile. The plasma melatonin also showed an increase after three months of yogic practices. The systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and orthostatic tolerance did not show any significant correlation with plasma melatonin.
1. Neurohemodynamic correlates of 'OM' chanting: A pilot functional magnetic resonance imaging study3. Time-Frequency Analysis of Chanting Sanskrit Divine Sound “OM” Mantra