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Bridging Science and Spirituality...

Swamiji works with doctors and scientists across the world to record and analyze the mystic phenomena through modern technology. He is continuing to intrigue the world of medical science with results from the study of His own neurological system. From the results recorded, scientists feel that the potential for altering the rates and progression of many diseases like heart ailments, cancer, arthritis, alcoholism etc. is beginning to look achievable. They are compelled to declare that there continues to be indications that the human mind can choose to heal the human body...

For centuries, science and spirituality have been battling it out on these issues of perennial importance for humanity. Although spiritual leaders have always maintained that the no-mind state is a ‘real’ phenomenon, and a perfectly realizable goal for all of us, the scientific community has naturally been unwilling to accept this without solid proof.

For the first time in our century, science has hopefully found a key to supernormal and paranormal phenomena, with sound medical evidence that explains why the spiritually super-evolved are blessed with ‘powers’ that the rest of us can only dream about. The following few pages are summaries of various types of research conducted on Swamiji’s neurological system during His visits to the United States of America.

Mind of a Mystic

A report by Dr. R. Murali Krishna, President COO, INTEGRIS Mental Heath & James L. Hall, Jr. Center for Mind, Body and Spirit, Oklahoma

A Mind Matters Column™ The Mind of a Mystic By R. Murali Krishna, M.D. President COO, INTEGRIS Mental Health & James L. Hall, Jr. Center for Mind, Body and Spirit

Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda Swami is a trim, healthy-looking young man with dark, shoulder-length hair. Handsome and polite, possessing an open manner and a wealth of curiosity, he could be any ordinary American college student.

The difference is that ordinary American college students do not wear saffron robes and turbans, have not experienced spiritual enlightenment and are not regarded as a teacher, healer and mystic by millions of people in all corners of the world.

A mystic? The term is not a bad fit for ‘Swami’, as he is known. Mystics, popular culture tells us, have direct communion with God. Through means not understood or measurable, mystics are thought to have access to ultimate realities or truths. Picture a mystic and you’ll probably picture someone full of bliss, someone gifted with lofty thoughts and insights that the rest of us do not possess.

The very presence of a mystic is thought to bring peace and healing to others.

That’s an apt description of Swami, a 27- year-old from South India. He is approached by thousands of people every year seeking relief from diseases and ailments that conventional medical approaches have not cured. Swami’s background lends him the air

of a mystic, too. He left his home as a teen, visited ashrams across India, immersed himself in philosophy, read extensively and mastered the art of meditation.

When Swami passed through Oklahoma City recently as one stop in his world travels, I asked him if he would let me use some of modern medicine's newest technology to peer into his brain while he meditated. My goal: to understand, measure and demystify what happens during the mystic phenomena. Swami, who believes that meditation has a scientific basis, happily agreed.

neuropsychologists and researchers: Drs. Fordyce, Ruwe and Higgins of the Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation Center Neuro-psychology Department and Dr. Chacko of the PET Center of Oklahoma. These doctors were using technology they use with patients on a routine basis. When they look at images obtained by their technology, they know what's normal and what's not.

The results from testing Swami? Decidedly not normal!

Our first look into Swami's brain was achieved with the help of a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) device. Unlike traditional diagnostic techniques that produce images of the body's structure or anatomy, such as X-rays, CT scans or MRI, PET produces images of the function of the brain through the metabolic activity of cells. An analog of glucose is attached to a radioactive PET tracer. The PET scanner then images the metabolically active brain areas at any given time.

In the case of Swami, the drug was intended to identify highly active areas of the brain in an alert and conscious state, in the early stages of meditation and during deep meditation.

The results of the PET scan tests were stunning. To begin with, the activity in the frontal lobes of Swami's brain were significantly heightened, even in early meditation stages. The level of activity was several times higher than would be seen in the average human brain under any conditions. The frontal lobes are associated with the functions of intelligence, attention, wisdom and judgment.

First, the dominant hemisphere of Swami's brain was more than 90 percent shut down. It was as if Swami's brain had packed up and gone on vacation. It was quiet and still, completely at peace ... and Swami had made it so at will.

A second amazing aspect of Swami’s deep meditation was that the lower portion of his mesial frontal areas lighted up in a very significant way. This area roughly corresponds to the reputed location of the mystical ‘Third Eye’.

When we later asked Swami what he was doing when the mesial frontal areas lighted up, he said he was opening his Third Eye.

Associated with both cosmic and inner knowledge, and thought to be a place of clarity and peace, the Third Eye is considered by many to be the seat of the soul. Were we seeing an indication that deep meditation can open an area of the brain responsible for communicating with the divine, looking deep into the mysteries of Self or creation? I believe the PET scan revealed what I call the brain’s ‘D-spot’. Whether you consider the ‘D’ in D-spot to stand for Delight, the Divine or even Dopamine (the chemical through which our bodies experience pleasure), initial indications are that meditation can stimulate it.

The second procedure we used to look into Swami's brain is known as Quantitative Electroencephalography, or QEEG. QEEG measures electrical patterns in the brain, patterns commonly referred to as brainwaves.

There are four bandwidths of brainwaves, each different in speed, and each associated with a different state of mind. For instance, beta brainwaves are small and fast and linked with an awake, alert state of mind. Alpha brainwaves are slower and larger and are connected to feelings of well-being. Theta waves represent a state of consciousness that is close to sleep, a stage in which there is a sense of calmness and serenity without active thought.

In a day's time, most people will experience all four types of brainwaves. The progression from one bandwidth to another, though, is not so easily in their control.

brain smoothly shifted from one state to another, like a talented pianist playing the scales. There was no hesitation and no retreating, just continuous, fluid shifts from one type of brainwave to the next. Because the QEEG represents the five brainwave bandwidths as colors, it was as if we were watching Swami float from color to color within a rainbow!

Conclusions

Remarkably, that complexity presents little difficulty for Swami in managing his brain activity. Swami's mind – his thoughts, emotions and intellect – control his brain. He can, in a very fluid, easy way, shift his brain function and alter his brainwaves.

More than answering questions, the voyage we took into the mind of a mystic brings intriguing questions for study.

Are there techniques we can learn and teach that will bring balance and peace into people's lives?

Can we invoke a healing response or accelerate healing through specific training? Can we learn techniques that will allow us to control pain or alter the course of a disease?

Can we learn to activate what I call our D-spot, thus putting us in instant connection to delight or the divine?

The results from our study of Swami are new pages in our world's growing book of research on the brain. There continue to be indications that the human mind may be able to choose to heal the body. We're now looking at the possibility of people learning and acquiring these healing capabilities, an event of immense benefit for humankind. The potential for altering the rates and progression of many diseases — heart disease, cancer, arthritis, alcoholism and many others — is beginning to look achievable.

Swami is a bridge between the invisible, ancient world of mysticism and the modern, visible world of science and discovery. As brain research continues on a widespread basis, and as we appropriately bring the phenomena of mysticism into the realm of science for further study, we are taking strides on a path of hope and health.

‘Spiritual healing’ as recorded by Science - astounding observations...

Swamiji met with Dr. Collins a leading Researcher and a practicing Neurofeedback in St. Louis, on 14 April 2005 in St. Louis, USA.

Dr. Collins requested to measure and analyze the brain activity of Swamiji and a patient at the time when Swamiji was healing the latter. Swamiji readily agreed to his request. The patient was David, who was injured in a car accident 10 years ago thereby suffering from affected motor nerves.

There were 4 main states in which the brain readings of Swamiji and David were recorded and compared: (a) both just sitting normally, (b) Swamiji meditating, (c) Swamiji healing David and (d) Swamiji radiating healing energy, without directing it specifically towards David.

When Swamiji was just sitting and his brain waves were recorded, Dr. Collins observed the following:

1. Swamiji’s brain was unusually quiet (especially the right side of his brain). Brain metabolism was 1/20th of normal people. This is significantly lesser that what he has seen even in very calm persons

o This implies there is an enormous conservation of energy.

3. The readings of brain activity and metabolism were at such low levels that Dr. Collins changed electrodes to more sensitive ones and even adjusted them a few times to make sure he was getting the readings. Despite the adjustments, the readings continued to show unusually low levels!

4. The left and right sides of his brain were working simultaneously. Strength of Alpha waves, which is generally high for people who are stressed, was significantly lower than normal.

Dr. Collins could not believe that Swamiji was in His normal state with this level of activity in the brain. He remarked, "There is no such thing as normal state for you!" Swamiji replied that he was right, because even during normal state Swamiji is really in Samadhi.

While Swamiji was meditating:

1. Higher frequency brain waves increased. This was found only in people who had meditated for 20 yrs or so.

The reason for this unusual reading is, as Swamiji pointed out, that when average persons meditate they concentrate, but Swamiji simply enters into awareness.

While healing David, from Swami's readings Dr. Collins noted:

1. Swami's brain readings were dramatically different.

2. The right side of His brain became much more active. The difference between the right side and the left side was dramatic!

o Right hemisphere does global thinking and rapid processing.

o Swami's right brain was much more active compared to the left.

o The right brain was also in the timeless zone (no concept of time).

3. The strength of the waves implied a tremendous level of metabolic activity.

Dr. Collins stated "If I had done this, I'd be fatigued and sleeping by the time its over!" But of course, Swami felt refreshed after healing, and this was unbelievable for the doctor.

At the same time, from David’s brain readings:

1. Certain high frequencies that we don’t normally produce, were being produced by his brain.

3. Dr. Collins commented, “The world is not going to believe this! This is extremely unusual....its seems as if his brain was changing and 100s of 1000s of neurons/ nerves in the brain was being re-wired!” 4. The sustained levels of high frequency waves also meant a very high metabolism of the brain.

In this phase, Swamiji created the same healing energy, but instead of directing it to one person, he simply radiated it. Dr. Collins once again recorded the brain activity in Swamiji and David, and found that:

1. The high freq. waves continued to occur in David's brain (i.e. re-wiring of the brain continued to occur).

2. There was still a significant difference in the strength of the high frequency waves in David's brain. 3. Both sides of David's brain became like the right brain of Swamiji.

4. Swamiji's brain activity was quite similar to the levels during one-to-one healing.

Swamiji explained, "In the normal state, myself, the person getting healed and the Cosmic Energy are all different, but during healing, all 3 get connected. That could be the reason why David's brain behaved like Swamiji's brain."

The observations showed Swamiji switching his brainwave patterns as He transited through different altered states of Consciousness. Another aspect of the research involved Heart Rate Variability (HRV) analysis, which is a useful tool to explore the energetic transactions between two subjects.

The Heart Rate Variability (HRV) from Swamiji and a volunteer subject were simultaneously recorded while the subject received healing from Swamiji. The HRV measurements obtained before (the control baseline) and during the healing session were then compared. Shifts in the power spectra signal were recorded in the receiving subject during the healing by Swamiji and also when Swamiji was sending healing energy into the room, not specifically directed at the subject.

Ananda Healing is a healing system founded by Nithyananda. He initiates and empowers people into becoming healers. AS he says, "My healers are my hands that carry my healing touch world over. Following are the primary contacts for Ananda Healers worldwide.

Namakkal

Pondicherry

Rasipuram

Salem

Thiruvannamalai

Villupuram

MALAYSIA

SINGAPORE

USA

Missouri

New Jersey

Columbus, Ohio

Oklahoma

Ma Ananda Nirmal (Bhanu Patel) 1008 Manor hill Dr, Norman, OK 73072, USA Ph.: 405-447-1569 Email: [email protected]

Texas

Washington

CANADA

Vancouver

SOUTH AMERICA

Ram Rajagopal Email: [email protected]

GUADELOUPE

Filip Rutil Tel: 06 90 61 45 46

AUSTRALIA

Ms.Lauren Email: [email protected]

Offerings from Nithyananda Foundation

Ananda Spurana Programs (ASP) or Life Bliss Programs (LBP) are chakra meditation programs conducted over two days, generally weekends, and are designed to unblock and recharge the chakras, the energy centers of one's body, through a meditation package specially designed by Nithyananda. This program has been found to help people in improving their day-to-day life performance, and health. These programs are conducted by Acharyas, ordained teachers, in many countries worldwide.

Other Specialized Meditation Programs of Nithyananda are offered from time to time details of which can be found in our website.

Ananda Galleria, the Divine Shop of Dhyanapeetam offers a wide range of books in English, Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati, Telugu, Hindi, Portuguese, French and other languages, compiled from Swamiji's discourses worldwide. Also available are Swamiji's discourses in English and Tamil, in the form of cassettes, Audio CDs and Video CDs. In addition are available a host of items like photographs of Swamiji, shawls, chanting boxes, malas, chain dollars, photograph of Swamiji's eyes and T-shirts.

For all further details and to purchase any of the above items, please visit www.nithyananda.org.

Ebook ISBN: 979-8-88572-308-4