American Justice Dept upheld Indian Yoga and Meditation
Article by M.P. Bhattathiri, Retired Chief Technical Examiner , to The Govt.
of Kerala.

In the storm of life we struggle through myriads of stimuli of pressure,
stress, and muti-problems that seek for a solution and answer. We are so
suppressed by the routine of this every life style that most of us seem
helpless. However, if we look closely to ancient techniques we shall
discover the magnificent way to understand and realize the ones around us
and mostly ourselves. If only we could stop for a moment and allow this to
happen…

Let me bow to Indian Maharishi Patanjali with folded hands who helped in
removing the impurities of the mind through his writings on Yoga, impurities
of speech through his writings on grammar, and impurities of body through
his writings on Ayurveda.

The American justice Dept. have recently approved the power of yoga and
meditation vide a recent judgement in the American court.” Man Who Slapped
Wife Sentenced to Yoga, It's Anger Management, Says Judge." First there was
house arrest. Now there's yoga. A judge ordered a man convicted of slapping
his wife to take a yoga class as part of his one-year probation. "It's part
of anger management," County Criminal Court at Law Judge Larry Standley said
of the ancient Hindu philosophy of exercise and well-being. "For people who
are into it, it really calms them down. " Standley, a former prosecutor,
said the case of James Lee Cross was unique. Cross, a 53-year-old car
salesman from Tomball, explained that his wife was struggling with a
substance abuse problem and that he struck her on New Year's Eve during an
argument about her drinking. "He was trying to get a hold of her because she
has a problem," Standley said after the court hearing. "I thought this would
help him realize that he only has control over himself." The sentence came
as a surprise to Cross, who was told to enroll in a class and report back to
Standley on his progress. "I'm not very familiar with it," Cross said of
yoga. "From what I understand, it may help in a couple ways, not only as far
as mentally settling, but maybe a little weight loss." Darla Magee, an
instructor at Yoga Body Houston in River Oaks, said she would recommend that
Cross take a basic yoga class emphasizing breathing and including a variety
of postures -- forward bends, back bends and twists. "Yoga can help us to
get rid of many emotional issues we might have," she said. "It's a spiritual
cleanse." Prosecutor Lincoln Goodwin agreed to a sentence of probation
without jail time because Cross had no significant criminal history
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2365341.
Yoga which is one of the greatest Indian contribution to the world has got
vast potential in all fields. In Tihar jail India Yoga is experimented among
the inmates and found successful. Their criminal mentality is changed. This
study aimed at investigating the effect of Vipassana Meditation (VM) on
Quality of Life (QOL), Subjective Well-Being (SWB), and Criminal Propensity
(CP) among inmates of Tihar Jail, Delhi. To this effect the following
hypotheses were formulated. 1. There will be a significant positive effect
of VM on the QOL of inmates of Tihar jail. 2. VM will have a positive and
significant effect on SWB of inmates. 3. Criminal propensity (CP) of inmates
will decrease significantly after attending the VM course. 4. There will be
significant difference in SWB and CP of experimental (Vipassana) group and
control (non-Vipassana) group. 5. Male and female inmates will differ
significantly in SWB and CP, as a result of VM. In the famous "Time"
magazine the importance meditation and yoga, an ancient Indian system, is
high-lighted that the ancient mind- and spirit-enhancing art is becoming
increasingly popular and gaining medical legitimacy. It is a multi billion
dollar business in US. In many Universities it is accepted as subject and
included in the Syllabus. In the latest famous book "Inspire! What Great
Leaders Do" written by Mr.Lance Secretan recently published by John Wiley
and sons, the benefit of meditation is elaborately described for good
corporate governance. By practicing transcendental meditation, or TM, many
people have got relief from back pain, neck pain, depression. The mind calms
and quiets, . What thoughts you have during meditation become clearer, more
focused. Anger, anxiety and worries give way to a peace. In the world
exorbitant medical expenses one can definitely make use of meditation.
Maharshi Mahesh Yogi and Sri Ravi Sankar are popularizing this. The Iyengar
Yoga institute in US is famous.
In Bhagavad-Gita Gita Lord Krishna has inspired Arjuna to rise from his
depression by preaching Gita in the battlefield and to rise from the
depression to do his duties. In Holy Gita we can see, being hidden by the
cosmic overview of any institution beset with myriad problems, not the least
of which is its lack of moral probity, there is a groundswell of educated
people seeking answers to deeply personal but universally asked questions.
Chie Executives taking lessons from yoga, meditation and learning how to
deal with human resources equations in an enlightened manner. Individuals
from every walk of life can get ideas of how to be better human beings, more
balanced and less stressed out.
Medical studies continue to show regular meditation working magic in
reducing blood pressure and stress-related illnesses, including heart
disease. Brain images show that regular meditation helps calm the most
active sensory-assaulted parts of the brain. The ancient Hindu sage
Patanjali who had mastered the secrets of the human mind has written a book
"Yogasutra".In this book we can see how super powers can be achieved by
meditation. It has both cosmic relevance and cosmic resonance. In spite of
its universal appeal, for most people total control of mind remains an
elusive goal and daunting task. From time immemorial, there have been many
attempts throughout the world to unlock the mysteries of the mind and to
achieve total control over it through a variety of techniques. One of the
most powerful of these techniques is meditation.
Many spiritual leaders, sages, saints, and holy people such asSri. Buddha,
Sri Ramakrishna, Madam Sarada Devi, and Swami Vivekananda have practiced
this. One of the ways to control physiological reactions to psychological
stimuli is meditation, Yoga, Zen Buddhism etc. The scientists take
Transcendental Meditation (TM) as the uniform technique, and base their
observations on the study of the subjects engaged in this form of
meditation. In summing up the results the scientists have come to conclusion
that the effect of meditation is a "wakeful, hypo-metabolic state". They
have found that: 1) Yogis could slow both heart rate and rate of
respiration, 2) Yogis could slow the rate of metabolism as confirmed by
decreased oxygen consumption and carbon-die-oxide output. 3)
Electro-Encephala-Gram (EEG - recording of brain activity) in Yogis showed
changes of calmness in the form of "alpha rhythm" during both eyes closed
and eyes open recordings. 4) Their skin resistance to electric stimulation
was increased (indicating increased tolerance to external stimuli). Our
usual 'defense-alarm' reaction to emotional and physical stress is in the
form of "fright, flight, and fight" mediated through over-secretion of
certain neuron-transmitters and neuron-modulators, namely adrenaline and
dopamine by way of stimulation of sympathetic nervous system. Under the
influence of these chemicals and hormones, we reflexively become panicky or
aggressive, our blood pressure rises. Thus stress and anxiety is the end
result if we allow our natural age-old sympathetic reactions to act and to
come to surface. We try to run away, become fearful, or fight the situation.
But today these 'defense-alarm' reactions have no place in our lives.
Rather, they should be replaced by more calm and serene reactions of
equanimity and fearlessness. The need is to just 'face the brute, and it
will go away'. Such desirable reactions of non-aggression and peaceful
attitude are generated by Y ga and meditation. EEG Studies on Yogis and The
Zen Meditations: Yogis practicing Raja-Yoga claim that during the state of
Samadhi they are oblivious to the internal and external stimuli, and they
enjoy a calm ecstasy during that state. A study was undertaken to record the
electrical activity of their brain during this state by means of a regular
and useful test known as electroencephalography EEG. Physiological and
experimental studies have demonstrated that the basis of conscious state of
brain, among other things, is due to activation of "reticular system" in the
brain-stem in response to internal and external stimuli. These stimuli bring
about various changes during sleeping and wakeful states of the organism and
these can be studied by EEG. The study was carried out on four subjects
during the state of concentration and meditation. Effects of external
stimuli, like a loud gong, strong light, thermal simulation, and vibrations
were studied. The results were compiled and analyzed. It was observed that
two Yogis could keep their hands immersed in extremely cold water for about
50 minutes (raised pain threshold). During the state of meditation, all of
them showed persistent "alpha activity" in their EEG with increased
amplitude wave pattern, both during 'eyes closed' and 'eyes open' recording.
It was observed that these alpha activities could not be blocked by various
sensory stimuli during meditation. It was also observed that those, who had
well-marked "alpha activity" in their resting EEG showed greater aptitude
and zeal for maintaining the practice of Yoga. Similar observations and
results were obtained when EEGs were recorded in persons adept in Zen
Meditative technique. Can we say that only those persons who exhibit such
recording of "alpha wave rhythm" in their EEG are fit for Yoga? and be
designated as right candidates for meditation and Yoga practices? (Such
experiments are indeed very few and the number of yogis examined is also
very small. Therefore, scientifically and statistically these observations
have only a tentative importance. Further research is definitely called for,
albeit it will have its own limitations.) It is said that in the unknown
period of Lord Jesus Christ , He was under meditation.
Ref. Yoga magazines
Newsweek.com
New York times
Time magazine