JMVRI Issue No. 25 features two main research studies: “The Self-Referral Dynamics of Consciousness in Maharishi Vedic University—Vedic Knowledge for Everyone: A Close Reading”, by Geoffrey Wells (pp. 11–44), and “Transcending OCD: Studying the Effects of Transcending on Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder through Transcendental Meditation”, by Adam Delfiner and Brittany Stahnke (pp. 45–76).
JMVRI Issue Number 25
JMVRI Paper 25.2
Transcending OCD: Studying the Effects of Transcending on Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder through Transcendental Meditation
Authors: Adam Delfiner and Brittany Stahnke
This paper can be downloaded via the following link:
Citation: Delfiner, A., & Stahnke, B. (2024). Transcending OCD: Studying the effects of transcending on obsessive–compulsive disorder through Transcendental Meditation. Journal of Maharishi Vedic Research Institute, 25, 45–76.
Summary (excerpt):
The article on transcending obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) through Transcendental Meditation is timely because the prevalence of mental health disorders continues to increase in most Western countries, with more than 25–35% of many student and adult populations suffering from a range of illnesses, including most commonly depression, anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
This important research explores the efficacy of the Transcendental Meditation technique in reducing symptoms of OCD. ‘Transcending’ is defined as the conscious mind effortlessly going beyond all mental activity (i.e., thoughts or states of mental excitation) to experience the inner Self, a state of inner peace or Transcendental Consciousness. The process of transcending relative states of mental activity and experiencing this state of Transcendental Consciousness is facilitated by the easy and natural practice of Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation.
The two most common treatments for OCD—cognitive behavioural therapies and medication—reduce symptoms but do not address the underlying cause of OCD, which is stress and a fragmented sense of self. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 people with OCD who learned the Transcendental Meditation technique and thereby had access to the experience of transcending.
Content analysis of interview data revealed that transcending primarily led to an integration of one’s sense of self and feelings. Codes included decreased anxiety, increased calmness, increased feelings of love, and higher self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-trust. Transcending was seen by participants as a holistic treatment which led to the integration of all levels of individual life. Transcending during Transcendental Meditation appears to treat OCD by working at the source of the disorder by providing a foundation for real freedom from the obsessions and compulsions that characterise OCD.