Many of us fear losing our memory and healthy brain function.
Whenever I misplace my car keys or forget my online banking password, I get the fleeting thought of “oh, no, is this a sign?”
Meditation is one way that I calm such fears, but I may be helping my memory in the process too.
One of the newest directions of Alzheimer’s Disease research involves meditation as a possible approach for improving memory.
I recently read about early pilot studies using meditation to change the brain and possibly improve memory. This particular experiment was based upon Kirtan Kriya, a type of Kundalini yoga.
Kirtan Kriya is a type of meditation that brings together repetitive chanting with finger movements.
The chanting uses sounds Saa, Taa, Naa, and Maa…first singing them, then whispering them, repeating the sounds silently, and finally reversing the sequence. Each sound also has a corresponding finger movement (e.g. ring finger touching thumb). This entire meditation sequence is done in 12 minutes.
The first study using Kirtan Kriya meditation to improve memory was an open-label (both researchers and participants know which treatment is being administered) pilot study published in 2010 in Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Andrew Newberg, MD and his colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania took 15 people (ages 52-77) with memory loss and had them practice Kirtan Kriya for 12 minutes a day for 8 weeks. They had a small control group who listened to Mozart violin concertos for the same amount of time.
Compared to the control group, the meditation group showed improved cerebral blood flow (to the frontal lobe regions and the right superior parietal lobe), had statistically significant improvements in a neuropsychological test measuring cognition, as well as improvements in three other cognitive tests that measured general memory, attention and cognition.
Since then, a number of other studies have involved Kirtan Kriya meditation – I’ll tell you about another exciting one in a little while.
But before I close, I need to say again, these studies are preliminary, small, and aren’t well controlled or randomized, so we can’t necessarily draw strong conclusions from them.
But they are interesting to ponder.
We are just learning the ramifications of our activities on neuroplasticity in the brain. From year to year, brand new pieces of the puzzle are being revealed, which is why it’s crucial to stay on top of new research findings.
We created the Brain Science Webinar Series in order to help you keep up-to-date on these findings and the clinical applications they offer.
Have you ever used meditation to change the brain? Please leave a comment.
I have noticed that mindfulness improves memory: learning to pay attention rather than slipping in an automatic mode. Then I remember where I parked, or where I put my keys etc. Meditation, when taken into everyday life encourages mindfulness.
I used to meditate when I was 35, I’m 59 now. My psychic abilities were unbelievable and even scared me. Since I didn’t have any guidance in meditating then, I stopped. Now I would like to try again with guidance.
Meditation is no magic bullet. Let me give you the other side of the equation. I meditated for about four months using similar kriya style techniques for about 20 minutes per day, which caused what is mystically called a “Kundalini awakening”. I was unaware of what was happening and did not understand, but in essence it has turned my life upside down. Up until that day i had no psych history and was in excellent health. this happened when i was 24 years old while i was a peace corps volunteer in the philippines. I am now 26, and instead of attending one of the several medical schools of which i was accepted, i have serious memory problems and have difficulty reading. essentially i am a vegetable in terms of employability. Look up kundalini syndrome to get a better understanding of the negative side effects that could potentially happen. my guess is it is the kindling of some form of parietal lobe epilepsy or hyperseretonia. It is more common that you think with tm, vipisanna, kundalini, kriya, and other types of meditation, i have met several others that have been damaged by various meditation techniques. There is a downside that medicine conviently ignores. I would give anything not to have meditated to relieve stress. I just dont want anyone else to get hurt.
Hi Trevoe,
We’re truly sorry to hear about your experience.
I’m wondering if you had the chance to check out the recent series of videos we put out with Ron Siegel, PsyD. He addressed this very issue.
Dr. Siegel pointed out that the right intervention at the wrong time or with the wrong person is the wrong intervention, and then walked through a series of questions practitioners need to ask in order to match particular mindfulness practices to specific patients.
He will be digging more deeply into this important topic in our 10-week program in Mindfulness and Psychotherapy. We believe it’s crucial for professionals to receive this kind of in-depth training from someone with Ron’s credentials and experience as a long-time mindfulness practitioner and teacher.
We wish you all the best.
Its taken me 7 years now.I lost from zero means a,b,c,d….I am 55 years of age.meditation as really helped me.i need more info ,if u can tell me your self.one is sound,read and rigting etg thanks
An interesting little experiment! Mindfulness is a great practice… I guide clients through basic mindfulness practices what help them to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in my treatment.
Thank you for sharing this study
Kind regards
Vanessa
I would like to be on the email mailing list.
If you are interested in trying Kundalini Yoga meditations go to kundalinireseatchinstitute.org for all the info you need. Also Spiritvoyage.com is a wonderful resource for music to chant along with. The Sa Ta Na Ma meditation mentioned by Ruth is a wonderful meditation, particularly when chanting along with Mirabai Ceiba’s version on their CD Cycle of Life.
Happy chanting, Julie
I am always telling myself I am going to meditate, but don’t really know how to get started. This is a real help. Thank you for all your wonderful work and insights.
I often recommend meditation for my patients. I have my patients start with a mantra that helps them access their self-love. Then I have them watch their breath as they contract and release their muscles. Daily practice improves their sense of well being, memory and ability to handle stress.
what do i do if i become severally depressed when i meditate?
I had just read about the Kirtan Kriya meditation technique in the latest May 2012 issue of Yoga Journal. Kundalini Yoga teacher, Maya Fiennes, writes and instructs about it in the article Express Yourself. It is a little bit different version but very similar. I am just starting to do meditation again. I often let myself get too distracted with all I have to do and don’t devote that precious time to myself. Am changing that as of right now! Thanks, in part, to you.
I am loving your new brain series! Thank you so much and keep up the great work. Also love how you bring in Joan Borysenko and Bill O’Hanlon, two greats in the Psychology field, to offer their insights!!! Love it!
I am a post-secondary student with ADD and a lerinang disability. I go to school in Alberta Canada. I try my best to keep my mind stable but at times, for example, when I get up at 4:00 am, my mind is racing so fast that I am unable to go to sleep. In addition, when I pick up a book and start reading then my body wants to go to sleep.Do you have ANY suggestions? I keep a regular sleep pattern and I eat healthy foods.Thanks Doc!Martin
Mind is the most valuable tool. We all know only the products of mind and not its power behind human existence. The meditation mentioned takes one to the source of mind power. A constant touch with this source will help to remove all blocks in the path of signals in the brain for memory and cognition. In addition new centers can be created. A faith in this concept itself is a power that allows manifestation of what one intends. Hope everyone benefits with this meditation and get back their memory and cognitive loss. I am a senior and instead of losing I am gaining memory till today. I am thankful and grateful to meditation and chanting.
Thank you Ruth for posting this study.
As a member of the Himalayan Institute and a practicing yogi, I also have experienced and understood the benefits of yoga meditation. I am not familiar with the kundalini kriya method that you mentioned above. Where can I learn about the entire method? I would like to use it in my research as well.
Thank you very much,
Michael
Looking forward to learning technique.