Sahaja Yoga Meditation

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

 National Institute of Health (NIH)

"Meditation and Health Conference"

On June 19, 2000, Dr. Nirmala Devi Srivastava, a scholar and world-renowned speaker, was at the Masur Auditorium, NIH, Bethesda to describe how meditation helps in the management of stress. 

Dr. Srivastava  presented a groundbreaking integrated view of the inter-relationship between our physical, emotional and spiritual domains at numerous medical conferences in well recognized academic centers in different parts of the world.

Dr. Srivastava has been able to integrate ancient wisdom with modern science to expand the understanding and awareness of the subtleties of the nervous system. She has demonstrated how it's dysfunction can make a person prone to diseases such as stress adaptation disorder, cancer, AIDS, substance abuse, etc.

At this conference on ‘Meditation and Health’ organized by the Rehabilitation Medicine Department at National Institutes of Health, Dr. Srivastava  presented a new hypothesis about the causation of psychosomatic disorders and a different approach to addressing them. This hypothesis addressed some of the most fundamental issues about the etiology of disease and provided innovative methods for its prevention.  The central tenet of this hypothesis rests on the use of a dormant energy source that exists innately within us. Understanding and nurturing this source is the basis of disease prevention and amelioration. In 1970, Dr. Srivastava introduced a simple method of meditation with its roots in ancient knowledge called Sahaja yoga. The  primary focus of Sahaja yoga is to help individuals understand and realize their spiritual potential by learning to make use of this innate source of energy.

Sahaja Yoga meditation has been proven in medical studies conducted in India, Australia, and Russia.^1-6 Dr. Srivastava has been twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and has been honored by the US Congress and the UN. She has received numerous honors and awards in recognition of her contribution to peace, health, and well being of humankind in over 86 nations.

For the uniqueness of her contribution to the knowledge of science, she was appointed Honorary Member of the Presidium of the Petrovska Academy of Art and Science, St. Petersburg, Russia in 1993.  In 1995, she was awarded Honorary PhD in Cognitive Science from the Ecological University in Romania.

With all the modern development of science, ethical issues erase the lines separating science, morality, and spirituality challenge the medical community.  Dr. Srivastava addresses the essence of all the faiths in the experience of the human spirit by raising awareness of the great inner spiritual power that integrates our being.

Dr. Srivastava is known as a dynamic and powerful speaker, whose insights into the problems of humanity are deep and revealing.  Her tremendous concern for the well being of people everywhere has motivated her work for which she never accepts payment of any kind.

 References:

1.      Panjwani U et al. Effect of Sahaja yoga meditation on auditory evoked potentials (AEP) and visual contrast sensitivity (VCS) in epileptics. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2000 Mar;25(1):1-12.

2.      Ramaratnam S, Sridharan K.  Yoga for epilepsy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2000;2:CD001524.

3.      Panjwani U et al. Effect of Sahaja yoga practice on seizure control & EEG changes in patients of epilepsy. Indian J Med Res. 1996 Mar;103:165-72.

4.      Panjwani U et al. Effect of Sahaja yoga practice on stress management in patients of epilepsy. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 1995 Apr;39(2):111-6.

5.      Gupta HL et al. Sahaja yoga in the management of intractable epilepsy. J Assoc Physicians India. 1991 Aug;39(8):649. No abstract available.

6.      Rai U.C. et al, Some effects of Sahaja Yoga and its role in the prevention of stress disorders. Journal International Medical Sciences Academy Vol. 2 No. 1 Pages 19-23. March 1998