Meditation and Health.

The article presents print and electronic information resources about meditation research. The book, The Relaxation Response by Herbert Benson, The Relaxation Response was a bestseller and was subsequently published in various countries, languages, formats and editions. This book is controversial among those who believe that the spiritual elements of meditation are necessary to reap its benefits; that is why it is an important part of any meditation collection. In print; also available in large print, VHS videotape and audiotape. The book, Scientific Research on the Transcendental Meditation Program Collected Papers edited by David W. Orme-Johnson and John T. Farrow, is the complete official collection of research papers on Transcendental Meditation (TM) published by the TM organization. This edition is the compilation of the reports of the 508 research studies on the TM method and TM-Sidhi Program, a program for advanced practitioners, with some that are not included in the first edition of the papers. TM is a method of meditation originating in India and taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi throughout the world beginning in the late 1950s. The article, An Analysis of Recent Meditation Research and Suggestions for Future Directions by Shauna L. Shapiro and Roger Walsh, reviews the recent literature of meditation research, including the most well designed studies on meditation. The authors discuss the psychological, physiological, and transpersonal aspects, dividing meditation into two basic types: concentration and awareness. The site, Health Emotions Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, provides descriptions of state-of-the-art research facilities and descriptions of current research projects, including a recent study of mindfulness meditation.