Tantra or Yoga. Clinical Studies, Part 1: Yoga

Several clinical studies demonstrate how exercises from Vedic traditions, such as Yoga, or Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, as well as tantric practices, have a significant psychobiological impact. This study seeks to identify the neurophysiological correlates of practices referred to as tantric and...

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Main Author: Oscar R. Gómez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Fundación MenteClara 2025-03-01
Series:Revista Científica Arbitrada de la Fundación MenteClara
Subjects:
Online Access:https://fundacionmenteclara.org.ar/revista/index.php/RCA/article/view/389
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author Oscar R. Gómez
author_facet Oscar R. Gómez
author_sort Oscar R. Gómez
collection DOAJ
description Several clinical studies demonstrate how exercises from Vedic traditions, such as Yoga, or Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, as well as tantric practices, have a significant psychobiological impact. This study seeks to identify the neurophysiological correlates of practices referred to as tantric and non-tantric meditations through a qualitative systematic review of collected data. First, the results of non-tantric meditations were verified, followed by the collection of data on tantric meditations. These were then compared, and the findings are presented in three parts. In this first part, it was found that non-tantric meditations create a better relaxation response with increased parasympathetic activity and inhibition of the sympathetic system. This induces a hypometabolic state of deep rest, where the practitioner remains awake and their attention is in a state of "tonic alertness," accompanied by symptoms corresponding to this hypometabolic state—hypotonia, decreased oxygen consumption, reduced heart rate, and lower blood lactate concentration. Additionally, there are changes in normal endocrine function, increased phenylalanine concentration in advanced meditators, elevated plasma prolactin levels, a five-fold increase in plasma arginine vasopressin levels, and a chronic and acute decrease in thyroid-stimulating hormone. This research paves the way for longitudinal clinical studies to confirm the long-term beneficial effects of these practices and to establish mechanisms to counteract the undesirable side effects presented here.
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spelling doaj-art-694ba89844ed4e21bf5da39e83b6c8af2025-08-20T03:01:30ZengFundación MenteClaraRevista Científica Arbitrada de la Fundación MenteClara2469-07832025-03-0110010.32351/rca.v10.389193Tantra or Yoga. Clinical Studies, Part 1: YogaOscar R. Gómez0Argentine School of TantraSeveral clinical studies demonstrate how exercises from Vedic traditions, such as Yoga, or Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, as well as tantric practices, have a significant psychobiological impact. This study seeks to identify the neurophysiological correlates of practices referred to as tantric and non-tantric meditations through a qualitative systematic review of collected data. First, the results of non-tantric meditations were verified, followed by the collection of data on tantric meditations. These were then compared, and the findings are presented in three parts. In this first part, it was found that non-tantric meditations create a better relaxation response with increased parasympathetic activity and inhibition of the sympathetic system. This induces a hypometabolic state of deep rest, where the practitioner remains awake and their attention is in a state of "tonic alertness," accompanied by symptoms corresponding to this hypometabolic state—hypotonia, decreased oxygen consumption, reduced heart rate, and lower blood lactate concentration. Additionally, there are changes in normal endocrine function, increased phenylalanine concentration in advanced meditators, elevated plasma prolactin levels, a five-fold increase in plasma arginine vasopressin levels, and a chronic and acute decrease in thyroid-stimulating hormone. This research paves the way for longitudinal clinical studies to confirm the long-term beneficial effects of these practices and to establish mechanisms to counteract the undesirable side effects presented here.https://fundacionmenteclara.org.ar/revista/index.php/RCA/article/view/389clinical studiesyogameditationtheravadavipassanamahayanazenmindfulnesseegecgfmrineuroimagingneurophysiologyimmunologyendocrinology
spellingShingle Oscar R. Gómez
Tantra or Yoga. Clinical Studies, Part 1: Yoga
Revista Científica Arbitrada de la Fundación MenteClara
clinical studies
yoga
meditation
theravada
vipassana
mahayana
zen
mindfulness
eeg
ecg
fmri
neuroimaging
neurophysiology
immunology
endocrinology
title Tantra or Yoga. Clinical Studies, Part 1: Yoga
title_full Tantra or Yoga. Clinical Studies, Part 1: Yoga
title_fullStr Tantra or Yoga. Clinical Studies, Part 1: Yoga
title_full_unstemmed Tantra or Yoga. Clinical Studies, Part 1: Yoga
title_short Tantra or Yoga. Clinical Studies, Part 1: Yoga
title_sort tantra or yoga clinical studies part 1 yoga
topic clinical studies
yoga
meditation
theravada
vipassana
mahayana
zen
mindfulness
eeg
ecg
fmri
neuroimaging
neurophysiology
immunology
endocrinology
url https://fundacionmenteclara.org.ar/revista/index.php/RCA/article/view/389
work_keys_str_mv AT oscarrgomez tantraoryogaclinicalstudiespart1yoga