Students Learn EEG Research, Make Interesting Discoveries
Nineteen students in a course last month on using electroencephalography (EEG) for research did a number of pilot studies that yielded remarkable results, including that our thoughts affect the brainwaves of others.
In the course, titled “EEG, Brain, and Enlightenment” and taught by Fred Travis, the students learned how to apply EEG sensors, record and analyze EEG data, and conduct their own research.
Their research topics included: 1) the effects of listening to Vishnu Sahastranam, 2) brain patterns during pranayama, 3) effects of noise on practice of the Transcendental Meditation® technique, and 4) whether other people’s thoughts affect a person during the Transcendental Meditation technique and during rest.
“The students functioned like graduate students,” Dr. Travis said. “They were self-motivated and self-sufficient. They designed the studies, and conducted and analyzed their research like professional scientists. With more subjects any of these studies could be published. We’re going to be following up.”
The group that researched listening to Vishnu Sahastranam after practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique found there was global EEG coherence while listening. Alpha coherence was similar to that during the Transcendental Meditation technique. In addition, there was gamma coherence, gamma being the frequency of dynamic focused activity.
The pranayama group found that the practice led to higher global gamma coherence, suggesting heightened alertness.
The group researching the effect of noise reported that meditation is deeper when there is silence, and that long-term practitioners of the Transcendental Meditation technique were able to maintain more of the EEG of transcendence, even while noise was going on.
The last group looked at effects of people’s thoughts on another person. The subject sat with his or her eyes closed for 14 minutes, did a brief task, and then meditated. During both the eyes-closed period and meditation, two of the researchers thought specific thoughts for two, two-minute periods for each thought: very anxious thoughts; very happy thoughts; neutral thoughts; or no specific thoughts.
During the happy thoughts, there was higher alpha power in the person meditating or sitting with his or her eyes closed. In contrast, when the two experimenters thought anxious thoughts, there was visibly lower alpha power, and coherence was higher in the gamma frequency during eyes-closed rest.
When experimenters thought anxious thoughts during the Transcendental Meditation technique, the subjects had higher coherence in all frequencies. Dr. Travis said this finding may be similar to the Meissner Effect in that the increase of coherence allows the brain to neutralize negative effects from the environment.
“While these are pilot studies, the designs were strong, and they should be further researched,” Dr. Travis said.
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New Undergraduate Enrollment Surges Spring Semester
A total of 66 new undergraduate students arrived on campus last month, marking an unusually large spring entry — and a 113% increase over last year’s spring entry of undergrads.
Also enrolling in January were 29 new graduate students in standard programs, which represents a 107% increase over spring enrollment a year ago.
While enrollment in standard programs has increased, the number of students enrolling in the professionals programs has decreased.
This semester the Accounting M.B.A. limited their acceptances to 35 because of the state of the U.S. economy and the job market. And the Computer Professionals Program enrolled 46 students earlier this month. Students in these programs spend six to eight months on campus and then are placed in paid practicum positions while they finish their degree.
As usual, the new computer and accounting students come from around the world, including more from the Middle East than usual, with students coming from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt. And as usual, there are a large number of new students from Ethiopia. Other countries represented include Cambodia, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Eritrea, Ghana, India, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Vietnam.
Overall enrollment, including students finishing their degrees via distance education and those enrolled in China, totals nearly 1,200, with 566 being on-campus students.
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Next-Generation Bus Transports M.U.M. Students to a New Level
By Lee Leffler
The Department of Exercise and Sport Science recently purchased a modern bus that seats more passengers, provides a safer and more comfortable ride, and allows multimedia, educational travel experiences via a large LCD screen.
Ken Daley, chairman of the Department of Exercise and Sport Science, saved a portion of the student recreation fees for several years to pay for the bus.
“It’s highly specialized and very comfortable,” Mr. Daley said. “The company that manufactured the bus made it according to our specification, using top-of-the-line design and materials.”
The University’s insurance company only allows 12 riders in the older campus vans. The new bus has more safety features, including dual wheels on the back and a specialized suspension, and can seat 14 passengers plus the driver.
“The bus is specifically designed to move people, and includes comfortable, high, adjustable tilting seats,” Mr. Daley said. “International students will appreciate the very large windows that curve at the top, which gives them a panoramic view of the United States.”
To make better use of the time during long trips, passengers will benefit from the large LCD screen at the front of the bus. University professors can play PowerPoint presentations and teach during long trips. Also, the DVD player will be used to educate and entertain.
“We can make better use of travel time, making the trip an educational experience rather than just putting in the hours,” Mr. Daley said.
The Department of Exercise and Sport Science allows its vehicles to be used by the entire University community. The new bus will be used for the biannual Base Camp (a four-day camping/adventure program for new students), weekend trips for sports teams, airport pickups, and special trips for student activities, including skiing, rock climbing, and kayaking.
“This bus is moving us to the next logical step,” Mr. Daley said. “It is partially fulfilling the Department of Exercise and Sport Science’s goal of creating a greater quality of programming for our students.”
The bus is being used to take a group of Sustainable Living students to the Southwest in Blocks 6 and 7.
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Students Compete in Rec Center Tourneys: Badminton, Archery, Basketball
M.U.M. students and staff were among the winners in three open tournaments hosted last month at the Recreation Center.
Nine people participated in the badminton tournament, which was in a round-robin format. Bishal Sheestha came out undefeated, earning first place. In second place was Naga Raj Basal, and third place went to Rajeev Sawhney. Other top finishers were Ardhita Maharindra, fourth, Ken Daley, fifth, and Ray Baptiste, the only female competitor, sixth.
In three-on-three basketball the format was again round-robin, and the winning team was “The Stone and Tyler Show,” consisting of Tyler Cleveland, Ben Stone, and Danny Duszynski. They were undefeated. Second place went to “Team Dog,” comprising Owen Blake, Ben Friar, and Justin Heaton, with a record of 5-1. And in third place, with a record of 4-2, was the team “White Dragons”: Roy Williams, Jesse Spaulding, and Noah Loin.
Also, 11 people competed in an archery tournament at the archery range in the Fieldhouse. Competitors were divided into two teams, and shot four ends of six arrows from 20 meters and four ends of six arrows at 13.5 meters. Individually, Dariana Travis came in first with a total score of 244, Oscar Gutierrez came in second with a score of 236, Melodia Morales and Sherman Merican tied for third with 159, and Elisabet Humble came in fifth with a score of 134.
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School Students to Perform State Speech Entries March 7–9
As this issue of The Review goes to press, eight teams from Maharishi School were competing at the All-State Festival of the Iowa High School Speech Association, having had eight of nine teams receive a #1 rating at the district competition.
The students will be performing their entries for the community at Spayde Theater on Friday, March 7, and Saturday, March 8, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 9, at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets are $8 for students and faculty, $12 for adults, and $15 for primary reserved seating. Tickets will be sold at the door or can be reserved by calling Alana at (860) 961-9410 or (641) 472-8427.
The team is coached by Alana Waksman (M.S.A.E. ’04, Connecticut College ’08) and Brendan Thomas (M.S.A.E. ’01), who were both coached in speech competition by Rodney Franz.
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School Talent Show/Auction Includes McCartney Tickets
The Maharishi School senior class will offer their annual Talent Show and Silent Auction on Sunday, March 1, at 7:30 p.m. in the Henry Clark Assembly Hall at Maharishi School. The event will help raise funds for their class trip, where seniors hope to work with two children’s schools in Brazil where the Transcendental Meditation technique is taught.
Along with an hour of lively entertainment, the students are holding a silent “Awesome Auction” which features four premier tickets to the April 4 Paul McCartney benefit concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York City in support of the David Lynch Foundation.
Other auction items up for bid are jewelry, artisan crafted gifts, multiple CD music collections, organic cotton clothing, Maharishi Amrit Kalash®, and many gift certificates to local restaurants, stores, hairdressers, family chiropractors, automotive services, fitness packages, financial and tax services, landscaping services, music lessons, and photography offers, as well as student service certificates for babysitting, tutoring, tennis lessons, yard work, car detailing, and music lessons.
Tickets are available for the advanced price of $5 from any Maharishi School senior. Tickets are $8 at the door.
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Maharishi School Art Students Win Awards, Exhibit Work
Three Maharishi School students recently won awards at the 2009 Photography International Education Association (PIEA) International Photography Competition. And a traveling exhibit of photos from the 2008 competition will be on view at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center next month.
Winning honorable mention this year were Avanish Kuntla and Michael Corazza, while Sebastian Lacasse received an exhibitor award. This year, 114 schools entered 6,080 photos by 1,334 students from 10 countries. There were 115 photographs that received recognition and will be in the touring exhibit, which begins in Las Vegas on March 3, 2009 and will tour the world for three years. The exhibit will be hosted by colleges, schools, arts organizations, galleries, and museums in Canada, Europe, Australia, China, South Africa, and the U.S.
The 2008 PIEA International Photo Competition Touring Exhibition will be displayed at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center March 2–12 daily during the Center’s regular hours.
“It’s a great honor that our students have placed in the PIEA exhibition,” said Greg Thatcher, who heads the Maharishi School art department. “This success reflects the students’ creativity and fundamental openness to the possibilities of photography.”
There will be a special exhibition opening March 2, from 7–9 p.m. For further information, please contact Mr. Thatcher at 472-6966.
School Art to Show at Local Bank
In addition, Connie Boyer, of the Iowa State Bank main branch, has invited Maharishi School to display student artwork as part of March Youth Art Month, which is the theme for the 1st Fridays Art Walk in March.
The exhibition will open during the March 6 Art Walk and will be displayed through March 27. It will feature the photographic works of students in grades 7–12 that were recently returned from the Photo Imaging Educational Association International Photography Competition.
The art teachers are Sharon Koelblinger and Greg Thatcher.
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®Transcendental Meditation, Maharishi Amrit Kalash, Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment, and Maharishi University of Management are registered or common law trademarks licensed to Maharishi Vedic Education Development Corporation and used under sublicense or with permission. |
