Benson meditation

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The The Relaxation Response , and Relaxation Response called, is a way to deal with stress cope and learn to relax. This technique was developed in the 1970s by the cardiologist Herbert Benson (* 1935) at Harvard Medical School . Benson adopted the mantra technique from Transcendental Meditation , which was a widespread adaptation of Indian yoga in the West at the time , as a simple and completely secular method and worked on the effects of this deep relaxation on measurable body functions such as blood pressure and pulse. His book The Relaxation Response , published in 1975, became a bestseller and is still being reprinted today. The Benson technique was used scientifically (among other processes), e.g. B. successfully tested against migraines in children and against alcoholism. Benson has published numerous academic articles and popular science books. In 1988 he founded the still existing Mind / Body Medical Institute (MBMI) at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston . Benson has always been controversial because of his unconventional ideas and public popularity. On the other hand, the connection between psychological stress and body functions postulated by him is widely accepted today, and he is also considered by his critics to be the most important pioneer of psychoendocrinology and psychoimmunology .

method

The Benson meditation is a simple breathing exercise lasting 10–20 minutes in which a word, prayer or the like is repeated over and over again. Other thoughts should be passively disregarded. The repetition of the mantra should be done while breathing out. Essential are: calm surroundings, comfortable posture, focus and passivity.

effect

The Massachusetts General Hospital operates a center for wellness offers, where, among other things, the Benson technology is used. According to this provider, the genetically determined stress reaction (release of stress hormones such as norepinephrine ) should be changed in the users. Fear, depressive states, anger and hostility should be reduced.

literature

  • Herbert Benson, Miriam Klipper: The Relaxation Response , reissue 2000, HarperTorch, New York, ISBN 978-0-380-00676-2 .
  • Herbert Benson, Miriam Klipper: Healthy in stress. Instructions for the relaxation reaction , Frankfurt am Main 1978, ISBN 3-550-07785-8 .
  • Joern J. Bambeck , Antje Wolters: Brain Power. Amazing possibilities to use conscious and unconscious mental powers , Munich 1991, ISBN 3-7844-7263-X , pp. 252-254 (The Benson method).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ MacDonald, Ann: Using the relaxation response to reduce stress , Harvard University. November 10, 2010. Retrieved December 11, 2011. 
  2. ↑ Neurobiology of Relaxation W for Knowledge , July 8, 2012
  3. ↑ Rick Harrington: Stress, Health and Well-Being: Thriving in the 21st Century . Cengage Learning, January 1, 2012, ISBN 1-133-70884-6 , p. 425.
  4. ^ Herbert Benson: The Relaxation Response. Morrow, 1975. ISBN 978-0-688-02955-5
  5. ↑ DW Fentress, BJ Masek u. a .: Biofeedback and relaxation-response training in the treatment of pediatric migraine. In: Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology . Volume 28, Number 2, April 1986, pp. 139-146, ISSN  0012-1622 . PMID 3519327 .
  6. ^ Tyrer / Silk: Cambridge Textbook of Effective Treatments in Psychiatry . Cambridge University Press, 2008, ISBN 978-1-139-46757-5 , p. 346.
  7. ^ W. Roush: Herbert Benson: mind-body maverick pushes the envelope. In: Science. Volume 276, Number 5311, April 1997, pp. 357-359, ISSN  0036-8075 . PMID 9139357 .
  8. ↑ a b How to Bring Forth the Relaxation Response . Herbert Benson. Retrieved December 11, 2011.
  9. ↑ eliciting the relaxation response . Benson Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Archived from the original on November 30, 2011. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved December 11, 2011. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.massgeneral.org
  10. ↑ Canadian Mental Health Association, Richmond, BC, Canada: Maintaining Your Mental Health ( Memento of the original from September 3, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.vcn.bc.ca
  11. ^ Taking Charge , Massachusetts General Hospital Magazine, 2012
  12. ^ Sue McGreevey: Relaxation response can influence expression of stress-related genes : "Genomic study finds common biological basis for effects of mind / body practices", 2008