ItemArticle

Neural Dynamics of Heartfulness Meditation: EEG Alpha Modulation Across Experience Levels

Title
Neural Dynamics of Heartfulness Meditation: EEG Alpha Modulation Across Experience Levels
Creator
Singh, Gyaneshwar; Js, Saleema; Dwivedi, Krishna; Singh, Deepeshwar
Description
Background: Electroencephalography (EEG) studies consistently associate alpha-band oscillations with relaxation, internalized attention, and sensory disengagement during meditation. However, limited evidence exists on how Heartfulness Meditation (HM), particularly its unique transmission phases, modulates alpha activity across different experience levels. Purpose: This study investigated experience-dependent modulation of EEG alpha-band power during multiple phases of HM, with a specific focus on transmission and post-meditation periods. Method: Thirty-three healthy adults were categorized as long-term meditators (LTMs; n = 12), short-term meditators (STMs; n = 11), and non-meditating controls (CGs; n = 10). High-density EEG (129 channels) was recorded across seven consecutive five-minute phases: baseline, meditation (M1, M2), transmission (T1, T2), and post-rest (P1, P2). EEG data were preprocessed using RANSAC-based bad-channel detection and independent component analysis. Alpha power (812 Hz) was computed using Welchs method and analyzed using linear mixed-effects models with false discovery rate correction. Results: A significant Group Phase Region interaction (pFDR < 0.05) indicated experience- and phase-dependent alpha modulation. Both LTMs and STMs exhibited higher alpha power than controls, particularly in frontal, parietal, and occipital regions during meditation and post-meditation phases. Effect sizes ranged from small to moderate (Cohens d = 0.340.70). Notably, STMs showed alpha enhancements comparable to LTMs during early meditation. Conclusion: HM induces region- and phase-specific increases in alpha-band EEG activity, reflecting enhanced internal attention and sensory disengagement. Even short-term practice produces measurable neural changes, underscoring the potential neuroplastic effects of HM. The Author(s) 2026. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
Source
Annals of Neurosciences;
Date
01-01-2026
Publisher
SAGE Publications Inc.
Subject
EEG alpha band; Heartfulness meditation; meditation experience; neural oscillations; neuroplasticity
Coverage
Singh G., Department of Statistics and Data Science, CHRIST (Deemed to Be University), Karnataka, Bengaluru, India; Js S., Department of Statistics and Data Science, CHRIST (Deemed to Be University), Karnataka, Bengaluru, India; Dwivedi K., Department of Yoga and Life Sciences, SVYASA University, Karnataka, Bengaluru, India; Singh D., Department of Yoga, School of Yoga, Naturopathy and Cognitive Studies, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, India
Rights
All Open Access; Gold Open Access; Green Open Access
Relation
ISSN: 9727531;
Format
online
Language
English
Type
Article

Citation

Singh, Gyaneshwar; Js, Saleema; Dwivedi, Krishna; Singh, Deepeshwar, “Neural Dynamics of Heartfulness Meditation: EEG Alpha Modulation Across Experience Levels,” CHRIST (Deemed To Be University) Institutional Repository, accessed June 18, 2026, https://archives.christuniversity.in/items/show/23141.

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