* or any soothing, mellifluous sound, preferably with no meaning.
or association, to avoid stimulation of unnecessary thoughts.^35
- Benson ushered in a new era of understanding in the field of mind-body medicine. Coining
the term “relaxation response,” which the Mayo Clinic calls the “rest and digest” response,
Benson identified the body’s physiological reaction that is the exact opposite of, and
necessary complement to, the stress (fight-or-flight) response. This is a secular concept of
meditation. In the four decades since that initial discovery, Benson and his colleagues have
established a therapy to counteract the harmful effects of stress. They have explored how
the relaxation response, the power of expectation and belief, and other mind-body
phenomena can produce healing in your own body. Benson’s studies of the relaxation
response show that the core of meditational practices is the same, and that the pervasive
stress of modern life can be counteracted by self-discipline and self-calming.
- In Relaxation Revolution, Benson and Proctor contend that we have the ability to self-heal
diseases, prevent life-threatening conditions, and supplement established drug and surgical
procedures with mind-body techniques. In a special “treatment” section, Benson and
Proctor describe how these mind body techniques can be applied—and are being applied—
to treat a wide variety of conditions, including anxiety and depression. The proof will have
to be weighed by others, and the jury is certainly out, but the lack of an identifiable risk of
harm may make the question of efficacy moot. Relaxation certainly works for many people.
- OPEN FOCUS: Similarly, Fehmi, developed the secular concept of “open focus.” During the
1970s Fehmi developed and recorded a series of exercises that involved imagining space in
various contexts and successfully talked subjects into the synchronous-alpha state. The
strong correlation between observed brain wave type (alpha, beta, theta) and the way the
subject was attending became obvious. Was the mode of attending perhaps the
