Natural stress relief meditation as a tool for reducing anxiety and increasing self-actualization

Abstract

Natural Stress Relief (NSR) Meditation, a mental technique practiced for 15 minutes twice a day, reduces stress and anxiety by inducing a physiological state of deep rest. Regular practice of this technique appears to reduce trait anxiety and to develop qualities associated with self-actualization, such as inner peace, satisfaction, and creativity. This article reports new research that documents this effect using psychometric measures. A group of 31 practitioners showed, after four weeks of regular practice, a significant reduction of trait anxiety as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; Spielberger, Gorsuch, Lushene, Vagg, & Jacobs, 1983) (effect size d = .69, calculated following Cohen), and a significant increase of self-actualization as measured by the Jones and Crandall (1986) Short Index of Self-Actualization (SISA; effect size d = .47).