Surprising results were found in a pilot study by the authors in which they compared Buddhist mindfulness meditation ("mindfulness": becoming clearly aware of the here and now) with Transcendental Meditation ("TM" - repeated states of mind without thoughts, of pure, contentless, "transcendental awareness"). Stuart Heritage im GUARDIAN: "Where Mindfulness practises overt observation, TM is all about letting go".
Measurements of heart rate variability (HRV) showed that
. Transcendental Meditation, through Automatic Self Transcending, is primarily effective in producing sustained regeneration and short-term, rapid recovery,
. Mindfulness meditation, on the other hand, through sympathetic driven increase in HRV, tends to lead to increased readiness for action and fitness.
Recent comparative studies between mindfulness and TM suggest that TM may yield better results in increasing mindfulness.