Hygeia Public Health 2017, 52(3): 255-264en

Deepened relaxation-meditation states - facilitating and hindering experiences versus type of practice

Lesław Kulmatycki ^1/, Krystyna Boroń-Krupińska ^2/

1/ Zakład Promocji Zdrowia i Relaksacji, Katedra Humanistyki Edukacyjnej, Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego we Wrocławiu
2/ Zespół Socjologii, Katedra Humanistyki Edukacyjnej, Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego we Wrocławiu

Summary
Introduction. The states defined as both relaxing and meditative have their own particularity which differentiate them from the vigilance, sleeping or dreaming states. Researchers usually name the following features: the loss of subjectivity perceived as a dissolution of boundaries between the self and the environment; extension of sensory perception and sensitization of the conscious processes; timelessness when the adequacy of the passage of time ceases to be perceived; inability to logically and precisely describe this type of experience.
Aim. To analyze facilitating, hindering and other experiences during various practices.
Material and methods. This study was conducted among undergraduate and postgraduate students of two universities of physical education in Wroclaw and Warsaw. All the groups participated in relaxation training sessions which were included in the curricula of their academic majors: hatha yoga, yoga nidra, meditation and Jacobson´s progressive muscle relaxation.
Results. There were no significant differences in the facilitating experiences in all the experimental groups. It was also observed that in all the experimental groups the incidence of the other experiences grew with the increased number of the hindering experiences.
Conclusion. The largest differences between the other experiences and both facilitating and hindering ones in the groups focused on mind-work were recorded in the meditation group, whereas in the category of body-work - it was the hatha yoga group. In the category of the other experiences, the most significant differences were observed between both hatha yoga and yoga nidra groups and relaxation according to Jacobson.

Key words:  relaxation, meditation, individual experiences, altered states of consciousness, hatha yoga, yoga nidra, progressive muscle relaxation according to Jacobson