Actually

this does not belong on the yoga forum....

I recently got back from an intensive mediation retreat where I meditated 12-13 hrs a day for 10 days.
//www.curezone.org/forums/fm.asp?i=914900
my health was certainly boosted, in that many deep seated pains tied to emotions came up and dissappeared. As a result of concentrating all my vital energy to higher centers, I derived many benefits, lost 10 pounds in 10 days, arthritis/tendonitis in my knees dissappeared and they feel like before I ever heard of football. What was referred to as sciatica disappeared as well as bursitis whch limited range of motion in my shoulder, and much of fibromyalgia has begun to dissipate from key trigger points. When you have as much sexual energy as I, and do not squander it, the benefit is tremendous by bringing that energy upwards to nourish the brain and nervous system.

Transcendtal meditation is about the only form of meditation that can be studied, because one can approach it with an objective or scientific mind and research can be conducted. TM however is not really meditation in a true sense, it is a focused concentration helpful for sure, and easily quantifiable, but not really mediation.

True meditation is so unlimited and unreachable to the mind it cannot be at all quantifiable and research is the wrong way to go. The only way to tell if true meditation works is to do it, and the fruits of the results are obvious. When I left my meditation retreat I went straightaway to sit for meditation at a weekly satsang. There was a woman I had never met before and she sat beside me, I felt her observing me and I felt connection, afterward she told me she also had sat for vipassana as I had and could tell by the compassion that came forth from me. People reacted differently when I came forth from the hospital (meditation hall) I noticed the quality of satsang perked up (Other's energy) and besides me feeling and witnessing this it was nice confirmation for others to feel it so strongly as to comment.

So meditation is only quantifiable in how it relaxes one and bears fruit of compassion, love nad connection, removes, the root cause of pain and suffering which is a deep surgery and may take time to bear fruit as a result of the playings of cause and effect. Relaxation is a key fruit in that true meditation allows one to relax into what is and not concentrate on what was or what should be. Anything other than this is ignoring the divine and creates suffering.

Aye