>From an audio recording (No 2) made in Hochgurgelin in 1962 - (Thanks to
Jörg Schenk)
Question: I have the feeling that the state of restful alertness (during TM)
is concentrated in the forehead...
Maharishi: Some day in the first week of the course, I think I have said,
that the whole brain matter becomes illuminant. Illuminant means nothing
remains inactive and nothing remains active.
A state of all the experiencing nerves between talamus and cortex, they are
neither active nor passive. Just ready to be either active or passive. In
that state of pure consciousness, in that glow...
Question: Can this state of suspension be prolonged indefinite and if so,
what is the effect on the brain cells?
Maharishi: Yes, it can be prolonged indefinite. If it is held for very long
time, the body will become alkaline. Because, not to decay is the quality of
alkaline body. And as long as the individual mind gets to that universal
consciousness, the body has to be intact.. In order that it remains intact,
it becomes alkaline.
If the body is acidic, more of acid in the system, then the oxygen going in
becomes carbondioxide. If the body is acidic, more carbondioxide is
produced. To throw it out, the exhalations become deeper, heavier. When the
exhalations become heavier, inhalations become correspondingly heavier also.
So the breath flows heavy when the system is acidic.
Opposite to this, when the acidity becomes less then the breath becomes
slow. That is why during meditation the breath becomes slow, the body
becomes less acidic, more alkaline.
This is the reason why the body lasts longer for those who meditate, long
life. With meditation the blood chemistry changes, becomes less acidic, more
alkaline...
...taking into consideration the slowing of the breath during meditation we
conclude without even experimenting and without even testing that the
system becomes less acidic...
