Dr. Fred Travis has been empirically studying higher states of consciousness, and other researchers appreciate the long history of research on the Transcendental Meditation technique and how it has created a foundation for researching higher states.

MUM faculty researcher speaks at New York Academy of Sciences
by Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, Iowa, USA, The Review
February 2013

Faculty researcher Fred Travis was among nine leading meditation researchers invited to present at a conference in January organized by the New York Academy of Sciences, the third oldest scientific society in the United States with more than 25,000 members worldwide.

Speaking to an audience of over 150, Dr. Travis explained that different meditations have different effects, and that the Transcendental Meditation technique leads to the experience of pure consciousness.

He showed how this experience has been demonstrated both qualitatively, with hard scientific evidence, and qualitatively, via reports of subjective experience.

Dr. Travis read out some of the experiences of his subjects who were experiencing transcendental consciousness during activity. "They were especially moved and inspired by these experiences," Dr. Travis said.

He was invited to speak as a result of his published studies and the fact that he has worked with some of the leading meditation researchers, including peer review of their research to see if it merits publication.
"Some of those attending said they had read all my papers," Dr. Travis said. "I was almost taken aback by their effusive public appreciation."

He said that he's the only researcher empirically studying higher states of consciousness, and that other researchers appreciate the long history of research on the Transcendental Meditation technique and how it has created a foundation for researching higher states.

As a result of his participation, Dr. Travis was also invited to speak at a prestigious conference at the Esalen Institute in California in May. One purpose of the event will be to bring together leading meditation researchers to establish common measures for meditation research.

In his talk Dr. Travis explained that different meditation techniques provide different probes into consciousness. Compassion meditation leads to an ongoing experience of deep empathy. Mindfulness meditation offers a perspective for coping.

The Transcendental Meditation technique, on the other hand, doesn't focus on a specific skill but rather allows practitioners to effortlessly experience a fourth state of consciousness, transcendental consciousness, and eventually experience that state during activity.

His presentation was well received, and some of the researchers there have subsequently been in touch with Dr. Travis to gain a deeper understanding of the technique and his research.

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