| This research project investigated AlphaKardia, an 8-week heart-focused meditation program designed to enhance self-development. This program has been successfully employed in clinical practice for the past five years with over 1,200 clients. While centered around a meditation technique that puts attention on the heart, both metaphorically and biologically, the sessions also employ physiological biofeedback, suggestion, guided mental imagery, focused problem solving, and cognitive restructuring. To date, however, no empirical studies before this one have been undertaken to verify its effectiveness. The primary method employed was the case-teaching method (Taylor, 1999) in the tradition of Carl Roger's call for a person-centered science.; Six adult participants, one man and five women, recruited from the general public, were studied during the 8-week program. Baselines were taken on selected standardized measures, pre-training and post-training, including the Tellegen Absorption Scale, Daily Spiritual Experience Scale, Inventory of Positive Psychological Attitudes, and The Index of Core Spiritual Experiences. Psychophysiological measures of heart-rate variability were taken throughout the program using a computer based biofeedback system; changes in phenomenological manner as indicated by interviews regarding personal interpretations and practical uses of the training were assessed. Changes within each participant's profile were the focus of attention rather than the generalization of effects across participants. It was expected that the participants would show an increase in suggestive dissociability, improvement in their sense of personal well-being, and strengthened attitudes toward spirituality. At the same time, measurements of heart-rate variability---the beat-to-beat interval, taken in each session throughout the program were used to corroborate successful entrainment in physiological coherence through the heart-focused meditation, and also to give independent verification to the expected effects of the training. Outcomes showed that participants who consistently engaged in heart-focused meditation as measured by behavioral records and the external psychophysiological response through the duration of their program improved their self-regulation and physiological response to stress, sense of personal well-being, and attitudes toward spirituality. Further research on physiological coherence, a short-term positive phenomenon in this project, needs to be studied to identify any long term pathological aspects. |
