On March 11, 2013, the Great East Japan Earthquake (magnitude 9) hit the northern part of Japan (Tohoku), killing more than 15 000 people and leaving long-lasting scars, including psychological damage among evacuees, some of whom were health professionals. Little is known about meditation efficacy on disaster-affected health professionals. The present study investigated the effects of breathing-based meditation on seminar participants who were health professionals who had survived the earthquake. This study employed a mixed methods approach, using both survey data and handwritten qualitative data. Quantitative results of pre- and postmeditation practice indicated that all mood scales (anger, confusion, depression, fatigue, strain, and vigor) were significantly improved (N = 17). Qualitative results revealed several common themes (emancipation from chronic and bodily senses; holistic sense: transcending mind-body; re-turning an axis in life through reflection, self-control, and/or gratitude; meditation into mundane, everyday life; and coming out of pain in the aftermath of the earthquake) that had emerged as expressions of participant meditation experiences. Following the 45-minute meditation session, the present study participants reported improvements in all psychological states (anger, confusion, depression, fatigue, strain, and vigor) in the quantitative portion, which indicated efficacy of the meditation. Our analysis of the qualitative portion revealed what and how participants felt during meditating.

This paper outlines Buddhist-based meditation in terms of its spiritual, psychotherapeutic, physiological and neuroscientific perspectives. In the latter part of this paper, a pilot study is discussed, in which Japanese university students volunteered to practice meditation at home and complete questionnaires. T-tests were performed to compare with the non-meditated control group. Although only a small number in the experimental group completed the study, our analyses demonstrated that students benefited from meditation and showed significant increases in their sense of coherence, self-esteem and purpose in life. Lastly, practical implications of meditation in contemporary Japanese society are discussed.

Back ground: Cancer has emerged as the second largest killer disease in the world and mortality rates for solid tumors remain unchanged. Therefore there is need to screen, new remedies to treat cancer. Materials and methods:The antineoplastic activity of different doses of hydroalcoholic extract of Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br. (ASE) was studied in Swiss albino mice, transplanted with Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma cells (EAC) in its peritoneal cavity. The effect of ASE injected at different stages of tumor development was evaluated by studying tumor free survivors. In another study EAC cells were treated with Echitamine Chloride (ECL) in vitro and transplanted back into mice and tumor free survivors determined. The glutathione and lipid peroxidation were also measured after ASE treatment. Results:The daily administration of ASE in tumor bearing mice caused a dose-dependent remission of tumor, and highest regression was observed at 480 mg/kg b. wt. this dose showed some toxic effects and next lower dose i.e. 420 mg/kg was considered as the suitable dose, where 33.33% of the animals survived up to 120 days post-tumor-cell inoculation, as against no survivors in the saline treated control and positive cyclophosphamide treated groups. The ASE caused a dosedependent elevation in the median survival time (MST) and average survival time (AST), causing a corresponding increase in the median life span (IMLS) and average life span (IALS) of experimental animals. Treatment of EAC mice with 420 mg/kg ASE also retarded tumor development even during the late stages of tumor development, while cyclophosphamide was completely ineffective. The in vitro treatment of EAC cells with ASE or ECL and their transplantation in mice showed that ASE treatment was more potent than ECL treatment as evident by increased MST and AST in the former when compared with the latter. Assay of glutathione and lipid peroxidation after 240, 420 mg/kg ASE or 25 mg/kg cyclophosphamide led to a decline in glutathione contents and increase in lipid peroxidation. Conclusions:Our study shows that ASE treatment kills the tumor cells effectively increasing long-term disease free survival of experimental mice, which may be due to reduced glutathione and increased lipid peroxidation.