The Relaxation Response Cover
Podcast Mentions

The Relaxation Response

Herbert Benson

Outlines techniques of concentration designed to reduce physiological stress and presents scientific data indicating the effectiveness of similar systems of relaxation

Podcasts 2
Quotes 11
How I Built This with Guy Raz

Alex recalled reading the book during his teenage years, noting it introduced him to scientific research on meditation and shaped his early interest in the practice.

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There was this one book I read called the relaxation response written by a guy called Dr. Herbert Benson. He was one of the first researchers into meditation from a scientific perspective.

— Episode: Calm: Alex Tew and Michael Acton Smith

Episode: Calm: Alex Tew and Michael Acton Smith

Alex recalled reading the book during his teenage years, noting it introduced him to scientific research on meditation and shaped his early interest in the practice.

"

There was this one book I read called the relaxation response written by a guy called Dr. Herbert Benson. He was one of the first researchers into meditation from a scientific perspective.

10% Happier with Dan Harris

The book was cited as containing groundbreaking research on the specific form of meditation where a completely different nervous system and physiological state is achieved. The host noted that Dr. Benson used the word 'focus' in relation to this meditation, which the Vedic meditation tradition often avoided because it implies effort.

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if you go back and you read say Dr. Herbert Benson's book relaxation response which is the sort of groundbreaking research on that specific form of meditation where he says you have a completely diffe...

— Episode: Light Watkins, 'Simplify the Approach'

Episode: Light Watkins, 'Simplify the Approach'

The book was cited as containing groundbreaking research on the specific form of meditation where a completely different nervous system and physiological state is achieved. The host noted that Dr. Benson used the word 'focus' in relation to this meditation, which the Vedic meditation tradition often avoided because it implies effort.

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if you go back and you read say Dr. Herbert Benson's book relaxation response which is the sort of groundbreaking research on that specific form of meditation where he says you have a completely different nervous system and physiological state it can get very restate and all of that he uses the word focus but he got that from a transcendental meditation instruction

What he said was that your body can only sustain that relaxation response for about 20 minutes

all of TM's research is based on Herbert Benson's research and he for him the relaxation response was a phrase he coined as the opposite of the stress response

Episode: The Profound Upsides of Mortality | Nikki Mirghafo...

The book was mentioned in the context of early meditation practices the speaker engaged in before moving to the Theravada tradition.

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I used to do Herbert Benson's relaxation response meditations breathing meditation breathing techniques and you know he had a book on that long time ago and also guided visualizations a long long time ago.

Episode: Fighting Depression with Social Connection, Johann...

This book, written by a Harvard physician, was one of the first the speaker read about meditation, focusing on mantra meditation.

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you can just use any word you want like one or piece or something like that that was actually one of the first books I read about meditation because it was recommended by my site my shrink my psychiatrist.

Episode: Light Watkins, 'Simplify the Approach'

This book was referenced as containing groundbreaking research on a specific form of meditation where a completely different nervous system and physiological state can be achieved. The author mentioned that the research noted the body can only sustain the relaxation response for about 20 minutes.

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if you go back and you read say Dr. Herbert Benson's book relaxation response which is the sort of groundbreaking research on that specific form of meditation where he says you have a completely different nervous system and physiological state it can get very restate and all of that he uses the word focus but he got that from a transcendental meditation instruction [00:16:37.560 --> 00:17:07.720]

Herbert Benson back in the 1970s what he said was that your body can only sustain that relaxation response for about 20 minutes [00:26:25.880 --> 00:26:37.560]

he basically gives you in the book I remember was one of the first meditation books I ever read he gives you like just say the word piece or one in your head as your mantra he discovered that you don't need a TM mantra in order to elicit the relaxation response [00:28:58.520 --> 00:29:17.720]

Episode: Dr. Mark Epstein

This book was mentioned as being written by Herbert Benson, who worked with Dr. Epstein's father. Dr. Epstein began meditating using the method outlined in this best-selling book from the 70s.

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Herbert Benson who had written a book called the relaxation response best seller in the 70s

Episode: Dr. Mark Epstein

Dr. Mark Epstein mentioned that he worked for the author, Herbert Benson, during the summer after college. Benson had written this best-selling book in the 70s about research on Transcendental Meditation (TM).

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He said oh there's a guy working for me who's doing research on this whose name was Herbert Benson who had written a book called the relaxation response best seller in the 70s

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