Introduction

The global elderly population is increasing at an unprecedented rate, bringing with it a host of physical, psychological, and emotional challenges. Among these, anxiety remains one of the most prevalent mental health concerns affecting the elderly. Aging is commonly associated with diminishing physical health, social isolation, reduced independence, and bereavement - all of which contribute to increased vulnerability to anxiety disorders. Despite the availability of pharmacological treatments, the elderly are often under-medicated or face adverse effects from anti-anxiety medications due to age-related physiological changes. This has intensified the demand for alternative and complementary therapies that are both accessible and effective.

In this context, traditional Yogic and meditative practices have gained global recognition for their therapeutic value in addressing mental health issues. Om Jap Dhyan, a structured meditative program rooted in Patanjali’s Yoga Darshan, presents a unique integration of ancient wisdom with modern applicability. Since 2019, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a virtual meditation program titled Om Jap Dhyan has been conducted by the Om Jap Dhyan Samiti under the guidance of Patanjali Yog Samiti, Lumbini Pradesh, Nepal. This program integrates three distinct meditative components: Om Chanting Meditation (Samadhi Pada, Sutra 27), Music Meditation (Samadhi Pada, Sutra 35), and Pran Meditation (Sadhan Pada, Sutra 51), thereby offering a holistic spiritual-psychological framework for mental health improvement.

Statement of the Problem

Elderly individuals are increasingly vulnerable to anxiety due to biopsychosocial factors, yet effective, non-invasive interventions remain limited. Conventional pharmacological treatments are often unsuitable for sustained use among the elderly due to side effects, cost, and poor compliance. Though meditation is increasingly recognized as a beneficial practice for reducing anxiety, limited empirical research exists on the integrated effects of traditional yogic meditative programs like Om Jap Dhyan. There is a critical need for evidence-based studies that validate the therapeutic impact of such programs in real-world settings, particularly for marginalized or aging populations.

social isolation, and loss of loved ones (Beekman et al., 1998^[2]; Wolitzky-Taylor et al., 2010^[3]). As conventional pharmacological treatments for anxiety often pose challenges such as side effects, dependence, and accessibility issues in older adults, complementary and alternative therapies — particularly meditative practices - have gained growing attention.

Literature Review on Om Meditation/Om Chanting Meditation for Anxiety in Adults (2015–2025)

Om Meditation, often referred to as Om Chanting Meditation, is a spiritual and contemplative practice rooted in ancient Vedic traditions. The syllable “Om” is considered the primordial sound that embodies universal consciousness (Mandukya Upanishad). Over the past decade, researchers have explored its therapeutic relevance, particularly its role in anxiety reduction among adults. This literature review synthesizes empirical findings from 2015 to 2025 to examine how Om Chanting influences anxiety-related symptoms, focusing on psychophysiological outcomes, neurobiological mechanisms, and clinical applications. Om Meditation involves the repetitive chanting or mental recitation of the syllable “Om” (also spelled AUM), often synchronized with slow, conscious breathing. This mantra-based meditation promotes sensory withdrawal (pratyahara) and mental stillness (dhyana), contributing to a decrease in physiological arousal (Telles et al., 2018).^[4] It is classified under sound-based meditative practices, and research shows it has measurable impacts on attention regulation, emotional control, and autonomic balance (Innes et al., 2016).^[5]

Several clinical and quasi-experimental studies have explored the anxiolytic effects of Om Chanting in adult populations. A study by Bera et al., 2017)^[6] revealed that daily Om chanting for 15 minutes over 4 weeks significantly reduced anxiety levels in university students, as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The experimental group also reported improvements in emotional resilience and subjective well-being.

Similarly, Mahapatra and Jha^[7] (2020) conducted a randomized controlled trial on working adults experiencing high occupational stress. Participants practicing Om chanting showed significant reductions in generalized anxiety and sleep disturbances compared to the control group.

In a workplace setting, Joshi and Prakash^[14] (2018) implemented a brief Om chanting intervention among call center employees and observed significant reductions in job-related anxiety and emotional exhaustion, underscoring its relevance in occupational mental health programs.

While the growing body of evidence supports the efficacy of Om Meditation in managing anxiety, several limitations remain. Many studies lack long-term follow-up or have small sample sizes, and the variability in chanting duration, frequency, and instruction quality makes cross-study comparison difficult. Additionally, placebo controls are challenging in meditative research, potentially biasing results due to expectancy effects.

There is also a scarcity of studies exploring cultural and linguistic influences on chanting outcomes, as the experience of vibration and sound may differ across populations. Lastly, few studies examine Om chanting in clinically diagnosed anxiety disorders, with most focusing on subclinical anxiety in healthy adults.

From 2015 to 2025, empirical research has increasingly validated the role of Om Meditation as a non-pharmacological, low-cost intervention for reducing anxiety in adults. Its effects span emotional, physiological, and neurocognitive domains, and it is especially promising as a complementary approach in both preventive and clinical mental health care. Future research should address methodological standardization, long-term outcomes, and the integration of Om chanting into broader therapeutic models.

Literature Review on Music Meditation for Anxiety in Adults (2015–2025 AD)

Music meditation is an integrative therapeutic practice that combines musical elements with meditative techniques to promote emotional regulation and psychological well-being. In recent years, this modality has gained empirical support as a non-pharmacological intervention for reducing anxiety in adult populations. Music meditation typically involves listening to or actively engaging with calming music while adopting mindful attention, breath awareness, and relaxation strategies. This literature review synthesizes research findings from 2015 to 2025 that explore the efficacy, mechanisms, and applications of music meditation in adult anxiety management.

In a neuroimaging study, Tang et al.^[21] (2020) demonstrated that music meditation activated regions associated with emotion regulation and interoception, including the anterior cingulate cortex and insula. This supports the hypothesis that music meditation enhances emotional awareness and cognitive control over anxiety-inducing stimuli.

Furthermore, de Witte et al.^[17] (2020) reviewed psychophysiological evidence showing that music meditation reduces heart rate, blood pressure, and galvanic skin response, which all indicators of decreased autonomic arousal. The synchronization of breath and music rhythm is believed to contribute to this autonomic balance.

Music meditation has been successfully applied in a variety of clinical and occupational contexts to treat anxiety. For example, Goldberg et al.^[22] (2021) implemented a 6-week music meditation program for adults with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Results showed significant improvements in anxiety, sleep quality, and cognitive functioning, supporting its role as a complementary therapy alongside medication or psychotherapy.

In the workplace, Sima et al.^[23] (2022) found that music meditation breaks during work hours significantly reduced burnout-related anxiety in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants also reported enhanced focus and job satisfaction.

In geriatric populations, Zhang and Wang^[24] (2019) demonstrated that music meditation improved emotional regulation and decreased symptoms of anxiety and depression among elderly individuals in assisted living facilities. This suggests the broad applicability of music meditation across age groups.

Despite its promising outcomes, research on music meditation still faces several limitations. Many studies have small sample sizes, short intervention durations, or lack appropriate control groups. Additionally, variability in music genres, delivery methods, and cultural contexts make it difficult to establish standardized protocols. Few studies have examined long-term sustainability of anxiety reduction following music meditation, and the mechanisms by which individual differences (e.g., musical preference, meditation experience) influence outcomes remain underexplored.

A quasi-experimental study by Sharma et al.^[26] (2017) observed that a 4-week Pran Meditation intervention significantly reduced both state and trait anxiety levels among adult university students, with improvements maintained during a 2-week follow-up period.

Similarly, Telles et al.^[27] (2018) conducted a randomized controlled trial in which adults practicing Pran Meditation demonstrated significant reductions in anxiety and stress compared to a control group receiving standard wellness education. The researchers highlighted that the breath-holding and elongation techniques used in Pran Meditation contributed to increased parasympathetic activity and decreased sympathetic arousal.

More recently, in a comparative study conducted by Patel and Kulkarni^[28] (2022), Pran Meditation outperformed mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in reducing self-reported anxiety levels in working professionals after 6 weeks of practice. Participants in the Pran group also showed improvements in sleep quality, heart rate variability, and emotional regulation, suggesting broader benefits for psychosomatic balance.

The neurophysiological mechanisms through which Pran Meditation alleviates anxiety have been increasingly explored in recent studies. According to Nivethitha et al.^[29] (2020), Pran Meditation stimulates the vagus nerve through slow, rhythmic breathing, leading to increased heart rate variability (HRV)—an indicator of emotional resilience and reduced anxiety.

Functional MRI studies, such as the one by Desai and Mehta^[30] (2021), found that participants practicing Pran Meditation exhibited greater connectivity in the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, areas associated with attention regulation and emotional control. These results underscore the potential of Pran Meditation to modulate neurocognitive processes implicated in anxiety disorders.

Additionally, Gupta et al.^[31] (2019) measured salivary cortisol levels before and after Pran Meditation sessions and reported a consistent reduction, indicating lowered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation. This biochemical evidence supports the idea that breath-based meditative states foster physiological downregulation of stress responses.

Research Gap

Although a growing body of literature from 2015 to 2025 demonstrates the effectiveness of meditation-based interventions - including Om Chanting Meditation (e.g., Bera et al., 2017^[6]; Mahapatra & Jha, 2020^[7]; Shankaran et al., 2023^[8]), Music Meditation (e.g., Lin et al., 2018^[16]; Bradt & Teague, 2019^[15]; de Witte et al., 2020^[17]), and Pran Meditation (e.g., Telles et al., 2018^[4]; Desai & Mehta, 2021^[30]) - in reducing anxiety among adults, several critical research gaps remain unaddressed:

1. Lack of Integrated Study on Combined Modalities: Existing studies primarily examine efficacy of individual meditation practices in isolation. There is noticeable absence of research exploring combined or synergistic impact of multiple meditation modalities, such as Om Chanting, Music Meditation, & Pran Meditation practiced together as cohesive intervention (Om Jap Dhyan). Current study seeks to address this by evaluating integrated effect of these techniques on anxiety in elderly adults, offering holistic & structured approach to meditative therapy (Sharma et al., 2017^[26]; Koelsch, 2017^[20]).

2. Underrepresentation of Elderly Populations in Virtual Meditation Interventions: While several investigations have focused on young and middle-aged adults (e.g., Mahapatra & Jha, 2020^[7]; Joshi & Prakash, 2018^[14]), elderly participants remain underrepresented in empirical studies, particularly within the context of virtual or remote meditation programs. Given the rising use of digital platforms for health interventions post-COVID-19, more research is needed to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of virtual meditation programs for older adults, who often face technological, cognitive, and emotional barriers (Deshpande & Bhatt, 2021^[33]; Zhang & Wang, 2019^[24]).

3. Scarcity of Gender-Specific Analysis in Medi-tation-Based Anxiety Research: Although several studies confirm the general efficacy of meditation for anxiety relief, few differentiate outcomes by gender or examine gender-specific responses to meditation practices (Bhargav et al., 2021^[11]; Singh & Dubey, 2019^[13]). Present research addre-sses this gap by conducting a comparative analysis between elderly male and female participants,

Figure 1: Om Jap Dhyan (Om Meditation)

2. Music Meditation (10 minutes): Based on Sutra 35 of Samadhi Pada (“Vishayavativa Pravritti Utpannamanasah Sthitini Bandhani”), this component employs soothing instrumental music to guide participants’ attention toward calming auditory stimuli.

Figure 2: Om Jap Dhyan (Music Meditation)

3. Pran Meditation (10 minutes): Derived from Sutra 51 of Sadhanapada (“Bāhyābhyantara-Viṣaya-Ākṣepīcaturthaḥ”), Pran Meditation emphasizes conscious breath regulation and awareness of inhalation and exhalation.

Figure 3: Om Jap Dhyan (Pran Meditation)

Instrument

Anxiety levels were measured using Depression An-xiety Stress Scales (DASS). validated psychological tool widely used in Indian subcontinental settings.

Inferential Statistics (Table 2)

The paired sample t-test was used to assess whether the reductions in anxiety scores were statistically significant within each group.

I. For male group, t-test yielded t-value of 12.685 with p-value < 0.001, indicating highly significant reduction in anxiety scores after intervention.

II. For the female group, the t-test resulted in a t-value of 9.950 with a p-value < 0.001, also showing a highly significant reduction in anxiety levels post-intervention.

The very low p-values (< 0.001) in both groups confirm that the observed reductions in anxiety are not due to random chance, but are statistically significant effects of the Om Jap Dhyan practice.

Comparison Between Groups

While both groups experienced statistically significant reductions, the magnitude of improvement was higher in the male group (mean difference = 16.64) compared to the female group (mean difference = 12.47). This suggests that male participants may have responded slightly more strongly to the Om Jap Dhyan intervention in terms of anxiety reduction.

Effectiveness of Intervention

Overall, the statistical analysis provides strong evidence that Om Jap Dhyan is an effective intervention for reducing anxiety among elderly individuals, regardless of gender. Both descriptive and inferential statistics consistently show meaningful and significant improvements after one month of practice

Conclusion

To conclude, the study shows that Om Jap Dhyan is a powerful and effective practice for reducing anxiety in elderly people. Both male and female participants experienced significant improvements in their anxiety levels after just one month of regular evening practice. The combination of Om Chanting Meditation, Music Meditation, and Pran Meditation helped calm the mind, balance emotions, and create a sense of inner peace. These results suggest that Om Jap Dhyan is not only a valuable tool for improving mental health but also a safe and accessible complementary therapy that can be practiced alongside modern medical treatments.