The frequency change in alpha waves and the appearance of theta waves during qigong and meditation

The Electroencephalographies (EEGs)of 38 Qigong practitioners (20 Chinese and 18 Japanese) and 29 non-practitioners were measured. During Qigong, an increase in theta waves and alpha waves is reported. However, theta waves appeared in the EEG of only eight Qigong practitioners in the resting state (21.1%), of six (21.4%) while emitting Qi (28 experiments), and of seven (36.8%) during Qigong meditation (19 experiments). Those appeared broadly in a period of double or triple wavelength of theta and only a few times during an experimental session of about ten minutes. As compared with the theta appearance rate of non-practitioners which was 37.9% during receiving Qi from Qigong practitioners, that on the Qigong practitioners was not very large. Also, the theta waves during Qigong did not increase from those during resting. The power spectra indicate that the peak frequency of alpha waves during Qigong increased. For 38 Qigong practitioners, the mean value was 9.55+/-0.14 Hz during resting with eyes closed, and those increased to 9.74+/-0.18 Hz while emitting Qi and to 10.05+/-0.22 Hz during quiet Qigong meditation. These data included Qigong practitioners whose alpha frequency decreased with respect to the resting state, seven during external Qi (26.9%) and seven during internal Qi (41.2%). Their alpha frequency in the resting state was greater than the average. These results were compared with those from eight TM practitioners whose alpha frequency slightly increased during meditation, and with two priests whose alpha frequency decreased and whose theta waves appeared during Buddhist meditation. These results suggest that the level of consciousness in Qigong practitioners corresponds to that of TM practitioners who meditate by chanting a mantra in the mind. The alpha deceleration type may correspond to the Buddhist meditator. However, there is no correlation between the deceleration type and the theta appearance type.