Benson-Henry Institute (BHI) for Mind Body Medicine

As a cardiologist in the late 1960’s he and his colleagues established a scientific basis for the mind/body connection at his alma mater, Harvard Medical School, by studying the effect of stress on blood pressure. At the time, the idea that stress could affect physical health was contrary to existing medical thought.

While this research was underway, Dr. Benson was approached by young practitioners of Transcendental Meditation. They asked him to study their blood pressure, because they believed they had lower blood pressure as a result of their meditation practice. This type of study was virtually unheard of at the time, but he did consent, after much deliberation.