Centering Response

Published in the Proceedings of the 21st Annual Meeting
American Society of Engineering Management, Virginia Beach, October 21-24, 1999

THE “CENTERING RESPONSE” -- RESEARCH ON BENEFITS OF MEDITATION
FOR BEING AN EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL IN A HIGH STRESS WORLD
Richard S. Scotti, Research Professor, EMSE Department, GWU, Washington, DC.

Abstract. Being an effective professional these tensions. These processes, Benson contends, play
days involves the ability to manage personal out beneath the level of our normal awareness
stress within productive bounds, and requires until we find ourselves, perhaps surprisingly, over
new, highly personalized strategies for dealing stressed or even out of control. It is not difficult
with the complex demands of our information- to find examples of this phenomenon in our daily
rich workplaces. Most approaches for the lives, as well as in newspaper articles describing
management of stress involve relaxation and stress reactive behaviors of people on the job, and
increased self-awareness. These strategies in family and social situations. Moreover, the
typically involve regular physical exercise, negative impact of high personal stress on
dietary discretion, attitudinal and behavioral physical, emotional and psychological health and
modifications, psychological exercises, and wellbeing has now been well documented. From
ultimately the development of a "Relaxation anxiety to skin conditions to heart attacks and
Response." This paper begins with a review of strokes, extreme stress wears down the body and
personal skills that characterize effective mind, and undermines health and happiness.
managers. It then draws on the results of Benson argues for the adoption of and
psychological research to explain difficulties that commitment to a personal program based on the
managers experience in attempting to put personal "Relaxation Response" to counteract the “fight or
stress management strategies into practice. Mental flight” biological effect and to preserve the
clarity, intuition, empathy and communication quality of our busy lives. He then compares the
skills, considered by many to be the most critical various possible approaches and presents solid
skills for effective management, are quickly lost research evidence that supports the efficacy of
under conditions of excessive stress. Relaxation meditation as a process for the management of
alone is not sufficient for regaining these skills. personal stress. The implications of Benson's
Meditation, however, can be used to evoke a work are that short periods of mental and
"Centering Response" that supports both emotional quietness experienced through
relaxation and access to inner personal resources. meditation help a person to better handle stress
A highly effective meditation process based on and to more effectively negotiate the difficulties
concentration of the attention is also described. of the work environment.
More recent research in highly reputable
Introduction professional publications documents a number of
It has been over 25 years since Herbert Benson physical (Jevning, 1992), emotional (Kabat-Zinn,
(Benson, 1975) clarified the relationship between 1992) and mental (Delmonte, 1989) changes that
the physiological and psychological stresses commonly take place during, and continue for
humans often experience as a result of the some time after, regular meditation practice.
biological "fight or flight response" in situations These include:
perceived to be threatening. He argues that hard-  Rhythmic, reduced breathing rate
wired biological programming in humans
 Decreased heart rate
automatically produces life-preserving high
 Decreased O2 consumption and CO2
adrenaline reactions in the presence of real or
perceived dangers. These reactions, which were production.
once very important for escaping a hungry tiger,  Decreased blood lactate (a stress indicator)
are probably inappropriate for meeting the  Lower cholesterol levels
demands of professional life today, for surviving  Lower blood pressure (both systolic and
a full day of meetings, business deadlines and diastolic)
evening rush hour traffic. Since our modern lives
 Increased Galvanic Skin Resistance (GSR) (a
do not afford us opportunities for running high stress indicator)
adrenaline levels out of our blood streams
immediately after demanding situations, we are  Increased frontal alpha brain wave activity
often left with physiologically induced stresses  Reduced levels of anxiety (clinical test
that accumulate and augment daily psychological scores)

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 Reduced depression (clinical test scores) achievement, and increased satisfaction are most
 Increased sense of being in touch with often experienced under conditions of stress. The
unconscious aspects of self (subjective challenge before us is therefore to control stress
assessment) within reasonable and productive bounds, rather
 Increased insightfulness (subjective than to eliminate it all together. However,
assessment) without consciously resolving the internal conflict
between (1) the thought that one should relax to
 Increased sense of serenity and wellbeing
control excessive stress, and (2) the experience
(subjective assessment)
that good things result from hard work, personal
Each of these changes is in a direction considered stress management strategies can not be
to be positive in regard to physical and/or mental effectively implemented. We will say more about
health. Some involve factors currently used to this later on.
measure and monitor physical and mental stress There are two main strategies that underlie
levels (e.g., breathing rate, heart rate, blood meditation practices: Concentration and
pressure, GSR, and level of anxiety), while others Mindfulness. The first, which involves focusing
relate to secondary effects (e.g., insightfulness, any one of the senses (especially sight or hearing)
sense of serenity and wellbeing, etc.). All support on a specific object or in a specific direction, has
claims that meditation provides useful benefits. been referred to (Delmonte, 1989) as "zoom lens
The decades since Benson's research have attention." The second, which involves awareness
ushered in the electronic age and the modern of ones whole field of perception, is referred to as
personal computer. The stress of daily life, "wide angle lens attention." The Relaxation
especially in the work place, is increasing daily Response as proposed by Benson is based on the
because of more frequent encounters and more latter meditation strategy. One purpose of this
complex demands from those we meet. The speed paper is to describe another meditation practice
of computers has increased by a factor of over based on the Concentration Strategy that helps a
1000 since the early 80's, and so has the great deal in evoking a "Centering Response." In
frequency of our interactions with others, concept, both approaches (Relaxation Response
especially with the advent of the Internet. and Centering Response) lead to the same
Complexity of human interactions, and the types result…that is, to reconnection with deeper
and volumes of information in each exchange, has qualities and inner resources. In practice, the
also increased many times. It should therefore be Centering Response is the result of a directed,
clear that the need to recognize and manage focusing process, which may be easier and more
personal stress is many, many times greater today natural for people in our culture who are trained
than it was when Benson first introduced his to focus their attention and to increase intensity to
findings. achieve their goals, rather than let them go.
Change in our lives, largely driven by new
technology, seems to be constant, rapid and
unavoidable. But change also results in stress; the Management Effectiveness
stress of adapting to new conditions, and the Effective management is both an art and a
stress of operating in new ways and within new science. It is an art that is more qualitative than
organizations. From Benson's perspective, the quantitative. It does not admit to simple, rigid
stresses of daily activities and of adapting to definitions, even though it is usually described
change can both be softened by relaxation brought and taught as a science. Many people are engaged
about by the meditation process. in management as a profession, but truly effective
Following Benson, we can therefore think of managers are rare; as rare as good artists.
meditation as a process for conscious adjustment Management is also a science. Lists of
of our attitudes (stiffness) to better handle management procedures, and personal attitudes
(unavoidable) changes in our lives. and skills have been identified and correlated with
successful practice. The apparent contradiction
The "Relaxation Response," is achieved by
here between management as an art and as a
lessening of our desires, even if only temporarily.
science is resolved with the following realization:
Many managers, athletes, actors, sales personnel
Few people are born with the special talents of an
and people in other action-oriented professions
artist or a manager. Most develop into artists and
are aware of the importance of stress. They
managers by first studying the necessary skills,
recognize that high performance and
then emulating the examples of those who have

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achieved a level of success, and finally, Interviewing Skills Financial Analysis
discovering the underlying art form, after years of Motivation-Self & Others Decision Making
practice. Performance Management Presentation Skills
John D. Bigelow (1999) has defined and Selecting Employees
clarified the concept of “managerial skills,” in Managing Stress Effectively
regard to management effectiveness, as follows: Dealing with Difficult Behavior
"…those theories, techniques, and behavioral Planning, Organizing & Setting Goals
guidelines which, if applied properly, will Dealing with Delicate Issues (Sexual Harassment)
enhance a manager's practice."
To support understanding and ease of
While Bigelow's interests have been primarily in
communications, these skills are often organized
management education, his research sheds light
into categories that reflect either on-the-job
on three critical issues in regard to personal
applications areas or work relationship (L. Rue
qualities or skills believed to be essential for
and L Byars, 1992). Bigelow (1999) proposes the
management effectiveness:
following five categories:
(1) What are skills? How do we define a skill?
1. Personal characteristics: e.g., pro-activity,
(2) How are management skills currently being leadership, perceptual objectivity, positive regard,
taught? and risk taking.
(3) Which skills are currently taught as part of 2. Inter-personal skills: e.g., communications,
management education? delegation, influence, conflict management, group
His research also involves an assessment of the management, motivating others, and leadership.
effectiveness of management skills training 3. Learning skills: e.g., self-awareness, creativity,
programs, based on six different testing and learning from doing.
approaches.
4. Intra-personal skills: e.g., decision making,
Bigelow's research indicates that skill learning
planning, time and stress management, goal and
does not carry over well into actual practice. This
action management, personal productivity, and
fact is probably not so surprising to seasoned
self-motivation.
managers who know the difference between
theoretical learning and doing. Current pedagogy 5. Administrative skills: e.g. decision making and
apparently enables students to "demonstrate" key planning.
aspects of skills when prompted; there is, This organization, from Personal to
however, little evidence that this learning is Administrative skills, shows an implicit hierarchy
carried forward into the workplace. Bigelow in the skill matrix, with the most personal
ultimately concludes that, qualities of the effective manager at the base. In
"Management practice is more complex and other words, administrative, intra-personal,
divergent than is currently understood." learning, and inter-personal skills all depend
(more or less) on the personal characteristics and
The critical skills of effective managers, as well
depth of insight of an effective manager. This
as the relationship of these skills to effective
observation is borne out by common wisdom,
management, are very much in need of further
which asserts that vision, mental clarity, intuition,
understanding.
empathy and communication skills are the “life-
Nevertheless, large numbers of personal skills
lines” of an effective manager. These skills
have been identified in relation to management
provide access to inner resources that make all the
effectiveness by many authors. A sample list is
rest of the skills possible, and without which there
provided in Exhibit 1.
is only logic, linear thinking and an overflow of
Exhibit 1. Personal Skills Effective Managers information and problems to be coped with.
Leadership Self Control A little self-reflection reveals that these same
Negotiating Skills Listening qualities are the first to be lost sight of under
Communications Creativity conditions of excess stress. The rapid thinking,
Problem Solving Time Management hurried pace, irregular breathing and tight muscles
that characterize periods of excess stress drown
Building Teams Managing Diversity
out the softer voice of intuition, and cause us to
Managing Teams Coaching and Feedback
perceive those around us as “objects,” to be
Project Management Conflict Management

3


commanded or worked around rather than listened Physiological reasons: Research has consistently
to with sensitivity. This realization, coupled with and conclusively demonstrated strong correlation
various health problems, is causing many between human behavior and biochemistry
managers to appreciate the importance of stress (Martin, 1996). At one end of the behavioral
management and to adopt a personal stress spectrum are habits; at the other end are
management program. Many strategies and addictions. But behavior patterns are strongly
approaches are being proposed for the reduction influenced, and often controlled, by biochemical
and management of stress. mixtures in the blood stream. This fact is borne
out in the psychosomatic-psychophysiological
Difficulties with Stress Management concept of "State-dependent Learning and
There are always gaps between theory and Behavior." This concept explains how
practice, between what we think and what biochemical conditions that existed during a past
actually works, especially for beginners. The event or experience tend to "trigger" the same
difficulties that managers often experience with physical, emotional and psychological
personal stress management programs can be experiences when re-established. In practical
characterized as, terms, the mind and memory are biochemically
“Knowing better, but not being able to do compartmentalized, and thoughts are only
better.” accessible under the appropriate biochemical
conditions (Orbach, 1995). In other words,
There are several inter-related psychological learning, memory and behavior are situation-
and physiological reasons for this dilemma. dependent. They are best correlated in the
Psychological reasons: We in the modern contextual background and Biochemical State in
western world (especially in America) are which they were formed. This explains why a
educated and trained to believe that productivity particular mood is easier to recall when one is in
is the result of hard work, and that personal worth the same frame of mind. It also explains why it is
and professional rewards are the direct result of often impossible to remember good intentions
personal productivity. This concept leads to the when upset, or to apply stress management
belief that, strategies when under the influence of stress
itself. On a lighter (but still serious) note, this also
"You are what you do and are valued because of explains why we often feel more in touch with our
how well you perform." knowledge on a topic learned over cups of coffee
Taking time to simply relax or to think deeply when we are once again drinking coffee.
on a matter or problem is therefore Our best intentions and sincere resolutions for
(unconsciously) considered to be a nonproductive, managing stress are literally "unavailable" to us
inefficient activity. An obvious consequence of when we are operating under the influence of the
this situation is the difficulty we encounter in blood chemistry of stress and anxiety. The
finding (or making) time to seriously contemplate biochemistry of stress triggers old patterns of
our problems, while immediate solutions are anxiety and their associated behaviors. A stress
always welcome. The drive for personal management activity that remove us from the
productivity often leads to “errors of the third stress stimulators and shift biochemistry, such as
kind,” that is, finding solutions to the wrong strenuous exercise or taking “time-outs,” tend to
problems. work as long as its impact on our biochemistry
In effect, stress management programs based persists.
on periodic relaxation, while logically acceptable, Behavioral modification programs can be
are difficult to implement because of internal highly effective. But the real difficulty lies in the
conflicts that arise between deep-seated unconscious, unmonitored, relationships between
psychological drives to be of value and socially intentions and values, and with the fact that most
acceptable, and beliefs on how best to live a managers (as humans) tend to identify with their
balanced life. This ideological conflict most often problems, jobs and performance. Retreating from
plays out in the subconscious mind. But those them for awhile can help, but a more lasting
affected can experience additional stress when the solution requires a reconnection with our deeper
benefits of a stress management program are only selves and inner resources. This is where
felt during the periods of the activities meditation comes in.
themselves, and lost soon after.

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Meditation – What it is. attention during the process. Kirpal Singh (1971)
wrote a comprehensive treatise on this subject that
The meditation process, whether concentration
describes each of the types and forms of
or mindfulness-based, involves a loosening of
meditation, as well as the benefits that can be
personal identification with our physical,
derived from each.
emotional and mental processes. It is a process for
The type of meditation described below
withdrawing our attention from these experiences
involves concentrating the attention between and
for a period of time to help shift our identification
in front of the eyebrows and consists of a six-step
to a deeper place within. Meditation is, in effect,
method (R. Singh, 1996).
the application of our objective observation
capability to the subjective domain of our Step 1: Give yourself permission for a meditation
thoughts and beliefs, emotions and bodily break for some period of time, say 10-15 minutes
sensations. It is a means of creating an objective or longer. Find a place where it is possible to sit
space between our perceptions and our reactions. quietly and remain undisturbed for the agreed
A few moments of self-introspection soon reveals time. A corner of the office or a room at home
that our attention normally roams among our would be fine, as long as there is no passage for
thoughts, emotional feelings and physical unexpected traffic and disturbances. Reduced
sensations, from one to another, in an endless light also helps for relaxation.
“parade.” One aim of meditation is to create an Step 2: Sit on a chair, couch or in any other place
opportunity for witnessing the present moment, that is comfortable and stable. Sitting is
without the emotional and mental coloring of the recommended over lying down, to avoid falling
past, to be able to make better decisions based on asleep. Once you are sitting comfortably, take a
what is really happening, rather than to few deep breathes and let go of any tension in
impulsively react to imagined threats or negative your body (especially shoulders, neck and
predictions. stomach). Let your mind relax for a few minutes.
It has been said that, Remember that you are “off duty.”
“Humans are a bundle of habits.” Step 3: Close your eyes gently and concentrate on
what is in front of you. Notice that even with eyes
Our habits, our individual hardwired reactions closed you become aware of “seeing into” a large
to our personal perceptions, are often triggered by dark space that surrounds you. (Try opening and
the unconscious mind without any conscious closing your eyes a few times to become aware of
awareness on our part, as for example in the case this way of seeing.)
of the “fight or flight” syndrome discussed earlier.
Step 4: With your eyes still closed and relaxed,
Meditation first supports an awareness of our
concentrate your inner attention into the region
thoughts, emotional feelings and physical
lying between and (approximately 12 inches) in
sensations. It then helps us to see these
front of your eyebrows. (This feels as though you
experiences in a clearer, more truthful light.
are “tunneling” your attention into this region to
Ultimately, meditation helps us to discover
find out what is there.) Keep your eyes relaxed
deeper, more orderly and satisfying aspects of
and pointing straight ahead. You may see all
ourselves lying behind and beneath the “parade”
darkness, pinpoints or flashes of light, faces, or
of these subjective experiences. While it is
even nature scenes.
conceptually simple, it is in practice difficult to
master because we have become accustomed to Step 5: As you continue concentrating your
our kaleidoscopic subjective activities and have attention, a parade of thoughts, emotional feelings
accepted them as ourselves. and physical sensations will probably arise to
disturb your concentration. To assist you in
How to Meditate concentrating, do the following:
There are many different types and forms of 1) Think “no thank you” to the thoughts,
meditation available today. Many people are because you are “off duty” for the moment.
familiar with Transcendental Meditation (TM), 2) Then think of a concept or person that
which is more related to the Mindfulness than to provides inspiration to you and for which
the Concentration attention strategy. In the case of you feel love or respect. You can for
Concentration meditation, with which we are example use "love" itself. Think this
concerned here, the possible types and forms thought very slowly, over and over.
depend on where and how one focuses the

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3) Just return your attention again to your essential for deriving the fullest benefits of the
point of concentration, no matter where you meditation process. The process when practiced
have roamed in your thoughts. accurately (as explained above) can lead to a
Step 6: The mind will begin to slow down as you richness of experience known to the child only
continue to concentrate (and with repeated after it has “passed through the keyhole.”
practice) and bring it back to your focus. You will The Relaxation Response and the Centering
soon become aware of inner lights. Flashes will Response both have many common benefits to
come more and more frequently and lights will offer for the difficult transitions we face as
stay longer, as your concentration increases. The managers and as citizens in a rapidly changing
lights may also grow brighter and change color. world. Both concern overcoming biological and
You can stop when the agreed time is used up. psychological reactions in favor of actions that are
more appropriate for current problems. Both point
Analysis to connecting with deeper aspects of our selves
The objective of this practice is to loosen and tapping into inner resources for more
personal identification with our physical, harmonious solutions to our personal and
emotional and mental processes for while. This professional challenges.
makes possible a more objective view of the
Final Thoughts
challenges and opportunities being presented to us
The central concept of this paper, that effective
by our problems when we return to them later on.
management is to be found where it is most often
This practice is consistent with many of the
lost, is best illustrated by the following short
approaches to increased creativity (Ehrenzweig,
story. A man returning home from work after dark
1971; Lowenfeld, 1939), which suggest leaving
was surprised to find his neighbor crawling
and then returning to our problems after the mind
around on the grass under the lamppost,
has reoriented itself. Other models of creativity
apparently looking for something. When he asked
suggest that this process of leaving (emptying the
her what she was looking, she looked up
mind) and then returning (refocusing) evokes an
anxiously and said that she had lost the keys to
intuitive, nonlinear response outside of previously
her house. He immediately began to look with
perceived possibilities. The main point here is
her, and then almost as an after thought asked
that there is something to be gained in terms of
where she had last seen them. She looked up to
relaxation and creativity by temporarily standing
say that she had last seen them in the dark corner
back from and releasing personal investment in
near to the front door. So why are you looking
our problems.
here, he asked. Because the light is so much better
A more subtle aspect of the process of letting
here, she answered.
go during the practice of meditation is illustrated
The ability to be an effective manager in
by the story of the young child looking through
today’s hectic and information-intensive world
the keyhole into the forbidden garden. As long as
depends on being able to tap into ones inner
the child experiences self-consciousness,
resources including mental clarity, intuition,
intensified by the feeling of guilt for disobeying
empathy and communication skills. These are
the rules and approaching the keyhole, it remains
lost sight of under excess stress. Reconnection is
an “outside observer.” The garden is a small and
possible only when we can get back to inner
distant image on the other side of the keyhole.
stability, when we can oversee and replace
The child continues to struggle with the thought
biochemical and psychological reactions with
of getting caught while trying to see into the small
activities that are appropriate to the real problems
keyhole. But when the child becomes so
of the moment.
fascinated with the beauty of the garden and a
passion to experience what is there, it The challenge before managers today is to find
momentarily forgets itself. In that intensity of ways to lead their organizations to optimal use of
looking the child suddenly finds itself, as it were, their resources in service of their mission and
on the other side of the keyhole experiencing the humanity, world-wide, where material profit is
fullness of the garden. The keyhole no longer only one of the measures of success, not all.
limits the view, because the child has effectively Researchers from many different fields and
passed through it on the wings of a passionate from organizations around the world (including
desire to be there in the beautiful, forbidden The National Institutes of Health’s Division of
garden. Forgetting our self, and all thoughts Alternative Medicine) are documenting the
associated with our problems for a short while, is

6


benefits of meditation described in this paper for About the Author
the management of personal stress and for
Richard S. Scotti is a Professor and the Director
reconnection to deeper values and inner resources.
of a Research Center in the Engineering
References. Management and Systems Engineering
Benson, Herbert, The Relaxation Response, Avon Department (EMSE) at the George Washington
Books, New York (1975) University (GWU) in Washington, DC. His 30-
year professional career in technical/management,
Bigelow, John D. (Editor), Managerial Skills:
consulting, research and education is
Explor-ations in Applied Knowledge, Sage,
complemented by a long interest in transpersonal
London (1991).
psychology and meditation. He also leads self-
Bigelow, John D., "Teaching Managerial Skills: development and management training seminars
Moving Beyond Current Practice," Personal in the USA, Canada and Europe. His academic
publication at background includes a Ph.D. in Engineering and
http://cobe.idbsu.edu/msr/jbskills/sitskil2.htm Applied Mathematics from UC Berkeley, and
(1999) postdoctoral fellowships at Cambridge University
Ehrenzweig, Anton, The Hidden Order of Art, (UK), MIT and Brown University. He has also
Univ of Clifornia Press, Berkeley, pp. 95-110. trained with esoteric teachers in India, Europe and
(1971) the USA.
Delmonte, Michael M., "Meditation, The
Contact Address: rsscotti@rsscotti.com
Unconscious, and Psychosomatic Disorders,"
International Journal of Psychosomatics, V36, pp.
45-50, (1989)
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Wakeful Hypometabolic Integrated Response,”
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Review, Vol. 16,
pp.415-424 (1992)
Kabat-Zinn, et al, “Effectiveness of Meditation-
Based Stress Reduction Program in the Treatment
of Anxiety Dosorders,” American Journal of
Psychiatry, Vol.49, No. 7, pp. 936-943, July 1992
Kaplan, K.H., D.L.Goldberg, and M Galvin-
Nabeau, “The Impact of a Meditation-Based
Stress Reduction Program,” General Hospital
Psychiatry, Vol.15, pp. 284-289, (1993)
Lowenfeld, K. , The Nature of Creative Activity,
Kejan Paul Press, London (1939)
Martin, G., & J. Pear, Behavior Modification:
What It Is and How to Do It (5th Edition).
Prentice Hall, NJ. (1996)
Orbach, Israel, The Hidden Mind—Psychology,
Psycho-therapy and Unconscious Processes,
Wiley, New York. (1995)
Rue, Leslie W. and Llloy L. Byars, Management
Skills and Applications (Sixth Edition). Irwin,
Homewood IL (1992).
Singh, Kirpal, Crown of Life-A Study in Yoga,
Sant Bani Press, New Hampshire (1971).
Singh, Rajinder, Inner ad Outer Peace through
Meditation, Element Books, Massachusetts
(1996)

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