42 Spirituality Studies 11-2 Fall 2025 Experimental Group (DG). Participants received a six-week Trimūrti Dhyāna intervention. Control Group (CG). Participants continued their usual daily activities without any structured meditation or physical exercise intervention. To maintain uniformity, all intervention sessions were conducted in a fixed time slot (4:10 PM to 4:30 PM), five days a week, in a quiet, designated room. A trained Yoga researcher provided live verbal guidance throughout each session, ensuring procedural consistency across participants. The control group was instructed to refrain from initiating any new wellness or mindfulness practices during the intervention phase. 2.5 Participant Adherence and Engagement To monitor participant adherence, attendance was recorded for each session, and participants were encouraged to maintain a personal logbook documenting their reflections and perceived experiences. The overall attendance rate was above 85%, reflecting high compliance with the protocol. Weekly informal check-ins were held to address participant concerns and to motivate continued engagement. Anecdotal feedback from participants included experiences of mental clarity, emotional balance, and a deeper sense of inner calm. Such subjective accounts suggest that the Trimūrti Dhyāna sessions were not only well-received but also experientially enriching for most participants. 2.6 Outcome Measures All assessments were conducted at baseline (pre-intervention) and after six weeks (post-intervention) under controlled laboratory conditions between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Participants were advised to abstain from caffeine, alcohol, and vigorous activity for 24 hours prior to testing. 2.6.1 Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Heart Rate Variability (HRV) was assessed using a 4-channel PowerLab 15 T system (AD Instruments, Australia), with ECG recordings acquired over a 15-minute period in a quiet, temperature-controlled environment (22–26 °C). Participants were instructed to lie in a supine position, keeping their eyes closed in a relaxed yet wakeful state, without voluntarily controlling their breathing pattern, in accordance with standardized HRV recording protocols (Task Force 1996, 1043–1065). The recorded ECG signals were processed and analyzed using LabChart 7 software along with the MLS310 HRV analysis module. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) was applied to extract both time-domain and frequency-domain HRV parameters. The key time-domain indices included the Standard Deviation of RR intervals (SDRR) and Root Mean Square of Successive Differences (RMSSD). Frequency-domain indices comprised Total Power (TP), Low-Frequency Power (LF, 0.04–0.15 Hz), High-Frequency Power (HF, 0.15–0.4 Hz), and the LF/HF ratio, all computed in both milliseconds squared (ms²) and normalized units. Five-minute stationary ECG epochs free from ectopic beats and movement artifacts were manually selected for final analysis. 2.6.2 Psychological Assessment of Triguna To assess the psychological dimensions of Triguṇa – Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas – this study employed the Vedic Personality Inventory (VPI), a standardized self-report instrument developed by David B. Wolf (1999) in alignment with the philosophical frameworks of the Bhagavad Gītā and Sāṃkhya philosophy. The inventory comprises 56 items rated on a 7-point Likert scale 1 strongly disagree, 7 strongly agree and yields independent scores for each Guṇa. The VPI has demonstrated strong psychometric properties, including high internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.83 (Sattva), 0.84 (Rajas), and 0.72 (Tamas) in Indian populations. Its construct validity and cross-cultural reliability have also been supported in subsequent yoga, spirituality, and psychological research. Scoring: Each Guṇa is assessed through a subset of items – 15 for Sattva, 19 for Rajas, and 22 for Tamas. The average score for each Guṇa is calculated by taking the mean of the item scores corresponding to that Guṇa. Thus, a higher mean score reflects the greater predominance of that particular Guṇa in an individual’s personality profile (David B. Wolf 1999, 1379–1390). In the present study, the VPI was administered at both baseline and post-intervention to evaluate potential changes in the participants’ dominant Guṇas as a result of the sixweek Trimūrti Dhyāna practice.
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