Excerpt from the man who started TM (transcendental meditation), Maharishi Yogi

From an audio recording (No 2) made in Hochgurgelin in 1962.

Question: Can the state of (mindful) suspension be prolonged indefinitely and if so, what is the effect on the brain cells?

Maharishi: Yes, it can be prolonged indefinitely. If it is held for very long time, the body will become alkaline. Because, not to decay is the quality of an alkaline body. And as long as the individual mind gets to that universal consciousness, the body has to be intact.. In order that it remains intact, it becomes alkaline.

If the body is acidic, more of acid in the system, then the oxygen going in becomes carbon dioxide. If the body is acidic, more carbon dioxide is produced. To throw it out, the exhalations become deeper, heavier. When the exhalations become heavier, inhalations become correspondingly heavier also. So the breath flows heavy when the system is acidic.

Opposite to this, when the acidity becomes less then the breath becomes slow. That is why during meditation the breath becomes slow, the body becomes less acidic, more alkaline. This is the reason why the body lasts longer for those who meditate, long life. With meditation the blood chemistry changes, becomes less acidic, more alkaline... ...taking into consideration the slowing of the breath during meditation we conclude without even experimenting and without even testing that the system becomes less acidic...