Yes, The time scale of our GSR graphs has been discussed here in the NSR forum before. It is easy to misinterpret if you just look at the graphs. The experimental time 0 is not the start of the NSR session, but the time at which the subject closed their eyes and sat with their eyes closed. See
http://www.eeg.it/eeg/anxiety-nsr.php for details of our experimental procedure.
Thank you for sharing that TED video. I very much enjoyed the first half, in which some of the nature and importance of consciousness and happiness (defined in the lecture as an underlying feeling of well-being) is discussed.
However, instead of then introducing effortless and effective transcending and transcendence (topics which have been discussed in depth in other postings here and are essential to Transcendental Meditation and NSR Meditation), the speaker then discusses a relatively superficial set of techniques he calls "mind training".
These techniques consist of putting the attention on anger in order to let it go, a discussion of the nature of brain plasticity (anyone can change), putting the attention on kindness in order to make it grow (which can sometimes work and can sometimes backfire), and ending with an unfortunately incorrect interpretation of some left/right hemisphere EEG results as a statistical "bell curve" and as relating to emotions (EEG researchers agree that it is an error to infer emotions or thoughts from brainwave analysis).
Overall, as with most presentations on how to improve life by those experienced in some form of meditation but not directly familiar with the technologies of transcendence, the lecture was pleasant but lacked the effective content that the world so much needs.
The use of a mantra to allow the body and mind to settle into transcendental consciousness is not just a superficial distinction of NSR Meditation, but is the heart of a new technology of transformation of life from suffering to freedom based on the strength, silence, and inner joy that can only come when stored stresses are truly and efficiently dissolved.
David Spector
NSR Meditation/USA