Effect of Subtle Energy Transmission and Tao Calligraphy Mindfulness Practice on Mitochondrial DNA in Peripheral Blood Leukocytes

NCT07261111 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: Pro00090526
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to learn if a subtle energy transmission and Tao Calligraphy Mindfulness Practice works to improve mitochondrial DNA. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does Tao Calligraphy Mindfulness practice improve mitochondrial DNA content in peripheral blood leucocytes in adults?
• Will this improvement of mitochondrial DNA content in peripheral blood leucocytes be statistically significant? Researchers will compare the values of mitochondrial DNA content in peripheral blood leucocytes at beginning of the mindfulness practices to the values at 3 months, 6 months and 12 months of practice group. Participants will:
• have blood samples will drawn at accredited institutions and analyzed for Mitochondrial DNA content in Leucocytes upon entry into the study - Baseline time point; at 3-months time point, at six-months time point and at twelve-months time point.
• All participants will complete the set of 3 questionnaires upon entry into the study - Baseline time point; at 3-months time point, at six-months time point and at twelve-months time point.
• Practice the Mindfulness with Tao Calligraphy minimum 30 minutes daily.

Conditions

Mitochondrial DNA; Quality of Life

Keywords

Mitochondrial-to-nuclear genome ratio; Tao Calligraphy; Mindfulness Practice; Healing Art; Healing Song; Meditation; SF-36 Questionnaire; Mitochondrial DNA; Mitochondrial DNA content; Quality of life

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Mean Change from Baseline in Mitochondrial-to-nuclear genome ratio (Mitochondrial DNA content) in peripheral blood Leukocytes at 3 months, 6 months and 12 months

  Genomic DNA is extracted from peripheral blood and DNA concentration and purity are assessed by spectrophotometer. Mitochondrial DNA content in leukocytes is quantified by real-time quantitative PCR. Calculating Mitochondrial DNA content is done as follows: Ct values for Mitochondrial DNA targets are normalized to the nuclear gene Ct using the delta-delta cycle threshold method, using equation: Mitochondrial DNA content = relative Mitochondrial DNA abundance / nuclear DNA abundance. This ratio reflects the relative number of mitochondrial genomes per nuclear genome in leukocytes. The normal range for the mitochondrial-to-nuclear genome ratio (Mitochondrial DNA/ Nuclear DNA) in human blood leukocytes is approximately 1.2 to 1.8.

  From start of Mindfulness practices with Tao Art (Calligraphy and Song Greatest Love) to end of practices at 12 months

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Mean Change from Baseline in Quality of Life Scores on 36-item short-form Quality of Life Questionnaire (SF-36) at 3 months, 6 months and 12 months

  From start of Mindfulness practices with Tao Art (Calligraphy and Song Greatest Love) to end of practices at 12 months.

Study Arms (1)

The Practice Group

EXPERIMENTAL

The Practice group will start practices at baseline time-point and will stop practices after 12 months at 12-months time-point. The participants in Practice group will practice Mindfulness practice with Calligraphy at least 30 minutes daily for 12 months. All participants in Practice group will have the blood drawn for Mitochondrial DNA content analysis and complete the SF-36 questionnaire upon entry into the study - Baseline time-point; at 3-months time-point, at six-months time point and at twelve-months time point.

Other: Mindfulness practice with Tao Art (Calligraphy and Song Greatest Love)

Interventions

Mindfulness practice with Tao Art (Calligraphy and Song Greatest Love) OTHER

During mindfulness practice with Tao Art (Calligraphy and Greatest Love Song), participants will repeatedly trace the lines of calligraphy with fingers while listening to, singing, or chanting with Tao Song. This enables them to achieve deep concentration, while maintaining fully alert state. The practice can be done in sitting or standing, depending on the health status and age and will last 30 minutes and is done daily for 12 months.

The Practice Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 19 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age 19 and over
• Willingness and ability to comply with data collection requirements
• Submission of required documentation before entering the study, including informed consent and consent to release of information
• Healthy or Ill, with the exception of genetic illnesses and cancer (for which treatments could negatively impact measurement) and serious mental disorders (e.g. bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis),
• Willingness to allow their data to be used for research purposes and published as deemed fit (while conforming to all applicable privacy laws) by Sha Research Foundation.
• Willingness to practice the daily calligraphy meditations and follow the protocol.

You may not qualify if:

• Bipolar disorders, other serious mental disorders (e.g. schizophrenia, psychosis), genetic illnesses (primarily affected chromosomes), and cancer (treatment could negatively impact telomere during research period)
• inability to sign consent and follow instructions
• Unwillingness to participate in data gathering
• Unable to follow the practice regimen, including the daily calligraphy meditations
• Pregnant or nursing. Participants who become pregnant during the study will be required to end their participation. (to avoid any, at current time unknown, potential negative effect of the study on the fetus).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Sha Research Foundation: lead

Study Sites (1)

Sha Research Foundation (BC Branch)

North Vancouver, British Columbia, V7R 1P5, Canada

Location

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Study Officials

• Peter Hudoba De Badyn, MD, FRCS

  Sha Research Foundation

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Cynthia Hamilton, PhD

  Sha Research Foundation

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Peter Hudoba De Badyn, MD, FRCS

CONTACT

1-604-904-7712; sharesearchfoundation@yahoo.ca

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: We plan subjects may enter the study as a group and will have all measurements (blood sample for Mitochondrial DNA analysis and Rand SF 36 Questionnaire) done upon entry into the study - at the baseline 0-time point; at the 3-months time point, at the 6-months time point and at the 12-months time point. Participants will start practices at baseline time point and will stop practices at 12-months time-point. The study will evaluate the effects of mindfulness practice using: * The standardized Quality of Life SF-36 Questionnaire. * Mitochondrial DNA content in peripheral blood Leukocytes. All participants will have blood drawn and complete the questionnaire upon entry into the study - Baseline time point; at 3-months time point, at six-months time point and at twelve-months time point.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 21, 2025
• First Posted: December 3, 2025
• Study Start (Estimated): July 2, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2030
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2031
• Last Updated: April 23, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP
• Time Frame: Investigators will share the protocol of the study upon acceptance to Clinical trials website by December 31 2025. It will be available until end of the study December 31 2031.
• Access Criteria: Anyone with active account with Clinical trials website will be able to access the Individual Participant Data (IPD) and supporting information. They will be able to access Protocol, statistical plan and mean score of all 3 questionnaires. They will be able to access it through Clinical trials website platform.

Locations

CA (1)