Reviews research findings relating to the effects of meditation and biofeedback, which are widely accepted by the public and professionals as effective means of reducing somatic arousal and some somatic symptoms. Findings provide little or no support for this confidence. Although meditation and biofeedback are associated with reductions in arousal and symptomatology, for the most part the reductions are not greater than what can be achieved with simple rest. It is concluded that many researchers do not include the appropriate controls in their designs and thus the reader is often led to erroneous conclusions concerning the alleged effects of biofeedback. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)