Transcendental Meditation Can Make You Money

By Bessie D. Burton


Sitting in a field of flowers, legs crossed, wrapped in white cloth, the sweet smell of incense wafting through the air. That's what most people think of when they hear the word: meditation. But what we see and hear in the media is not always an accurate picture of reality. The Transcendental Meditation technique is a simple mental procedure that is practiced for twenty minutes twice per day. It has been learned by millions of people and has been the subject of hundreds of research studies. But just what is Transcendental Meditation (or TM) and how does one learn it? Here are some of the details regarding the TM technique and its practice.

Environment-While it is certainly enjoyable to practice the Transcendental Mediation technique in a quiet place it is not necessary. Many busy people in all walks of life practice the TM technique in airports, train stations, lobbies and hotel rooms. Because the TM technique is an automatic and natural response of the mind and body, the process is easy in any kind of environment whether it is quiet and secluded or noisy and public.Posture--Transcendental Meditation (TM) is practiced sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. One can sit in a chair, on the bed or on the floor. Any location or sitting position is considered to be correct as long as one is comfortable. The TM technique is never practiced while lying down.

TM is not a religion.It has nothing to do with religion. It does not involve any discipline of having to be a vegetarian or doing yoga stance or postures or living like a swami (holy man). In fact it helps to make religion become more alive, more meaningful on the level of love and self-giving. It can be practice by anyone regardless of religion.

The technique of TM is easy and effortless. It is also unique and profound. Because each person has different experiences during their TM course and also learns at a different pace, personal instruction by a certified TM teacher is vital. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of the TM technique, in his book The Science of Being and Art of Living explains it like this: "The practice of Transcendental Meditation must always be given by the expert teachers of Transcendental Meditation who have been properly trained to give it and who have been trained to check the experiences. The checking of experiences is a vital point in the practice of Transcendental Meditation. Again, it cannot be done through books."

Don't worry, I hear your preemptive questions, "bbbbbuutt what about the secret to becoming a pro-meditator overnight?". Well, luckily for you, we've found the magic recipe to becoming an adept meditator. Best of all, it'll only take you approximately three weeks to become a pro (but you'll have to immerse yourself in meditation during this time).Alright, so here's our secret to entering deep levels of meditation relatively quickly. Are you ready for it? To reach the deepest levels of meditation in a short period of time we use audio entrainment devices. These audio products abound on the internet, and you can choose whichever one you like, so long as you consistently use it for at least three weeks.

The pilot study followed a group of middle school students with ADHD who were meditating twice a day in school. After three months, researchers found over 50 percent reduction in stress and anxiety and improvements in ADHD symptoms.Effect exceeds expectations.The effect was much greater than we expected," said Sarina J. Grosswald, Ed.D., a George Washington University-trained cognitive learning specialist and lead researcher on the study. "The children also showed improvements in attention, working memory, organization, and behavior regulation." Grosswald said that after the in-school meditation routine began, "teachers reported they were able to teach more, and students were able to learn more because they were less stressed and anxious."Stress interferes with the ability to learn.Prior research shows ADHD children have slower brain development and a reduced ability to cope with stress. "Stress interferes with the ability to learn-it shuts down the brain," said William Stixrud, Ph.D., a Silver Spring, Maryland, clinical neuropsychologist and co-author of the study.

"Medication for ADHD is very effective for some children, but it is marginally or not effective for others. Even for those children who show improved symptoms with the medication, the improvement is often insufficient or accompanied by troubling side effects," Stixrud said. "Virtually everyone finds it difficult to pay attention, organize themselves and get things done when they're under stress. So it stands to reason that the TM technique which reduces stress and organizes brain function would reduce ADHD symptoms." While in some cases a child cannot function without medication, there is growing concern about the health risks and side effects associated with the common ADHD medications, including mood swings, insomnia, tics, slowed growth, and heart problems. In 2006 the FDA required manufacturers to place warning labels on ADHD medications, listing the potential serious health risks.

These high risks and growing concerns are fueling parents' search for alternatives that may be safer for their kids.The study was conducted in a private K-12 school for children with language-based learning disabilities. Participation was restricted to 10 students, ages 11-14, who had pre-existing diagnoses of ADHD. About half of the students were on medication. The students meditated at school in a group for 10 minutes, morning and afternoon.To determine the influence of the TM technique, at the beginning and end of the three-month period, parents, teachers and students completed standard ADHD assessment inventories measuring stress and anxiety, behavior and social competency, and executive function. Students were also given a battery of performance tests to measure cognitive functioning.

I had learned the Transcendental Meditation technique several years before. And though I loved beautiful things like anyone else, I also loved the beautiful, inner silence I experienced during my twice daily meditations even more. Through my practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique I found a place within me, from which all my creativity emerged; a flow of subtle impulses that guide me serenely through my daily life, even to this day.

Everyone noticed the change," Andy added.Grosswald explained that there is substantial research showing the effectiveness of the TM technique for reducing stress and anxiety, and improving cognitive functioning among the general population. "What's significant about these new findings is that among children who have difficulty with focus and attention, we see the same results. TM doesn't require concentration, controlling the mind or disciplined focus. The fact that these children are able to do TM, and do it easily shows us that this technique may be particularly well suited for children with ADHD," she said.This study was funded by the Abramson Family Foundation and the Institute for Community Enrichment.A second, recently completed TM-ADHD study with a control group measured brain function using electroencephalography (EEG). Preliminary data shows that three months practice of the technique resulted in significant positive changes in brain functioning during visual-motor skills. Changes were specifically seen in the circuitry of the brain associated with attention and distractibility. After six months TM practice, measurements of distractibility moved into the normal range.A third, $2 million TM-ADHD study, to be funded in part by a grant from The David Lynch Foundation, will more fully investigate the effects of the technique on ADHD and other learning disorders.

No other meditation technique has been so extensively studied and researched. During transcendental meditation, the brain falls into a theta brain wave pattern (akin to sleep and deep relaxation), which then carries over to the state of wakefulness. Physical benefits include increased mental comprehension, focus, retention and creativity. Another interesting benefit is the actual reversal of the aging process. In a study conducted by the International Journal of Neuroscience, the biological age of practitioners of transcendental meditation was, on average, twelve years younger than their chronological age. Transcendental meditation also has positive effects on age and stress related conditions such as insomnia, high blood pressure, decreased visual acuity, hearing loss and depressed cerebral blood flow.

Facts about The Transcendental Meditation technique.The Transcendental Meditation technique is an effortless technique practiced 10-20 minutes twice a day sitting comfortably with the eyes closed.TM is not a religion or philosophy and involves no new beliefs or change in lifestyle.Over 350 peer-reviewed research studies on the TM technique confirm a range of benefits for mind, body and behavior.Several studies have compared the effects of different meditation practices and found that Transcendental Meditation provides deeper relaxation and is more effective at reducing anxiety, depression and hypertension than other forms of meditation and relaxation. In addition, no other meditation practice shows the widespread coherence throughout all areas the brain that is seen with Transcendental Meditation.The Transcendental Meditation technique is taught in the United States by a non-profit, educational organization.




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