The Transcendental Meditation Program
Gary Kaplan, M.D., Ph.D.
Neurologist,
New York University
Medical School
“The TM technique simply and naturally allows the mind to settle down to experience a state of inner coherence and calm during which time the left and right hemispheres, and the front and back of the brain, begin to work in harmony with each other. This brain wave coherence has been correlated with improvements in memory, problem-solving and decision-making abilities. This change in brain functioning also affects the rest of the physiology, reducing high blood pressure, strengthening the heart, and overall improving health.”
DEVELOP YOUR BRAIN
Increased use of brain reserves
During the Transcendental Meditation program, early (sensory) components of the brain’s response to somatosensory stimuli are more widely distributed across the cortex, indicating greater participation of the whole brain in the response to a stimulus. Reference: Human Physiology 25: 171–180, 1999.
Kulreet Chaudry, M.D.,
neurologist and medical
director of Wellspring
Neurology at Scripps Memorial
Hospital, San Diego
“The Transcendental Meditation technique has been shown to be the most effective health and wellness program there is. Nothing we know of is as
effective for promoting good health and reducing health-care utilization and medical expenses.”
BE LESS STRESSED
Reduced high blood pressure
Patients with high blood pressure who learned the Transcendental Meditation program showed a significant reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressure after three months, in contrast to those randomly assigned to a control technique or to those who received health education on how to reduce blood pressure through diet and exercise. Reference: Hypertension 26: 820–827, 1995.
Russell Simmons, co-founder of
the pioneering hip-hop label
Def Jam, a founder of Russell
Simmons Music Group, and the
creator of the clothing fashion
line Phat Farm
“Transcendental Meditation promotes stillness—and
when you are still is the only time you can think,
the only time you can focus. When you have
distractions and noise in your mind, you can’t
comprehend properly and you can’t do your job.
Comprehension comes from stillness, focus comes
from stillness, and TM is the practice of touching
that stillness for a few minutes twice a day.”
THINK CLEARLY
Broad comprehension and ability to focus
Field independence has been associated with a greater ability to assimilate and structure experience, greater organization of mind and cognitive clarity, improved memory, greater creative expression, and a stable internal frame of reference. The results show that practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique develops greater field independence. This improvement in Transcendental Meditation meditators is remarkable because it was previously thought that these basic perceptual abilities do not improve beyond early adulthood. Reference: Perceptual and Motor Skills 39: 1031–1034, 1974.
David Lynch, award-winning
filmmaker, photographer, painter,
and author of Catching the Big
Fish: Meditation, Consciousness
and Creativity
“I have never missed a meditation in 34 years. I meditate once in the morning and once in the afternoon for about 20 minutes each time. Then I
go about the business of my day. I find the joy of
the ‘doing’ increases. Creativity increases. Intuition increases. The pleasure of life grows. And
negativity recedes.”
BE MORE CREATIVE
Increased creativity
This study used the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking to measure figural and verbal creativity in a control group and in a group that subsequently learned the Transcendental Meditation technique. On the post-test 5 months later, the Transcendental Meditation group scored significantly higher on figural originality and flexibility and on verbal fluency. Reference: Journal of Creative Behavior 13:169–190, 1979.
Ramani Ayer, chairman and chief
executive officer of The Hartford,
which is one of the nation’s
largest financial services and
insurance companies
“I have been practicing the Transcendental
Meditation technique for over 30 years. It has
helped me to consistently raise my performance
levels. It has helped me cope with the stresses and
strains of life. And I believe very strongly that the
practice of TM has helped me to maintain a steady
state of mind—it has given me equanimity no
matter what happens.”
BE CENTERED
Inner calm
Individuals who practiced the Transcendental Meditation technique showed significantly increased skin resistance during the practice, in contrast to controls. Skin resistance is an electrophysiological measure of calmness or restfulness. Reference: Physiology & Behavior 35: 591–595, 1985.
Mindy Weisel’s art hangs in
museums and institutions
around the world, including
the Smithsonian, Hirshhorn
Museum, National Museum of
American Art, Israel Museum,
U.S. Capitol, and Baltimore
Museum of Art.
“I am happier and more creative now than I ever would have imagined. I just wish I had started to meditate years ago, but I never realized it was something that you can be taught! What a joy it
has been to learn TM—it’s such a beautifully easy
and natural technique.”
BE ORGANIZED
Improved job performance
Self-actualization refers to realizing more of one’s inner potential, expressed in every area of life. A statistical meta-analysis of all available research—42 independent studies—indicated that the effect of the Transcendental Meditation technique on increasing self-actualization is markedly greater than that of other forms of meditation and relaxation. This analysis statistically controlled for length of treatment and quality of research design. Reference: Journal of Social Behavior and Personality 6: 189–248, 1991.
Nancy Lonsdorf, M.D.,
a Johns Hopkins-trained
specialist in women’s
health
“Regular TM practice not only settles the mind, it softens and nourishes the heart. The result is
greater appreciation of others, more harmony,
kindness and love. Mothers tell me their children
remind them to meditate—I think that says it all.”
HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIPS
Greater appreciation of others
People practicing the Transcendental Meditation Program score significantly more positively in how they rate important people in their lives, as compared to controls. Reference: Perceptual and Motor Skills 64: 1003–1012, 1987.
Jerry Yellin was in combat in the
Pacific Theater in World War II and
was awarded the Distinguished
Flying Cross with an Oak Leaf
cluster and the Air Medal with four
Oak Leaf clusters.
“If there is really going to be peace in the world,
then it has to start with the individual. A peaceful
world is made up of peaceful individuals who are
using their full potential. TM is a catalyst for peace.
If more people practiced TM, the world would be
more peaceful.”
SELF ACTUALIZATION
Inner peace
A statistical meta-analysis of 42 independent studies-indicated that the effect of the TM technique on increasing self-actualization is markedly greater than that of other forms of meditation. Reference: Journal of Social Behavior and Personality (1991).