RESOURSES2023-10-06T14:08:10+02:00

Heart Health

Transcendental Meditation reduces hypertension, obesity, and diabetes in patients with coronary heart disease. This study of 103 people with coronary heart disease found that individuals practicing Transcendental Meditation for four months had significantly lower blood pressure; improved blood glucose and insulin levels (which signify reduced insulin resistance); and more stable functioning of the autonomic nervous system compared to controls.
*C. Noel Bairey Merz, M.D., Director of the Preventive and Rehabilitative Cardiac Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; Professor of Medicine at the UCLA Medical School American Medical Association’s Archives of Internal Medicine, June 2006

Stress

Transcendental Meditation reduces stress and increases happiness among middle school students. Two studies on 60 sixth-graders at two middle schools found the practice of Transcendental Meditation over four months positively affected emotional development in early adolescent children in a school setting. Meditating students also had significantly higher scores on affectivity, self-esteem, and emotional competence.
*Rita Benn, Ph.D., Director of Education, Complementary & Alternative Medicine Research Center, University of Michigan. National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, April 2003

Brain

Transcendental Meditation produces positive effects on health, brain functioning, and cognitive development in students. Preliminary results from this new two-year study of 250 college students at American University in Washington, D.C., found that the TM program produced beneficial effects for health, brain functioning, and cognitive development compared to controls.
*David Haaga, Ph.D., Professor and Director of the James J. Gray Psychotherapy Training Clinic, American University. (In press)

How TM differs from other meditations

Contrary to common belief there are distinct differences between techniques, such as the effort involved, their impact on the brain, and whether they result in verifiable benefits.

A study published in the journal Consciousness and Cognition identified the following three meditation categories, based on measured brain wave differences:
CONCENTRATION OR FOCUS: Zen, Vipassana, etc.
OPEN MONITORING: Mindfulness, Kriya Yoga, etc.
SELF-TRANSCENDING: Transcendental Meditation

Transendental Meditation is:

Absolutely effortless –
The TM technique is so easy and enjoyable that anyone can do it,
even children with ADHD
No concentrating
No control of the mind
No monitoring of thoughts (mindfulness)
No trying to “empty the mind”
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