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Transcendental Meditation in the News
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 Lifting the lid on meditation
Cambridge News, 3 August 2011
Enjoying a moment of complete calm in the hectic world of today can be increasingly hard to come by. But learning how to clear your head from the babble of everyday thoughts for just 15 minutes a day could improve your concentration, reduce your stress levels and boost your wellbeing. ... “My whole life settled down, there was no clutter in my mind anymore and I started to do things in a lot less time; something that used to take three hours now takes one." Transcendental Meditation, which is what Jonathan and Heather practice, is simple to learn because it uses the natural tendency of the mind. ... (more …)
 "I thought transcendental meditation was mumbo jumbo, but I couldn't have been more wrong"
Woman and Home, August 2011
Christina Bartholomew, 60, put her scepticism to one side and finally found relief from angina. ... I would get very bad pains chest, radiating into my jaw and down my arm ... and I ended up in hospital countless times. ... [Transcendental Meditation] is so relaxing ... whenever I had angina ... within minutes it would stop. ..." (more …)
 New study shows Transcendental Meditation improves brain functioning in ADHD students
Innovation Report, 25 July 2011
A random-assignment controlled study published today in Mind & Brain, The Journal of Psychiatry (Vol 2, No 1) found improved brain functioning and decreased symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, in school children practising Transcendental Meditation. The paper," ADHD, Brain Functioning, and Transcendental Meditation Practice", is the second published study demonstrating Transcendental Meditation's ability to help students with attention-related difficulties. ..." (more …)
 Transcendental Meditation: Were the hippies right all along?
Independent, Sunday, 10 July 2011
Now Transcendental Meditation is back in a big way. So were those hippies on to something all along? ... strange as it may sound, among those of us who seek to surf the zeitgeist, the most fashionable thinker of 2011 may turn out to be Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of the Transcendental Meditation movement – and the fact that he passed to a better place in 2008 doesn't appear to have discouraged us one bit. … a burgeoning body of scientific research indicates that regular meditators can expect to enjoy striking reductions in heart attack, stroke and early mortality … post-traumatic stress disorder … fights and suspensions, increased attendance and improvements in exam results. ... one could argue it has a moral responsibility to spread its message. As for me, I'm seriously considering introducing my children to a stress- and anxiety-busting daily ritual that seems to do no harm and may well do a great deal of good. ..." (more …)
 Combatting Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Embody, magazine of the Complementary Therapists Association, Summer 2011
In early 2010, WWII veteran Jerry Yellin was introduced to a young man, Dory Klock, an eight-year Army veteran who had fought in Bosnia. Dory was having difficulty adjusting …
This article offers a scientifically verified, time-tested solution to how we can help our military personnel, veterans and their families. On behalf of The David Lynch Foundation's Operation Warrior Wellness, veterans like Jerry are urging US Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs officials to add a different modality to their treatment programs for PTSD, one which has already been extensively scientifically validated to reduce stress - the Transcendental Meditation program. ..." (more …)
 Celebrities who meditate
Daily Telegraph, 28 June 2011
David Lynch … has also written a book about it, Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity. … Russell Simmons, the entrepreneur, impresario and author has been meditating for over twelve years. … Sting and his wife Trudie Styler both practice yoga and meditation … George Harrison, the 'quiet Beatle', … practiced meditation avidly himself and even introduced it to the other Beatles. ..." (more …)
How meditation could help your health
Daily Telegraph, 28 June 2011
As a study finds that daily meditation cuts heart attack death rates by half, we review other health benefits attributed to the practice. Transcendental meditation has been shown to significantly reduce depressive symptoms. One study of 36 patients with clinical depression found that symptoms almost halved after just three months and the benefits were maintained over a year-long period. Another study of 112 patients at high risk of depression found that depressive symptoms fell by a third over the initial three-month period. ..." (more …)
 Troops with PTSD helped by meditation
British Forces News, 3 June 2011
Soldiers suffering the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder after tours in Iraq and Afghanistan could be helped by transcendental meditation. Now a study by medical researchers from Georgetown University in Washington DC has found it could be more effective than conventional treatments ..." (more …)
 Meditation: don't leave home without it
Guardian, 18 May 2011
Looking after our minds should be as natural as brushing our teeth. … The psychiatrist Dr Norman Rosenthal, best known for describing seasonal affective disorder, believes meditation is an essential daily habit. … Rosenthal recommends transcendental meditation (TM) to patients. Peer-reviewed research on the physical and psychological benefits of TM - from reduced anxiety to increased creativity is - impressive. ..." (more …)
David Lynch offers music for meditation
Independent, 9 March 2011
Acclaimed film director David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, Mulholland Drive) released a 17-track charity compilation on March 8 to support his foundation, which encourages healing through meditation. The album features exclusive tracks by Tom Waits, Iggy Pop, Peter Gabriel, Moby, Ben Folds, and others. Proceeds go to the organisation's global effort to teach meditation to 1 million at-risk youth and 10,000 veterans of war with post-traumatic stress disorder. A supporter of transcendental meditation, dubbed TM for short, Lynch believes that it is the cheapest, most effective, and medication-free way of healing people who have suffered severe stress in war and any other extreme experience. ..." (more …)
 David Lynch tackles post-traumatic stress with transcendental meditation
The Guardian, 13 December 2010
If it's good enough for Clint Eastwood, it's probably good enough for the average American soldier. But persuading thousands of troops with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan that the answer is to spend their days following the transcendental meditation mantras of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi may prove a hard sell.. ..." (more …)
 Mantra with a Mission
The Sunday Times Magazine, 12 December 2010
David Lynch is sitting at a huge desk in his studio … Lynch regards it as his mission to bring M to a million schoolchildren around the world and … has so far taught it to some 200,000 children in 120 schools in 24 countries. ..." (more …)
 Ask the doctor: Does being forgetful mean I'll get dementia?
Daily Mail, 27 September 2010
Dr Scurr says ... The blissful feeling of calm after a recent day spent learning to sail a dinghy reminded me of the sense of peace gained from transcendental meditation. I first learned of this ancient practice’s therapeutic effects in the heady days of the Seventies when, as a junior hospital psychiatrist, I was involved in research into it. ..." (more …)
 Balancing the brain
The Green Parent magazine, Aug/Sept 2010
Every child is born a billionaire. In neural terms, that is. The human brain has 100 billion individual cells - that’s 15 times the number of people on earth - and ideally, bringing up children would involve every strategy we can find to allow the full use of all those billions of neurons - so that every child may grow to live their complete mental, physical, emotional and spiritual potential. ..." (more …)
Getting sick of reality TV? New survey confirms that it can be bad for your health
Mail Online, 14 April 2010
IF TERRIBLE MANNERS and tacky television shows make your blood boil, you are not alone. Almost eight out of ten of us let everyday irritations get under our skin instead of walking away from exasperating situations, according to a survey. But experts have warned that regularly getting wound up can have health consequences - raising the risk of a stroke. ... Meanwhile medical experts believe Transcendental Meditation could be used to treat high blood pressure and psychological problems. ..." (more …)
How The Beatles' meditation technique could cure depression
The Independent 8 April 2010
Transcendental Meditation, the technique of achieving a state of "restful alertness" popularised by The Beatles 40 years ago, may be an effective treatment for depression in older people, scientists have found. Two studies of more than 100 patients at risk of heart disease showed that those who practised the technique experienced a reduction in depressive symptoms of up to 48 per cent. Depression increases the risk of a heart attack even at moderate levels. ... (more …)
Other articles on the same story appeared in the Telegraph) and the Daily Mail.
Military Application for Transcendental Meditation
Healthy Pages, 26 March 2010
A scientific journal has recently published a paper purporting that Transcendental Meditation can reduce war and terrorism. ‘The Journal of Management & Social Science’ is a leading journal in Pakistan and it was they who published the paper: "A New Role for the Military: Preventing Enemies from Arising-Reviving an Ancient Approach to Peace." ... (more …)
Transcendentally Yours
Kindred Spirit, January/February 2010
In December 1959 the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (pictured below being interviewed on the BBC World Service), aged 44, arrived in London to introduce his simple, natural meditation technique to the UK. Within a month he'd taught hundreds of seekers ... To celebrate the 50th anniversary, events happening throughout December include live EEG demonstrations of individuals meditating by US neuroscientist, Dr Fred Travis ... (more …)
Meditation 'cuts risk of heart attack by half'
Telegraph, Tuesday 15 December 2009
Patients with heart disease who practised Transcendental Meditation cut their chances of a heart attack, stroke and death by half, compared with non-meditating patients, the first study of its kind has found. Stress is a major factor in heart disease and meditation experts say the technique can help control it. (more …)
 Could Meditation help your heart?
Daily Express, 15 November 2009
GRAHAM KING was stunned when, at the age of 42, he was diagnosed with high blood pressure. As a fitness buff who was neither overweight nor a smoker, Graham thought he was in optimum health. ... After a seven-lesson course at a centre in Bromley, Graham found the [Transcendental Meditation] technique easy to practise. Three months on, despite no changes in work or lifestyle his blood pressure had improved sufficiently for his doctor to stop the medication. ... (more …)
 The migraine sorter
Women's Own, 11 Nov 2009
"A year ago I started to suffer from terrible migraines. My symptoms included blurred vison, dizziness, exhaustion, nausea, and vomiting. Soon I was having severe headaches once or twice a week and each attack left me unwell for three days. I was unable to function in my daily life. ... So I trained with Maura McCann to learn TM. I felt some relief after the first weekend of training. I then began meditating twice a day and I have not had a migraine since. It's a simple technique ..." (more …)
 Meditation pilot for city school
BBC News, 17 Sept 2009
Cardiff schools could introduce a pilot Transcendental Meditation (TM) programme to relieve stress on pupils. One unnamed secondary school is to give it a trial on a voluntary basis. Freda Salway, Cardiff council's executive member for education, said anything to lessen the load was a welcome addition to the curriculum. ... (more …)
 Meditation transcends difficulties
Times Education Supplement, 11 August 2009 (Scottish Edition)
Concern at pupils’ emotional and mental health statistics has prompted film director David Lynch to launch an international campaign to teach meditation to children. Former Beatles Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney are backing the programme. ... A small group of teachers at one school in the west of Scotland has already received instruction on meditation from the Transcendental Meditation Centre in Glasgow. Initial reactions are favourable, according to the centre, which is waiting until the projects are well established before releasing further details. ... (more …)
 Mum “healed” by Transcendental Meditation
Flying Start Parenting magazine, June 2009
"Becoming a mum is the best thing that ever happened to me," says Helle. "But when my three-and-a-half year old daughter said: 'Mum, you are not happy' I began to think: 'Oh-ooh. This is not good! She has realised there is something wrong.' But now, I am glad to say, she knows I am happy." ... "Those 20 minutes of silence were the quietest I had been for a long, long time. I felt I got in touch with my self, that inner peace, that person I am," Helle says. "That was great. Now, as a parent, I am much more focused, calm, with better resources to give more, and can be more present for my daughter – calm, not stressed." ... (more …) PDF 
 Tuning into the sound of silence
East Anglian Daily Times, 2 August 2008
Filmmaker David Lynch is on record as saying Transcendental Meditation lifted a persistent anger that had clouded his life. That's just one of the things it can do, says TM teacher Paul Kember. It also has the ability to alleviate chronic health problems, boost intellect, creativity and promote harmony. ... (more …)
 Transcendental Meditation - It’s easy to learn and has proven health benefits
Healthy magazine, September 2007
It's hard to trace the precise roots of meditation, but records suggest it has been around for at least 5000 years. TM has been passed down through the Vedic (or knowledge) tradition of India, which is also where yoga originated. In the late 1950s Maharishi Mahesh Yogi -the man known as The Beatles’ spiritual guru - spread TM worldwide and there are now TM centres all over. 'Maharishi, now in his 90s, is still the chief executive of TM and is the most energetic and intelligent man I've ever met,' says Cunningham. ... (more …)
The bliss of it all
Guardian, Saturday 24 February 2007
DAVID LYNCH … has meditated for 30 years. He says it transformed his life, saved him from himself. "You naturally, effortlessly, beautifully dive within, and each deeper level has more happiness - the mind wants to transcend meaning, to go beyond into the unbounded ocean of pure consciousness..." (more …)
 Meditation: for old hippies or a better way of life?
The Herald, Glasgow, 23 April 2007
By Jonathan Rowson
“I learned Transcendental Meditation (TM) in 1998, while a student at Oxford University, six months before my final exams … and was struck by how easy it was to practise the technique. I suddenly had more energy, concentrated better and felt warmer towards other people. Shortly afterwards, I earned a first-class degree, which had not previously been on the cards. In fact, TM was by far the best thing I learned at Oxford.
“I am now a professional chess player, the current British champion, and wouldn't dream of playing a serious game without meditating beforehand. …” (more …)
 Jumpy in Jordan? Restless on Skye? You should try TM
The Times, 9 June 2005
... I was like one of those ultra-bouncy balls that you find in children’s party bags. I was capable only of doing, not of simply being. Metaphorically and physically, I couldn’t sit still. ... Some months after that trip, we both signed on for a short course in transcendental meditation (TM). ... The extraordinary thing is that, even though I have since gone through long periods of not meditating at all, particularly during the years when we had babies and young children, the nausea has never returned. ... But there is more. Since I started meditating, I have found it easier to take pleasure in the moment, to inhabit the present, rather than constantly scanning backwards and planning forwards. … (more …)
Meditation 'leads to longer life'
Guardian, Monday 2 May 2005
The Beatles were right: researchers have found that hanging out with the Maharishi may make you live longer. …
"The study found that in older people with mild high blood pressure, those practising Transcendental Meditation had a 23% lower risk of death from all causes."
The study was funded by the US government … (more …)
Could Transcendental Meditation help?
The Probe December 2004
HOW many people love their dentist? Don’t answer! My daughter wouldn’t let us buy a house on the same street as the surgery. But Kevin Esplin is a dentist people love. He puts his calm and jolly manner down to Transcendental Meditation. And, that’s not all. He regularly recommends the TM technique to patients. “If their lives are stressful,” says Kevin, “then a visit to the dentist can be the last straw. Or else the dam bursts when the chair rises. If I’m faced with a client under stress, I just can’t help saying ‘You’d love TM.’ … (PDF )
 If TM is a cult, then I’m a blueberry bush
Church Times, UK, 31 Oct 2003
... It was like reverse jet lag. Somehow my perception of time had changed. My senses had opened up and I was taking in more; not second by second, but on a much more subtle level of which I was not even aware. Thus days seemed like weeks, weeks like months and so on. But it was very pleasurable: literally like getting more out of life. ... Another side effect was that people noticed my writing had improved overnight, and remarked on it. A total surprise to me, as it seemed exactly the same.I also noticed that TM was incredibly restful – like catching an extra eight hours compressed rest in 20 minutes. I began feeling sorry for people who didn’t do TM. It’s like not having shoes. …(more …)
 Mind the Gaps
Saga Magazine, October 2003
Fifteen years ago, Maureen Cleave decided to attend an introductory class on Transcendental Meditation …
Little knots of worry loosen … grudges borne over years, stabs of guilt about the past. You think of these things and come to realise that they've gone. One is surprised by new insights. …
“Then there is bliss. This is an irrational happiness that floods the system - my system all too rarely … you realise you had it as a child. When you have this feeling on the London Underground in the middle of the rush-hour, you know you're really getting somewhere.” (more …)
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See also:
News blog - news and views, current issues around Transcendental Meditation
Press releases - what's new
Video Café - personal perspectives on Transcendental Meditation
Endorsements - what people say
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