"Use your whole brain"

Brain specialist offers plan to rescue Britain’s failing schools

Tuesday 28 April 11.00 am Royal Geographical Society
1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR

One of the world's most published researchers in meditation, brain functioning, and education, Dr Fred Travis, will be talking to education leaders, teachers, and students in Great Britain during the last week of April to provide a simple solution to the stress, mental ill-health, and underperformance prevalent in Britain today.

Dr Travis's seminars will include live EEG demonstrations, as will the press conference on 28 April.

In his most recent study, a randomised study of 50 subjects at American University in Washington, D.C., Travis found that after ten weeks students practising Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation™ showed increased brain integration, reduced sleepiness, and a greater ability to cope with stress compared with the control group. The study was partly sponsored by the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace that organised the benefit concert on 4 April starring Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Donovan, Sheryl Crow, Moby, and others. The aim of the concert was to raise funds to teach one million at-risk youth Transcendental Meditation - in the UK and other countries. To date, the Foundation has sponsored 60,000 children to learn Transcendental Meditation around the world.

Travis will be speaking on 29 April to students and faculty at Cambridge University, where researchers have found that high levels of stress may physically scar a child's brain. He will also be speaking at the Institute of Education in London on 30 April to students and educators drawn from universities, colleges, and schools around Greater London. He will be addressing scientists and mental health specialists at Guy's and St Thomas's Hospital medical school following the press conference on 28 April.

Dr Travis pioneered the Brain Integration Scale, which has been developed over many years for successfully predicting and monitoring academic achievement and overall development of students at his university, Maharishi University of Management in Iowa. He cautions educators against thinking that other forms of meditation and relaxation, or simple quiet time, have the same effects as Transcendental Meditation. Several studies have directly compared the effects of different meditation practices and found that Transcendental Meditation provides deeper relaxation and is more effective at reducing anxiety, substance dependence, and hypertension (see Scientific References in Fact Sheet below, especially refs. 1, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17). In addition, no other meditation practice shows the widespread coherence throughout all areas the brain that is seen with Transcendental Meditation.

Dr Travis is available for interview prior to the press conference.

Schedule of seminars by Dr Fred Travis

Northwest: 24 April Woodley Park Centre, Woodley Pk Rd Skelmersdale WN8 6UQ 10.00 am
London: 27 April Institute of Directors, 123 Pall Mall, SW1Y 5ED 6:30 p.
London: 28 April Academic seminar at Guy's Hospital, Great Maze Pond, SE1 1UL 4:30 pm
Cambridge: 29 April Gonville and Caius College, Trinity Street, CB2 1TA 6.30 pm
London: 30 April Institute of Education, Elvin Hall, Bedford Way, WC1 0AL 6.30 pm

Bookings:
24, 29, 30 April: Register online at www.consiousnessbasededucation.org.uk
27 April: Visit www.iod.com and click on "Events at a Glance"
28 April: Email info@maharishifoundation.org.uk

Dr Fred Travis: background and publications

See a list of Dr Travis’s publications

Position
- Associate Professor of Maharishi Vedic Science
- Chair of the Department of Maharishi Vedic Science
- Director, Center for Brain, Consciousness, and Cognition
- Dean of the Graduate School

Research interests
- Effects of Transcendental Meditation practice on child development
- Effects of Transcendental Meditation practice on promoting healthy ageing
- Psychophysiological correlates of higher states of consciousness
- Psychophysiological correlates of reading Vedic literature
- Investigation of models of higher states of consciousness

Academic Background
- Senior Researcher, Institute for the Study of Higher States of Consciousness, Maharishi University of Management, Iowa, USA 1993-Present
- Post Doctoral Fellow, University of California, Davis, 1988–1990, in Basic Sleep Research
- PhD in Psychology, Maharishi University of Management, 1988. Dissertation: Testing the Field Model of Maharishi’s Vedic Psychology
- MS in Psychology, Maharishi University of Management, 1986
- BS in Design and Environmental Analysis, Cornell University. Senior Thesis: The Transcendental Meditation technique and Creativity: A longitudinal study of Cornell University undergraduates

Links
- Video link: The Transcending Brain: http://www.mum.edu and click Video Café, then The Transcending Brain
- Consciousness-Based Education in the UK: www.consciousnessbasededucation.org.uk - Model school in Lancashire: www.MaharishiSchool.com
- Transcendental Meditation in Education: www.StressFreeSchools.org
- Research programme at American University, Washington, D.C
- David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace

FACT SHEET

Transcendental Meditation
- Transcendental Meditation is an effortless technique practised for 20 minutes twice a day sitting comfortably with the eyes closed.
- Transcendental Meditation is not a religion or philosophy and does not involve any belief or change in lifestyle.
- Over 350 peer-reviewed research studies on Transcendental Meditation confirm a range of benefits for mind, body, and behaviour. See printable research review.
- 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.
- Transcendental Meditation, as founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, is taught in Great Britain only by the registered educational charity Maharishi Foundation: charity number 270157.
- More information on Transcendental Meditation can be obtained by calling 01695 51213 or visiting www.t-m.org.uk.

Maharishi School
- The first school to introduce Consciousness-Based Education™ in Britain.
- 96% of pupils achieved 5+ GCSE passes at grade C or above since 1995.
- Frequent national competition success.
- OFSTED report 2009 rated the school as "outstanding" in all categories of "quality of education" and "pupils spiritual, moral, social and cultural development"
- A happy school where skilled teachers nurture the potential of pupils.
- For more information speak to the Head, Derek Cassells on 01695 729912.

Scientific References: Studies comparing Transcendental Meditation with other meditation and relaxation techniques
1. Rainforth MV, Schneider RH, Nidich SI, Gaylord-King C, Salerno JW, Anderson JW. Stress Reduction Programs in Patients with Elevated Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Current Hypertension Reports 2007 December; 9: 520–528
2. Schneider RH, Alexander CN, Staggers F, Rainforth M, Salerno JW, Hartz A, Arndt S, Barnes VA, Nidich SI. Long-term effects of stress reduction on mortality in persons >/=55 years of age with systemic hypertension. American Journal of Cardiology 2005 May 1; 95(9): 1060-4
3. Schneider RH et al. A randomized controlled trial of stress reduction in African Americans treated for hypertension for over one year. American Journal of Hypertension 2005 18: 88-98
4. Barnes VA et al.journ Impact of Transcendental Meditation on mortality in older African Americans with hypertension – eight-year follow-up. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality 2005 17: 201-216
5. So K-T, Orme-Johnson D. Three randomised experiments on the longitudinal effects of the Transcendental Meditation technique and cognition Intelligence 2001 September/October; 29(5): 419-440
6. Castillo-Richmond A, Schneider RH, Alexander CN, Cook R, Myers H, Nidich S, Haney C, Rainforth M, Salerno J. Effects of Stress Reduction on Carotid Atherosclerosis in Hypertensive African Americans Stroke 2000 MAR; 31: 568-73
7. Orme-Johnson DW, Walton K All approaches to preventing or reversing effects of stress are not the same. American Journal of Health Promotion 1998 May/Jun; 12(5): 297-8
8. Alexander CN, Barnes VA, Schneider RH, et al. A randomized controlled trial of stress reduction on cardiovascular and all cause mortality: A 15 year follow-up on the effects of Transcendental Meditation, mindfulness and relaxation. Circulation 1996 93: 629
9. Schneider RH, Staggers F, Alexander CN, Sheppard W, Rainforth M, Kondwani K, Smith S, King CG. A randomised controlled trial of stress reduction for hypertension in older African Americans. Hypertension 1995 (Nov.) 26(5): 820-7
10. Alexander C, Robinson P, Rainforth M. Treating and preventing alcohol, nicotine and drug abuse through Transcendental Meditation: a review and statistical meta-analysis. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 1994 11(1): 13-87
11. Alexander CN, Robinson P, Orme-Johnson DW, Schneider RH, Walton KG. The effects of Transcendental Meditation compared to other methods of relaxation and meditation in reducing risk factors, morbidity and mortality. Homeostasis 1994 35(4-5): 243-64
12. Alexander CN, Rainforth M, Gelderloos P. Transcendental Meditation, self actualization and psychological health: a conceptual overview and statistical meta-analysis. Journal of Social Behaviour and Personality 1991 6(5): 189-247
13. Eppley KR, Abrams AL, Shear J. Differential effects of relaxation techniques on trait anxiety: a meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology 1989 Nov; 45(6): 957-74
14. Alexander CN, Langer EJ, Davies JL, Chandler HM, Newman RI. Transcendental Meditation, mindfulness, and longevity: an experimental study with the elderly. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1989 57(6) 950-64
15. Gaylord C, Orme-Johnson DW, Travis F The effects of the Transcendental Meditation technique and progressive muscular relaxation on EEG coherence, stress reactivity, and mental health in black adults. International Journal of Neuroscience 1989 46: 77-86.
16. Ferguson PC. An integrative meta-analysis of psychological studies investigating treatment outcomes of meditation techniques. In: Chalmers RA et al. (eds.) Scientific Research on the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program, Collected Papers, Vol. 3. Vlodrop, Holland: MVU Press 1989 2039-2048
17. Dillbeck MC, Orme-Johnson DW. Physiological differences between Transcendental Meditation and rest. American Psychologist 1987 Sept; 42: 879-881
18. Kuchera M The effectiveness of meditation techniques to reduce blood pressure levels: A meta-analysis Dissertation Abstracts International 1987 47(11-B): 4639
19. Brooks JS, Scanaro T. Transcendental Meditation in the Treatment of Post-Vietnam Adjustment. Journal of Counselling and Development 1985 (Nov.) 64: 212-5
20. Gallois P. Modifications neurophysiologiques et respiratoires lors de la pratique des techniques de relaxation. L'Encephale 1984 10: 139-144

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Editorial notes: Consciousness-Based Education is a programme offered by Maharishi Foundation, educational charity No. 270157. Registered office: Maharishi Foundation, Maharishi Golden Dome, Woodley Park Road, Skelmersdale, Lancs WN8 6UQ. Transcendental Meditation™, founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi®, is a programme for the Development of Consciousness, which in the UK is available only from Maharishi Foundation®.
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