How Does The Transcendental Meditation technique Help Teens and Young Women?
What is The TM technique?
The TM technique is a simple, natural, enjoyable process done sitting comfortably with closed eyes.
What happens during the TM technique?
During the TM practice, our mind effortlessly settles to quieter levels of thinking, tapping the inner reservoir of creativity and intelligence at its silent depths. Simultaneously the body gains deep rest and releases accumulated stress and tension.
What happens afterward?
After meditation, we feel relaxed and rejuvenated and our awareness is infused with greater clarity, brilliance and calm.
TM can increase
- Energy (there is an energy crisis–yours!)
- Good memory and higher IQ
- Better grades, creativity and alertness
- HAPPINESS!!—and less moodiness
- More tolerance
- Calmness
- Clearer thinking and focus (so you can stay awake in class and when studying)
- Better sleep. FINALLY.
- Confidence and self-esteem and being the best of who you are.
TM can reduce
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Fear
- Depression
- Reliance on pills, alcohol and other substances you won’t desire anymore
- Anger
- Mental and physical rigidity
- Pent-up emotions
- Symptoms of ADHD (meditate or medicate?)
Self Esteem & Peer Pressure
You know it’s true: when we are secure in ourselves, we’re less concerned about approval from others and less influenced by peer pressure. The TM practice increases self-actualization—you get the picture.
- The TM technique builds self-confidence and self-worth because when we meditate, we find that we are full inside—we are, in fact, INFINITE.
- During the meditation, the deep relaxation (deeper than a nap) reduces our stress and anxiety.
- Experiencing our inner Being, a field of intelligence and creativity and fullness, naturally increases social skills.
“TM helps me take care of myself: it helps me feel centered and be in touch with myself and my feelings in a world that sometimes seems to insist that we feel otherwise.”
— LOLA KIRKE
WINNER, 2015 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL CHOPARD TROPHY;
ACTRESS: BEST KNOWN FOR GONE GIRL, MOZART IN THE JUNGLE, THE LEFTOVERS
Sports
TM practice makes reaction time faster, increases mind body coordination, gives you wide comprehension with the ability to focus sharply, and of great importance–increases energy and stamina.
Did you know?
College women report higher levels of anxiety and psychological distress than male college students. Brain researcher Dr. Fred Travis found that the TM technique helps students overcome physical and emotional stress and reverses the negative effects of stress on the brain. He also said, “TM activates the brain’s pre-frontal areas, which are responsible for planning, foresight and decision-making.”
Samples of research on TM and teens
Awaken higher consciousness
Albert Einstein estimated that he was using less than 15% of his mental capacity, so even if you’re an Einstein, there’s a lot more brain power and consciousness to be had—here’s how:
Daily TM practice allows you to develop higher consciousness—to awaken intuition, creative vision and inner happiness. This has been demonstrated by brain research on students doing TM!
The TM program in schools
In hundreds of public and private schools throughout the U.S. and around the world, students have the option to practice the Transcendental Meditation technique.
A recent study conducted by the University of Connecticut found students in three high schools had reduced levels of stress, anxiety, hyperactivity, and emotional problems when practicing the TM technique over a period of four months at school, as compared with non-meditating controls.
School bullying
The Transcendental Meditation technique offers promising, measurable results for increasing empathy, compassion and tackling the stressors that give rise to bullying. The (US) National Center for Educational Statistics estimates that one third of students ages 12-18 are bullied at school and online. Bullying behavior is a symptom of an underlying cause: an epidemic of stress in our homes, schools and society. TM reduces s-t-r-e-s-s.
Helping victims of bullying
TM practice can also help strengthen children that are potential victims of bullying by building self-esteem and resilience to stress. And it increases mind-body coordination and gives you faster reaction time, so you can ‘think on your feet’ and deal.
TM increases student graduation rates
Published research has shown that after learning the TM technique, students around the world had better grades, better attendance, better sleep and overall improvement in academic achievement.
A study published in the June 2013 issue of the journal Education showed that students practicing the TM technique had a 25% higher graduation rate than non-meditating students.
The brain and behavior
Developing intuition and foresight
Learning and doing the TM technique is easy.
An easy fit for student life
- Takes only 15-20 minutes twice a day.
- Requires no belief or philosophy.
- Requires no lifestyle changes.
- Easy to do, easy to learn