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Students in the Middle East find a technique to create inner and outer peace In a Middle East peace project, Arab students, like others at universities and schools worldwide, are learning the Transcendental Meditation Technique through the work of the David Lynch Foundation. Just as their international peers are enjoying the benefits, so are the university students in an Arab nation where the programme has now been launched. And because of the tension in their part of the world, these students clearly see the promise of the Transcendental Meditation Programme not only for themselves as individuals, but in terms of creating peace. Arab students share their experiences Sahar Bassam, a student in Business Administration, is enjoying relaxation and more energy through her practice and remarks, ‘My mind is so clear.’ She also shares with a smile and laughter, that, while in the past she has experienced problems in her family—fighting with her sisters—‘I feel myself now more peaceful, yeah.’ Another university student, Hadeel Qaoud, who is studying information systems, comments that the first thing she noticed after learning the Transcendental Meditation Technique was that she feels less stress. She also feels that she solves problems better. Noticing her own growing joy, Hadeel smiles broadly and giggles as she says, ‘As you see, I am so happy now—that affects the people who are around me.’ English literature student, Hijazi Isaili, begins his comments on his practice of the Transcendental Meditation Technique: ‘This is the first thing I’ve encountered in my life [where] I feel more comfortable, relaxed. I feel the purity of my mind,’ he says. ‘After that, I feel like flying in the sky. When I meditate, I feel like a sky lark or something like that,’ Hijazi adds with a smile. Hijazi has seen positive effects of meditating in several aspects of his life—school, health, and behaviour. In class, he finds it easier to understand what the teacher says. ‘If you want to get better marks in school, come and practice it and you will see! You will not lose anything! You will not lose time! Twice a day is nothing. It’s easy, it’s natural.’ At home, Hijazi now responds differently to situations that previously would have angered him. ‘Just take it easy and solve the problem in an appropriate way,’ he says. The Transcendental Meditation Technique as a means to unite religions Hijazi then dispels any concern that his meditation practice might conflict with his religion. While some people had told him that it was wrong for Muslims, when Hijazi learned the Transcendental Meditation Technique he found that, ‘We see that opposite side of what we have heard from some people. It is not against religion. No. It is progress. . . It helps us making our prayer, making our religion, to understand our religion in a quiet way.’ Hadeel Tahboub, another information systems student, broadens Hijazi’s perspective. ‘I think that Transcendental Meditation can unite all religions with each other—everyone—Muslim, Christian,’ she says. ‘Any other religion can do Transcendental Meditation with each other. This way we can make peace. It’s not religious.’ She then thanks the David Lynch Foundation for supporting the programme and expresses her hope that Dr Lynch ‘will support us in other programmes to make people more peaceful and more knowledgeable about what is Transcendental Meditation.’ Hijazi adds in a sweet and respectful tone, ‘Also, I want to thank our teacher. . . and to thank Maharishi for this technique. Thank you.’ © Copyright 2011 Global Good News®
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