More than 35 years of scientific research and classroom experience have shown the practical and wide-ranging benefits of the Transcendental Meditation Program for both students and teachers.

Quiet time in the classroom
by the Committee for Stress-Free Schools
14 October 2008

"Transcendental Meditation makes me very happy. I feel happy inside when I meditate and I feel happy when I am done meditating."—Meena, age 12.

The alarming rise of classroom stress fuels widespread problems in education, including poor academic achievement, anxiety, depression, school violence, and teacher burnout.

To help neutralize this stress, many schools are establishing a "Quiet Time" period at the start and end of each school day—two 10- to 15-minute sessions when students sit quietly to rest and/or read silently. Increasingly, schools are offering their students and teachers the opportunity to learn and practice during these Quiet-Time periods the Transcendental Meditation program of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a simple, scientifically proven, nonreligious technique for reducing stress, improving health, and developing an individual's full creative potential.

Extensive published research in education has shown that this program strengthens physiological and cognitive foundations of learning, while promoting healthy lifestyle choices and positive behavior.

There are four practical reasons to implement the Quiet Time/Transcendental Meditation program:
•    It is classroom tested—over 35 years of classroom experience with 50,000 students demonstrate the benefits of the program.
•    It is scientifically validated—hundreds of independent research studies, conducted at top medical schools and research institutions during the past 38 years, objectively verify the benefits.
•    Widespread support—superintendents, principals, teachers, parents, and students endorse the Quiet Time/Transcendental Meditation program.
•    Sustainable benefits—the program is easy to learn, enjoyable to practice, and includes an effective follow-up to sustain the positive results for students and teachers.

In the last few years, the David Lynch Foundation has funded approximately 50,000 students in public and private schools throughout the United States and around the world to learn the Transcendental Meditation program. The Foundation also funds independent university research on the effects of the program on academic achievement, grades, intelligence, creativity, anxiety, depression, sleep and eating disorders, and ADHD and other learning disorders.

National Institutes of Health • The NIH has awarded more than $24 million to study the benefits of the Transcendental Meditation technique for improving brain functioning and cardiovascular health during the past 20 years.

American Medical Association • The AMA's journal Archives of Internal Medicine published a recent study showing the Transcendental Meditation technique is highly effective in preventing the risk factors for high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.

American College of Cardiology • During its annual convention last year, the ACC hosted a symposium on the research conducted at more than a dozen independent universities and medical schools on the effects of the Transcendental Meditation technique for reducing heart disease, hypertension, stroke, cholesterol, atherosclerosis, and heart failure.

American Psychological Association • During its annual conference last year, the APA featured research on the TM technique that documents the positive, long-term benefits of the practice for self-actualization and self-development.

Research findings on the Transcendental Meditation program include:
•    Increased I.Q. Intelligence—Intelligence
•    Improved academic performance—British Journal of Educational Psychology
•    Decreased anxiety—Journal of Clinical Psychology
•    Reduced substance abuse—The International Journal of the Addictions
•    Reduced risk factors for hypertension, diabetes, and obesity—American Medical Association's Archives of Internal Medicine

Increased use of brain reserves
During the Transcendental Meditation program, early (sensory) components of the brain's response to somatosensory stimuli are more widely distributed across the cortex, indicating greater participation of the whole brain in the response to a stimulus. Reference: Human Physiology 25: 171–180, 1999.

Increased creativity
This study used the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking to measure figural and verbal creativity in a control group and in a group that subsequently learned the Transcendental Meditation technique. On the post-test 5 months later, the Transcendental Meditation group scored significantly higher on figural originality and flexibility and on verbal fluency. Reference: Journal of Creative Behavior 13:169–190, 1979.

A National Summit on Children's Health and Education to be held in New York on October 16, will provide educators, government leaders, health professionals, parents, philanthropists, and foundations with an introduction to the Transcendental Meditation/Quiet-Time Program in education—including the more than 35 years of scientific research and classroom experience that document its practical and wide-ranging benefits for both students and teachers.

"All students should have the chance to practice Transcendental Meditation because it can help them in so many ways." —Maria, age 14

Please visit http://stressfreesummit.org/ for further information about this Summit.

© Copyright 2008 Committee for Stress-Free Schools