Stress Relief

Marlene Lied “Research shows that for reducing stress and promoting health, all meditation practices are not all the same. People who come to me for relief from stress and stress-related disorders need an effective meditation that’s quickly mastered and produces consistent results. Though TM is a mental technique, due to the mind-body relationship the practice has extensive physiological effects. TM allows the mind to settle very deeply inward—in a natural way. TM teachers call this ‘effortless transcending.’ It’s what sets TM apart and why the technique is so beneficial for mind and body, right from the start.”
—Gary Kaplan, M.D., Ph.D.
Neurologist
New York University
School of Medicine

Marlene Lied “I tried different meditation techniques. Meditating was difficult until I learned TM. I like the ease of it. It’s such a stress release. No matter how frustrating the day, I meditate and then feel refreshed, ready to go. Since TM, the joy of yoga comes more easily.”
—Erika Budson
Yoga teacher
Farmington Hills, MI

Dwain K. Speese “I'm a special ed teacher—the most stressful job in education. TM recharges and nourishes me physically, spiritually, and mentally. I end the day feeling as good as I started—enthusiastic, positive, and committed to what I do. TM allows me to fully engage.”
—Robert Steve Martin
Teacher
Wilmington, NC

The Transcendental Meditation technique reduces stress naturally and effortlessly by providing a unique state of deep rest. Scientific research on the TM program suggests meditators experience a profound state of rest as indicated by reduction of breath, lower heart rate and decreased stress hormones. With deep rest and less stress, meditators find improvements in health, energy and psychological well being. They can maintain their busy schedules knowing that the regular practice of the TM technique reduces the effects of accumulated stress.

through the
TM technique

see chart

What is TM?

What are the other benefits?

Are all meditations the same?

How do I learn?

Brad and Mironda Whitlow of Old Fort, NC remarked, “Our main goal in learning the TM process was to reduce the stress in our lives brought on by demanding workloads and just daily life. After completing the course and continuing to make meditation a part of our daily routine, we have dramatically lowered our stress. Additionally, situations that may have caused elevated stress prior to learning TM have been greatly diminished.”

Uniqueness of TM

The TM technique is exceptional because it produces not just deep relaxation, but a unique physiological state known as “restful alertness.” This means that while the body is gaining deep rest, the mind experiences quieter and quieter levels of thought. From time to time, the mind transcends thought and experiences a state of pure inner silence awake within itself.

What does it feel like to transcend? It feels calm and peaceful. The mind and body are extremely relaxed. “It’s a unique experience but also very familiar—it is your own Self,” explains David Lynch, filmmaker and chair of the David Lynch Foundation.

This experience of transcending reduces mental and physical stress. When stress is eliminated, life becomes easier, richer and more joyful.

Over 600 research studies on TM indicate the positive effects of this stress reducing technique, for example:

through the
TM technique

see chart

Faster recovery from stress
Decreased anxietyii and insomnia
Reduced substance abuse
Decreased depression
Reduction in high blood pressure

Calmer response to stress

Because the TM technique brings balance to each individual physiology, people may experience different benefits, for example, fewer headaches, improved sleep, increased energy or better relationships, etc. However, one benefit that the majority of meditators share is that they can generally handle stress better after learning the TM technique.

The explanation is simple. Stress is not caused by outside pressure; rather it is our response to pressure that creates stress. For example, next time you fly notice some of your fellow passengers are sleeping peacefully while others white-knuckle at the slightest turbulence.

The TM technique helps create a rested body and peaceful mind so you do not react stressfully to outside demands. After practicing the TM technique for as little as five months, subjects in a 2006 study funded by the National Institutes of Health showed a 40-50% decrease in their reaction to pain, which is a major source of stress in our society.

With regular meditation, greater well-being and vitality develop naturally. Eventually, the practice of the TM technique leads to a state where stress does not accumulate. How? By establishing the mind in a peaceful state where the impact of daily living does not overshadow one’s natural state of balance. As a result, no stress is incurred and life is lived in waves of happiness.