If it’s good enough for Paul McCartney it’s good enough for me, so I’m taking time out to consider trying Transcendental Meditation.
According to a couple of American studies, it comes with some pretty impressive health benefits, which include being a treatment for depression in older people.It’s also said to be a genuine stress-buster for anxious types like Yours Truly.
Years ago I had a colleague who regularly spouted the phrase “relax, focus, breathe” (RFB) whenever he saw my freneticism mount as a deadline approached. It would make me sit back and smile just long enough to take stock of the fact I was seriously losing it and I often found myself chanting his request until I actually did relax, focus and breathe.
Had I taken the idea a step further and gone off for a TM break using “RFB” as my mantra I could have been on track to fend off any forthcoming bouts of depression, which could in turn reduce the risk of a heart attack, in the future…
Forty years ago Transcendental Meditation was about as hip-pie as it gets when it was given major celebrity endorsement by the Beatles, who had the good fortune (and it would have cost a small fortune) to study the technique under the Indian guru who was keeping the technique alive, the flamboyant Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
The recent studies were led by a researcher at the Maharishi University of Management in America, founded by the now deceased guru himself, so one would assume there was some bias in favour of the technique, but independent academics are coming out in support of the health claims made regarding this meditative technique.
The studies found that of 100 patients at risk of heart disease, who practised the technique, up to 48% experienced a reduction in depression.
You’ve only got to look at the age of the celebrity followers of TM to conclude that meditating in this way must also have some age-defying properties, as fans include such luvvies with longevity as the Rolling Stones and actresses Shirley MacLaine and Mia Farrow.
American film director David Lynch also credits the technique with anger-erasing benefits. He is so impressed with its effects that he launched a campaign in the States, with Sixties singing star Donovan, for the technique to be taught in schools.
So what’s it all about?
Transcendental Meditation allows deep rest for the body while maintaining a fully alert mind, by simply closing your eyes and chanting a mantra (which has been chosen for the person meditating specifically by an instructor) for at least twenty minutes each day. That explanation sounds like TM for dummies-dummed-down but you get the idea.
It doesn’t appear to be something you try out without taking instruction, and courses can be costly, but there are 80 official teaching centres in Britain.
According to the official UK website, over 5 million people worldwide and over 200,000 in the UK have practised Transcendental Meditation since it was founded by the Yogi in the 1950s.
If I could just clear a 20-minute window each day to try it out… on paper it is the answer. I can’t imagine, at this juncture in my life, finding the ability to clear my mind long enough to let negative thoughts drift off in favour of a simple mantra but the idea of arriving at a state of “restful alertness” is something my body and mind absolutely crave. It could also help my partner who is on his own health-maximising journey, as studies, compiled since the ‘70s, suggest TM can help lower cholesterol.
I’ve got to think about my old age and the fact that if I don’t sort out my stress levels, and anxiety traps I will stay ensnared by them forever. I am, therefore, adding Transcendental Meditation to my To Do list and will let you know how I get on.
