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Reversal of the Ageing Process
While chronological age is a measurement of years alive, biological age measures how old a person is physically. This study looked at the effect of Transcendental Meditation on biological age, as measured by blood pressure, near-point vision, and auditory discrimination. Long term (5+ years) practitioners of Transcendental Meditation were physiologically 12 years younger than their chronological age, while short term (2 year) meditators were 5 years younger. This study controlled for the effects of exercise and diet.
Reference: The Effects of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program on the ageing process, International Journal of Neuroscience 16 (1): 5358, 1982.
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Increased Productivity
This study showed that subjects who learned Transcendental Meditation had increased job satisfaction, improved job performance, and decreased desire to change jobs, as compared to non-meditating controls.
Reference: Transcendental Meditation and productivity, Academy of Management Journal 17 (2): 362368, 1974.
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Normalisation of Blood Pressure
A randomised controlled trail of 127 patients with high blood pressure who learned the Transcendental Meditation Program showed a significant reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressure after three months, in contrast to those practising Progressive Muscular Relaxation and to those who received education on how to reduce blood pressure through diet and exercise.
Reference: Hypertension 26: 820–827, 1995
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Reduced Anxiety
This meta-analysis of 146 previously published studies looked at the effect of different meditation and relaxation techniques in reducing anxiety. The results showed Transcendental Meditation to be significantly more effective in reducing anxiety than any other technique.
Reference: Differential effects of relaxation techniques on trait anxiety: A meta-analysis, Journal of Clinical Psychology 45: 957974, 1989.
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Broader Comprehension and Improved Ability to Focus
Field independence refers to the ability to maintain awareness of the whole, without being overshadowed by the parts - like maintaining awareness of the forest while looking at the tree. It is associated with improved memory, cognitive clarity, creative expression and greater organisation of mind. Although it was previously thought that these basic perceptual abilities do not improve after childhood, the results of this study showed that they can be improved by Transcendental Meditation practice.
Reference I: Influence of Transcendental Meditation upon autokinetic perception, Perceptual Motor Skills 39: 1031-1034, 1974. Reference II: Longitudinal effects of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program on cognitive ability and cognitive style, Perceptual and Motor Skills 62: 731738, 1986.
Scientific Research on Transcendental Meditation
The benefits of Transcendental Meditation (TM) have been investigated in over 600 scientific studies, conducted at more than 250 universities and research institutions worldwide. Many have been published in leading, peer-reviewed, scientific and medical journals.
TM enlivens the brain
Researchers have found that Transcendental Meditation produces a unique level of brainwave coherence resulting in:-
- Increased IQ (Intelligence)
- Increased creativity (Journal of Creative Behavior)
- Improved academic performance (British Journal of Educational psychology)
- Improved perception and memory (Memory and Cognition)
TM improves health
It has been found that Transcendental Meditation enlivens the body’s inner intelligence, supporting its innate ability to heal itself, resulting in:-
- Increased lifespan (American Journal of Cardiology)
- Reduced blood pressure (Current Hypertension Reports)
- Decreased anxiety (Journal of Clinical Psychology)
- Reduced substance abuse (The International Journal of the Addictions)
TM enhances relationships, productivity and personal development
Research in workplaces, schools and even in prisons has shown that TM:-
- Improved work and social relationships (Anxiety, Stress and Coping)
- Improved job performance and satisfaction (Academy of Management Journal)
- Reduced negative school behaviour in adolescents (Health and Quality of Life outcomes)
- Increased self-actualization (Journal of Social Behavior and Personality)
TM increases peace and stability
Repeated studies have demonstrated that the group practice of the advanced techniques of TM has a calming and harmonizing effect in the wider community.
- Decreased crime (Journal of Mind and Behaviour)
- Reduced international conflict (Journal of Offender Rehabilitation)
- Decreased terrorism (Journal of Offender Rehabilitation)