It seems like common sense that happy, focused students learn more and feel better at school. Yet the idea that educational outcomes depend on the learner’s state of mind, and not just on what is taught and how, usually gets far less attention than it deserves.
Luckily, there are schools in the USA, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, India, Australia, Vietnam, Nepal, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Northern Ireland and Israel where developing the “knower” is considered an essential part of great education. In order to do so, the Transcendental Meditation (TM) practice is incorporated into the school day.
Better behaviour, better abilities
The reasons why schools with curricular Transcendental Meditation practice have high achievements in academics and extracurricular activities can be related to two main factors.
First, Transcendental Meditation practice reduces stress. When students are less stressed they naturally learn and behave better.
Second, TM practice improves brain functioning, making the studies much easier.
Here are some highlights from research that has looked at the effects of TM meditation on students in different age groups.
WHAT IS THE TM TECHNIQUE? Transcendental Meditation or TM is a simple, natural and effortless mental technique practiced twice a day for 20 minutes. It is easy to learn from a qualified teacher (it only takes 1-2 hours on 4 consecutive days) and enjoyable to practice independently hence forth. READ MOREResearch: college students
Numerous studies with college students demonstrate that Transcendental Meditation practice
- increases brain coherence in measures correlated with improved cognitive functioning; [1] [2]
- reduces stress, anxiety and depression; [3] [4]
- reduces sleepiness. [1]
Research: middle and high school students
Three randomized experiments compared the effect of Transcendental Meditation, napping and contemplative meditation on high school students. TM practice improved student test scores in
- ability to successfully reason in new situations;
- speed of information processing;
- ability to achieve and maintain emotional and physical well-being, succeed in work, love, social relationships;
- a cluster of traits including cognitive functioning, personality and social behaviour;
- balanced use of cognitive, affective and volitional domains (traits like comprehension, analysis, curiosity, unconventionality, synthesis, and risk/avoidance);
- anxiety (with Transcendental Meditation practice anxiety reduced).
Napping had no effect on the scores, and the contemplative meditation group improved only on results of two tests (measuring speed of information processing and the cluster of traits including cognitive functioning, personality and social behaviour). [5]
- A CASE STUDY: The Transcendental Meditation technique is changing the lives of teachers and students at Aspire Ollin Publich School, L.A. Watch the video
In a study with 15–18-year-old students, 4 months of Transcendental Meditation practice resulted in
- less absenteeism;
- fewer rule infractions;
- fewer suspension days.
For the control group, all variables increased during the same period. [6]
In one qualitative report, middle school students described the changes Transcendental Meditation practice brought along as follows:
“I am relaxed and I can concentrate more.”
“If I meditate, I feel calm and feel like I don’t have to argue with anybody.”
“I used to be mad and frustrated but now I’m just calm and happy.”
Students also reported improved grades. [7]
Another recent study looked at the change in California Standards Test (CST) results for public middle school students with below-grade-level academic achievement scores.
After 3 months of Transcendental Meditation practice there was significant improvement in both English and math scores among meditating students compared to students in the control group. [8]
Research: preschoolers and elementary school students
Children aged 4–9 can learn a form of Transcendental Meditation practice suitable for their age called the Word of Wisdom technique. Compared to controls, preschoolers and elementary school students practicing either Transcendental Meditation or Word of Wisdom improved on following variables:
- focus and attention; [9]
- intellectual / cognitive performance; [9]
- general intelligence; [10]
- analytical ability. [10]
