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The DeFuniak Herald, DeFuniak Springs, Florida, May 4, 1995
Managing stress with meditation By Terri Cowie "The best thing we can do to reduce stress in the world is reduce it in ourselves." That was one of Dr. David Orme-Johnson's central messages in a presentation he gave on transcendental meditation (TM) April 19 as part of the Florida Chautauqua's Lyceum Series. Orme-Johnson, chairman and director of the psychology department of the Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa, described TM as a "mental technique for allowing the mind to quiet down." The technique differs from other types of meditation, he said, because it does not require concentration or contemplation on something. Because of that, it is effortless, and natural, he said, and produces a very deep, physiological rest. He related that kind of rest to the bed rest doctors recommend when a person is sick, which helps the body heal. "Getting deep rest takes us out of doing other things so that we can just be for ourselves. If we're taking a walk, or any kind of vigorous energy, then the energy of the body goes into doing those particular things." This also happens every night, he said, when we sleep, but sleep doesn't always take care of the stress that accumulates during the day. People who practice TM spend 15-20 minutes each day, twice a day in deep meditation. The physiological effect of TM is measured by skin tests, blood pressure, respiration rate, as well as the levels of lactate in the blood. Orme-Johnson showed, statistics from several clinical and university studies showing the effectiveness of TM against other types of meditation in reducing stress and anxiety. The results from several studies have consistently shown TM to be more effective in reducing stress than other forms of meditation. TM has also been used successfully, he said, in reducing drug abuse. "People take drugs because they're trying to produce an optimal level in their physiology. We feel too anxious, we take something to calm us down. We feel too lethargic and dull, we take something to pick us up. Coffee and cigarettes, he said, are as much an example of this as illicit drugs. TM, he added, helps bring the body into balance and reduces the need for drugs. Persons who are taking medications for conditions, however, whether physical or mental, should not discontinue their treatment without consulting their doctors, he said. But they may find they can reduce their need for medication by augmenting their treatment with TM. One study Orme-Johnson conducted involved 2,000 patients using Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance over a five-year period. Using their records, he found those who used TM were sick half as often, had half the number of hospitalizations and half of the number of doctor's visits. He also looked at specific diseases in that study. Aging, he said, is the great stress test of life. "Accumulation of all the stresses and strains we have to deal with throughout our lifetime comes out toward the end as how fast we age. Hearing, vision and blood pressure are some of the physiological factors that can be measured and rated on a scale to determine a person's "biological" age. That is, a person may be 50 years-old "chronologically," but feel like they're 30, and may show that, biologically, by the scale. Orme-Johnson also talked about stress in the environment and a "collective consciousness." An example, he said, is the tension that is often felt after an argument. Even if a person walks in a room after an argument is over, they can still sense something just happened or is wrong. Another example is the difference one notices traveling from one city to another. Stressful feelings can be passed from person to person, forming, he said, a collective stress. In societies, that collective stress can grow and be expressed as crime or war. Over 40 studies have been conducted between two cities similar in nearly all respects, with the only difference being one having more meditators. Crime rates dropped dramatically, he said, in those cities with the meditators. No other factors were found to explain the difference. Orme-Johnson covered other interesting aspects about TM in the program and answered questions from the audience before concluding his presentation. Reprinted with permission of The DeFuniak Herald, DeFuniak Springs, FL Scientific chart and summary of research study on the Transcendental Meditation program and stress and anxiety. Scientific chart and summary of research study on the Transcendental Meditation program and hypertension (high blood pressure). Watch a video about the Transcendental Meditation program online! |
