Transcendental Meditation In Education Essay

Abstract

Transcendental meditation has been showed to cause a wide variety of physiological and psychological benefits. As secondary and postsecondary education seeks to improve the quality of lives of students beyond the classroom, TM and other forms of meditation may assists in these broad goals. The purpose of this review of the literature is to determine whether a causal relationship exists between Transcendental Meditation and constructive thinking among adolescent and young adult students. Constructive thinking demonstrates a person’s ability to effectively handle the stresses and challenges of daily life (Epstein, 1998) and shows benefits distinct from general intelligence (Epstein and Meier, 1989). College students experience high

Meditation includes a wide variety of mind-body practices that generally entail practitioners training their attention and awareness to be less distracted and more focused on the present moment. Historically connected to spiritual, philosophical, and religious beliefs, meditation is increasingly being used in secular contexts (Kabat-Zinn, 1996). Based on the growing body of evidence that meditation improves brain function and enhances psychological health; researchers, policymakers, and educators are exploring the value of applying meditation to higher education (Shapiro, Brown, & Astin; 2011). A place for meditation in education is further supported by the increasing focus of colleges and universities to teach interpersonal skills and equip students with emotional intelligence (Shaprio, Brown & Astin; 2011). One of the most widely researched and formalized forms of meditation is Transcendental Meditation, a concentration technique that is purported to have wide range of physiological and psychosocial benefits beyond those of other techniques (Orme-Johsnon and Walton, 1998). Such findings highlight the usefulness of TM in the education of adolescents and young adults who face high levels of psychosocial stress, amidst desires to succeed inside and outside the classroom. The purpose of this review of the literature is to determine if a causal relationship exists between transcendental meditation and constructive thinking among American college