Prisons looking for innovative ways to help rehabilitate inmates may have a new option worth exploring. According to a study published today, Transcendental Meditation, which is a trademarked meditative practice traditionally taught through a series of fee-based classes, can significantly reduce trauma symptoms in female prisoners. If you're new to Transcendental Meditation, the gist is that you sit quietly for 20 minutes and recite a mantra—usually a meaningless word from your teacher—to help free your mind from conscious thought.
The pilot study of 22 inmates instructed half the group to practice Transcendental Meditation for 20 minutes twice a day, while other prisoners—the control group—were placed on a 'wait list.' At the end of four months, 80 percent of the meditating inmates showed a clinically significant reduction in trauma symptoms, which included feeling jumpy, having disturbing thoughts, memories, and dreams, as well as having trouble falling asleep and concentrating.
The research was carried out by affiliates of the Maharishi University of Management, an institution connected to the founder of Transcendental Meditation. (So yes, they had some vested interest in the results.) The findings match a previous study that found Transcendental Meditation reduced symptoms of trauma in men. Both studies were funded by the film director David Lynch's foundation, which offers Transcendental Meditation training to veterans, victims of abuse, and other at-risk populations.
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