It might seem like the last thing your energetic daughter could do is sit to meditate for ten minutes twice a day, yet TM has been found to help kids just like your daughter. In one school for ADHD children in Washington, D.C., the parents, teachers and children were skeptical that TM could help. Yet when the children were taught the Transcendental Meditation technique, they found out they could not only sit still with their eyes closed twice a day, but practicing TM made them feel calmer and more focused in class.
When the kids were asked, “How do you feel after meditating?” here’s what they said:
“I feel much less stressed, and I feel more relaxed.”
“I feel more organized. I can do my homework better. My parents don’t need to help me.”
“Before I started meditating, if I was walking in the hallway and if another middle school kid bumped into me, I’d turn around and hit him. Now that I’ve been meditating for three months, if somebody bumps into me, I stop and think, “Should I hit him or not?”
Previous research has found that TM helps reduce stress and anxiety, and thus improves focus, attention and behavior. More recent studies show that TM has a similar effect on ADHD children 11-14 years old.
“In a sense,” lead researcher Dr. Fred Travis said, “the repeated experience of the Transcendental Meditation technique trains the brain to function in a style opposite to that of ADHD.”
From these studies, it looks like starting TM could be a big game-changer for your daughter. It would be great if you learned TM at the same time and could practice it together—a truly bonding experience for any family.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmdVrBngvs4