Chapter 4: The Role Transcendental Meditation Plays in the Lives of Hollywood Actors and Actresses
Oprah Winfrey said, “I’m a 1,000 times better person if I do this.”
There are so many celebrity endorsements for so many things in the world. We never know which one is a good choice. We all know that celebrities can be crazy, and even endorse things that are not good products simply because they are paid a handsome sum. But that isn’t the case with Transcendental Meditation.
Transcendental Meditation is practiced by not only Katy Perry, but Oprah has been studying since her “Oprah's Next Chapter ”episode. But the list doesn’t stop there. There are several others such as Russell Brand, Sheryl Crowe, Hugh Jackman, David Lynch, Clint Eastwood, Jerry Seinfeld, and Mick Jagger, to name a few. The Beatles were one of the first sets of celebrities to start practicing Transcendental Meditation. They were taught under the guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the late 1960’s. Transcendental Meditation is practiced by not only magicians, actors, and actresses, but also by radio personality Howard Stern.
So you ask what do all these celebrities have in common? They are all taking care of their mental stability and health with Transcendental Meditation. Transcendental Meditation has been used as a therapeutic tool for all of the celebrities that practice it. They are finding that it helps them stay focused and calm. They also preach about the energy they receive from a twice a day practice. For the creative celebrities, they are finding that, in those moments of transcendence, they are reaching depths of their creativity that otherwise, they would struggle with. They all support the Transcendental Meditation movement and believe that it has helped them be a better person. Many of them meditate first thing in the morning before they do anything else. Some of them meditate before writing a song, before performing on stage, and many of them practice Transcendental Meditation 2 times per day for 20 minutes.
In fact, many of them are supporting a non-profit movement to bring Transcendental Meditation to inner-city kids and veterans called the David Lynch Foundation. David Lynch started Transcendental Meditation when he was very young and has found the benefits to be so great that he feels everyone should have access to Transcendental Meditation.
Oprah Strongly Supports Transcendental Meditation.
Oprah believes that Transcendental Meditation has cured her employees' migraines, created a better work environment, and communication between employees has improved. Not only that, she believes that it has improved their sleep.
When she was preparing her show for the new series, she decided to learn about Transcendental Meditation. She traveled to a town called T.M. Town, which is located in Fairfield, Iowa. This town has a population of 9,500, and everyone there meditates. Can you imagine a town full of 9,500 meditators? She visited this town and found it empowering and inspiring. Because of her visit to Fairfield, she decided to hire a Transcendental Meditation teacher to come to her office and teach her staff about Transcendental Meditation. She wanted to see how it could improve her life and the lives of her employees.
They started with 7 employees who participated, and that quickly grew to 70 people, and by the end. Every one of the employees at HARPO was meditating. The great thing about Oprah's story is that every day at 9 am and 4:30 pm, everyone in the office stops what they are doing to meditate for 10 minutes. Transcendental Meditation is such a great practice to learn that even Oprah has put it to use for herself and her employees. She even supports the David Lynch Foundation and their movement to bring Transcendental Meditation to inner-city kids and veterans.
Russell Brand Believes Transcendental Meditation Saved Him from Addiction.
Another great story is how Russell Brand used Transcendental Meditation to release him from his addictions to drugs, sex, alcohol, money, and fame. “The situation got out of hand when I was clean,” said Brand. “Drugs then sex, then caring too much about other people’s opinion of me.” He further explained that “Drugs are just the obvious one. If someone is a crack addict or a heroin addict, they get into problems really quickly.” He described his addiction to what others thought of him, “But if you’re obsessed with what other people think about you, or you’re obsessed with social media, it consumes your life,” Russell Brand explains, “If you don’t deal with the source, the condition will migrate, morph and attach to something else.” That is when he found a 12-step program, and in that program, he found Transcendental Meditation. He found that he was not only addicted to substances, but also to the opinions of others, and it caused him to continue his addictions.
One of the major points in his recovery was Transcendental Meditation. Through meditation, he learned that he can simply witness his thoughts and his feelings, and they do not make him the man that he is. Transcendental Meditation has helped him rest. It's like a good sleep after a long trip, only that sleep is meditation, and that trip is everyday life. Russell Brand has now recovered from addiction and is making positive changes in his life and others. “It’s like a shower for the brain,” says Brand.
Would You Be Surprised to Know that Clint Eastwood Practices Transcendental Meditation?
Oprah is a well-known mega-entrepreneur, and Russell Brand is known for his crazy antics. It’s no wonder they are practicing Transcendental Meditation. They live crazy, hectic lives, and always have to worry about supporting their employees. They also have a lot of fans to impress. But one person that will really surprise you is Clint Eastwood. Clint gives that vibe of the old-world, brass- knuckles type of personality. When we think of Clint Eastwood, we do not think of a Transcendental Meditating type of person. But Clint has been meditating for longer than you would think. One thing that most people didn’t know about him was that he has been practicing Transcendental Meditation for over 40 years. The amazing benefits of Transcendental Meditation have helped him battle combat stress and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Maharishi Is the Guru to the Beatles.
In 1967, Paul, George, and John met Maharishi in England while he was on a world tour. They contributed to the meeting to George deciding that he wanted to meditate. So they all, without Ringo, went to this conference. That is when they discovered Transcendental Meditation. They had tried drugs, and it just wasn’t what they were looking for, so they decided to go to the conference, and that is when it all changed for them.
The next time they spoke to Maharishi, he was doing a conference in Bangkok, and he asked them to come out for a training session. They immediately headed that way. After six weeks of training with Maharishi, they did an interview where they preached about the benefits that they have experienced from Transcendental Meditation. From this point on, Maharishi was the appointed guru to The Beatles. They credit his training to having more energy and finding that oneness with the world that they always were looking for. They had been searching for that feeling you get with drugs, but on a long-term basis, and when they found Transcendental Meditation, they found that feeling.
He helped them deal with the stress and anxiety of concerts and being famous. As the leading mentor for over 5 million Transcendental Meditation practitioners, he has been the foundation for what we know today as the most useful technique for stilling the mind and calming the storm of everyday life. Imagine what it can do for so many other aspects of your life. Maharishi has been known to say, “Transcendental Meditation opens the awareness to the infinite reservoir of energy, creativity, and intelligence that lies deep within everyone.”
Cameron Diaz Found Transcendental Meditation and Was Finally Able to Meditate.
Cameron Diaz has always known that meditation would help her in life, but she struggled with it. She just couldn’t grasp the clearing-the-mind part. But then, she talked with Bob Roth of the David Lynch Foundation and found Transcendental Meditation. She was introduced to Transcendental Meditation through Jerry Seinfeld's wife, Jessica. She suggested that she try, and once she did, she was hooked. She said, “I learned Transcendental Meditation technique, and it was exactly what
I needed!” She went on further to say, “The thing that blew me away the most about it was that it was the easiest thing I’ve ever done.” Diaz also stated that “I learn a lot of things, you know, that’s my job!”
Chapter 5: Success Stories from Those Who Have Used Transcendental Meditation
“Every teacher of Transcendental Meditation is a hero.” David Lynch
Ray Dalio’s Experience with Transcendental Meditation.
Many celebrities are using Transcendental Meditation as a therapeutic resource. “Meditation helps you stay in a clear-headed state so that when challenges come at you, you can deal with them like a ninja – in a calm, thoughtful way.” Ray Dalio, businessman, and founder of Bridgewater Associates. Ray Dalio started his career as an investor at the age of 12 when he made his first investment of $300 in stock for Northeast Airlines, shortly after they merged with another big company, and helped him bank triple his investment. As a young entrepreneur, he started following music and saw that The Beatles had interest in Transcendental Meditation. He quickly looked into it, and as they say, the rest is history. He has been using Transcendental Meditation for over 40 years.
Ray Dalio also explained how Transcendental Meditation affects the brain by stating that “For instance, the amygdala is the part of the brain that has the'fight or flight' response producing anxiety.” He then goes on to say that “It’s the part that has the ability to say, 'Do we want to do that? Do we not want to do that?' We put things in perspective.” He has been practicing Transcendental Meditation since 1968, and he attributed meditation to his open-mindedness and clear-thinking purchases through stock investments.
He believes the secret to success is open-mindedness and no gossip. So he spends his time in Transcendental Meditation, and through his practice, he has garnered some of his best work. He gets his most creative ideas during his sessions and feels the benefits filter into his life every day. He says, “When challenges come, you can deal with them like a ninja.” He continues by saying, “When you’re centered, your emotions are not hijacking you.” He feels meditation helps you put things clearly into perspective, and it's the single most useful tool to him for creativity. By using Transcendental Meditation, he has helped keep his mind calm and his creative juices flowing, allowing him to make perfect stock purchases and build his million dollar enterprise.
Katy Perry’s Way of Dealing with Stress Using Transcendental Meditation.
Katy Perry is an amazing singer and performer. She deals with stress from always being on-the-go and having to wow everyone all the time. It’s difficult to keep up with all the stuff that goes along with being a famous singer and songwriter. How does Katy Perry deal with all the stress? “I’m on a plane more than I am on the ground, and this tool helps me find moments of peace – because I don’t have a whole lot of time – that extend my day so I can live my fullest capacity. It gives me two days in one day!” said Katy Perry. Transcendental Meditation helps her deal with the stress by propping herself up on the bed every morning for 20 minutes. Then she is balanced, calm, and ready for the day.
With Transcendental Meditation, she has found peace in an otherwise stressful day. She uses Transcendental Meditation to help her calm the storm before she writes songs and to help her be more creative. Katy Perry has been practicing Transcendental Meditation since 2011. She attributes her success and ability to relax and de-stress to her regular practice of Transcendental Meditation. “I start the day with Transcendental Meditation. It puts me in the best mood.” She says, “I wake up and just prop myself up in bed for 20 minutes. It’s the only time my mind gets absolute rest.” Katy has described her sanity-saving morning routine.
Gladys Kimtai, a 7th-grade Student who Uses Transcendental Meditation.
Not only are celebrities having success stories with the use of Transcendental Meditation, but regular people are as well. For many people, Transcendental Meditation is a form of therapy. It provides them with an added resource to incorporate into their already existing therapeutic care. “TM changed everything. The conflicting thoughts that had plagued me all my life were gone. It calmed my mind and gave me peace.”— Gladys Kimtai, a young participant from the Transcendental Meditation center.
Being comfortable with silence is something you learn through meditation. Not many people are comfortable in silence, and many find it hard to let go of the thinking and clear the mind. However, if you can make peace with the silence, then you will be able to start healing yourself and living a more productive and stress-free life. Because in the silence, you find clarity, peace, and rest. Those are three things that have attracted so many people to Transcendental Meditation. It brings peace, and we all need some peace from time to time, especially in those moments where nothing seems to be going perfectly, not finding peace in the storm.
Valerie Gangas, of Enlightenment is Sexy, Tells Her Story Below about Bringing Transcendental Meditation to Oprah.
Valerie Gangas, from Enlightenment is Sexy, found that after taking care of her mom through her battle with cancer for 13 years, she found herself depressed with countless nights of insomnia and suicidal thoughts. She did not know what to do. Then one day, her friend told her about Transcendental Meditation, and she decided to give it a try. After her visit to a Transcendental Meditation center for training, she noticed that the world seemed like a more vivid, happy place. The trees swayed, the birds sang, and it was all so different. She felt somehow different. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but as she continued her practice of Transcendental Meditation, she noticed that the world continued to have a cleaner, fresher look to it with more vivid colors and sounds.
She started wondering if this was real. She found herself happy for the first time in a very long time with no worries about sleep and no worries about depression. She was in a better place. Within weeks of her life being totally changed, she started working with Oprah and her employees on how they too can experience Transcendental Meditation. She walked into the room and told Oprah and her executive producer Sheri how her experience with Transcendental Meditation was. She said, “That it would make them feel totally limitless and boundless.”With that, Oprah turned to Sheri and said, “I want what this girl has.”
Jason Aviles, Student of Transcendental Meditation, Tells How He Uses it to be Creative.
Jason Aviles, another one of the Transcendental Meditation students, has found great success with the program as well. He stated, “And I felt, there has to be a way inside of myself to kind of kill the noise, to kind of bring the noise down so I can actually start hearing myself.” He further went on to stress, “For me, meditation has just allowed me to unveil who I am. It has allowed me to really be creative, but not by force—naturally, effortlessly—just ideas, my imagination is always going; it’s always vibrant…” Jason Aviles, university student, has been practicing Transcendental Meditation for a while now, and he continues to believe in its benefits more now than when he started.
Blake Ian, Tech StartUp, Tells How He Started with Transcendental Meditation.
Recently, there was an article about how Tech startup, Blake Ian, who found Transcendental Meditation about 3 years ago. He said when he started, he was suffering with intense anxiety and panic attacks his entire life. He started doing Transcendental Meditation and instantly started seeing a difference in his anxiety level. He started to have the most productive years of his life. He not only found help with Transcendental Meditation but through his practice, he found a better diet. He eliminated meat and dairy to start with, then, he slowly removed alcohol and marijuana from his daily routines.
He says he no longer feels a need for those substances, even though he once had a steady practice of smoking and drinking daily for 20 years, before his introduction to Transcendental Meditation. He says his creativity is clearer, and he doesn’t need a hangover to get a great song anymore. “As someone who suffered with intense anxiety and panic attacks for most of my life, I now live nearly anxiety free, and TM is one of the key ing
redients to that major shift.” Blake Ian has continued to use Transcendental Meditation for his creativity and healing.
Jerry Seinfeld Talks About How He and His Family Love Transcendental Meditation.
We all know Jerry Seinfeld from his comedy show Seinfeld, but what we don’t know is that he has been practicing Transcendental Meditation for over 40 years. In his interview with Bob Roth, director of the David Lynch Foundation, he made a claim of support for helping him bring Transcendental Meditation to inner-city school children. Not only does Jerry support teaching children Transcendental Meditation but he supports offering the services to veterans, soldiers, and domestic abuse victims as well as many more. In his interview, he says he loves energy, and through Transcendental Meditation, he can harness all the energy in his body. About energy, Jerry Seinfeld states that “The thing that I love more than money, more than love, more than just about anything” He goes on to say that Transcendental Meditation is that source of infinite energy. He would not miss a day of two 20-minute sessions. It just provides so much energy that he loves it.
Ellen DeGeneres Discusses How Transcendental Meditation Has Improved Her Life.
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