Consciousness-Based Education - Maharishi University of ...

consciousness-based education and governmentThe above results on reduction in psychological distress factors haveimportant implications for school behavior and performance and overallmental and physical health of the student. Research has linkedpsychological distress such as anxiety and depression, to poor academicachievement, negative school behavior, and adverse physical and mentalhealth outcomes (e.g., Aluja & Branch, 2004; Kiselica, Baker, Thomas,& Reedy, 1994; Schwarzer, 1990; Heinrich, 1979; Barnes, Bauza,Treiber, 2001; Barnes, Treiber, & Davis, 2001; Suldo, Shaunessy, &Hardesty, 2008).The Transcendental Meditation program reduces psychological distressby favorably impacting neuroendocrine (MacLean et al., 1997;Walton et al., 2004), autonomic, and other neurophysiologic (Travis,2001) parameters. Maclean and colleagues (1997) demonstrated reductionsin serum cortisol levels (a stress hormone) in those practicing theTranscendental Meditation technique compared to a stress educationcontrol group, while Travis (Travis, 2001) documented higher EEGbrainwave integration and coherence, associated with reduced stressreactivity. The Transcendental Meditation technique thus offers aholistic, pragmatic and effective tool to combat stress related symptoms(Anderson et al., 2008).Social Emotional Learning CompetenciesStudent learning has strong social, emotional, and academic components(Zins, Weissberg, Wang, & Walberg, 2004). Student social andemotional competencies affect academic engagement, work ethic, andcommitment, impacting the quality of social behavior and level of academicsuccess (Durlak, 2011).Research is currently being conducted in U.S. middle and secondarypublic schools on emotional intelligence—the ability to effectivelyunderstand one’s self and others, relate well to people, and adapt to andcope with the immediate surroundings in order to be more successfulin dealing with environmental demands.In prior random assignment studies with Chinese students practicingthe Transcendental Meditation technique, So Kam Tim andOrme-Johnson (2001) found significant improvement on the ConstructiveThinking Inventory (CTI), which measures the constructiveand destructive beliefs and thinking patterns that underlie emotional306