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3. Benefits for teachers and administrators
The comprehensive benefits of Transcendental Meditation are experienced not only by students, but also by teachers and administrators.
• Improved health and decreased stress. Research on the Transcendental Meditation programme has found long-term reductions on biochemical and other physiological indicators of stress (77, 81) and ageing (9, 82). Two studies, oneof which was supported by the United States National Institutes of Health, demonstrated reductions in hypertension among the elderly (9, 83), replicating the findings of 14 earlier studies showing decreased hypertension, a major risk factor in heart disease.
Especially promising for reducing health care costs in schools and universities are the results of a study of insurance statistics of 2000 Transcendental Meditation programme participants over a five-year period (47). The Transcendental Meditation group showed a 50% reduction in both inpatient and outpatient medical care utilisation, as compared to matched controls; and lower sickness rates in all categories of disease.
Longitudinal research in Canada demonstrated an average reduction of 14% per year in health care costs among those who learned Transcendental Meditation, in comparison to matched controls and controlling for inflation (110).
• Increased inner calm and balance. Effective teachers are able to maintain inner evenness and focus on their learning objectives while adapting to continually changing demands in the classroom.
The research findings of increased physiological stability and increased field independence through Transcendental Meditation directly relate to this ability.
For example, studies examining galvanic skin responses, which measure physiological excitation, found that the Transcendental Meditation programme enables the body to react more quickly to a situation while at the same time return more quickly to a calm state after the situation has passed (81).
Similarly, those who practise Transcendental Meditation have been found to significantly improve in field independence, a measure of the ability to maintain internal stability in a distracting environment (15).
• Increased creativity, personal satisfaction, and self-actualisation. A major factor contributing to teacher satisfaction is the experience that one is progressing, and actualising one’s potential.
Research shows the Transcendental Meditation programme to be uniquely effective in promoting self-actualisation, the experience that one is fulfilling one’s potential (40). Other research shows longitudinal increases in creativity (2, 21) and physiological, cognitive and behavioural flexibility (9, 10, 14, 27). Growth of these qualities naturally results in expanding creativity in teaching, the ability to adapt fruitfully to different situations with students, and the resulting fulfilment that comes from greater success.
On the basis of greater fulfilment, teachers naturally flow in greater appreciation and respect for their students, and feel greater commitment to the success of each student. This is borne out in the scientific research findings of increased tolerance, appreciation, warmth, helpfulness, and caring through the practice of Transcendental Meditation (2, 16, 39, 43, 44).
• Increased job satisfaction, improved job performance, and better relationships with supervisors and co-workers. The Transcendental Meditation programme has been adopted in hundreds of businesses as a means of developing the human resources of the business, and increasing the efficiency and productivity of the company. Many of the benefits of Transcendental Meditation found in business apply equally to educational administration.
A three-month study of managers and employees in two businesses found that those who learned Transcendental Meditation showed increased job satisfaction, improved general health, greater efficiency and productivity, and better work and personal relationships, compared to controls at the same work sites; those learning Transcendental Meditation also decreased significantly in anxiety, job worry, and cigarette and alcohol use, compared to controls (42).
Study by researchers at the National Institute of Industrial Health of the Japanese Ministry of Labour found that employees showed improved physical and mental health after learning the Transcendental Meditation programme, in comparison to matched controls, including improved sleep quality, reduction of smoking, reduced physical complaints, and decreased anxiety (45, 46).
Benefits for the Educational Institution
The increased effectiveness and well-being gained by teachers from this practice contribute profoundly to the success and vitality of the whole university, college, or school. The institution will also benefit financially from reduced illness and health care utilisation among teachers and administrators practising Transcendental Meditation. This programme is therefore an important addition to teacher training courses and in-service staff development.
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