Transcendental Meditation Essay

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Transcendental Meditation There is a trend occurring shifting the medical model to a holistic healing that utilizes complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The medical model is excellent at treating acute life threatening diseases and injuries. Modern medicine is struggling to treat chronic medical and psychological problems with pharmacological medications, hospitalization, and lifestyle modifications. As a result, holistic healing is gaining popularity among the population in the United States. Holistic healing means taking a "wholistic" approach to balance any imbalances in a “whole” person, i.e. body and mind, the physical and the mental. Holistic healing views the person as the sum of the parts instead of parts, which most medical doctors are guilty of practicing. Examples of holistic medicine are meditation, massage, aromatherapy, and reflexology (Vettese, Toneatto, Stea, Nguyen, & Wang, 2009; The Transcendental Meditation Program, 2012). The purpose of this paper will examine Transcendental Meditation (TM) as a method to improve the quality of health with a person’s with medical issues in the emergency room (ER). Maharishi Mahesh Yogi introduced TM in 1959. The TM technique is based on Indian philosophy along with teachings of Krishna, Budha, and Shankara. TM uses mantra, which is sound that is thought (but not spoken) during meditation. TM stresses certain techniques, such specific posture, focused attention, and openness. It is practiced every morning and evening for 20 minutes. The TM technique settles down ordinary thinking and ‘wakeful hypometabolic state’ is gained (Schneider et al., 2005). TM may be practiced for many reasons, such as to increase calmness and physical relaxation, to improve psychological balance, to cope with illness, and/or to enhance overall health and well-being. It is not fully known what changes occur in the body during
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