Transcendental Meditation: Cult, Quackery, Or Science?

After being introduced to it by music mogul Rick Rubin, I've been practicing transcendental meditation (TM) for the past year.

Why? More than 380 peer-reviewed research studies on the TM technique have been published in over 160 scientific journals. These studies were conducted at many US and international universities and research centers, including Harvard Medical School, Stanford Medical School, Yale Medical School, and UCLA Medical School...and they have shown irrefutable evidence that TM reduces insomnia, stress, anxiety, depression, blood pressure, cholesterol, congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis/stroke, free radicals, blood sugar, diabetes, pain, along with higher levels of brain functioning, longevity, sleep quality and much more.

The guy who taught me everything I know about TM is named Philip Land. Philip has been practicing TM for the past 40 years. But he's no woo-woo, robe-clad, Eastern mysticist. I'd instead describe Philip as a bad-ass, hunting, redneck hippie family man. But he's taught TM all over the globe, worked with celebrities and high profile politicians, and also worked in medicine, computed tomography, radiation technology, craniosacral therapy, hunting instruction, shooting, wilderness survival, and much more.

So he is one very interesting man. And during our discussion, you'll discover: -How Philip, a "redneck hunting instructor" got involved in TM...

-A very easy-to-understand explanation of what TM is...

-Why folks like Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Seinfeld, Katy Perry, and Russell Brand practice transcendental meditation (TM) daily...

-Whether you need to be religious to practice TM...

-What a TM mantra is... -How I used TM during the Spartan Agoge...

-The surprising changes that occur in blood or bio markers in response to TM...

-The brain wave pattern and EEG response to TM...

-How TM can change sleep patterns and sleep cycles, and even allow you to get by on less sleep...

-The difference between TM and "biohacks" like PEMF, transcutaneous stimulation, meditation apps, etc...

-Whether you really have to do TM every day...

-The best way to learn TM...

-And much more!

Resources from this episode: -TM.org -A host of TM research Do you have questions, comments or feedback for Phil or I about transcendental meditation or anything else we discuss in this episode? Leave your thoughts at BenGreenfieldFitness.com and one of us will reply!

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