I’ve long filed meditation under “should do ... eventually.” Then, I watched a fellow burned-out colleague transform from exasperated to notably grounded through Transcendental Meditation (TM). “It wasn’t anything here,” she said, pointing to external factors. “It was me.” If a few days of TM could foster such self- awareness, I wanted to learn more.
The practice involves two daily 20- minute sessions requiring no concentration or control—just a personalized mantra, obtained during a four-day course. (Transcendental Meditation in Naples has the only certified center in Southwest Florida.) The required training initially seemed excessive, but its structured approach proves invaluable. Our instructor, Dr. Frank DiChiara, provides a framework for lifelong practice, emphasizing there’s no religion or ideology involved. The former rock musician-turned-physician, who credits TM for surviving medical school, regularly repeats: “It’s natural; it’s easy.”
Silencing thoughts is not the primary goal, and the mental chatter is even seen as positive, touted as a natural byproduct of stress relief. “We agree the mind and body are connected, right?” Frank asks our group on day three. He posits a mental reaction should accompany the physical release of cortisol and other healing functions of a body at rest. Works for me.
Sometimes, the rhetoric can veer toward the esoteric, but I’ve chosen to focus on tangible benefits. The research around reduced blood pressure and anxiety is compelling, including promising results treating veterans for PTSD and some reports showing marked drops in cortisol.
Plus, there’s how I feel: While I’ve yet to achieve the coveted state of transcendence, even briefer sessions leave me lighter, with brighter eyes and a quieter mind. In the end, it’s the small, consistent actions that lead to the most enduring changes.