Clear Your Mind

Think transcendental meditation is best left to The Beatles? Well, one Hollywood bigshot’s foundation is investing hundreds of thousands of dollars on the theory that transcendental meditation’s mind-clearing sessions also can improve students’ well-being and academic performance. The Lynch Foundation (as in cult filmmaker and Twin Peaks creator David Lynch) awarded $25,000 to each of six public schools to start programs this year. Students and teachers sit for about 10 minutes daily in silence, letting NCLB, bullies, and college admissions melt away. Soon, they should expect real benefits, according to two recent studies. In one, Michigan researchers found that sixth-graders had higher self-esteem and more control over emotions after meditating. In another, a Medical College of Georgia researcher discovered that meditating high school students had lower blood pressure. It’s enough to make you think…about nothing.