KSL Television & Radio, Salt Lake City, Utah KSL TV Video [the online version of this page includes a video of their newscast; below is the script of that broadcast]
Utahns remember founder of Transcendental Meditation February 7th, 2008 @ 4:26pm Ed Yeates reporting Hundreds of people in Utah who use Transcendental Meditation to relieve stress are reacting with others around the globe to the death of the Hindu monk who founded the practice. Transcendental Meditation is practiced by thousands of people in this country and abroad without necessarily committing to its religious roots. But regardless of who or what they believe, people who have reaped the benefits of this meditation are paying respects to the Maharishi. The Maharishi Maheshi Yogi died peacefully this week, probably at age 91--although without a birth record nobody can exactly pinpoint his age. Though he was a Hindu monk, he popularized his Transcendental Meditation through a global empire that now includes a 24-hour satellite channel, teaching the meditation method to 144 countries in 22 languages. His work over the years captured the fancy of thousands, including well-known names and entertainers like the Beatles. In Utah, Transcendental Meditation groups gather routinely. People practice it at home and in the workplace. Scott Shields takes a 20-minute break daily at his business, using Transcendental Meditation as stress reliever. "It never has had any belief component or faith component whatsoever [for me]," he said. "Having the practice be effortless and innocent, not looking for anything. It's a simple, very precise mental procedure which is effortless in its practice." In fact, numerous studies published in major scientific journals have now measured a cause-and-effect relationship: Transcendental Mediation's psychological and physical ability to relieve stress and lower blood pressure. Some researchers are now testing Transcendental Meditation breaks in high-risk public schools as a way to relieve anxiety and anger. Natalie Hansen is a certified Transcendental Meditation instructor in Utah. She says the Maharishi's technique has had far-reaching effects on people but in a very simple way. "You just quiet the mind, and the body settles down, and deeply-rooted stresses are eliminated and released; and when you feel better, then you get along better with other people," she said. Those who practice Transcendental Meditation insist it has value despite skepticism and controversy over the years.
