Have you ever considered learning to meditate but don’t know where to start? Maybe you’ve tried to adopt a meditation practice, but you were never able to find a technique that fit your day-to-day needs. If that’s the case, then you might be able to benefit from Transcendental Meditation—the ultimate celebrity-endorsed method for managing stress.
The method was created by Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the 1950s. Since it was introduced to a Western audience, it’s become one of the most popular meditation techniques in the world. The highly personalized practice involves the silent use of a mantra for about 20 minutes twice a day.
It’s differentiated from other meditation practices because it doesn’t seek to quiet or control your thoughts or divert your attention. Practitioners swear that the practice lends to a sort of automatic self-transcendence. The method is taught over the course of multiple visits with a TM instructor. The technique has been praised for its positive effect on stress levels, mood, and overall health. Here’s what some of the biggest names in Hollywood have said about the practice.
David Lynch
It may come as no surprise that surrealist filmmaker David Lynch is an avid practitioner of Transcendental Meditation. In 2005, the Twin Peaks creator founded the David Lynch Foundation. The nonprofit seeks to fund large-scale trials with the goal of incorporating the practice into standard health care. According to the foundation’s website, it has seen improvements in people suffering from ADHD, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and even diabetes.
Mary Louise Parker
Another huge advocate for Transcendental Meditation is Weeds actress Mary Louise Parker. The former Broadway star told Purist that she found the practice in her thirties, and it’s helped her tremendously. According to Parker, TM allows her “not to overreact, to listen better, to receive.” She even revealed that she encourages her children to meditate as well.
Jerry Seinfeld
At a Gala for the David Lynch Foundation in 2013, Jerry Seinfeld revealed he’d been practicing TM for 41 years. The comedian recalled learning the practice in college and incorporating it into his everyday routine. He also credited the practice with helping him manage his stress while working on Seinfeld. “That is how I survived the nine years [on the show],” he confessed.
Jennifer Aniston
It should come as no surprise that fitness-loving Jennifer Aniston is a fan of Transcendental Meditation. In 2013, the actress revealed that she tries to start every day with a meditation session, and finishes it off with one as well. “Starting your day off with that and ending with that is pretty powerful. Twenty minutes, you just notice the difference! When I get lazy and don’t get it in, I can feel a difference in the day. So I try to meditate first thing when I wake up.”
Hugh Jackman
You may be surprised to learn that X-Men star Hugh Jackman is a huge advocate for TM. For his book, Super Mind: How To Boost Performance and Live a Richer and Happier Life Through Transcendental Meditation, Norman E. Rosenthal, M.D., interviewed Jackman about his experiences with TM. “After I started meditating, I felt I gained a true understanding of myself and was no longer just being reactive to events that came my way. I felt a sense of calm, a sense of purpose, of finer energy in things I did,” Jackman told Rosenthal.
Oprah Winfrey
Talk show icon Oprah Winfrey not only meditates but she’s made it a company-wide practice. Talking to Dr. Oz, Winfrey revealed that she and her employees learned TM, and now it’s a mandated practice in their workplace. Twice a day, she and her employees stop what they’re doing to meditate. She insists it’s increased the quality of life for her employees, and that it’s even boosted productivity.
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman opened up to InStyle in 2014 about her love for Transcendental Meditation. When asked about how she is able to relax and unwind, Kidman was quick to credit her meditation practice. “I like to meditate, Transcendental Meditation usually,” she revealed. “I took it up in my early 20s and I learned the benefits. I try to do it every day.”
Howard Stern
Howard Stern often talks about his amazing experience with TM. Speaking with Jerry Seinfeld, Stern credited TM with pulling his mother out of a deep depression. According to Stern, TM saved her life. It was around this time that Stern took up the practice himself. “Everyone in my life meditates,” Stern explained. “I don’t think I could really live without it.”
Russell Brand
Brand is another figure that’s wholeheartedly thrown his support behind the David Lynch Foundation. Speaking at one of the foundation’s events, Brand revealed that he had been practicing TM for years. The comedian even credited his meditation practice with helping him stay sober. “In learning about Transcendental Meditation, I found very quick access to a deeper state of happiness,” Brand confessed.