Associated Press, USA
Apr. 7, 2004
www.accessnorthga.com

---

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 6668 • Posted: Wednesday April 7, 2004  

---

A group of people who practice Transcendental Meditation want officials to consider introducing the technique into Lexington’s public schools.

At a news conference Tuesday, Janet Smith, chairwoman of the Committee for Successful, Stress-Free Schools, cited studies about the benefits of Transcendental Meditation, including one conducted in schools in Augusta, Ga.

In that study, black students who meditated 15 minutes at school and 15 minutes at home for several months had fewer discipline problems and absences than a control group, and lower blood pressure.

Vernon Barnes, a researcher at the Medical College of Georgia who was the primary author of the study, said in a telephone interview from Georgia that blacks were chosen because they tend to have more high blood pressure problems.

Smith said the committee has started making preliminary contacts with Fayette County school officials but declined to identify the officials.

Karen Acar, a spokeswoman for Fayette County schools, said she had not heard of the committee. She referred questions to another official, who could not be reached for comment.

Schools in Augusta were closed Tuesday for spring break, and officials there could not be reached for comment. But Superintendent Charles Larke was identified by the Augusta Chronicle last week as a key supporter of the studies.

Several people attended the news conference and sang the praises of TM and its chief practitioner, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

“One thing the maharishi wanted people to know is about the scientific aspects of TM, because too many people think it’s a religion,” said Richard Knittel, a retired chiropractor who lives in Versailles.

“I wouldn’t want to live without it,” he said.

---

What You Can Do From Here

---

Read More Articles On These Topics Categories: Transcendental Meditation Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article Subscribe Religion News Blog RSS feed [What is this?] RSS by topic: Transcendental Meditation Read Another Article Previous entry: Jehovah’s Witnesses appeal son’s care Next entry: L. Ron Hubbard has better lobbyists than God RNB Homepage with latest headlines Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults Find Related Books Transcendental Meditation Most Popular Today Tokyo marks 15th anniversary of subway sarin attack Cult survivor relives history of servitude in the Brisbane Christian Fellowship Cults should be given nowhere to hide FLDS sect member Merril Leroy Jessop sentenced to 75 years in prison

---

Share This Article

---

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:

• Post a link on your blog or website:
  
• Send in an email or IM:
  
• Post on a forum:
  

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.