Consider Consciousness-Based Education Through 15 Minutes Quiet Time

The President of Maharishi University of Management in the United States, Dr Bevan Morris, says the country should consider the adoption of consciousness- based education through which a learning technique known as transcendental meditation or ‘quiet time’ is used to improve academic performance and discipline in schools.

He explained that transcendental meditation was a simple technique to aid the development of total brain functioning so that students could unfold the inner reserves of brain potentials by increasing their creative intelligence, reducing their stress and anxiety and having greater success in their academic performance.

At a presentation on consciousness-based education in Accra, Dr Morris said scientific evidence was so strong that the technique could change students’ lives in positive ways, adding that more than 51 countries in the world had adopted the technique which was working well for their students.

“They (students) just need 10 to 15 minutes practice in the morning and in the afternoon, added to their regular academic programme. They (students) just sit down comfortably in a chair and close their eyes and follow a simple technique that allows the mind to settle down to a more restful stage until they (students) reach a stage of restful alertness where the whole body is deeply relaxed and the mind is silent and peaceful, and when they come out from that they come out with great joy and energy to go ahead and study what they have to study during the day,” he said.

The act, he said, led to excellent academic results and better behavior where the problem of misbehavior such as fighting, destruction of school property and bullying in school was common around the world.

Dr Morris said in tackling indiscipline, it was not adequate to enforce rules and regulations which students were asked to adhere to.

He said with the evidence and experience all over the world, it would be great opportunity for Ghana to look at the practice seriously to be introduced in schools in the country.

The teachers of transcendental meditation, he said, went through four or five months of intensive study to become skillful, adding that there were already teachers of transcendental meditation in Ghana.

Dr Morris said the university was ready to assist in the implementation of transcendental meditation in the country.

He said in practicing the technique, pre-tertiary students could adopt 10-15 minutes while tertiary students could adopt 20 minutes in the morning and afternoon.

He said in the course of transcendental meditation, students did not need to concentrate on anything but would just relax their mind.

Dr Morris said transcendental meditation was not a religious practice, and that it was only a systematic development of brain functioning and higher consciousness.

“TM comes from an ancient tradition in India, ”he emphasised.

The President of Maharishi Foundation in Ghana, Dr T.K. Orgle, said there were two training centres at Labone and Odorkor.

He said TM was being practiced at a school in Chorkor.

The Headmaster of the Manhean Senior High School, Mr Joseph Amuah, said it was up to the country to decide which way to go, as far as transcendental meditation was concerned.