Free Meditation Traing for WNC Residents for Relief from Stress, Anxiety & Trauma

Asheville -- October 23, 2024 -- Press Release Meditate Asheville 165 East Chestnut Street • Asheville, NC 28801

apart from water, food, shelter, and other basics, there’s another form of disaster relief that’s vitally important: stress relief and mental health support.

To this end, the Asheville TM Center and David Lynch Foundation are making Transcendental Meditation available at no cost to everyone in our area who feels the need—especially those most directly impacted by the disaster.

Asheville physician Michael Stephens, MD, explains: “As put our lives back together after Helene, mental health has become a major concern. We all need to protect ourselves from the ravaging effects of toxic stress. As a scientifically proven tool, I see transcendental Meditation not as a luxury, but a necessity for us all.”

Culmination of a 50-Year Legacy in Asheville

The Transcendental Meditation Center of Asheville opened over 50 years ago. According to Center director Tom Ball, over 5000 WNC residents have learned this meditation, which Ball describes as “a simple, natural, nonreligious wellness technique practiced 15-20 minutes twice a day.”

This current gift to Western NC is part of the nationwide nonprofit Meditate America campaign, aiming to bring effective stress relief to millions of Americans, especially those who need it the most: first responders, veterans, women survivors of violence, and under-resourced populations. During the recent launch of Meditate America (September 12), US Surgeon General Dr.
Vivek Murthy strongly advocated for the widespread use of TM to reduce our nation’s rising stress (live.meditateamerica.org).

The TM website states “over 800 published studies show the technique to be effective for reducing stress-related disorders, including PTSD, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and insomnia, while increasing creativity, energy, and focus.” TM courses are taught through a nonprofit foundation.

Area residents can sign up to learn Transcendental Meditation free of charge at  https://meditationasheville.blogspot.com/