TM & PTSD: “The First Benefit Is Better Sleep”

TM Instructor Mike Hummel

Wege Foundation Funds Scholarships for Veterans to Learn TM

The Wege Foundation has awarded a $40,000 grant to teach Transcendental Meditation (TM®) to veterans in Western Michigan. The goal of the grant is to help veterans overcome the ravages of elevated stress and PTSD that have resulted from their service to our country. This is the third grant from the Wege Foundation to provide TM for veterans.

Recognizing that additional avenues of community support are needed and welcomed by our veterans, the Wege Foundation is supporting instruction in Transcendental Meditation, which has been shown to provide effective self-help for those facing the daily challenges of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  Studies have shown that the regular practice of TM provides significant and comprehensive support, including:      

• reduced symptoms of PTSD and depression 
• decreased insomnia
• improved satisfaction with quality of life
• reduced plasma cortisol levels
• decreased high blood pressure—on par with first-line antihypertensives
• reduced risk of cardiovascular-related mortality

Two previous Wege Foundation grants providing scholarships for veterans to learn TM demonstrated the powerful efficacy of TM.  Over one hundred veterans were taught under those grants.  After one month of TM practice, average PTSD scores decreased 51% (p < 0.0001) and 75% of the participants’ scores decreased by more than 10 points, which is considered clinically significant. Of the 46 veterans with pre-intervention scores above the threshold for provisional PTSD diagnosis, 87% had a clinically significant drop in PTSD symptoms and 80% dropped below the clinical threshold for PTSD.

Veterans and veteran service organizations in Western Michigan that would like to take advantage of these scholarships should contact Mike Hummel: email:  [email protected]  phone: 231-519-4521.  For more information see: www.tm.org/tm-for-vets

Having known Mike a long time this reporter contacted him to pose a few questions about this initiative.

You’ve been teaching Transcendental Meditation to Veterans for a few years now. 
What can you tell us about this program from an instructor point of view?                            
I’ve never taught a veteran who didn’t like it.  The first benefit most people notice is that they sleep better.

Being a veteran yourself, what adjustments did you need to make after coming home? Was TM a part of it? 
I learned TM when I was in the Marine Corps.  When you find something good you want to share it.  So within a few months after getting out of the service I was studying to become a TM teacher and in less than a year I was teaching my family and friends to meditate here in Newaygo County and at CMU.

I’ve heard from people “I’ve tried meditating and it just doesn’t work for me.” Tell us how this is different than the standard image people have of meditation
I tried other techniques before being introduced to TM.  They were difficult and I found very few  benefits.  Within a few days after learning TM I knew it was different:  it was easy to do and the benefits, although subtle, were there right from the beginning.

Where/how do you get referrals? If I’m a vet and wish to take the instruction how do I go about it? Do I contact my local veteran’s office or can I contact you directly?
Most of my referrals come from people I’ve taught.  Interested people can call me at 231-529-4521 or email me at [email protected]

How about a few words to describe what TM brings to your life.
Happiness, Inner Peace

Anything you’d like to add? 
You should learn yourself!

As I said, Mike has known me for a long time.

The Wege Foundation, founded in 1967 by Peter Wege of Steelcase, focuses on funding local good works that enhance the lives of the people of the Grand Rapids area and preserve the health of the environment.

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