Tag Archive for: meditation

25 Celebrities Who Know Transcendental Meditation

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What is Transcendental Meditation (or TM)?

TM® (Transcendental Meditation) is a simple technique that is easily taught through one-on-one instruction by a certified teacher. It’s not a religion, philosophy or lifestyle. To transcend, by definition, means to go beyond human limitations and to break boundaries.maharishi school students meditating transcendence

At Maharishi School, we teach you a technique to break internal boundaries and sink deep into yourself. Here, we believe that all parts of ourselves should be developed – the body, mind, heart, and consciousness, and, therefore, the practice of TM® is required for all students. Our school day starts and ends with a few minutes of the Transcendental Meditation® (TM) technique.

To learn more, visit www.TM.org.

25 Celebrities that know TM:

  1. David Lynch
  2. Jerry Seinfield
  3. Oprah Winfrey
  4. The Beatles
  5. Kendall Jenner

  6. hugh jackman on meditation_2    “In meditation, I can let go of everything. I’m not Hugh Jackman. I’m not a dad. I’m not a husband. I’m just dipping into that powerful source that creates everything. I take a little bath in it. Nothing has ever opened my eyes like Transcendental Meditation has. It makes me calm and happy, and, well, it gives me some peace and quiet in what’s a pretty chaotic life!” — Hugh Jackman
  7. Clint Eastwood
  8. Mick Jagger
  9. Sheryl Crow
  10. Ray Dalio
  11. Ellen DeGeneres
  12. Cameron-Diaz tm trancendental meditation practices“Meditation is helping you to tap into something that’s already inside of you… that’s you, in essence. That’s something that was super-empowering for me once I grasped that.” — Cameron Diaz
  13. Heather Graham
  14. Tom Hanks
  15. Miranda Kerr
  16. Eli Leib
  17. Jennifer Lopez
  18. Lindsey Lohan
  19. Robin Roberts
  20. Eva Mendes
  21. katy perry on meditation interview“I start the day with Transcendental Meditation. It puts me in the best mood!” — Katy Perry
  22. Liv Tyler
  23. Donovan
  24. Lena Dunham
  25. Ben Foster

Why is it so cool to meditate?

We may feel very different from these celebrities but stress doesn’t discriminate between us and them. It doesn’t take being a celebrity to have the desire for stress release, inner peace, and stability in yourself. Anyone can meditate, anywhere, at any time! Meditation acts as a vehicle that drives you directly towards a more happy and harmonious body/mind/heart. Maharishi School also uses it to increase brain coherence with our students. Want to learn more about how it works with students? Inquire here.
Our faculty and staff enjoy the health benefits that come with practicing TM. In the December issue of Current Hypertension Reports, there was a published study finding that the practice of TM® reduces high blood pressure. If you’re interested in learning TM® click here.

 

To learn more about our academics or to contact a member of our admissions staff, click here.

To learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Maharishi School Opens Boarding Dorm in Hildenbrand

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Maharishi School Opens Boarding Dorm in Hildenbrand

by Jim Karpen

In recent years as many as 30 Maharishi School students were boarding students living with host parents and coming from around the world. Now the school hopes to host even more thanks to converting the rooms in the ground-level floor of Hildenbrand Hall into a boarding dorm – including a dining hall, kitchen, and an apartment for an adult supervisor.

Remodeling of the boarding dorm was completed in August, and nine students are currently living there.

According to Maharishi School Head of School, Richard Beall, the dorm can accommodate up to 30 students. The school hopes to have 80 boarding students in five years.

“We have a big interest in our boarding program, but many parents in other countries are reluctant to have their children live with host families,” Dr. Beall said. “They have a strong preference for a boarding dorm. Now that we have a dorm, we expect to enroll many more boarding students.”

Living with host parents will still be an option, and a number of the school’s international students who are continuing from last year chose to remain with their host families.

 

The [dorm] students eat breakfast in the dining hall in the dorm, lunch at Maharishi School, and dinner catered by HyVee in the dorm dining hall in the evening.
Supervising the students this year are teacher David Pohlman and MUM student Karen Ballinger.

Hildenbrand Hall is located on the west side of Highway 1, with the upper two floors housing MUM’s women students.

 

 

Dining Hall in Dorms

 

 

 

 

 

 

To learn more about our academics or to contact a member of our admissions staff, click here.

To learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Hannah Nichols
Marketing and PR
Maharishi School
hnichols@msae.edu
Fairfield, IA 52556

 

5 Things You Really Need to Know Before Your College Interview

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Preparing for a college interview can feel really scary, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Planning ahead can be a good way to combat anxiety surrounding college interviews. So, we have put together a short checklist of ways you can prepare for, and totally nail, your college interviews.

 

  1. Be yourself

Colleges are interviewing you. They honestly want to get to know you to see if you are a good fit for their school and that their school is a good fit for you. So relax, take a deep breath, and just be yourself.

 

  1. Practice

Practice what you’re going to say. Prepare some talking points about things you enjoy, activities you have participated in, accomplishments you are proud of, and so on. Don’t write a script, but know what you are going to say. Prepare some talking points.Dressed for an interview

 

  1. Ask questions

Ask some thoughtful questions of the people interviewing you. Ask them about their school. Ask them about their hobbies. Ask them about their favorite local coffee shop. Asking questions shows you are engaged and interested. Colleges want to know you are invested in what they have to offer so ask questions!

 

  1. Prepare

Take time to read articles about what questions the interviewers might ask you. It’s good to have thought over your possible answers so you aren’t taken off guard by the questions. You might get some surprise questions, but they will generally resemble ones on this list. 

 

  1. Stop worrying about the time

Most interviews last around 30 minutes to an hour, give or take. Don’t worry if it’s longer or shorter. Most interviews are conducted on a tight schedule so do not take the length of interview as an indicator of how well your interview is going.

 

Relax. You got this. Good luck!

 

 

To learn more about our academics or to contact a member of our admissions staff, click here.

To learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Hannah Nichols
Marketing and PR
Maharishi School
hnichols@msae.edu
Fairfield, IA 52556

 

Exciting News – New Dorms!

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In our last blog post, we mentioned that there are many exciting things happening around Maharishi School. In our last blog post, we mentioned that we had been ranked #1 Private School in Iowa. In that same blog, we hinted that there were many more new and exciting things to be announced. Well, the second item on that list is our new dormitory! 

  Maharishi School has opened the dormitory to further the boarding opportunities for students who would like to attend the school. In past years, we have utilized host parents in our boarding program. We still have that system in place, but having a dormitory opens many possibilities.

We are excited to have many of our boarding students in one building – boys at one end, girls at the other. Having students together helps create a deeper sense of community within our student population. In addition, we plan to make the common area in the dorms a hub for student activities, 

including non-boarding students. We are excited to utilize this space for group studying, projects, learning, building relationships, and hosting school community activities. Already, we have hosted a Welcome Party for new students where our student council members mingled with new students and answered many questions about school life and what to expect at Maharishi School.

So far, everyone is enjoying their new home-away-from-home. We have 10 boarding students who are settling in and preparing for the school year. They are making connections and building friendships we hope last a lifetime. We are thrilled to have these students here and to provide an opportunity for future students who wish to attend Maharishi School but are based out of town.

 

Dining Hall in Dorms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To learn more about our academics or to contact a member of our admissions staff, click here.

To learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Hannah Nichols
Marketing and PR
Maharishi School
hnichols@msae.edu
Fairfield, IA 52556

 

Exciting News – #1 Ranking!

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Exciting News – #1 Ranking!

As the new school year begins, we are looking forward to updating our wider community of the exciting things happening around the school!

First, we are excited to announce Maharishi School’s number one ranking! According to Niche.com, Maharishi School is the #1 Private K-12 School in Iowa. In addition to that, we have receive #1 rankings in several other categories:

  • Most Diverse Private High School in Iowa
  • Best Private High School in Iowa
  • Best Boarding School in Iowa

We received several other rankings:

  • #2 Best College Prep Private High School in Iowa
  • #5 Best High School for STEM in Iowa

View our certificate here: Niche 2019 Certificate #1 Private High School

We are honored and excited to be recognized for our innovation, insight, and success in education. We have our staff and faculty to thank. Each day, they work hard to instill trust in education in their students, to spur our students on to greatness, and to encourage passion and originality in our students – preparing them for future success.

To our current and past students, we are so proud of where you are, who you are, and all that you have and will accomplish. You have been our purpose and motivation as we refine our vision and the direction we pursue. You are the oxygen that allows the organism of Maharishi School to exist. We cherish each one of you.

We do not take our ranking lightly. We appreciate the recognition of our hard work, but we will continue to strive for more. We will not settle, and we will not grow stagnant. This is evidenced by the many new and innovative projects and initiatives we are introducing this year. We will keep you updated!

 

To learn more about our academics or to contact a member of our admissions staff, click here.

To learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Hannah Nichols
Marketing and PR
Maharishi School
hnichols@msae.edu
Fairfield, IA 52556

Make Your Self-Care Routine More Meaningful Than a Face Mask

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Where is the Self-Care Movement Now?

It’s 2018. It seems as though everyone is on a quest for self-improvement. In a way, that’s encouraging. Finally, we are collectively caring a little more about our mental health, spiritual health, and emotional health. The understanding that food matters is spreading, and people are taking a hard look at what that means. Although most of this seems positive, it can leave us feeling empty. After a while, we see the holes in the self-care paradigm, and we are left feeling like there should be more to the story. Well, there is…

Cafe-Paradiso-Maharishi-school-performance

The thing the self-care, self-help, self-love movements often leave behind is the inner self, the true self. Now, there certainly is an uptick in “looking within” ideologies, but knowing yourself is still often undervalued. How are we supposed to be true to ourselves, to care for ourselves, to improve ourselves, if we have never taken a single quiet moment to get to know that person?

The Reality of A Busy Life

Life is so busy. Adding a more intense skincare routine to that in the name of self-love does not lessen the stress of life. These things have their own value and sense of fulfillment, but fulfillment that transcends emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental states comes from getting to know the person underneath all of that. When we quiet our worlds (yes, it’s a learned skill, but you can do it) long enough to meet the person who exists under all of life’s circumstances, we bring forth the quietness into our being, our routine, and spread it around to encourage others to do the same. Now, that definitely sounds like a movement worth spreading around – finding our own inner self and fulfillment. 

Girls sit together

 

Make Your Own Quiet

So how do we get to this quiet place? Well, the answer is simple – meditation. There are a lot of options out there so do what works best for you, but one technique many people (and science) have found to be beneficial is the Transcendental Meditation® (TM) technique or TM for short. The TM technique provides a way to access the quietness within and lets you access your inner self. This then spreads to every part of life, becoming the base from which all self-improvement efforts can stem. Suddenly those face masks and bubble baths have a deeper meaning because you have tapped into the source of stillness, fulfillment, and energy – yourself.

 

To learn more about our academics or to contact a member of our admissions staff, click here.

To learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Hannah Nichols
Marketing and PR
Maharishi School
hnichols@msae.edu
Fairfield, IA 52556

How Do I Know If I Know Myself?

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Knowing Yourself is Hard

Knowing yourself is a complicated goal. We can’t really measure whether we are in touch with ourselves. Of course, there are those we give of indicators of what it might look like to know ourselves, but it is not easy to prove. Also, there are a lot of things in this world to know. Students have curriculum – math, science, English, and so on – to know. Adults have their jobs or careers to understand, taxes to do, kids to raise, finances to balance, just to name a few. So it seems like a lot to ask to ‘know yourself’ on top of all that.

Know Yourself – In SchoolA Maharishi School student practices Transcendental Meditation in Fairfield, Iowa. Photo credit Fotoveda.

We believe the key to preparedness and academic success is to first understand ourselves. We give students the space and tools to learn more about themselves – their innermost nature, passions, strengths, weaknesses, and goals. We believe this is the beginning of the path to real success.

At Maharishi School, meditation is the cornerstone of our unique learning model. Imagine driving through a rainy, stormy night without your headlights working. The road is dark and you have to drive with fear, small mistakes almost guaranteed to happen. That’s what our brains and bodies are like on stress. We use meditation as a tool, one of the ways we equip students for success, to manage stress because stress is ever-present in life. Instead of expecting stress to disappear, we teach our students to manage it for a more balanced life – again, on the path to success.

Research studies show us through neuroplasticity that the mind is not fixed, but expandable. We don’t just fill student’s heads with information, we systematically expand the container of knowledge, the student’s own consciousness. With this expansion, absorbing new ideas becomes simpler, friendships deepen, and you start to understand how you are connected to and interconnected with the world.

Long Story Short…

To answer the question “how do I know if I know myself,” instead ask, “have I taken the time to get to know myself?” If you take time to know yourself, inside and out, you give yourself the space and ability to accomplish your goal – to better understand yourself.

To learn more about our academics or to contact a member of our admissions staff, click here.

To learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Hannah Nichols
Marketing and PR
Maharishi School
hnichols@msae.edu
Fairfield, IA 52556

What Does It Mean to “Think Deeply?”

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Think Deeply – What Does It Mean?

As humans, we are all capable of advanced and deep thoughts. It’s part of what makes us human. There have been many different theories or gurus or instructors that show us a way to think more deeply than we previously were able to do. Some people are drawn to one way of deep thinking over the other. Of course, we have our preference too. We love the Transcendental Meditation® (TM) technique.

But! What does it mean to think deeply in terms of school curriculum? How does that change the way we educate our students? What does it mean to corporately, as a group, seek to think deeper? Let’s try to answer these questions.

What Thinking Deeper Means to Us

To us, thinking deeper means going beyond what is happening right now. That means we take time to show the interconnectivity of everything around us. We take time to think past the next assignment, the next class period, the next school year. We think in terms of success far past high school, into adulthood, and even after we are finished living this life.

We want to connect learning to application. What good are our scholastics and achievements if we can’t use them past our classes? This is why we teach Science of Creative Intelligence, an interdisciplinary course that reaches outside the classroom to show how observable and interconnected the things we learn truly are. SCI teaches our students that math isn’t just equations but the rhythm by which the earth shifts, the birds sing, and flowers bloom. It shows us that chemistry isn’t something that exists within a test tube but is found in life itself, all around us. Students make connections between all the surface details and the big ideas.
We have a saying, “stretched not stressed,” for our students. We want to see them challenged, to set expectations for themselves, then to exceed those expectations. We provide opportunities for this in our rigorous AP exams and Honors classes.

In SCI classes, students learn that the laws of real-world science are the same laws that guide human growth. For example, one of the principles is: Every action has a reaction. In science, we see this in literally everything. If temperatures rise on our planet, that means drastic changes for many species. A small change in one part of the world can lead to a ripple effect globally as in the butterfly effect. In the same way, every action has a reaction in our lives. The words we use, the actions we take, and the education we embrace all have an effect. By understanding this principle in depth, students see the power they carry and are able to better understand the mechanics of not only the physical world but also the mechanics of their behavior and life. They learn these simple but powerful truths starting in Kindergarten and continue to find them useful and visible throughout their lives.

Thinking Deeply Into the Future

More than anything, we want to prepare our students to weather the storms their lives will present and to come out on the other side successful, resilient, and better prepared for next time. Whatever goals our students set for themselves – college, career, life – we believe the depths of their thoughts and the ability to live a balanced life will be their launching point for success.

To learn more about our academics or to contact a member of our admissions staff, click here.

To learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Hannah Nichols
Marketing and PR
Maharishi School
hnichols@msae.edu
Fairfield, IA 52556

What are Advanced Techniques?

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Maharishi School and Advanced Meditation Techniques

At Maharishi School, we practice a form of meditation called the Transcendental Meditation technique®, or TM. To transcend, by definition, means to go beyond human limitations and to break boundaries. At Maharishi School, we teach you a technique to break internal boundaries and to sink deep into yourself, to tap into your essence and live in a state of flow. Here, we believe that all parts of ourselves should be developed – the body, mind, heart and consciousness – therefore the practice of TM is required for all students. Our school day starts and ends with a few minutes of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique.

The TM technique is a simple technique that is easily taught through one-on-one instruction by a certified teacher. It’s not a religion, philosophy or lifestyle. More than 340 scientific studies have been published in leading journals showing its efficacy in all areas of physical and mental health. It’s garnered the praise of distinguished institutions like the National Health Institute, American Psychological Association, University of Michigan, and American University.

To learn more, visit www.TM.org.

The Details About Advanced Techniques

Sometimes, we talk about Advanced Techniques, but that can be a confusing term. Below are some commonly asked questions, and their answers, about the Advanced Techniques.

Q: What are Advanced Techniques?
A: Simple techniques that accelerate growth. During TM®, we experience a fourth state of consciousness, a state of restful alertness, which dissolves stress, enhances brain functioning, and balances the body and emotions. The Advanced Techniques speed up the integration of this state with our activity after meditation; they bring faster results from your regular TM practice.
In fact, Maharishi said they accelerate growth to higher states of consciousness. He said that they bring about a more efficient absorption of pure consciousness into the active mind than TM does by itself.

Q: How many are there?
A: Four — all developed and refined by Maharishi over many years. The first is called the Night Technique and it is done before sleep. The second, third, and fourth Advanced Techniques are simple procedures that you effortlessly incorporate into your 20-minute TM practice.

Q: Do I learn them all at once or one at a time?
A: One at a time and in sequence. You’ll practice an Advanced Technique at least two to four months before adding the next one.

Q: Who teaches the Advanced Techniques?
A: International Vedic Experts from India who have been specially trained by Maharishi. These experts come to Fairfield TM Center every month to teach the Advanced Techniques.

Q: What is the course structure?
A: Your training consists of three sessions.
The first session is an orientation meeting for an hour.
The second session is personal instruction with the Vedic Expert in the appropriate Advanced Technique (2 hours).
The third session is a checking meeting the following day with the Vedic Experts to answer questions and verify the correctness of your practice (2 hours).

Q: Who can learn, and how do I know if I am ready?
A: If you have been regular with your TM practice for the last two to four months, you are eligible to apply. You do not have to be a long-time or “advanced” meditator to learn an Advanced Technique. Each technique is simple—easy to learn, easy to practice—and, best of all, enjoyable! That said, if you’d like our advice regarding your personal readiness, just give us a call. 641-919-8188 or 641-919-1300

Q: What is the fee? (per course)
A: The fee for an Advanced Technique is as follows:
Adults: 4 payments of $240 (or one payment of $960)
Couples: 4 payments of $420 (or one payment of $1,680)
Full-time TM teachers, MUM & Maharishi School & Full-Time Staff: $360
Full-time MUM students: $240
Full-time Maharishi School students (thru high school): $240
Grants and scholarships may be available for qualified meditators. Please just give us a call to talk more about your financing options. 641-919-8188 or 641-919-1300

Q: How do I begin?
A: Please contact us for information about one of the orientation meetings by email at wdevasier@tm.org or olgahopkins@gmail.com or call 641-919-8188 or 641-919-1300. If the orientation meeting times don’t work for you, let us know and we will find another time to meet with you.

To learn more about our academics or to contact a member of our admissions staff, click here.

To learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Hannah Nichols
Marketing and PR
Maharishi School
hnichols@msae.edu
Fairfield, IA 52556

Project-Based Learning

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Project-Based LearningProject Showcase

Project-based learning is at the core of the Maharishi School experience. Through project-based learning, students are inserted into our key principles: know yourself, think deeply, unleash your creativity, succeed.

Daily Process

Every day students are given 70 minutes to work on a passion project. They problem-solve, experiment, falter and keep striving. Through the process, they learn real-world skills that will serve them when they are adults working on projects at their workplaces. Some of the Learning Goals for project learning are creativity, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, a growth mindset, societal impact and service, interdisciplinary integration, development of student portfolios.

How the Students Pick a Project

Each project is either designed by a teacher or proposed by the student at the conception stage and addresses an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge. The students work either independently or in small teams and exercise real-life skills in their areas of interest while being fully supported by teachers, community experts, and leaders brought in to match the students’ interests. At the end of each quarter, all the students’ projects are showcased as part of a community-wide event.

Maharishi School RoboticsSuccess 

In a recent Play Production Project, the students vetted and selected the play, built the sets themselves, sourced the costumes, learned stage makeup, created and executed a marketing plan to promote the play, created a budget and managed finances, built a lighting and sound plan, created a cleaning schedule, made refreshments for the intermission and finally produced and performed in the play. With only guidance, the student handled every aspect of the play from soup to nuts allowing them to not only complete a behemoth task but leave with pride and joy as they shared the fruit of their passions with others.

 

To learn more about our academics or to contact a member of our admissions staff, click here.

To learn more about school events and student life, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Hannah Nichols
Marketing and PR
Maharishi School
hnichols@msae.edu
Fairfield, IA 52556