David Lynch, acclaimed director or Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive, has long been a proponent and participant of transcendental meditation (TM) saying that is can have life-changing benefits.  Through the David Lynch Foundation, he is donating $1 million in grants to Wounded Warriors to teach the technique to soldiers, veterans and their families suffering from post traumatic stress (PTSD).

The Foundation is working with the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to bring this self-help technique to those who need it most.  Operation Warrior Wellness is a division of his foundation that funds TM instruction for inner city kids, kids with attention deficit disorder and jail inmates.

Colonel Brian Rees said, “We could save millions of dollars to the VA and the DoD with this technique.”  TM has been extensively studied over the past 50 years and has been shown to have significant benefit for calming, focus and concentration.  “Soldier resilience is something that the Army wants to promote…TM is appropriate for that.  Just about everything improves with TM.”

Norman Rosenthal, MD, concurs, saying that TM is an ancient practice. “The results are astonishing.  I am not a TM insider.  I came to scoff and remained to pray. The idea that we have got at our disposal an immediate approach that can help people on their own, is very exciting.”

James Krag, MD, at the VA clinic in Virginia said, “This is a life or death situation, this isn’t just a nice addition to their lives.  When I prescribe medication there is almost always some side effects.  With TM there is none.  I saw a 23 year old last week.  As he sat there it was like he was running in place.  He already had two fellow marines who had killed themselves.  He had almost killed himself.  Now I have something to offer.”    PTSD affects not just the soldier, but the whole family.  When one family member suffers, it infects all those around.  When one person gets better, the entire family improves.