I've found a meditation technique that actually works for ADHD.
It’s called Transcendental Meditation – TM for short.
TM is basically effortless.
No focusing on the breath
No controlling the mind
No sitting in uncomfortable postures
I’ve been practising it for a month, after practising other types of meditation for almost six years. TM has improved my ADHD symptoms more in 4 weeks than the previous 5 years with other techniques.
Here’s how it works:
Sit on a chair
Close your eyes
Repeat a mantra
As you breathe in say the first half of the word
As you breathe out say the second half of the word
Repeat for 20 minutes
That’s it.
Wait. But what is the mantra?
Well, that’s supposed to be a secret. But I think that’s bullsh*t.
When you pay £700 to learn TM you get given a “secret” mantra by a trained teacher.
You don’t need to pay £700. I learned watching YouTube videos.
The mantra I repeat is Kirim.
Kirim is a meaningless Sanskrit word. Feel free to use it.
The meaninglessness of the word is essential. Otherwise you’d be thinking about the deeper meaning behind the word as you meditate.
Instead, by repeating a word that means nothing, you’re slowly slipping back into a deeper state of consciousness – which is where ALL of the benefits of meditation lay.
It works like this:
Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrr (in breath)
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimmmmmm (out breath)
In and out for 20 minutes.
It’s that simple.
I start off with 2 mins of deep breathing. Then set a timer for 20 mins and repeat the mantra until the buzzer goes off.
But what about mind wandering?
Let it wander.
Unlike other types of meditation, you don’t try to control your thoughts.
Don’t try to stop them. Don’t try to notice them. Just continue to repeat the mantra over and over and over again.
Still skeptical?
Let's look at the research
Researchers report “a dramatic reduction in stress, anxiety, and depression” in many ADHD students practising TM.
Research published in The Journal of Psychiatry proves the link between TM and improved brain functioning in kids with ADHD.
Dig deeper into the research on ADHD and Transcendental Meditation here.
How TM has improved my ADHD symptoms
I’ve been uncharacteristically consistent with this - practising TM 20 mins in the morning and 20 mins at 2pm - due to the incredible benefits I noticed.
Why 2pm?
Jerry Seinfeld once said: “You know how you have a charger for your phone? Transcendental Meditation is like if you had a charger for your whole body and mind.”
It’s scary how accurate his words are.
Practising at 2pm gives me a much needed energy boost when my brain is usually shutting down.
I feel calmer, more focused, less likely to lose it, happier and MUCH more productive.
Also, there are some deeper spiritual benefits. Such as being able to create a larger space between me and my thoughts.
I believe you should try TM for a week. If it’s not improved your life by then, fine. But if you’ve experienced even a tiny benefit, continue – it gets better and better with each passing week.
So, what do you think?
Summary:
To practise TM:
Sit on a chair
Close your eyes
Repeat the 'Kirim' mantra
As you breathe in say the first half of the word
As you breathe out say the second half of the word
Repeat for 20 minutes