I started to fall apart to my best friend one night. I had tried everything under the sun to help my anxiety including coloring, essential oils, adjusting meds, and Cryotherapy! Mom loves Nightline so one night I sat down and started to watch an old special on a favorite Journalist of mine, Elizabeth Vargas. Elizabeth started to talk about Transcendental meditation but it was not until she talked about her panic attack struggles that I started to dig deeper and by the end of the special I was already fascinated by this practice.

I found a certified TM center close to home and soon booked my (free) introduction meeting. That following Wednesday I met Drs Joanne and John Kennedy, and little did I know they would soon change my life.

After the intro talk where Dr. Joanne spoke about the history of TM and the benefits behind it, she did a one on one session so that she could get to know me a little better. I told her about my struggles with the winding road that is depression & anxiety and how I had reached my wit's end because I may look happy as a clam physically, but emotionally I felt like a shattered mirror.

Dr. Joanne was so gentle about everything and I knew that I wanted to follow through with the 4 day course... Two weeks later, here we are! April 29th, 2017, I was instructed to bring 2-3 pieces of fruit, a white handkerchief, and 6-8 flowers. I arrived at the TM center and Dr. Joanne took a few minutes to create this beautiful basket with all the things I had brought. After that we went into a room where my personal one on one instruction and TM ceremony took place, Dr. Joanne handed me one of the tulips and asked for me to observe as she chanted what sounded like beautiful hymns. In that moment I felt so alive like never before, I cannot explain the feeling I got! It felt like the pain I had felt for so long started to peel away, everything about it was beyond beautiful. We then sat in these big plushy chairs and I was taught the TM technique, how to meditate correctly. During TM you are given a "mantra or sound" that is to be kept private and you repeat that mantra as you meditate for 20 minutes. TM is so simple! 20 minutes in the morning and 20 at night where you sit comfortably with your eyes closed. That is all.

I had tears in my eyes by the end of this first meditation because I felt so at peace. I would like to mention that Dr. Joanne specified that Transcendental meditation does not have to be spiritual if you do not want it to be, as a matter of fact she spoke about how she grew up Catholic and to this day is Catholic. TM actually "enhanced" her beliefs in Catholicism! I felt so awakened after my day 1 session, this journey is just beginning.

-Nat

*If you are interested in finding out more about Transcendental meditation I have attached the link below!*

http://www.tm.org/home-c