CMS (Ret.)
Ed Schloeman
President
Richard Schneider
Rita Cosby
Dr. Robert Cancro
Luke Jensen
Jerry Yellin
Overcoming PTSD and Preventing Suicides:
An Evidence-based Approach through Meditation in the Military
February 4th, 2013 | New York City
Operation Warrior Wellness hosted a luncheon conference at the New York Athletic Club to raise awareness about the effectiveness of Transcendental Meditation for relieving PTSD symptoms and depression and, ultimately, preventing further incidence of suicide. The conference followed new reports that 22 veterans die from suicide every day.
At the conference, combat veterans—P-51 fighter pilot Jerry Yellin, CMS (Ret.) Ed Schloeman and Afghanistan War veteran Luke Jensen—shared moving accounts of their personal battles with PTSD and, in Mr. Jensen’s case, close brushes with suicide. These men were able to triumph over terrible invisible wounds through twice daily practice of Transcendental Meditation.
Compelling testimony from a panel of experts that included Rear Admiral (Ret.) Richard Schneider, President of Norwich University; Marguerite Meyer, Ed.D., Director of Norwich University's Academic Achievement Center; Robert Cancro, M.D., Chairman Emeritus of NYU Langone Medical Center; and Gary Kaplan, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Neurology at Hofstra University confirmed that the experiences of these courageous men are not unique.
The compelling data and moving accounts presented at the conference have inspired several national publications to help raise awareness about TM for veterans.
Bloomberg Businessweek: TM may help stressed vets Full Story
Herbie Hancock
Wynton Marsalis
Wayne Shorter
Corinne Bailey Rae
Esperanza Spalding
Terri Lyne Carrington
A Historic Night of Jazz: Fourth Annual Change Begins Within Benefit Gala
December 13th, 2012 | New York City
The David Lynch Foundation celebrated the successes of the past year at “An Historic Night of Jazz”–its fourth annual Change Begins Within benefit gala–held at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. The evening featured world-class jazz performances and inspiring stories of transformation from first responders, survivors of domestic violence, and children on the autistic spectrum.
During the evening, the Foundation honored Dr. Mehmet and Lisa Oz with the DLF’s “Perfect Health Award” and Ray and Barbara Dalio with the DLF’s “Unbounded Generosity Award” for their unmatched lifetime achievements in the fields of health and finance and philanthropy—and for their generous support of the DLF’s work with adults and children in great need. Sixteen-year-old Joey Lowenstein, who has autism spectral disorder, received the DLF’s “Resolute Courage Award” for triumphing over overwhelming personal setbacks and starting the Joey Lowenstein Foundation to aid children with autism, including providing them with TM instruction.
Donations from the benefit gala helped the Foundation begin to deploy a team of young professional instructors who will bring Transcendental Meditation to thousands of inner-city students, veterans, and women and girls in the New York City Tri-State area during 2013.
Soledad O'Brien
Russell Simmons
Dr. John Hagelin
National Education Summit on Quiet Time in the Classroom
October 23rd, 2012 | New York City
At this David Lynch Foundation–hosted National Education Summit, New York’s educational leaders convened at the Paley Center for Media to learn about the data behind the Transcendental Meditation–based Quiet Time program, which has delivered educational breakthroughs at schools across the country. The event was co-hosted by philanthropist and entrepreneur Russell Simmons and DLF President John Hagelin. Presenters included:
- Robert Hughes, President, New Visions for Public Schools
- Carlos Garcia, Superintendent, San Francisco Unified School District (Ret.)
- James S. Dierke, Executive Vice-President, American Federation of School Administrators
- Laurent Valosek, Executive Director, Center for Wellness and Achievement in Education
- Richard Friedman, M.D., Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Director of the Psychopharmacology Clinic, Weill Cornell Medical College
- Norman Rosenthal, M.D., Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Georgetown University Medical School
- Tai Beauchamp, Founder and President, The Blue Print Group
- Charles Rutherford, Ph.D., Principal, Ideal Academy Public Charter School
- Donna Finn, Principal, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts
Soledad O’Brien, host of CNN’s Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien, and Pedro Noguera, Peter L. Agnew Professor of Education at New York University, presented via video to charge the audience to seriously consider the implications behind this data.
Based on the success of the summit, several schools in the tri-state area have applied for a David Lynch Foundation grant to implement the Quiet Time program in their schools.
President
Richard Schneider
Jerry Yellin
COL Brian Rees
Veterans and military leaders urge use of meditation at Iowa Veterans Summit
October 11th, 2012 | Des Moines, IA
More than 100 military and veteran leaders gathered at the West Des Moines Marriott in October to discuss research findings on the effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation-based Resilient Warrior Program for aiding veterans and active-duty personnel suffering from combat-related mental injury. The summit was organized by Operation Warrior Wellness with support from the Iowa Commission of Veterans Affairs.
Presenters included RADM (Ret.) Richard W. Schneider, President of Norwich University; Jerry Yellin, P-51 Fighter Pilot and National Co-Chair of Operation Warrior Wellness; Col. Brian Rees, M.D., Command Surgeon for the 63rd Regional Support Command and Luke Jensen, Operation Enduring Freedom veteran.
Building on the receptivity created by the event, Operation Warrior Wellness is now working with VA officials and military leaders in Iowa to bring the Resilient Warrior Program to veterans and service personnel in need.
Jay Leno & Jerry Seinfeld
surprise DLF comedy benefit
June 30th, 2012 | Los Angeles
An all-star lineup of comedians honored legendary talent manager and producer George Shapiro with the Foundation’s first annual “Lifetime of Bliss Award” during DLF’s Night of Comedy. The gala raised funds to teach the Transcendental Meditation® technique to veterans with PTSD, at-risk students, and abused women and girls.
The tribute to Shapiro, 80, a beloved figure in the entertainment industry and a 30-year TM meditator, featured stand-up routines by Russell Brand, Sarah Silverman, and Garry Shandling with surprise appearances by Jerry Seinfeld (George has been Seinfeld’s manager for over 30 years) and longtime friend Jay Leno. The comedy benefit drew substantial press coverage for the Foundation, including articles in Variety and the Los Angeles Times.
Military leaders, medical researchers promote
TM for resilience and health at national summit
May 3rd, 2012 | Washington, D.C.
More than 130 military and governmental leaders and medical researchers gathered at the Army and Navy Club for a national summit on “Resilience, the Brain, and Meditation.” The meeting investigated the extensive scientific evidence and clinical experience using the Transcendental Meditation technique to promote resilience and overcome post-traumatic stress disorder among active-duty military personnel, veterans, and cadets.
The summit was sponsored by Operation Warrior Wellness, a division of the David Lynch Foundation, and hosted by Candy Crowley, the Emmy Award-winning host of CNN’s “State of the Union with Candy Crowley.”
The keynote speakers were W. Scott Gould, the deputy secretary at the Veterans Administration; and Dr. Richard Schneider, the 23rd president of Norwich University, the oldest private military college in the country, where TM is being studied as a tool to promote resilience among cadets.
Washington Post: VA testing whether meditation can help treat PTSD full story
Public forum spotlights benefits
of TM for abused women
March 31st, 2012 | New York City
Abused women and girls can heal and empower themselves through the twice daily practice of the simple, effortless, evidence-based Transcendental Meditation technique—according to a panel of distinguished women doctors and advocates who gathered for the first annual public forum on “Women, Violence, and Meditation” held at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.
Speakers included Soledad O’Brien, Rita Cosby, Pamela Shifman, Tara Wise Jones, Dr. Pamela Peeke, Dr. Lois Lee, Dr. Sarina Grosswald, and Joni Kimberlin. The Forum—attended by 175 government, philanthropic, and community leaders, along with members of the general public—launched the David Lynch Foundation’s new Women’s Initiative.
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Ellen DeGeneres & Russell Brand
headline
third annual “Change Begins Within” gala
December 3rd, 2011 | Los Angeles County Museum of Art
A star-studded audience was moved by incredible stories of transformation among veterans and underserved youth who’ve overcome traumatic stress through Transcendental Meditation.
Superintendent Carlos Garcia and several principals voiced passionate support for widespread adoption of the Quiet Time program, based on the dramatic results at their own schools. Veterans and their families spoke about the healing effect of TM on combat-induced PTS. Award recipients included:
- Resilient Warrior Award: Paul Rieckhoff, Executive Director, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
- Quiet Time Award: Carlos Garcia, Superintendent, San Francisco Unified School District
- Enlightened Giver Award: Russell Simmons, Chairman and CEO, Rush Communications
Wall Street Journal: David Lynch Foundation implements meditation programs for at-risk students and veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder full story
Celebrities host benefit gala at
Metropolitan Museum of Art
December 13th, 2010 | New York
Dr. Mehmet Oz, Russell Brand, Martin Scorsese, Clint Eastwood,
Katy Perry, Candy Crowley, and Russell Simmons celebrated the Foundation’s wide range of successful projects with:
- students
- veterans
- homeless teens & adults
- American Indians
This inspiring, entertaining event also launched Operation Warrior Wellness, an initiative to combat post-traumatic stress among veterans, active duty military, and their families.
NY Times: David Lynch Foundation offers TM to troubled students, veterans, homeless people, prisoners, and others full story
Paul McCartney headlines benefit
concert at Radio City Music Hall
April 3rd, 2009 | New York
Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr reunited onstage for this landmark concert, supporting the Foundation’s goal of teaching 1 million at-risk students to meditate. They were joined by Sheryl Crow, Donovan, Mike Love, Eddie Vedder, Ben Harper, Moby, Bettye Lavette, and many other musicians.
Jerry Seinfeld—a long-time TM practitioner himself—added humor to the already celebratory atmosphere.
NY Times: Just say ‘Om’: The Fab Two give a little help to a cause
full story
CNN’s Candy Crowley anchors
benefits for veterans & at-risk students
June 8th, 2011 | Washington, DC | American University
This event showcased how Transcendental Meditation programs help at-risk students and veterans overcome stress, anxiety, depression, and learning disorders—while improving their creativity, focus, and mental resiliency.
Renowned psychiatrist Dr. Norman Rosenthal introduced his new book Transcendence: Healing and Transformation through Transcendental Meditation.
ABC News: Meditation heals military vets with PTSD full story
Donna Karan’s Urban Zen Foundation
partners to launch Operation Warrior
Wellness NYC
June 7th, 2011 | New York | Urban Zen Center
Operation Warrior Wellness NYC will bring the Transcendental Meditation program and integrative therapies to veterans and their families in New York who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Veterans from each generation—World War II, Vietnam, and Iraq—shared personal stories of how TM transformed their lives and healed the trauma of war.
CNN: Alternative treatment promoted for soldiers suffering from PTSD
full story
San Francisco school superintendent:
the Quiet Time program is “transforming
lives, and it will transform our society”
June 1st, 2011 | San Francisco | Legion of Honor
Carlos Garcia, superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District, praised the Quiet Time program for helping turnaround several of the city’s most troubled schools.
The Quiet Time program serves thousands of at-risk middle school & high school students, plus many teachers and administrators.
Operation Warrior Wellness news conference
December 13th, 2010 | New York | Paley Center for Media
The psychological wounds of war are less visible than physical ones, yet equally devastating—more veterans die due to suicide than in combat.
The David Lynch Foundation launched Operation Warrior Wellness to promote resiliency and well-being among veterans, active duty military, and their families through the evidence-based Transcendental Meditation program. This press conference featured military personnel, scientists, and celebrities.
Wall Street Journal: Filmmaker introduces veterans to meditation
full story
President Clinton addresses DLF’s
international conference: Building healthy,
sustainable American Indian communities
September 25–27th, 2009 | Iowa
This conference unveiled a 5-point plan developed by the Ho-Chunk Elders Advisory Council and Hocak Elders Council:
- Education: Improving academic achievement & reducing stress and violence among youth
- Health: Preventing and treating diabetes, cardiovascular disease, substance abuse, and depression
- Energy: Promoting self-sufficiency through wind and solar technologies
- Agriculture: Creating food and economic self-sufficiency through organic farming
- Cultural preservation & restoration: Safeguarding the land, language, and spiritual traditions of American Indians
Watch President Clinton’s address
Watch American Indian conference replayS
National summit on student health &
education: Quiet Time in the classroom
October 16th, 2008 | New York | W Hotel
The alarming rise of classroom stress has fueled widespread problems in education, including:
- poor academic achievement
- anxiety, depression, and violence
- teacher burnout
To help neutralize this stress, many schools have implemented the “Quiet Time” program—10-15 minutes at the start and end of each day when students meditate in silence. This summit brought together prominent educators and scientists to examine the dramatic impact of Quiet Time, based on research and first-hand experience.
