Australian Food Store Offers Transcendental Meditation to Employees

NEW YORK, July 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- When Jason Gunn created his natural food store, he wanted to make a positive, healthful contribution to the planet. Two years ago, he decided to do the same for his employees by offering them the opportunity to learn the Transcendental Meditation® technique.

"For us to be the best that we can be as an organization, we really need to take the time to nurture the people who make up our organization," said Gunn, CEO of Oliver's Real Food in Australia. "When I realized the shift, the impact TM had on me as an individual, I quickly came to realize this is something I wanted to share with all the people that make such a wonderful contribution to the business of Oliver's Real Food."

Gunn has two thriving stores in Australia—one in Wyong, Central Coast, and another in Hexham, Newcastle. Today, nearly 20 percent of Oliver's employees practice the Transcendental Meditation technique.

Says Kate, a store manager: "I feel that since there are so many of us meditating, there are a lot more of us working together and doing things as a team. And I think there is a deeper understanding of each other as well. It does make a big difference in how we work together and how we learn to accept each other, and our differences."

Growing trend includes employees of Dr. Oz and Oprah

Oliver's is part of a growing trend among businesses that use the TM® technique to decrease employee stress and enhance on-the-job performance, satisfaction, and creativity. Oprah Winfrey recently made the Transcendental Meditation technique available to her entire staff, as did Mehmet Oz, M.D., host of the daytime Emmy Award-winning The Dr. Oz Show. 

Said Dr. Oz: "Literally the day after people learned to meditate, I started getting some remarkable emails and having some amazing conversations that really surprised me. The first thing I noticed was a change in the tone and the texture of the dialogue—away from dwelling on problems towards a much more thoughtful, insightful, clever way of solving problems. Instead of highlighting the issues that were separating us, my team was deriving bliss and joy from finding solutions."

Research shows reduced stress

Research has consistently shown the stress-reducing effects of the Transcendental Meditation technique in the workplace. Studies conducted in businesses where the TM technique has been made available to employees have shown that it decreases health care utilization and anxiety, as well as increasing efficiency, productivity, and job satisfaction.

About the Transcendental Meditation technique

The TM technique is an effortless meditation technique practiced 20 minutes twice each day while sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. Extensive peer-reviewed studies have found that TM reduces stress and anxiety, improves learning ability, and promotes wellness for mind and body.

The TM technique is available in the USA through Maharishi Foundation USA, a federally recognized nonprofit educational organization. Through partnerships with other nonprofit organizations and foundations such as the David Lynch Foundation, full TM scholarships have been given to over 250,000 at-risk children, veterans suffering from PTSD, homeless people, and others.  

To view this video on YouTube, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go_5hOlwo98

Media Contact: Christian Hoffmann, Maharishi Foundation USA, 360-447-8108, [email protected]

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SOURCE Maharishi Foundation USA