Known as the visionary filmmaker who brought the world Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, and the Elephant Man, it has been said that Lynch was one of those creative voices who found his own octave doing for film what people like David Bowie or Prince did for music, shattering expectations of what a piece of art could be.   It was also said that he transcended the barriers between conscious and unconscious.

I have met David Lynch; I trained in the method of meditation brought to the world by Lynch, a man who indeed understood the meaning of “pure consciousness”.  I recently attended Meditate America, a Gala hosted by his friend and fellow meditator, Hugh Jackman, celebrating 20 years of the mission and works of the David Lynch Foundation.

David Lynch started meditating in 1973, twice daily until the day of his death.  He believed that with the practice of meditation one could access unlimited reserves of energy, creativity, and the happiness that lives within… moving from a state of deep relaxation into a state of “restful alertness”, where treasures of the mind and soul are often accessed.

At the time, he had no idea how powerful and profound this technique could be until he saw firsthand its effect on Veterans surviving the living hell of PTSD, as well as the effect of post-traumatic stress on women and girls who are survivors of domestic violence.

In 2005, David Lynch founded the not-for-profit bearing his name, to ensure that every child and adult who wanted to learn to meditate could do so.  Since that time, his Foundation has brought the stress-reducing techniques of Transcendental Meditation (TM) to more than 500,000 adults and children around the world… thus cementing David Lynch’s legacy far into the future.

In the words of Paul McCartney, “Putting TM into schools is a fabulous thing.  The kids love it and you are getting results”.

From Bill Clinton, “Your program has significant impact for dramatically improving academic performance and reducing the stress and violence that permeates impoverished communities”.

From an Afghanistan Veteran, “I put a loaded pistol to my head in front of my wife and young daughter and was going to kill myself.  I had consistently thought about suicide before I learned TM.  It changed everything”.

And from Michael J. Fox. battling Parkinson’s for years, “I can’t say enough about TM.  Stillness, true stillness, of both mind and body is a gift.  TM taught me how to access that stillness and I open that gift every day”.

Help For Veterans, First Responders, And Medical Workers

In addition to the David Lynch Foundation’s work with Veterans, now being funded by NIH grants to reach more than one million Veterans in America who suffer from PTSD and/or suicidal ideation, TM meditation techniques have also proven invaluable to other first responders, including police, firefighters, front-line workers, and frontline medical healthcare workers through a newly developed program called HEAL THE HEALERS NOW.

Even before the Covid 19 pandemic, a Harvard report called physician burnout, “a public health crisis that urgently demands action”…with several surveys putting the rate of provider burnout as high as 70 percent, with a link to medical error, substance abuse and addiction, and even suicide.  Through the DLF Foundation, a TM based wellness program is now offered to hospitals and clinics, medical schools, VA Centers, substance abuse centers, prisons, and other settings, including Weill Cornell in NYC, Harvard Medical School, and Duke University where significant reductions in worker burnout, anxiety, depression, insomnia and symptoms of PTSD are being documented.

Transcendental Meditation (Tm) For Everyone

TM is a simple, natural, effortless technique practiced 20 minutes a day twice a day while sitting comfortably, with eyes closed.  It is not a religion, philosophy or lifestyle.

TM produces a unique neurophysiological state that combines deep metabolic rest with heightened mental alertness.  This state of deep relaxation, which researchers have termed as “restful alertness” is a potent antidote to stress, with hundreds of peer-reviewed published studies showing documented improvements in a wide variety of stress-related disorders, as well as significant improvement in cognitive function and overall health and well-being.

TM is taught in a personal course of instruction by a specially trained certified teacher at David Lynch Foundation offices.  For information, email  tm@davidlynchfoundation,org or call 212.644.9880.

You are also invited to join others from all over the world on a 20-minute meditation call with Bob Roth, CEO of David Lynch Foundation, every day on a 7-day-a-week, morning and evening schedule at no charge.  For further information, TM-Meditate.org.

Final Words From Bob Roth, Ceo Of The David Lynch Foundation

 “We lost a dear friend, a wise mentor, and a brother on the path to creating a more just and enlightened world.  Our heart is heavy with loss but also profoundly illumined by his incredible creativity, boundless generosity of spirit, love for humanity and relentless quest for truth. His Foundation is deeply rooted in these qualities and remains firmly dedicated to a world where everyone everywhere meets only friends and not enemies—a world of unity”. www.davidlynchfoundation,org