Meditation practice by primary and secondary students in Perú: a confirmatory study of health and school performance

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35622/j.rie.2022.01.002

Keywords:

salud, investigación observacional, Perú, desempeño escolar, transcendental meditation

Abstract

Schools in Perú have not typically been the sites of research on meditation or its possible role in student health or primary and secondary education outcomes. This retrospective observational study seeks to begin redressing this evidentiary shortfall by confirming results from an earlier, smaller-scale study of 91 students in Huay-Huay, with a specific focus on the practice of Transcendental Meditation at Peruvian schools, some in remote locations with indigenous students. Five hundred and twenty primary and secondary students at four schools in Lima, Cusco, Puno, and Ventanilla were asked to rate their experience of meditation and its relation to four factors using a paper-and-pencil questionnaire: physical health; cognitive health; emotional health; and school performance. An average of 66% of students agreed they had benefited from practice of Transcendental Meditation in each area of health and school performance, and regularity of practice was a moderate predicator of higher scores on each variable. These quantitative findings are suggestive of a role to be played by the addition of Transcendental Meditation to primary and secondary school curricula in Perú.

Author Biographies

  • Lee Fergusson, University of Southern Queensland

    Dr. Lee Fergusson is Program Director of the Master of Professional Studies (Research) program at University of Southern Queensland and Professor of Vedic Science, Education and Environment at Maharishi Vedic Research Institute in Australia. He is the author and editor of 13 books, including Living Peace: The Contribution of Maharishi Vedic Science to Global Security (2020), Redefining Sustainability (2019), What a Waste: Studies in Anthropogenic Sources of Pollution (2016), and Red Mud Futures: Repurposing One of the World’s Largest Industrial Waste By-products (2015). His research papers on education, psychology, health, systems science, sustainability and the environment have been published in many international journals, including Journal of Latinos and Education, Asian Journal of Chemistry, History of Education, Journal of Environmental and Analytical Toxicology, Journal of Environmental Quality, Reflective Practice, Journal of Work-Applied Management, Perceptual and Motor Skills, Social Science Perspectives Journal, Studies in Asian Social Science, and Higher Education Research and Development.

  • Javier Ortiz, Instituto Maharishi de Ciencia y Tecnología del Perú

    Javier Ortiz is an independent researcher and director, Instituto Maharishi de Ciencia y Tecnología del Perú in Lima. He is a Peruvian architect, urban planner, educator, poet, and lecturer in human development, and a consultant in Vedic Architecture at Maharishi Vāstu Alliance. Ortiz Cabrejos has lectured at universities and institutions in over 30 countries and developed educational projects in colleges and universities in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Bogota, and Medellin, as well as in schools and universities in Peruvian cities such as Lima, Callao, Cusco, Trujillo, Arequipa, Huancayo, Iquitos and Puno. In the last 15 years, he implemented Latin American projects in Consciousness-Based Education at 60 schools to more than 50,000 students.

  • Anna Bonshek, Maharishi Vedic Research Institute

    Dr Anna Bonshek is the MahaGauri Professor of Vedic Science, Art and Vedic Architecture at Maharishi Vedic Research Institute in Australia, and a consultant in Vedic Architecture at Maharishi Vāstu Alliance. Dr Bonshek is the author and editor of several books, including Living Peace: The Contribution of Maharishi Vedic Science to Global Security (2020), The Big Fish: Consciousness as Structure, Body and Space (2007), and Mirror of Consciousness: Art, Creativity and Veda (2001), and has published research in international journals, including International Journal of Architecture and Urban Design, Open House International, Asia-Pacific Journal of Education, International Journal of Indian Psychology, New Art Examiner, and Artlink.

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2021-11-09

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Vol. 4 No. 1 (2022)

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Copyright (c) 2021 Lee Fergusson, Javier Ortiz, Anna Bonshek

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How to Cite

Fergusson, L., Ortiz, J., & Bonshek, A. (2021). Meditation practice by primary and secondary students in Perú: a confirmatory study of health and school performance. Revista Innova Educación, 4(1), 21-38. https://doi.org/10.35622/j.rie.2022.01.002

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