Lesson five famous meditation experiments. In 1993, Washington DC the capital of our nation was also the murder capital of the United States. In June and July of that year, there was an experiment to reduce violent crime. On the basis of previous research, it was hypothesized that the level of violent crime in the District of Columbia would drop significantly by having a large group of participants in the transcendental meditation program, meditate to increase coherence and reduce stress and the district. So that summer up to 4000. meditators came to town, stayed in hotel rooms and meditated before the project began. The chief The police had explained that the only thing that would create a 20% drop in crime would be 20 inches of snow.

The Transcendental Meditation crime prevention product to place took place during blistering summer months. Although violent crime had been increasing for the previous five months, and usually peaks in the hot summer months, it decreased by 23.6%. During the period the meditators were in town. After the study ended, crime began to increase again, the drop in crime could not be attributed to any other causes, and over 22 separate studies have demonstrated similar results. Meditation in schools one Baltimore elementary school has replaced detention with meditation. unreleased students that Robert W. Coleman Elementary School in West Baltimore are sent to the mindful moment room, which is filled with comfortable cushions and beanbags lit by glowing pink Himalayan salt lamps.

In the mindful moment room, children are encouraged to practice deep breathing or mindful meditation. The day of Coleman starts with breathing exercises over the PA system and ends with an after school program where the students can learn yoga. They're also encouraged to talk through the misbehavior that landed them in the meditation room. It's reported that the practice of mindful meditation has worked wonders, including improving academic performance, and there are zero suspensions. Traditional punishments can be isolating and frustrating. The mindful moments room allows students to relax and learn.

Misbehaving kids were also encouraged to reflect on what they did wrong since the beginning of the mindful meditation program, at the school has seen zero suspensions. A beautiful statement by the Dalai Lama is that if every eight year old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the World Within one generation. Wouldn't that be extraordinary? Our next lesson will explain the difference between meditation and mindfulness.