A Gift That Continues to Give

A contribution from our Gather community…

I was recently asked, “What is the best gift I ever received?”. Upon reflection, I thought it might be something to share with the Gather community.

The best gift I received is the gift of Transcendental Meditation (TM) training. In 2011, after the Oprah Winfrey Show ended, Oprah gave her employees the gift of TM training. I had been practicing Reiki and holistic medicine since the age of 22 and always wanted to learn to meditate. This was my opportunity.

Working for Oprah allowed for many gifts – a few of her Favorite Things, paid hiatus leave,a 2-week Mediterranean cruise, a trip to Hawaii with my family, and, of course,her wisdom. But nothing compares to the TM training because it’s a gift that is with me every day. It is literally the gift that keeps on giving.

Meditation has allowed me to find a sense of self that I had no idea was missing. I am faithful to the practice, because I find I am more myself with meditation. Meditation promotes creativity, a sense of calm and well-being. It is my favorite part of my day and I will always be grateful to Oprah for her generosity. 

If you are in the Chicago area, I highly recommend Tegan and David Jung of Chicago, who can be reached at Chicago@tm.org and Laurie Heilman, who practices out of Evanston, and is reachable at Evanston@tm.org.