Youth IAM for Handling Life's Challenges

Integrated Amrita Meditation (IAM®) has helped youth in many areas of life, including preparation for high school college entrance exams, such as the SAT. Prior to practicing the Youth IAM meditation, students often experienced getting below-standard results on official tests, even though they knew the subject matter and had done very well on practice exams. 

Youth IAM Instructor Michael Romano observes: “Students can relate to the phenomenon of knowing something, but not being able to find it. For example, a student once told me: ‘I know all this math, though when I took the test, I couldn’t remember any of it.’ Well, how is that possible? It is because he was not in the right frame of mind. So, what can we do? I told him that if you wish to ace these tests you need two wings; the skills you need for the test and then the ability to show up with the skills. Meditation helps you to focus better and show up with your skills.”

Beyond test taking, students of all ages are experiencing ever-increasing levels of stress, anxiety, anger, depression, and even suicide. These mental health issues have become a new form of a pandemic. The causes are many—academic performance pressure, social media influences, peer pressure, as well as home life stress. As a result, youth mental health practitioners are fully booked around the country. Although classic counseling and even psychiatric help have their place, giving youth means to self-manage their stress is essential.

With self-management we have the means to handle the stress and pressures of the day, to prevent sliding into states of anxiety or depression. Methods such as art therapy, breathwork, and spending time in nature, can become a part of a self-management repertoire. Meditation is also one of those methods, and IAM meditation has demonstrated its effectiveness in dealing with stress.

In a 2012 study of IAM at Amrita University, a top-rated university in India, IAM meditation was found to significantly reduce average adrenaline levels within 48 hours after practicing IAM and this was sustained for up to eight months. For more details about this study CLICK HERE

Youth IAM Instructor Sreemayi shares about the benefits of Youth IAM: "Youth experience changes during and after the IAM Course: from anxiety to calmness, from agitation to inner stillness, from feeling sad to being content. Most participants, even those with ADHD and anxiety, notice a deep sense of calmness and are motivated to practice the IAM daily, some along with their parents. So many children, even those only 10-years old experience how much Amma's IAM meditation makes a big difference in how they are feeling. For example, one quite mature 11-year-old girl had joined the course with the desire to 'find another perspective in my life'. After the course, she shared her surprise that she experienced so much peace inside her and she motioned with her hands, 'and all around me'. And she was still feeling it as she shared."

Practicing IAM meditation regularly has practical benefits that can be applied to many circumstances. Whether it is test taking, improving sleep, reducing stress, improving relationships, or many other psychological, emotional, or social challenges, IAM has been shown to help.

Youth IAM meditation versions are offered for ages 10-14 years and 15-18 years. Parents are encouraged to attend the course and practice this meditation with their children. CLICK HERE for the schedule of IAM Courses available online via Zoom. For more information contact youthiammeditation@ammagroups.org