Filmmaker Lynch pushes transcendental meditation

Award-winning film director David Lynch closed his eyes and moved his lips as a member of the audience asked him a question.

In doing so, Lynch proved his belief in the power of transcendental meditation.

Lynch spoke at Penn's Harrison Auditorium to an audience consisting of both Penn students and just as many -- if not more -- Philadelphia residents.

Lynch's popularity with the audience was obvious.

Aside from the roar of applause upon his entrance from the crowd -- which filled the 790-seat auditorium -- an overflow line of fans unable to get in wrapped around the building.

"I'm not so surprised about the line up to get in," Philadelphia resident Ben Faranda, 28, said. "I'm surprised I got in, quite frankly."

Although Lynch entertained questions about his films, he focused mainly on discussing his new organization, the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace, which aims to raise money to train students to practice transcendental meditation.

While most questions were related to Lynch's extensive film career, every answer seemed to relate back to meditation.

"I believe everyone who lives in Philadelphia could use transcendental meditation," said Lynch, who lived in Philadelphia for five years. "I started shortly after I left here. I had so much anxiety, fear and anger."

"Transcendental meditation is the vehicle to take you to that eternal field of being," Lynch continued. "I came out to talk about this because I truly believe it will bring peace on Earth."

The symposium also consisted of three scientists, John Hagelin, Andrew Newberg and Fred Travis, who discussed the brain's response to meditation.

Hagelin presented meditation as a favorable alternative to prescribed drugs.

"We need something better, something natural," Hagelin said. "Medically, meditation is useful, but educationally, it's vital."

Travis showed how meditation could be educationally beneficial with an electroencephalogram demonstration. His subject, Shane Sismen, sat on the stage with 32 sensors attached to his head as he meditated. The audience witnessed his brain activity gain rhythm and higher altitudes, both signs of a restful state.

"The fatigue, high stress, bad food and alcohol of your college experience is bad for your brain," said Travis, author of Is College Bad for Your Brain?

"Through meditation, you can be restful and alert in class, rather than tired and bored."

"I felt David Lynch was [a] compelling speaker," College senior Andrea Scott said. "He put transcendental meditation in a nice package, whether you could understand its scientific effects or not."

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