MEDITATION
MAN
The college crew at Swenson’s
was the usual motley collection of
hippies, straights and everything
in between, recalls Roth. But one
guy stood out: Peter Stevens. “He
was like a quiet reflection pool
amid the chaos,” recalls Roth,
“and I was drawn to him.”
“Peter was centered, energetic,
super-smart, kind to all, easy-going, never agitated, with an ineffable calm about him,” Roth told
The Huffington Post. He learned
that Peter “meditated,” something that Roth said was a bit of a
disconnect for him. “Meditation
was not in my vocabulary.” But
he was intrigued and curious, and
went with Stevens to a class in
TM, a meditative practice derived
from the ancient Vedic tradition in India. After just one class,
Roth was hooked.
Today, Roth is the executive director of the David Lynch
Foundation, where he has helped
bring TM programs to more than
300,000 at-risk kids in 35 countries, as well as veterans suffering
from post-traumatic stress disorder, and women and girls who are
survivors of domestic violence.
He’s also the national director of
the Center for Leadership Performance, which introduces the TM
HUFFINGTON
10.27.13
program to business, industry and
government organizations — and
even some United Nations groups.
Today, Roth’s student roster
includes a lot of very recognizable names: Oprah, Russell Simmons, Russell Brand, Martin
Scorsese, Mehmet Oz, Hugh
Jackman and dozens of others. He’d be embarrassed to be
Roth’s student roster
includes Oprah, Russell
Simmons, Russell Brand,
Martin Scorsese, Mehmet
Oz and Hugh Jackman.
called “meditation teacher to the
stars,” but such a description
wouldn’t be far off. For the past
40 years, he has meditated twice
a day no matter where he is, in
places as discombobulat