Finding zen in the media spotlight might not be easy, but this summer Barbara Walters set out to achieve it through meditation. Walters explained her decision to take up the practice -- including adopting a mantra -- to co-hosts Sherri Shepherd, Whoopi Goldberg and Jenny McCarthy on Monday's season premiere of The View.


"I tried to learn to meditate," Walters said. "They said that it makes you centered. I feel very centered -- I love you all, I'm very happy."


The View co-host isn't the first celebrity to discover the benefits of meditation. Oprah Winfrey, Russell Brand and David Lynch all have praised the positive effects of Transcendental Meditation[1] , a type of meditation known for reducing stress and improving overall well-being. Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch also spoke out about taking up TM recently[2] after multiple recommendations.


Research has linked TM with a number of physical and mental health benefits, including increased focus and creativity[3] . The practice has also been linked to improved academic performance[4] , reduced anxiety[5] and lower blood pressure.


Check out the full video of Barbara Walters talking meditation on The View here[6] .


For more on meditation, click here[7] .




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  • Oprah Winfrey


    The media mogul spoke with Dr. Oz about her newfound practice and her visit to Fairfield, Iowa, a town of 9,500 people where an estimated third of the population has a regular meditation practice. <blockquote><strong>CORRECTION</strong>: <em>Due to a typing error, an early version of this article stated that Fairfield had a population of 95,000.</em></blockquote>




  • Russell Brand


    Achieving fame and fortune wasn't satisfying, says Brand. Instead, he sought something more substantial than social values like commercialism and celebrity.

    Transcendental Meditation helped him feel a part of something greater, he reported at a recent press conference for the David Lynch foundation, adding that the practice helps him remain sober.




  • Moby


    Moby says that he is drawn to TM because it isn't dogmatic and requires very little formality.




  • Paul McCartney


    George Harrison's wife Patty introduced McCartney and the rest of the Beatles to Maharishi in the late 1960s. "He made it seem simple, he made it seem very attractive," says McCartney.




  • Sheryl Crow


    The singer discusses how meditation helped her recover and move past her breast cancer diagnosis.