A little over a year ago, as she was traveling home from a business trip, Judy Warren picked up a phone call that she believed to be from her partner. It was not. It was a friend, calling from his phone, to tell Judy that her partner was “on the ground and they were trying to revive him.” He was having a heart attack.

Below is an excerpt of her story, “My Journey Through Grief With Transcendental Meditation.”

I did not know for sure, until I got to our home, that he was gone. I drove into the driveway, and the presence of my loved ones’ stricken faces signaled the beginning of my journey into grief.

“[TM] allowed my body and spirit to process the intense grief and still somehow continue the daunting task of living.” At that moment, the “home” I lived in belonged to his children (precious humans who offered to let me live there until I was able to get settled), since I had moved in with him and sold or given away most of my furnishings. I began the process of creating my new life and space in Raleigh, where my precious daughter and her family live. In one fell swoop, I had lost my love, my home, and my perception of my future.

I learned TM three and a half years ago. I had meditated in the past, but this technique offered consistent results and was portable in my life in traveling business development. The moment I learned to meditate in this way, I was calmer, more focused, and much more present to my life. [It was] something I felt, but also heard with great consistency from my friends and family. I will always be grateful for the people who inspired me to learn TM not by their evangelism but the way they live and connect in the world, inspirations to us all. I particularly enjoyed the book Transcendence by Norman Rosenthal, as it details in very scientific terms the quantifiable benefits of regular practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique.

“I believe with my whole heart that TM allowed me to function better, heal faster, and manage the intense PTSD that occurs around a traumatic event.” As soon as I could, I meditated with both of my home groups – in Asheville, North Carolina, and a Raleigh-area group that had an unexpected as meeting near me. It was a very powerful and loving experience. Meditation allowed my body and spirit to process the intense grief and still somehow continue the daunting task of living.

There were so many things to navigate those first few months, things I could never really imagine that were surprising, hurtful, and emotionally jarring. I believe with my whole heart that TM allowed me to function better, heal faster, and manage the intense PTSD that occurs around a traumatic event. It also helped ease the pain of a recent anniversary that caught me off guard with the intensity and suffering it brought.

Meditation allowed me to work, which is actually a greater task than you can imagine, and function in the cloud of grief and pain.

The article first appeared on the Huffington Post’s GPS For The Soul. Warren writes in her bio, “I am a sales and marketing executive, outdoor enthusiast, and lifetime learner. I have a wonderful daughter and 2 amazing grandchildren. I am in the process of writing a dating book for conscious women.”