I first learned the practice of TM in 1976 at UCLA. I knew nothing about TM, but the man that I was about to marry practiced it and wanted us to do it together. He had learned the practice while visiting Spain in the early 1970s when Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was there.

Over the years, although our marriage didn’t survive, TM did. As a single mother to three daughters in the 1980s, it was a scary time. I only had a high-school education, and my job prospects were pretty much limited to the clerical or secretarial field. TM became my go-to in times of stress. I have to admit, there were plenty of times that I let my practice slide, but I always went back to it, especially during particularly stressful times.

Diane Erbeznik and her daughters (counterclockwise) Elizabeth, Katherine, and Sarah in 1986, Suisin City, CA.

I truly believe that TM saved my sanity on many occasions. Statistically, a single mom of three daughters should have been on welfare, a grandmother at a very early age, and unsuccessful. None of those things happened—and I attribute that to handling my stress through TM. It certainly was far better than falling into drugs or alcohol.

Over time, as I raised my daughters to be responsible citizens, I earned my college degree, which led to promotions and better job opportunities. Today, I am a banking compliance officer for a mid-size bank.

All three of my daughters became successful women as well. Among the three of them, there are two Ph.D. degrees and one J.D. degree. My oldest daughter and her husband began practicing TM in 2013, as did my middle daughter.

We all have seen the value in our lives of practicing Transcendental Meditation.

Diane Erbeznik is a financial compliance officer living in Palm Desert, California—not far from her two youngest granddaughters. The banner photo above features Diane and her daughters (left to right) Elizabeth, Katherine, Sarah, Elizabeth’s daughter Madeline, and Diane, at Sarah’s wedding in Sacramento, CA in 2013.