Transcendental Meditation has been invaluable to me and many other people I know because it gives you equanimity, aligns your subconscious mind with your conscious mind, and is restful and healthy. It is the best gift that I could give you. — Ray
If you want to learn it, please click here.
This gift has been made possible through
a grant from Dalio Philanthropies to the
David Lynch Foundation.
Ray Dalio, the 2026 LIU Commencement Speaker, is the founder of Bridgewater Associates and the author of several bestselling books, including Principles: Life and Work and Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order. Ray grew up in a middle-class Long Island neighborhood and started playing the markets at age 12, getting tips from golfers for whom he caddied.
In 1969, Ray learned TM as an undergraduate student at C.W. Post College of Long Island University. In 1971, he graduated from LIU with a BS in finance and in 1973, he earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. In 1975, Ray launched Bridgewater from his two-bedroom New York City apartment.
Dalio Philanthropies was founded by the Dalio family in 2003 to organize and implement their giving. It operates three primary programs: education and serving youth (Dalio Education), ocean exploration and protection (OceanX), and digital access (Endless). It also supports other organizations to catalyze positive change around the world. Since the inception of Dalio Philanthropies, the family has provided over $7 billion in support of its mission.
David Lynch Foundation is a nonprofit organization that was founded by filmmaker David Lynch in 2005 to provide free TM classes to at-risk and under-resourced adults and teenagers, including frontline healthcare workers, women and children survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, first responders, veterans, and others in need. During the past 20 years DLF has provided scholarships for more than 1.5 million adults and children to learn TM in the US and worldwide
Long Island University, founded in 1926, is a leading research and teaching university that continues to redefine higher education by providing high-quality academic instruction by world-class faculty, serving more than 16,000 students from its Long Island and Brooklyn campuses.Recognized by Forbes for its emphasis on experiential learning and by the Brookings Institution for its “value added” to student outcomes, the University is ranked in the top 7% of national research universities. LIU has a network of more than 200,000 alumni, including industry leaders and entrepreneurs around the globe. Visit www.liu.edu for more information.
TM is a simple, natural technique, practiced for 15-20 minutes twice a day, sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. The technique allows the active thinking mind to settle down to a state of “restful alertness” during which the body is deeply relaxed and the mind is quiet, calm, and yet wide awake inside. TM has been learned by over 15 million people of all ages, religions, and cultural backgrounds.
During the past 50 years, more than 480 studies have been conducted at hundreds of universities and research institutions worldwide and published in independent, peer-reviewed scientific and medical journals documenting the wide range of benefits to mental and physical health of the TM technique.
The National Institutes of Health and other national agencies have provided over $30 million in grants to study the benefits of TM for:
Published research has also shown significant improvements in:
and decreases in:
TM is an easily learned, effortless technique that does not require concentration or control of the mind nor does it not involve revisiting stressful events. Many people practice TM as well as other meditation and mindfulness practices.
TM is taught through an eight-step course of instruction that includes an introductory presentation, four classes offered over four consecutive days of individual and classroom instruction with a certified teacher, and three follow-up classes. Each class is 60 minutes. After the eight classes there is the option to participate in a two-year advanced follow up program, at no cost, to ensure you are meditating correctly and gaining maximum benefits.
Ray Dalio is providing a full scholarship for every member of the LIU Graduating Class of 2026 to learn the TM technique. For more information about the technique, as well as teaching locations nationwide, course schedules, and how to sign up, etc., please click here to complete the enclosed form. The offer is good through December 31, 2026.