How Vedic Math BeneIits Everyone

By Richard Blum

The purpose oI this article is to explain why learning Vedic Math (VM) is a beneIit to all who
study it. I have been studying and teaching VM Ior about 12 years. During that time, I have tried to
interest various segments oI the general public to learn and appreciate VM. I would like to describe some
oI the experiences I have had so that any budding VM teachers might learn Irom my experiences.

The Iirst group that I approached was, in my estimation, the most logical and the one with the
greatest impact on our youth: the public school system. I was woeIully mistaken in that I thought they
would be greatly interested. The example that I typically give, to sum up the response I have received
over the years is this: let us assume that there is a student that has been shown the traditional methodology
to add and subtract Iractions and they do not and cannot understand it. They have honestly tried to Iigure
out how to solve problems oI this type using the tools their teacher has provided them, but, to no avail.
They just cannot Iigure out how to do it. By continuing to 'beat their head against the wall trying, to no
avail, to understand the teacher`s approach, they are Irustrated and have started down the road oI hating
math Ior the rest oI their lives. I explain within one minute how they can solve problems oI this type using
Vedic techniques. They can now just look at the Iraction problem and immediately just state the answer in
Iive seconds or less. You would think that the teacher observing this would 84:9 'please tell me what
you told him so I can take it back to all oI my other students having the same misery with Iraction
problems. UnIortunately, this is not what I hear. The response I receive over and over is 'I don`t like this
approach. When I ask why, they tell me 'how do I know that the student knows what he is doing iI he
doesn`t write anything down. I have two responses Ior the teacher. The Iirst response is that the student
got the right answer. The second response is that I only explained how the method works; it will take
another minute or two to explain why it works. As unbelievable as it may seem, they will not accept my
reasons. They would rather have the student not be able to do Iraction problems, be incredibly Irustrated
and start to hate math with a passion. Maybe this is the reason that almost everyone in every class I have
been invited to raises their hands when I ask how many oI them hate math. It is a terrible situation when
students aged 13-15 have to rely on a calculator to multiply single digit numbers. I have been in classes
where I will ask literally, 'what is 6 times 4? and they cannot give an answer. One student actually
started counting on her Iingers in an attempt to get an answer. This is a pervasive problem that the United
States has been suIIering with Ior some time. In the 2009 PISA Study, which tested 15 year olds in Math,
Reading and Science Irom the top 65 industrialized countries in the world, the United States ranked 31
st
in
Math and not much better in the other areas. Until the education establishment in the United States
realizes that their current approach to teaching math does not work and are willing to examine alternative
approaches, I have the Ieeling that this situation will only get worse.

There are groups that are willing to listen to alternative approaches to learning math. One very
responsive group has been homeschoolers. I have given VM workshops to these groups with very positive
results. By the end oI the workshop, the students Ieel 'empowered with the knowledge that they can now
do certain types oI math problems Iaster than they ever thought they could do beIore (more about the
concept oI 'empowerment later on). The parents in these classes usually have mixed emotions regarding
my presentation. On the one hand, they are just as amazed as their children with their new Iound ability in
mathematics, but, on the other hand, they are angry that they were never shown these techniques when
they went to school. I have also Iound that there will always be many parents that appear to place a higher
importance on education than others. These parents are open to anything they Ieel will enable their
children to better compete in the world. These parents show a remarkably solid concern towards the
importance oI education.

I have Iound two additional groups that appreciate the beneIits oI Vedic Math. Just recently, I gave
two workshops Ior the hearing impaired in my community. Never presenting to the deaI beIore, I was a
little anxious as to how both the material and I would be received. To my delight, the time I spent with
them was a success. They understood what I was explaining to them and by the time the workshop was
over, they all had smiles and Ielt 'empowered. The other group that I have become involved with are the
unemployed in my community. There is a company in my community that will help the unemployed
receive all types oI Iinancial aid to get into educational/vocational programs to better position themselves
to get jobs. BeIore they can avail themselves oI this valuable resource, they need to pass a standardized
exam in reading and in math. About 60 - 65 Iail this exam with almost 95 Iailing speciIically due to
poor perIormance on the math portion. I have been providing workshops in VM to help them pass this
exam. Passing this exam can make the diIIerence between getting a job or not; between being able to Ieed
their Iamilies or not; even being able to keep their Iamilies together are not. VM is helping to change
people`s lives Ior the better. When they pass their exam, they Ieel 'empowered.

Several times above, I had used the term 'empowered. Let me now tell you about the true power
oI VM. The Iirst question you should ask yourselI is 'with all oI the negativity in the world, why would
any child (or adult) even want to learn Vedic Math? Society seems to be more interested in promoting
and admiring rock stars, athletes, sex and violence then they are oI scholars. Schools have stopped
teaching math and are now teaching 'calculator. Parents are more interested in getting their kids to
soccer practice then to make sure they understand the very basics that society demands: knowing how to
read and do math. The media is more interested in promoting their economic and political agendas at the
expense oI our children. Our children and our children`s peers are more interested in playing video games,
being on the internet, texting messages on their cell phones and going out with their Iriends then making
sure their homework is done properly and completely understood. Keeping your child happy is more
important than assuring that they are educated. Everyone is Iailing: society, schools, teachers, parents, the
media and, most oI all, our children. Again, I ask, with all oI this negativity, why would a person want to
learn Vedic Math? I will now tell you why. In every individual, there are certain undeniable traits that
exist irrespective oI the degree oI negativity that surrounds the person. These traits are: the need to Ieel
admired, the need to be envied, the need Ior the Ieeling one gets Irom being able to do something better
than anyone else and the need to Ieel good about oneselI. Learning VM meets these needs almost
immediately. In almost no time at all, a student learns a VM technique and can immediately multiply
large numbers, add and subtract Iractions, divide numbers, etc. Iaster than they ever thought possible;
Iaster than anyone they know; and most likely Iaster than anyone in their community. These positive
Ieelings are immediately Ielt during a VM workshop. I can`t tell you how many times I have seen a
student go Irom withdrawn and looking either bored or about to cry when I start a workshop and are
smiling and very positive by the end. They Ieel like they can take on the world. And why not? They have
just realized that one oI the biggest obstacles in their lives, mathematics, is now a stepping-stone to help
them reach the next higher level in their lives that they thought was previously unattainable. By proving
to them that they can do math, which they considered the hardest subject Ior them to learn, maybe liIe`s
other obstacles will same a little less insurmountable.

Learning Vedic Math will deIinitely enhance a person`s ability to do mathematics, but, as I have
detailed above, that is such a small part oI the beneIits that can be derived Irom VM.