Learning How to Practice Transcendental Meditation

Learning How to Practice Transcendental Meditation
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What is it?

Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a form of mantra meditation, meaning it involves repeating a word or phrase which is aimed at expanding ones awareness.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1917-2008), born in India, introduced Transcendental Meditation (based on the ancient Vedic tradition) to the world in 1959. It quietly gained popularity during the 1960s and 70s when personalities like the Beatles visited India to learn TM from the Maharishi. Today, certified teachers from around the world have taught the techniques of TM to over six million people of all cultures and religions.

Learning How to Practice

The technique of Transcendental Meditation is said to be natural, simple, effortless, and easily learned (it does not involve concentration or contemplation like other forms of meditation).

The procedure is practiced for 15-20 minutes two times a day. It is recommended to perform it in the morning before breakfast and in the late afternoon before dinner. The morning session will help begin your day with an increase in mental alertness and physical energy and the afternoon session will help relieve stress that has accumulated during the day and allow you to relax for the evening before having a peaceful night of sleep.

To ensure correct practice, it is advised to take a seven-step course taught by a certified TM teacher.

Basics:

The mantra and the actual procedure of meditation will be given to you by your teacher which you are expected to keep to yourself (keep private).

Basically, you will sit in a comfortable position (no particular sitting position) in a room without distractions, close your eyes (allowing your mind and body to relax), breathe deeply, and repeat your mantra.

Benefits

Transcendental Meditation, performed twice a day, is claimed by research to put the mind in a state of pure consciousness and the body in a state of extreme relaxation, thus causing one to be more alert, creative, and intelligent throughout the day.

Over 600 studies from more than 250 Universities (including Stanford, UCLA, and Harvard) and research centers have been conducted on Transcendental Meditation.

Some of the many benefits of TM include:

  • improving memory, decision making, and problem solving
  • reducing stress, anxiety, anger, and depression
  • improving confidence and self-esteem
  • reducing stress-related disorders such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, and stroke
  • decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease
  • feeling years younger
  • increasing life expectancy

Transcendental Meditation has helped people with post-traumatic stress syndrome and people with alcohol and drug addictions. It has also been shown to be effective in rehabilitating prisoners.

Conclusion

A meta-analysis, published in the American Journal of Health Promotion, of 597 studies involving most meditation techniques concluded that TM had significantly better results in physical and mental health.

Learning how to practice Transcendental Meditation can cost about $2,500. The benefits are said to be immediate and will continue to increase overtime.

Sources Used

The Transcendental Meditation Program: https://www.tm.org/

Maharishi University of Management: https://www.mum.edu/tm.html

Photo Credit

Image courtesy of https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MahareshiYogi2.jpg

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