Transcendental Meditation

About forty years ago, Maharishi Mahesk Yogi pioneered the Transcendental Meditation program. The Transcendental Meditation technique is a natural, unforced practice that reduces stress and increases an individual’s mental and physical potential. TM (Transcendental Meditation) is often experienced for fifteen to twenty minutes twice a day. Typically, one meditates in the morning before eating breakfast; this practice helps the person start his day both alert and energized. The second meditation session occurs in the afternoon before dinner. During this practice, one washes away the stress accumulated over the day, and this session is the basis for a pleasurable evening and a restful night’s sleep (http://www.tm.org/book/chap_1.html). Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation causes the mind and body to enter a unique, insightful state of mind that is both restful and alert. As the body benefits from a deep state of rest, the mind goes into a state of inner tranquility and awareness.

TM advocates claim that Transcendental Meditation is unlike any other forms of mediation or relaxation techniques. The TM program is more effective in reducing apprehension, improving mental health, increasing self-awareness, and reducing the abuse of cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol. Unlike hypnosis, Transcendental Meditation is normal and entails no proposals. The technique is simple to learn, is easy to practice, and does not include concentration or contemplation, which other forms of meditation and self- improvement do (http://www.tm.org/book/chap_9.html). “The result: Do less and accomplish more with greater energy, success, and satisfaction in everything you do” (http://www.tm.org/book/chap_9.html).

A qualified teacher of the TM program is said to be the only person capable of teaching Transcendental Meditation. The course consists of seven steps. The first phase consists of an introductory lecture during which the individual is exposed to all of the possible benefits of the TM program. The second step, the preparatory lecture, teaches each person the procedure and the origin of the TM technique. Then, the individual must have an interview with a qualified teacher of the TM program. The fourth step includes personal instruction about how to learn the Transcendental Meditation technique. “Verification and Validation of Experiences” encompasses the final three phases. In the first of the three, the individual verifies the precision of the program and receives further instruction. Then, the person develops an understanding of the TM technique’s mechanics based on personal experiences.