Transcendental Meditation is one of the most simple types of meditation, but also, one of the most effective.
Transcendental Meditation was introduced to the West by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the 1950s. Based on Vedic philosophy, transcendental meditation is a simple form of meditation involving a mantra, (chant,) that concentrates on the mind to achieve a higher state of consciousness. In fact, compared to some of the other forms of meditation, some practioners claim to obtain pure consciousness and complete happiness.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi graduated with a degree in physics from Allahabad University. He studied with Swami Brahmananda for 13 years before spending two years in silence in the Himalayas. He began teaching transcendental meditation and by the 1960s, transcendental meditation was known throughout the world with many celebrity followers including the Beatles.
The Beatles And Transcendental Meditation
The Beatles had hoped for a spiritual journey when they traveled to Rishikesh, India for a two month meditation course with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Unfortunately, the press got wind of it and turned it into a media frenzy. Disappointed, John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote about it in some of their songs including Dear Prudence. Although the Beatles were unable to complete their teachings because of the media, Beatle fans from around the world sought to learn transcendental meditation.
How To Learn Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental meditation is a type of meditation that is taught through a seven step program. It begins with two lectures, followed by a private interview. Next, there are four consecutive days of instruction. Once the program is completed, there is a follow-up program to make sure practitioners are meditating correctly.
Transcendental meditation cannot be learned from a book. The program is taught by qualified transcendental meditation teachers. Courses are offered all over the world. It is particularly popular in the United States. The cost is $1,500 for adults and $750 for full-time students and those in financial need.
The Benefits Of Transcendental Meditation
There are many benefits associated with transcendental meditation (TM). On the physical level, it reduces stress and fatigue. This leads to lowering high blood pressure and overall improving an individual's health. On a mental level, it improves thinking, allows for deep, inner silence and peace, and gives a person the opportunity to experience pure consciousness. To reap the benefits of TM, a person merely needs to meditate 15-20 minutes, two times a day.
Although the cost may seem expensive, proponents believe that this type of meditation is far better than any other meditation techniques. Furthermore, they believe that the benefits that come through transcendental meditation far exceed the money spent to take the course. For further information contact: 1-888-Learn-TM.
The Best Guide To Meditation, Victor N. Davich, (Renaissance Media, Inc.,) 1998.
Meditation For Dummies, Stephan Bodian, (Wiley Publishing,) 2006.
The copyright of the article Transcendental Meditation in Meditation Techniques is owned by Janis Masyk-Jackson. Permission to republish Transcendental Meditation in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Thank you for this article which highlights The Transcendental Meditation
Program (TM). There is one point I wanted to clarify for your readers. TM
does not involve any concentration at all. It is an effortless mental
technique that does not involve any chanting. I've been practicing TM for
many years and you are right, you need to learn TM from a qualified
teacher. To find the closest TM teacher to you, go to TM.org. Learning TM
was the best decision I ever made. It has improved my life in every
possible way. Thank goodness you don't have to take my word for it! There
has been so much rigorous research validating the benefits of TM in all
areas of life! The majority of these studies compared TM to other
practices or control groups. 350 peer-reviewed research studies were
conducted on over 10,000 subjects who were practicing the TM technique.
These studies included numerous randomized controlled trials, along with
eight meta-analyses of 597 separate studies on the effects of meditation.
The studies were conducted at Harvard Medical School, Yale Medical School,
Stanford Medical School, University of PA, University of Kentucky, and more
than 200 other independent institutions, and were done by 360 scientists
from 29 countries. Thanks again for bringing our attention to an important
topic that can really improve our lives.
Aug 26, 2009 8:11 PM
sparklingstar :
Thank you for this article which highlights The Transcendental Meditation
Program (TM). There is one point I wanted to clarify for your readers. TM
does not involve any concentration at all. It is an effortless mental
technique that does not involve any chanting. I've been practicing TM for
many years and you are right, you need to learn TM from a qualified
teacher. To find the closest TM teacher to you, go to TM.org. Learning TM
was the best decision I ever made. It has improved my life in every
possible way. Thank goodness you don't have to take my word for it! There
has been so much rigorous research validating the benefits of TM in all
areas of life! The majority of these studies compared TM to other practices
or control groups. 350 peer-reviewed research studies were conducted on
over 10,000 subjects who were practicing the TM technique. These studies
included numerous randomized controlled trials, along with eight
meta-analyses of 597 separate studies on the effects of meditation. The
studies were conducted at Harvard Medical School, Yale Medical School,
Stanford Medical School, University of PA, University of Kentucky, and more
than 200 other independent institutions, and were done by 360 scientists
from 29 countries. Thanks again for bringing our attention to an important
topic that can really improve our lives.
