How to Practice Transcendental Meditation
If you’re looking for a form of meditation that can be learned quickly and easily, transcendental meditation (or TM) may be for you. This type of meditation was popularized in the West by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the 1950s and has since been practiced by celebrities such as Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen DeGeneres, and David Lynch. In this blog post, we’ll give you an overview of TM—including how to practice it and some of the benefits you may experience from regular transcendental meditation sessions.
What are the Different Types of Meditation?
You’ve probably heard of meditation, but did you know that there are different types? Some of the most popular types of meditation include mindfulness, loving-kindness, and transcendental meditation.
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is a form of mindfulness that is widely practiced in the western world. It is based on the teachings of the Buddha and is said to be helpful in reducing stress, improving mental clarity, and promoting physical health. There are many different ways to practice mindfulness meditation, but the basic premise is to focus on the present moment without judgment. This can be done by paying attention to your breath, focusing on a mantra or word, or simply observing your thoughts and emotions as they arise. Mindfulness meditation can be done seated or standing, and there is no need for special equipment or clothing. All you need is a quiet place to focus your attention.
Loving-Kindness Meditation
Loving-kindness meditation is a form of meditation that involves sending positive thoughts and energy to yourself and others. This type of meditation can help you feel more connected to others and can increase your overall sense of well-being. Loving-kindness meditation is a practice that can be used to cultivate compassion and kindness. The goal of the practice is to develop positive emotions towards others, even those who may be difficult to love. To begin the practice, find a comfortable seat and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths and settle into the moment. Then, begin to repeat phrases of loving-kindness and compassion, such as “may all beings be happy and free from suffering.” As you repeat these phrases, visualizing the people in your life who could benefit from your loving-kindness. You may also want to extend your compassion to all beings, including animals, plants, and the Earth itself. The practice can be done for any length of time, but even a few minutes can offer benefits. With regular practice, you may find that your heart begins to open more easily to others, and that you feel more connected to all of life.
Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental meditation is a specific type of mantra meditation that involves the use of a mantra, or a word or phrase that is repeated over and over again. This type of meditation can help you to focus your mind and achieve a state of relaxation. It was popularized in the West by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The goal of TM is to reach a state of “transcendental consciousness” or ” pure awareness.” This state is difficult to describe in words but can be experienced during deep sleep or moments of great creativity. Once reached, it is said to provide a foundation for improving all areas of life—including health, relationships, and work performance.
There are many different types of meditation, each with its own unique benefits. If you’re interested in exploring meditation, we encourage you to try out different types to see which one works best for you. Who knows, you might just find that meditating is exactly what you need to live a happier and more fulfilled life!
How to Practice Transcendental Meditation
The first step to practicing TM is finding a certified teacher. Once you’ve found a teacher that you feel comfortable with, they will guide you through your first meditation session. Here’s what you can expect during your first session:
– You will be asked to sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed.
– Your teacher will then guide you through a series of deep breaths.
– Once you’re relaxed, your teacher will give you a meaningless sound (or mantra) to focus on.
– You will repeat this mantra over and over again in your mind for about 20 minutes.
– After 20 minutes, your teacher will ring a bell, at which point you can open your eyes and return to the present moment.
It’s important to note that transcendental meditation is not about clearing your mind of thoughts—this is impossible! Instead, the goal is simply to let thoughts come and go without getting caught up in them. With regular practice, it is said that the quality of your thoughts will begin to change—moving from surface-level thinking to more profound insights about yourself and the world around you.
Building TM into your routine
For many people, the challenge of meditation is not only getting started, but also making it a regular part of their daily routine. However, with a little planning and effort, it is possible to build meditation into your daily life in a way that works for you. One important factor to consider is how long you want to meditate for. If you are new to meditation, it is advisable to start with shorter sessions of 5-10 minutes. Once you have established a regular practice, you can gradually increase the length of your sessions to 15-20 minutes. 20-minute sessions, twice daily, give you enough time to get the benefits of TM. As for the best times of day to meditate, there is no hard and fast rule. Some people prefer to meditate first thing in the morning, while others find it more helpful to wind down with a session before bed.
Ultimately, the key is to find a time that works for you and stick with it. Even with busy schedules, with a little bit of planning and effort, you can soon make meditation a healthy and enriching part of your daily life.
Meditation Area
A good spot for transcendental meditation is somewhere comfortable where you will not be disturbed. It is also important to ensure that the space is quiet and free from distractions. Many people prefer to meditate in a room with dim lighting, as this can help to create a more calming atmosphere. Once you have found a suitable location, you can begin the meditation practice by sitting with your spine straight and your eyes closed. You may want to focus on your breath or repeat a mantra during the meditation. The goal of transcendental meditation is to achieve a state of deep relaxation, so it is important to let go of any thoughts or worries that arise during the practice. With regular practice, you should be able to find a state of inner peace and calm.
Use of Mantras
In transcendental meditation, a mantra is a word or phrase that is repeated over and over again. The mantra is thought to help focus the mind and still the thoughts, allowing the practitioner to achieve a deeper state of meditation. While the specifics of how the mantra works are not fully understood, it is believed that the repetition helps to quiet the mental chatter that can interfere with clear thinking. TM is considered to be a less intensive form of meditation than some other types. As such, it is often practiced by beginners or those who are looking for a gentler way to meditate.
The Benefits of Transcendental Meditation
There are many potential benefits associated with transcendental meditation, including improved sleep quality, lower blood pressure, reduced stress levels, and increased feelings of well-being. In one recent study, researchers found that people who practiced TM had significantly lower rates of heart attack and stroke than those who did not meditate at all or who practiced another form of meditation (such as mindfulness).
Reduce High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease
The David Lynch Foundation lists the peer-reviewed studies that show the benefits of transcendental meditation. One of the most cited papers are:
Review of Controlled Research on the Transcendental Meditation Program and Cardiovascular Disease
This article written by Walton et al talks about how the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique has been shown to reduce traditional and novel risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including decreases in blood pressure, reduced use of tobacco and alcohol, lowering of high cholesterol and lipid oxidation, and decreased psychosocial stress.
Changes expected to result from reducing these risk factors, namely, reversal of atherosclerosis, reduction of myocardial ischemia and left ventricular hypertrophy, and reduced health insurance claims for CVD.
Stress Reduction
I have a middle school student, and reducing anxiety is one of the main reasons I’m interested in TM. The University of Michigan published scientific research on stress in a paper entitled “Transcendental Meditation reduces stress and increases happiness among middle school students” by Rita Benn, University of Michigan in National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, April 2003
A growing body of evidence suggests that Transcendental Meditation may be an effective tool for reducing stress and promoting happiness, particularly among children. Two studies on 60 sixth-graders at two middle schools found the practice of Transcendental Meditation over four months positively affected emotional development in early adolescent children in a school setting. Meditating students also had significantly higher scores on affectivity, self-esteem and emotional competence. The findings suggest that Transcendental Meditation could be a helpful addition to existing stress-reduction programs for middle school students. Given the high levels of stress experienced by many young people today, further research on the potential benefits of meditation is warranted.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Brooks and Scarano wrote about Transcendental meditation in the treatment of post-Vietnam adjustment in the Journal of Counseling and Development in 1985. This study talked about how TM helped veterans with PTSD, and was a great aid in their recovery process
Insomnia
For many people, insomnia is a chronic condition that leads to restless nights and weary days. Although there are many potential causes of insomnia, one of the most common is stress. When we’re stressed, our bodies produce more of the hormone cortisol, which makes it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help reduce stress and get a better night’s sleep. One of them is transcendental meditation. Transcendental meditation is a type of mindfulness meditation that involves sitting quietly and focusing on a mantra or a single word. Research has shown that transcendental meditation can help to lower cortisol levels and improve sleep quality. In one study, participants who practiced transcendental meditation for 20 minutes twice a day for eight weeks reported significant improvements in their sleep quality, with fewer waking up during the night and falling asleep more quickly. If you want to get better sleep, transcendental meditation may be worth trying.
Conclusion
Transcendental Meditation provides several benefits such as improved sleep quality, lower blood pressure, and reduced stress levels etc. With regular practice, Transcendental Meditation can help you experience more inner peace and clarity in daily life. Despite what you may think, transcendental meditation is not about sitting with your legs crossed and your eyes closed, attempting to empty your mind of all thoughts. Instead, it is a simple and effortless technique that anyone can learn.
And there are many good reasons to learn it. Transcendental meditation has been shown to improve mental well-being, decrease stress levels, and promote physical health. It can also increase creativity and productivity and help you to become more successful in whatever endeavors you undertake.
Transcendental meditation is a great tool for cultivating mindful presence and appreciating life as it comes. It helps us to let go of our habit to control every circumstance and allows us to be receptive to the guidance within, guiding us through life with ease. With a transcendental meditation practice, we can observe our experience as if it were a movie, engaging all our senses, taking moments in completely rather than filtering them through thoughts and expectations. In this way, we can open up to a much richer experience of reality by allowing the present moment to unfold exactly as it should with its own intelligence guiding the way.
To further increase your well being, here are five highly effective mindfulness activities.
In short, transcendental meditation is a powerful tool that can help you to improve your life in a number of ways. So why not give it a try? You may be surprised at the results.
