Transcendental Meditation: A Journey of Self-Discovery
During the practice of Transcendental Meditation, the body is at rest and the mind is focused. The brain begins to undergo a remarkable change.
There has been an exponential growth in the practitioners of the ancient discipline of Transcendental Meditation since The Beatles visited Rishikesh.
Meditation has become a usual practice amongst many, from entrepreneurs to students, and every person in between. Meditation isn’t a passing trend – like the many we have seen. It grows exponentially on account of the results it brings in most and the body of scientific evidence validating its many benefits.
Of the countless techniques of meditation, there is one that may have been explored more than others, especially in occidental countries. It all started when a renowned Indian master named Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, initiated the Beatles into Transcendental meditation; which originated the meditation boom in Europe and North America.
Reasons to Practice Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation is a simple and effective technique that conditions the mood, nurtures the soul, and ignites the spiritual spark. Adding it to our daily wellness routine promises to help manage stress, minimize anxiety and control blood pressure, amongst other health benefits. Long-term practice of Transcendental Meditation can bring even more positive changes mentally, physically, and spiritually.
Transcendental meditation – sometimes known as TM – has been endorsed by celebrities, athletes and established businessmen alike. TM is a proven technique, which can help us cope with the daily struggles and challenges of modern life, making the journey pleasant.
What is Transcendental Meditation?
There is still some misconception about meditation. Many are of the view, sitting still and quiet, clearing all thoughts from the mind, and thinking nothing constitutes meditation.
First, it is important to define meditation. There is still some misconception about what meditation truly is. Many believe, sitting quietly and clearing the mind constitutes meditation. But this isn’t entirely accurate. Some mindfulness techniques require emptying the mind, restraining wandering and focusing on the present, but this is actually considered a technique of dharana – concentration, which is a preliminary practice to meditation.
Transcendental Meditation does not require restraint. The idea to sit with eyes closed, silently chant a mantra and maintain our focus on the mantra throughout. Initially, when the mind is focused on the mantra, the thoughts come and go as they please. It is important not to react to the thoughts or restrict our thoughts in any way, as this only leads to anxiety. This is a basic mistake many beginners are guilty of. Transcendental Meditation does not restrict the thought process. The process is simple: focus on the mantra and eventually everything will fall into place.
The Importance of Mantra in Transcendental Meditation
Sound is at the very core of Transcendental Meditation, in the form of a mantra. We chant the mantra whilst letting the thoughts come and go as they will, only observing them like a witness. This helps the mind settle down. The mantras help create space between the self and the thoughts.
The chanting of appropriate mantras and the state of peace they induce have a greatly positive impact on the body, mind and central nervous system. From a spiritual perspective, they open the doors to heightened states of awareness in which life itself becomes easier to command.
During the practice of Transcendental Meditation, the body is at rest and the mind is focused. The brain begins to undergo a remarkable change. Mantras stimulate the dormant centers and faculties in the brain and trigger the flow of prana– energy– throughout the body. It is said, mantras tap into our inherent energy, eventually guiding it to the surface, where we are able to direct it to benefit and improve our body, mind and spiritual quest.
Many practitioners of Transcendental meditation experience heightened energy levels, a calm and focused mind and an expanded consciousness, in tune with the rhythms of nature.
The Beeja Mantra
To initiate a beginner into the process of Transcendental Meditation, the guru or master hands over a seed or Beeja mantra to the practitioner. It is named a seed mantra because the initial seed of calming the mind, awakening the dormant energy and developing awareness are sowed.
At a later stage, the seed mantra is replaced by another mantra, tailored to the characteristics, aspirations, strengths, and weaknesses of the recipient. These customized mantras generate the right frequency, which puts the mind at ease, heals the body, and opens the door to a heightened awareness. There is also a consensus among practitioners of TM that an incorrect or unsuitable mantra can render the exact opposite results or even prove to be dangerous in some cases.
The unique mantras that Transcendental Meditation practitioners receive from their masters are their own – and never to be shared with others, not even close family members. The mantras create an unbroken bond between the master and disciple. It is said the orally transmitted mantra carries the wisdom and consciousness of the master.
The mantras are to be chanted silently whilst practicing relaxed breathing. Breathe normally, inhaling and exhaling gently; do not hurry the breath or the mantra. The body and mind must be relaxed and the mantra recited with complete awareness.
How to Practice Transcendental Meditation
The practice of Transcendental Meditation always involves a master guiding the process of meditation. There are no strict rules regarding the time and place of practice. A typical practice of TM involves spending twenty minutes, twice a day, meditating with the given mantra.
Sit on the floor and assume the lotus pose (or any alternative meditative posture), keeping the hands in your lap. Maintain an upright posture, with the eyes looking straight. Those who are unable to sit in a meditative posture can also sit on a chair, with back upright, the hands on the knees and feet on the ground.
Keep the eyes closed and practice deep breathing for a few moments to calm the mind and relax the body. The eyes must remain closed for the entire duration of the TM session.
Recite the mantra silently, without moving the lips. Harmonize the mantra recital with inhalation and exhalation. Silently repeat the mantra with full awareness. If the mind wanders, shifting focus away from the mantra; relax and return to the mantra. Do not try to block random thoughts. With regular practice, the thought interference will cease and all that will be left is the mantra.
At the end of the TM session, shift your attention from the mantra to your breathing. After a few moments, slowly move your fingers and toes, then your head from side to side, and finally, gently open your eyes.
The Spiritual Benefits of Transcendental Meditation
During Transcendental Meditation the mind isn’t at rest. It goes through a process of awakening and achieves a stage of super awareness that has been verified by Neuroscience. A brain which experiences a heightened awareness has a unique brain wave signature and EEG pattern. Scientific studies on brain functioning during TM have found increased activity in certain parts of the brain and higher amplitude alpha coherence.
Yogic literature enumerates seven different stages of consciousness we must all reach before self-realization. The first three – sleep, dream, and waking consciousness – are available and experienced by all. The remaining four can be attained through the practice of Transcendental Meditation.
The Last Stages of Consciousness
Transcendental Consciousness:
When a TM practitioner reaches this stage, he/she experiences total ‘silence’. In this stage, the mind is fully awake, the brain firing on all cylinders, but the senses and mind are silent. Transcendental consciousness can also be referred to as the stage of complete ‘Bliss’. At this level, one is completely immune to the turbulence of the real world.
Cosmic Consciousness:
In the previous stage, practitioners get an initial taste of the bliss which the silent senses and mind produces. When we reach the fifth stage of Cosmic Consciousness the experience becomes stabilized. The mind, for once and for all, ditches the ego and identifies itself with the inner consciousness. The practitioner doesn’t identify the self with the body; the words ‘I’ and ‘me’ perish from the vocabulary. The true spiritual awakening process begins when the practitioner realizes that the body and world are temporary and illusory.
Divine Consciousness
The journey to unfold deeper consciousness and reach the Atman or the true self begins. The silence, bliss, and self-realization percolate deeper and deeper and the mind reaches a stage where everything is beautiful, pure, and good. In this stage, based on their traits, people might behave differently. Practitioners may become deeply spiritual and spend their time in service of others.
Unity Consciousness
True spiritual awakening is achieved when we finally experience that the true individual self and universal consciousness are one and the same. To realize this truth, we need to experience it. There is no more duality, no inner or outer, me or you, real or unreal. Everything becomes one.
Research on Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation conditions the body and mind to support a practitioner’s spiritual quest. There are many benefits – both short- and long-term – associated with Transcendental Meditation. The most noticeable ones include stress management, relief from anxiety, cognitive enhancement, and improvement of heart health.
Scientific studies have also found Transcendental Meditation helps in the treatment of insomnia, depression, PTSD, addiction, ADD/ADHD, Alzheimer’s, and autism spectrum disorders.
Dozens of studies have been conducted to examine the physical and mental benefits of Transcendental Meditation. In 2017, the meta-analysis of several studies revealed that TM can lower blood pressure. The results of these studies have convinced the American Heart Association to promote Transcendental Meditation in clinical practice.
Three years prior to this, another meta-analysis of more than a dozen studies found, in comparison to the standard treatment, the practice of Transcendental Meditation was more effective in reducing anxiety. Just two weeks of TM could help manage anxiety for years.
In 2015, researchers examined the impact of TM on high school students. Practicing Transcendental Meditation for just 15 minutes, twice a day, reduced stress levels and improved the academic performance of the participants. The students in the TM group also reported an increase in self-confidence, better sleep and energy, a positive attitude, and an improved outlook on life.
When The Beatles met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi began the Spiritual Regeneration Movement in Chennai (previously known as Madras) in 1957. He then traveled worldwide to spread TM and his spiritual teachings.
In 1966, George Harrison’s wife visited Bombay and developed a great interest in eastern philosophy. In 1967, when Maharishi Mahesh Yogi visited London, she attended his lecture on transcendental meditation. She was so impressed with what she learned, she convinced George, Jane Asher, Paul McCartney and John Lennon to attend the next lecture in London.
After the lecture, the Beatles met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi privately for 90 minutes. Fascinated by his teachings and philosophy, they decided to attend the TM seminar in Bangor, Wales. No special arrangements were made for the Beatles. They happily stayed in a rented school room with other attendants.
They were given personal mantras from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Their practices impacted them so much, they visited Maharishi’s ashram in Rishikesh with their friends and family, where they wrote many songs included in the ‘The White Album’.