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Pt. 6 Transcendental Meditation (TM)

Transcendental Meditation (TM) is “a simple and effortless technique that involves the use of a mantra, or sound, to promote deep relaxation and inner peace.” It is a form of meditation that is easy to learn and practice, and has been shown to have a wide range of benefits for both physical and mental health. The goal is to transcend or rise above the person’s current state of being.

One could say that TM is not just about meditation but is rather a movement or a religion. The primary goal of TM is to allow the mind to transcend ordinary thinking and experience a state of pure awareness, also known as “transcendental consciousness.” This state is characterized by deep inner calm, expanded awareness, and restfulness. Here are well-accepted goals and/or benefits of TM: 1. Transcendence of Thought: The core goal is to help the mind move beyond its usual active thinking and settle into a state of quiet, restful awareness. This state of transcendence is thought to be a natural state of consciousness that exists beyond mental activity. In this state, the mind becomes still while remaining fully alert, allowing for deep rest and rejuvenation. 2. Mental Clarity and Focus. By allowing the mind to reach this quiet, transcendental state, TM helps to improve mental clarity, focus, and creativity. The mind becomes less distracted by worries or everyday stress, leading to enhanced cognitive abilities and better decision-making. 3. Expansion of Consciousness. TM aims to expand one’s conscious awareness and sense of self. By transcending thought, the practitioner taps into a deeper level of consciousness that is less confined by ego or the day-to-day mind. This can lead to a sense of inner peace, greater spiritual insight, and connection to a more universal sense of being. To learn more, find resources and references at the end of this page

Additional well-accepted goals and benefits of TM include:

1. Deep Rest and Stress Reduction

  • TM is designed to produce a state of deep relaxation while maintaining alertness. By practicing TM, people can experience profound rest on a physical and mental level, reducing stress and tension accumulated in the nervous system.
  • Studies have shown that regular practice of TM can lower stress hormones (like cortisol) and reduce anxiety, leading to a more relaxed, balanced state of being.

2. Holistic Personal Growth

  • The regular practice of TM is believed to support personal growth on a mental, physical, and spiritual level. It brings about a sense of inner fulfillment, peace, and happiness. Over time, TM practitioners often report feeling more balanced, compassionate, and connected to their inner selves and others.

3. Increased Energy and Vitality

  • TM practitioners often experience greater energy and vitality due to the deep rest and reduced stress the practice provides. This replenished energy can enhance physical health, reduce fatigue, and improve overall well-being.

4. Improved Health and Well-Being

  • Research has found that TM can improve various aspects of health, including lowering blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease, and improving overall cardiovascular health. The deep rest experienced during TM promotes physical recovery and helps the body heal from stress-related ailments.

5. Promoting World Peace (Maharishi Effect)

A broader, societal goal of TM is the Maharishi Effect—the idea that collective practice of TM, especially in large groups, creates a field of coherence in the environment. This is thought to reduce societal stress and conflict, promoting peace and harmony in the broader community.

So what is Transcendental Meditation anyway?

Transcendental Meditation is a relatively new technique, because it was introduced in the 1950’s by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. In Transcendental Meditation, you practice by repeating a mantra for periods of 20 minutes, twice a day. You receive your mantra and training by attending a course, which is taught in a series of seven steps.

Transcendental Meditation became especially popular in the 1970’s as many celebrities began practicing. Perhaps the most famous early adopters of TM, especially George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr. They met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1967 and traveled to his ashram in Rishikesh, India, in 1968 to study TM.

Other celebrities included Mia Farrow, the actress and model was part of the group that traveled with The Beatles to India in 1968 to learn TM under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s guidance, she traveled along with Donovan, the Scottish singer-songwriter and musician. Clint Eastwood was another, he director practiced TM starting in the 1970s and has been vocal about its benefits, especially for stress relief. Since the, other celebrities have studied or advocated TM including Oprah Winfrey and Jerry Seinfeld.

Although it’s different than many Buddhist types of meditation, it may be seen as a form of concentration practice.

The practice of TM is based on the idea that the mind and body are intimately connected, and that by quieting the mind, we can promote physical and emotional well-being. The technique has been used by millions of people around the world, and has been studied in scientific research.

The technique is practiced for 20 minutes twice a day, usually in the morning and evening. It is recommended to find a quiet and comfortable place to sit, with the eyes closed, and to sit in a comfortable and upright position. The technique can be practiced while sitting in a chair or on a cushion.

During a meditation session, practitioners focus on a mantra or a repeated word or series of words. A teacher determines the mantra based on a complex set of factors, sometimes including the year the practitioner was born, and the year the teacher was trained.

How to practice TM?

  1. Find a Quiet Place: Sit in a comfortable chair with your eyes closed, ensuring you’re in a quiet and peaceful environment where you won’t be disturbed.
  2. Close Your Eyes: Relax your body and close your eyes. Sit comfortably and take a few deep breaths to calm your body and mind.
  3. Repeat the Mantra: Silently, in your mind, begin to repeat your mantra. (Note: The mantra is typically given by a certified TM teacher and is personal to you.)
  4. Effortless Repetition: Let the mantra come naturally, without force. If your mind wanders, gently return to the mantra without judgment. The repetition of the mantra helps the mind transcend to quieter levels of awareness.
  5. Meditate for 20 Minutes: Continue the silent repetition of the mantra for about 20 minutes. You should not try to control the mind or stop thoughts from arising—just keep returning to the mantra when you notice your attention has drifted.
  6. End Gently: After 20 minutes, stop repeating the mantra and sit quietly for another 1–2 minutes with your eyes closed before opening them. This transition back to everyday awareness helps to integrate the meditation experience.

More on the mantra

the mantra is gently repeated in the mind until it naturally “fades away.” This fading process is central to TM and distinguishes it from more effort-driven types of meditation. Here’s how it works in more detail:

  1. Effortless Repetition: At the start of meditation, you silently begin repeating your mantra. The repetition is soft and without strain, and there’s no need to focus intently or try to suppress thoughts. If your attention drifts, you simply return to the mantra.
  2. Fading Process: As you continue, the mantra may naturally begin to lose its clarity and fade. This is a sign that the mind is settling into a quieter state, moving toward what TM calls “transcendence,” where the thinking mind slows down. You don’t try to hold onto the mantra or control its fading; instead, you allow the process to unfold naturally.
  3. Transition to Pure Awareness: As the mantra fades, it takes you to subtler levels of thought and consciousness. Eventually, the mantra may disappear completely, leaving you in a state of deep restfulness or pure awareness, where the mind is calm but awake. In this state, you’re not actively repeating the mantra, but simply experiencing a profound sense of stillness.
  4. Return to the Mantra: If at any point during the meditation thoughts or distractions arise, you gently reintroduce the mantra, repeating it again without force. This keeps the practice flexible and natural, allowing you to shift between the mantra and quiet awareness.

Note: TM is generally practiced twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon/evening.

The specific mantras used in TM are traditionally given by a certified TM teacher during personal instruction and are considered personal and private. The Maharishi Foundation emphasizes that mantras are chosen based on individual characteristics, and they are not disclosed publicly.

However, it is known that the mantras used in TM are simple, non-meaningful sounds, typically derived from ancient Vedic traditions. The purpose of these mantras is to guide the mind inward, beyond ordinary thought, toward a state of restful awareness. Here are some examples of the types of mantras used in TM:

  1. Shiring
  2. Eim
  3. Aing
  4. Shyam
  5. Hirim
  6. Kirim
  7. Eng
  8. Ram
  9. Hring
  10. Shyama

Unlike other traditions or practices of meditations, here the mantras are simple, non-verbal, and non-meaningful sounds, often single syllables or short combinations of syllables. The idea behind using these particular sounds is that they are meant to guide the mind effortlessly toward a quieter state of consciousness, without evoking specific thoughts or emotions.

The reason TM avoids using sentences or meaningful phrases is that meaningful words can engage the mind in active thinking, which might distract from the meditation process. In TM, the goal is for the mind to settle naturally into a deep state of restful awareness, and the neutral, meaningless mantras help facilitate that by not stimulating mental activity.

TM mantras are derived from ancient Vedic traditions, they intentionally do not use the word “Om” or other commonly known Sanskrit words, like those associated with religious or philosophical meanings.

Other forms of meditation (like mindfulness or loving-kindness meditation) might use sentences, phrases, or affirmations to focus the mind. However, in TM, the emphasis is on effortlessness, and the use of a simple sound (mantra) helps the mind transcend thought.

An alternative allows people to choose their mantra. This more contemporary version is not technically Transcendental Meditation, though it may look substantially similar. A practitioner might decide to repeat “I am not afraid of public speaking” while meditating.

The reasons and logic behind the mantras:

1. Avoiding Cultural or Religious Connotations

  • Words like “Om” have deep cultural, spiritual, and religious associations, especially in Hinduism and other Eastern philosophies. Using such words might evoke certain expectations, ideas, or attachments in the mind of the practitioner, which could distract from the effortless, neutral nature of TM practice.
  • TM is designed to be a universal, secular practice that can be used by anyone, regardless of their cultural or religious background. Using more neutral mantras helps prevent any association with specific belief systems.

2. Focusing on Sound Vibration, Not Meaning

  • The mantras used in TM are chosen for their vibrational quality, not for their meaning. The aim is to transcend thought altogether, and if a mantra has a recognizable meaning, it can engage the mind and stimulate thinking.
  • “Om”, while a powerful sound, carries deep symbolic meaning and spiritual significance, which could potentially draw the mind toward contemplation rather than helping it settle into the quieter, subtler states of consciousness.

3. Effortless Nature of TM

  • TM is designed to be a practice of effortless transcendence. The mantras are chosen specifically because they have no inherent meaning or emotional charge, allowing the mind to relax into deeper states of rest without being “caught” by thoughts or meanings attached to the mantra.
  • If someone is meditating using a meaningful word or a word like “Om,” they might unconsciously focus on what it represents, thus interfering with the spontaneity of the TM process.

4. Personalization of the Mantra

  • TM mantras are individually assigned based on various personal factors (like age) and are kept private to each practitioner. These mantras are meant to resonate with the individual on a purely vibrational level, making the practice more effective.
  • While “Om” is universally recognized, the mantra in TM is personalized to ensure that it helps each practitioner transcend thought without engaging with any preconceived ideas.

5. Scientific and Secular Approach

  • Maharishi Mahesh Yogi aimed to bring TM as a scientific practice, not a religious or mystical one. By avoiding religious or symbolic words like “Om,” the practice is kept accessible and secular, allowing people from all backgrounds to benefit from the mental, emotional, and physical health advantages of TM.

The benefits of TM are many, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving overall health and well-being, and increasing creativity and productivity. Studies have shown that regular practice of TM can lower blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health, and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. In addition to physical health benefits, TM has been shown to improve cognitive function, including increased attention and focus, improved memory, and increased creativity.

One of the unique benefits of TM is that it allows the mind to experience a state of deep rest and rejuvenation, which is not found in other forms of meditation or relaxation. This state of rest is known as the Transcendental Consciousness, and it has been found to be deeper than the deepest level of sleep. The practice of TM is also known to improve overall well-being and happiness. It has been found to increase feelings of contentment, satisfaction, and inner peace.

In addition to the personal benefits, the practice of TM has been shown to have a positive impact on society, this is attributed to studies that showed groups of people practicing TM together can lead to reduced crime rates, improved education, and increased economic growth.

Here’s a comparison table between TM. Loving-Kindness Meditation (Metta Meditation) and Zen Meditation (Zazen):

AspectTranscendental Meditation (TM)Zen Meditation (Zazen)Loving-Kindness Meditation (Metta)
TechniqueRepetition of mantra, eyes closedFocus on breath/posture, mindfulnessSilent repetition of phrases of goodwill, compassion, and love for self and others
FocusEffortless transcendenceMindfulness and present moment awarenessCultivating feelings of love and compassion for self, loved ones, and even difficult people
GoalPure consciousness, inner calmInsight, mindfulness, enlightenmentCultivation of unconditional love, compassion, empathy, and emotional healing
Effort“Effortless”Requires discipline and focusGentle focus on generating positive emotions through phrases and visualization
Duration20 minutes, twice a dayLonger, often in extended sessionsFlexible, can be 10-30 minutes or more; length depends on practitioner’s preference
PhilosophySecular, stress reductionDeeply rooted in Buddhist philosophyRooted in Buddhist traditions, focused on developing compassion and kindness toward all beings
Emotional ComponentCalm, reduced stress, mental clarityMental clarity, awarenessActively generates feelings of compassion, empathy, and kindness
Teacher-Student InteractionInstructor-led, with personal mantra assignmentClose guidance with teacher (sensei/roshi)Can be practiced independently, but often introduced through guided meditations

FAQs

  • How is TM different from other forms of meditation?
    • The official answer is: TM doesn’t involve concentration, controlling the mind, or focusing on breathing. It uses a specific mantra (see above for more) and is intended to guide the mind to a state of restful awareness, unlike other practices that require effort or mindfulness.
    • TM is a system built on meditation, and the meditation here uses mantras. Other systems use mantras as well, often ones with a meaning. The meaningless mantras in TM make it a unique system. Most if not all meditative practices are helpful and healthy and meditation is a natural human experience that any one can practice.
  • Do I need TM meditation?
    • It depends. Consider this, any meditation will do. You will get from it what you want, any practice you use is what you make it.
    • Meditation and systems built on/or that use meditation were created for you to use as you see fit. There are thousands of options to practice with your consciousness.
  • Did TM invent meditation?
    • No. The system itself, like most systems is unique in its totality but not unique in its elements.

  • Is TM going to help me wake up to my true self?
    • It is possible. Any meditation system or practice may accomplish this. ie. help you realize your own awareness.
    • Experiencing the state of “calm but awake.” where “you’re not actively repeating the mantra, but simply experiencing a profound sense of stillness.” is also known as hypnosis, or becoming consciousness, being awareness. Many consciousness-based practices can help you experience this. This website shares additional information on this.

  • Is TM helpful?
    • Yes, lots of research studies were financed and conducted showing various benefits.
    • Overall “meditation” provides the meditator with many psychological and health benefits. Hundreds of studies also have shown the benefits of ‘meditation’ and other ‘Consciousness’ practices.
    • Spending time connecting with your consciousness and being aware of your body, emotions, and observing thoughts and the present moment often comes with benefits.
    • Consciousness practices and consciousness states are normal parts of the human experience, the practices are simply adapted from previous ones and packaged into a system, at their core all these are basic and simple and can be freely found online and in books. You do not need any specific groups, initiations, rituals or gurus .. though, in some cases these are helpful. However, they can also become a hindrance, depending on your goals.
  • TM says it is effortless, does that mean other approaches to meditation are effortful?
    • It depends on the technique and on the practitioner.
    • Gently easing into stillness and letting go of things is usually a slow effortless process.
    • Is repeating another mantra such “Om” or a sentence more effort or less? is focusing on the breath, counting, spot on the wall, a candle light, a point inside the body more effortful?

Is TM a religion, a cult, or a secular practice?

It depends who you ask, here are the main points people consider:

TM’s Founder and Teachings: TM was founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who was a Hindu monk, and its core teachings are deeply rooted in Vedantic and Hindu philosophy. The meditation technique itself is derived from ancient Hindu practices. TM mantras are drawn from Sanskrit, and while practitioners are told they are merely sounds, these mantras are associated with Hindu deities or spiritual figures.

Connection to Vedic Traditions: TM is linked to the Vedic tradition of India, which is a major foundation of Hinduism. Maharishi framed TM within this tradition, calling it a method to align the mind with “natural law,” a concept that resembles spiritual principles from Hinduism about living in harmony with the cosmos

Having a head figure. Most religions have a head figure who is revered. TM has a head figure who is revered. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is revered by TM practitioners, and the organization encourages devotion to him as a spiritual leader. The guru-disciple relationship is an essential feature of many religious traditions, particularly in Hinduism, and the reverence of Maharishi by some followers contributes to the perception of TM as a religious movement.

Religious Elements in the Ceremony: Critics point to the puja, or initiation ceremony, required for new TM practitioners. This ceremony involves an offering of flowers, fruit, and a white cloth to a portrait of Maharishi’s guru, Swami Brahmananda Saraswati, and the chanting of Sanskrit prayers. The ceremony is a devotional ritual that closely resembles Hindu religious practices, even though TM organizations present it as a secular tradition. Most, or almost all, religions contain ceremonies and rituals even when they are not called that. Many TM followers have gone to the Ganges river in india and participated in Hindu or hindu-inspired ceremonies.

Devotional Overtones: The chanting of Sanskrit during the puja includes verses that praise Vedic deities, and the ceremony includes bowing to the teacher’s lineage. These elements of veneration and ritual have led some to argue that TM has religious connotations despite being marketed as a scientifically backed mental technique.

Monastic and Spiritual Orders: TM has established monastic orders and organizations, such as the Global Country of World Peace, and promotes Maharishi’s vision of creating a spiritually guided society through meditation. The movement has built spiritual communities, including the creation of TM centers and residential facilities where practitioners live together in a shared pursuit of spiritual goals.

Religious-Like Hierarchy: TM organizations, particularly the Maharishi University of Management (now called Maharishi International University), offer courses that include esoteric teachings about consciousness, spiritual development, and Vedic science. Some compare the organizational structure to that of a religious institution with its own doctrine, rituals, and hierarchy.

Court Cases in the U.S.: Several legal challenges in the U.S. have debated whether TM should be considered a religion, especially in the context of its introduction into public schools. In the 1970s, a case called Malnak v. Yogi ruled that TM had religious elements, specifically citing the puja ceremony, mantras, and philosophical teachings. This case resulted in the ruling that teaching TM in public schools violated the separation of church and state, framing TM as having religious characteristics.

Use of Public Funds: There has been ongoing debate about the use of public funds for TM programs in schools and government, with opponents arguing that these programs blur the line between religion and state-sponsored activities.

Allegations from Former TM Practitioners: Some former TM practitioners and critics have raised concerns about the organization’s cult-like behavior, financial operations, and hierarchical control. A few of these detractors have suggested that TM’s expansion could have been supported by intelligence agencies, especially given its ability to reach high levels of power and influence. However, these claims typically lack concrete evidence and are often based on personal grievances or ideological opposition to TM.

Counterculture and New Age Conspiracy Theories: During the 1960s and 1970s, the counterculture movement, with its embrace of Eastern spirituality and practices like TM, was viewed with suspicion by both government agencies and more conservative elements of society. Some conspiracy theories emerged that linked popular movements like TM to intelligence agencies, suggesting that they might have been infiltrated or used as tools for social engineering. However, these theories lack credible evidence and are often based on anti-establishment paranoia rather than documented facts.

MKUltra Paranoia: Given the history of the CIA’s MKUltra program, which involved secretive experiments on mind control, hypnosis, and consciousness-altering techniques, some have speculated that TM or similar practices could have been part of these experiments. However, no documentation or credible testimony has surfaced to directly connect the Maharishi or TM to these activities.

Supernatural beliefs:

  • Creating Invincibility: Another supernatural claim is that regular practice of TM, especially in large groups, can create invincibility for a nation. TM proponents have stated that if enough people meditate together, the collective consciousness becomes so coherent and harmonious that the country is protected from internal strife and external threats, such as war or natural disasters.
  • Miracles and manifesting: TM says when you attain higher states of consciousness you experience direct access to a divine or universal intelligence that governs the universe. In this sense, a practitioner in the most advanced stages of TM would gain insights and powers far beyond normal human capacity, potentially influencing their life circumstances or even reality itself.
  • Siddhis: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi introduced an advanced program called the TM-Sidhi program, which includes teachings on developing siddhis—supernatural powers described in Hindu and yogic texts. Siddhis are believed to be abilities such as levitation, invisibility, mind reading, and bilocation, which a practitioner can supposedly attain through deep meditation and spiritual practice.
  • Yogic Flying: One of the most famous and controversial siddhis is yogic flying. TM practitioners in the advanced stages are taught to meditate in a specific way that is said to allow them to “fly” or “hover.” Demonstrations often show practitioners bouncing or hopping in a lotus position, which TM proponents explain as the early stages of yogic flying. They claim that with more advanced practice, true levitation can be achieved, though there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. This may be compared to saints in Christian traditions said to have been able to levitate.
  • Creating World Peace: TM proponents also claim that groups of people practicing advanced meditation and yogic flying together can create coherence in collective consciousness, leading to reductions in crime, violence, and even war. This is often referred to as the Maharishi Effect, a claim that collective meditation can influence global events by reducing stress and promoting peace on a large scale. Despite some studies claiming to support these effects, the scientific basis of these claims has been widely questioned.
  • Hopes and claims of hopes to “change the world”.

It is worth noting that such aspirations, such as the idea of invincibility, flying, and even world peace can in themselves, and often do, become ego-fueling goals.

Counterarguments from TM Advocates:

  • Secular Presentation: TM’s official position is that it is a secular technique for stress reduction and self-improvement, supported by scientific research. Proponents argue that the spiritual elements are not required for practice, and the benefits of TM can be understood entirely through neuroscience and psychology.
  • Non-Denominational Nature: TM advocates emphasize that the technique can be practiced by anyone, regardless of their religious or philosophical background, and that the mantras used are not meant to invoke deities but are chosen for their vibrational quality.
  • Scientific Research: TM organizations often point to extensive scientific research on the physiological and mental health benefits of meditation to distance the practice from religious or mystical connotations. TM’s Secular Push and Scientific Studies: TM has always been marketed as a secular, scientifically validated technique, and many independent studies have been conducted on its effects. These studies focused on its health benefits, like stress reduction and mental health.
  • Consciousness: Many other paths, philosophers, and individuals have reached similar conclusions on the idea of Consciousness, so these are not religious or TM-only ideas. TM teaches that through meditation, practitioners can attain higher states of consciousness, including God Consciousness and Unity Consciousness. In these stages, the practitioner is said to experience the divine in all aspects of life. TM describes higher states of consciousness as experiences of direct access to a divine or universal intelligence that governs the universe. This way of thinking is not unique to TM.

References and resources:

Find and learn about other types of meditations here

Disclaimers: To any TM practitioners or organizers, followers, affiliates of TM: No copyrights were violated here. All the information above was obtained from internet searches. I personally have not read the book (The Science of Being and Art of Living or books by Roth – I read short segments from them only) nor attended any TM classes. All content on this website is an opinion of the writer and shared as opinion to promote education and debate and protected under the ‘fair use’ of any such material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17. U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

Disclaimer: Ethan Wise is NOT trained in TM and does not represent TM, or most of the other trademarked systems shared on this website unless otherwise explicitly stated. However, Ethan Wise has been trained and has practiced various types of meditations, qigong, yoga, emdr, psych-k, shamanic skills, cbt, act, somatic work, dynamic body balancing, brain gym, muscle testing, reiki, prayer, energy work, and energy psychology, and he is trained, a user, and a clinician using hypnosis and has practiced various kinds of meditations for more than 20yrs.