Transcendental Meditation: Technique For Beginners

how to do the transcendental meditation technique

Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a widely practised meditation technique that involves silently repeating a mantra for 15-20 minutes, twice a day. TM is taught by a certified instructor and must be learned over four sessions. The first session is always one-on-one, and the remaining three are in a small group. During the first session, the instructor will give you a mantra, which is to remain confidential, and teach you how to use it effectively. TM can be practised anywhere, but it is recommended to find a quiet, dimly-lit room with no distractions. The ideal position is to sit comfortably with your hands on your lap and your eyes closed. If you feel your thoughts wandering, gently bring your attention back to the mantra.

Characteristics Values
Time 15-20 minutes
Frequency Twice a day
Position Comfortable, with closed eyes
Environment Quiet, dimly-lit room with no distractions
Preparation Turn off phone, ensure you won't be disturbed
Session Repeat a mantra silently and gently
Mantra A meaningless sound, word or phrase
Focus Completely focus on the mantra
Distractions If distracted, gently return focus to the mantra
End Open eyes, sit for a few minutes

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Find a quiet, distraction-free space

To begin transcendental meditation, it is important to find a quiet, distraction-free space. This could be anywhere you feel comfortable, whether that's sitting on the floor, on a chair, or on the couch. The key is to ensure you will not be disturbed for the duration of your meditation practice.

Turn off your phone or put it on silent, and take steps to ensure you won't be disturbed by family members or pets. You may also want to light candles or burn incense to create a calm and relaxing atmosphere.

Once you have found your quiet space, sit down comfortably and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths to relax your body and calm your mind. This will help you centre yourself and prepare for your transcendental meditation practice.

Finding a quiet, distraction-free space is an important first step in transcendental meditation, as it allows you to focus on your mantra and achieve a state of perfect stillness and consciousness. It helps to create an environment that is conducive to meditation, so you can fully benefit from the practice.

By creating a calm and peaceful space, you are more likely to be able to settle your mind and achieve the desired state of transcendence. This step is crucial in helping you to manage stress and anxiety and improve your overall health and well-being.

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Get comfortable

Getting comfortable is the first step to transcendental meditation. This is a crucial step as it helps you relax and prepare for the meditation session.

First, you need to find a quiet, dimly-lit room with no distractions or music. Make sure to turn off your phone or put it on silent and take steps to ensure you won't be disturbed. You can also light candles or burn incense to create a more comfortable atmosphere.

Next, you can sit down comfortably. You can sit on a chair with your feet on the ground and hands on your lap, or you can sit on the floor. It's important that your legs and arms are uncrossed.

Once you're sitting comfortably, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to relax your body. You can keep your eyes closed for a few seconds to a minute. This will help you calm down and focus your mind.

After taking a few deep breaths, you can open your eyes again. If you prefer, you can keep your eyes closed throughout the entire meditation session.

Now that you're feeling comfortable and relaxed, you're ready to begin transcendental meditation.

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Close your eyes and relax

To begin transcendental meditation, find a quiet, dimly-lit room with no distractions. Make sure your phone is on silent and that you won't be disturbed. You can sit on a chair or on the floor, whichever is most comfortable for you. Close your eyes and relax. Take a few deep breaths, relaxing your body. Your eyes should remain closed during the 15- to 20-minute session.

Transcendental meditation is a simple and effortless technique that can be practised by anyone. It is recommended to meditate for 20 minutes twice a day. During the session, you will silently repeat a mantra, which can be a Sanskrit sound taught by a meditation teacher or a word or phrase of your choice. The mantra is a vehicle that allows your attention to travel naturally to a quieter style of mental functioning.

The aim is to achieve a state of perfect stillness and consciousness. If you feel yourself getting distracted, gently bring your thoughts back to the mantra. After the session, sit for a few more minutes until you feel ready to get up.

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Silently repeat your mantra

Silently repeating your mantra is a key part of transcendental meditation. Transcendental meditation is a form of meditation that uses mantras – sacred words or phrases – to help calm the mind. The mantras are repeated silently for 15 to 20 minutes, and this technique is thought to help quiet the mind and improve focus and mental clarity.

The mantras used in transcendental meditation are meaningless sounds, words or phrases. The idea is that by using a word or phrase with no meaning, you can avoid getting caught up in thoughts about its meaning, and allow your mind to transcend to a deeper level of consciousness. The mantras are chosen by certified TM teachers, and are based on the age, gender and level of development of the individual. However, you can also choose your own mantra – it can be any word or phrase that you can repeat easily without getting distracted. Popular transcendental meditation mantras include "om", "ah" and "hu".

To begin transcendental meditation, find a quiet place where you can sit or lie down without being disturbed. Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Then, start to silently repeat your chosen mantra. You can say it out loud if you prefer, but it's not necessary. If you find your mind wandering from the mantra, gently bring it back. The goal is not to stop thoughts, but to observe when you are lost in them, and then return to the mantra. After 15 to 20 minutes, let go of the mantra and sit in silence for a few moments before opening your eyes and ending the session.

Transcendental meditation is an incredibly powerful tool for self-transformation, and can lead to a greater sense of peace and calm in your daily life.

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Focus on the mantra

The mantra is the key to transcendental meditation. It is a meaningless sound, word or phrase that you repeat silently in your mind. It is not to be confused with a mantra that has meaning, which is used in other forms of meditation.

The mantra is a vehicle that allows your attention to travel to a quieter style of mental functioning. It is a way to achieve a state of perfect stillness and consciousness.

Your mantra will be given to you by your teacher, and it is important to keep it secret. This is to ensure maximum results, avoid confusion and protect against inaccurate teaching.

During your meditation, if you find your mind wandering from the mantra, gently bring it back. This is a normal part of transcendental meditation, and you may do this five, ten or fifteen times in a session.

The goal is not to stop thoughts, but to observe when you are lost in them and then return to the mantra.

Frequently asked questions

Transcendental Meditation (TM) is typically practised for 15-20 minutes, twice a day.

TM can be done anywhere, but it's important to find a quiet, dimly-lit room with no distractions or music.

Before you begin, make sure your phone is on silent and that you won't be disturbed. You may also want to light candles or burn incense to make the space more comfortable.

Sit comfortably with your hands on your lap and your eyes closed. Silently repeat a mantra in your mind, and if you find yourself getting distracted, gently bring your attention back to the mantra.

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