
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a technique that involves silently repeating a mantra for 15 to 20 minutes, twice a day. It is practised in a comfortable seated position with closed eyes and is meant to promote a state of relaxed awareness, stress relief, creativity, and efficiency. While TM is not associated with any religion or philosophy, it is rooted in the ancient Vedic tradition of India and uses mantras that are meaningless sounds without specific meanings. These mantras are selected and passed on by fully trained teachers, who recommend against learning TM from other sources. The mantras act as a 'vehicle' for the mind to settle into subtler levels of thinking and eventually transcend the mantra itself to settle into silence.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Time | 15-20 minutes |
Frequency | Twice a day |
Posture | Sitting comfortably with closed eyes |
Eyes | Closed |
Sound | Silent |
Mantra | A meaningless sound, a Vedic word or a repeated silence sound |
Nature | Non-religious |
What You'll Learn
- Transcendental Meditation (TM) involves silently repeating a mantra for 15–20 minutes a day
- TM is not a religion, philosophy, or lifestyle but a method for achieving peace and calm
- TM is mantra meditation, where a meaningless sound is used as a vehicle to help the mind settle down
- TM is taught in a standardised seven-step course over six days by a certified TM teacher
- TM instruction encourages students not to be alarmed by random thoughts and to easily return to the mantra
Transcendental Meditation (TM) involves silently repeating a mantra for 15–20 minutes a day
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a technique developed by the Indian spiritual figure Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It involves silently repeating a mantra for 15–20 minutes a day, ideally twice per day, and is commonly practised sitting with closed eyes. TM is not a religion, philosophy, or lifestyle, but a method for achieving a greater sense of peace and calm in daily life. It is one of the most widely practised meditation techniques, with four to six million people reported to have tried it over the decade from 2003 to 2013.
TM is taught by a certified teacher over four sessions. During the first session, the teacher will give you a mantra, which you are asked not to share with anyone, and will teach you how to use it effectively. The mantra is a meaningless sound, and it is chosen based on a set of criteria, such as the student's age and gender. It is important to receive the mantra from a fully trained teacher to ensure the purity of the teaching and to guarantee positive and life-enhancing effects.
The mantra acts as a 'vehicle' for your attention, allowing your mind to settle into increasingly subtle levels of thinking. Eventually, the mantra itself is transcended, and you settle into silence and stillness. This natural state of bliss is said to have self-healing powers, and regular practice can help reduce stress, anxiety, and high blood pressure.
TM instruction encourages students not to be alarmed by random thoughts that arise during meditation but to easily return to the mantra once they become aware of them. Unlike other forms of meditation, TM does not involve trying to empty the mind of all thoughts but instead encourages thoughts to come and go.
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TM is not a religion, philosophy, or lifestyle but a method for achieving peace and calm
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a technique developed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India in the 1950s. It is a simple, natural, effortless technique practised for 20 minutes twice a day while sitting comfortably with closed eyes. It is not a religion, philosophy, or lifestyle but a method for achieving peace and calm. Over six million people have learned it, and it is practised by people of all ages, cultures, and religions.
TM is a mantra-based, silent meditation technique for relieving stress and anxiety and gaining calmness of mind. The mantra is a sound that acts as the focal point for meditation. It can be any sound repeated silently, but generally, the Vedic sound of 'Om' is used as a chanting mantra in most Indian meditation techniques. The mantra is chosen by a certified teacher for the practitioner, based on their gender or age.
TM is taught in a standardised seven-step course over six days by a certified TM teacher. The course includes private and group instruction, and the teacher provides follow-up sessions to confirm that the student is practising the technique properly. The TM organisation explains that "focused attention" is not prescribed, and "the aim is a unified and open attentional stance".
TM instruction encourages students not to be alarmed by random thoughts that arise and to easily return to the mantra once aware of them. It is said to produce a state of restful alertness that improves energy and focus, reduces stress, anxiety, and fatigue, and improves mental and physical health.
TM has been described as both religious and non-religious. Some religious leaders and clergy find it compatible with their religious teachings and beliefs, while others do not. Its adherents say it is a non-religious, "scientific strategy", yet it appears to have spiritual elements such as the puja ceremony performed during the TM instruction.
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TM is mantra meditation, where a meaningless sound is used as a vehicle to help the mind settle down
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a form of mantra meditation, where a meaningless sound is used as a vehicle to help the mind settle down. It is a simple, effortless technique that can be practised by anyone, and involves silently repeating a mantra for 15 to 20 minutes, twice a day, while sitting comfortably with closed eyes.
TM is based on the ancient Vedic tradition of India and uses Sanskrit sounds. The mantras are chosen for the individual by a certified teacher, who follows a specific set of guidelines laid down by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The teacher will select a mantra that suits the student's nature and way of life, and the mantra will have a resonance with its source in the primordial hum ('Om'), which is close to the silent, blissful level of the mind.
The use of a meaningless sound is important, as a word with meaning would keep the mind on the surface, thinking about the word, and prevent it from transcending to a deeper level. The mantra acts as a vehicle, allowing the attention to rest gently and innocently, and the mind to settle into increasingly subtle levels of thinking. Eventually, the mantra itself is transcended, and the mind settles into silence.
TM is a non-religious practice, and the mantra is not an object of concentration or focus. Instead, it is a natural, effortless technique that allows the mind to move towards greater satisfaction and a state of relaxed awareness.
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TM is taught in a standardised seven-step course over six days by a certified TM teacher
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is taught in a standardised seven-step course over six days by a certified TM teacher. The course is taught via private and group instruction and includes an introductory lecture, a preparatory lecture, a personal interview, and three teaching sessions.
The first step is a one-hour introductory lecture that covers topics such as mind potential, social relationships, health, and promoting inner and outer peace. This is followed by a 45-minute preparatory lecture that focuses on the theory, origins, and relationship of the practice to other types of meditation.
The third step is a private, ten-minute personal interview between the teacher and student, allowing them to get acquainted and address any questions. The fourth step is the personal instruction session, which usually takes 1-2 hours. During this session, the student receives their mantra and is taught how to use it effectively. They are also initiated with a short puja ceremony to honour the lineage of TM "masters".
The fifth, sixth, and seventh steps are a series of three 90-to-120-minute teaching sessions held on three consecutive days, called the "three days of checking." These sessions verify the correctness of the practice and provide further instruction, details, and potential results based on the student's experiences.
After completing the seven-step course, students have access to free follow-up sessions with any TM teacher to refresh and refine their technique. The follow-up sessions are recommended to be 30 minutes long, once a week for the first month, and once a month thereafter.
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TM instruction encourages students not to be alarmed by random thoughts and to easily return to the mantra
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a mantra-based meditation technique developed by the Indian spiritual figure Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. TM is practised for 20 minutes twice per day while sitting comfortably with closed eyes.
TM teachers caution their students not to be alarmed by random thoughts and to "attend" to the mantra. This is because the mantra acts as a vehicle that allows the individual's attention to travel naturally to a less active, quieter style of mental functioning. The mantra is not supposed to be spoken out loudly, just repeated in the mind at whatever pace one is comfortable with.
TM is the easiest form of meditation and is perfect for beginners. It requires no concentration, no control of the mind, and no mental monitoring. TM can be performed anywhere and does not require any apps or technology.
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Frequently asked questions
Transcendental meditation (TM) involves silently repeating a mantra for 15 to 20 minutes, twice a day. It is a widely practised form of meditation, which aims to achieve a greater sense of peace and calm.
Transcendental meditation mantras are passed on by a fully-trained teacher, following careful guidelines laid down by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It is recommended that you do not try to learn TM from any other source.
The mantra is repeated silently, with eyes closed, and without assuming any special yoga position. The mantra is a vehicle that allows your attention to travel to a quieter style of mental functioning.
Transcendental meditation mantras are meaningless sounds. They are selected based on a set of criteria, including age and gender. The mantras are chosen to have a certain resonance with the primordial hum ('Om') and the silent, blissful level of the mind.