Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of the TM program, spent over 50 years elucidating the principles behind the Transcendental Meditation technique, always emphasizing the need for personal, one-on-one TM instruction:
"By necessity, the practice of Transcendental Meditation is imparted by personal instruction. It cannot be done through a book [or CD or online] because it not only involves telling an aspirant how to experience the subtle states of thinking, but an even greater responsibility lies in finding out what the aspirant experiences when he proceeds on that path… The experiences on the path of Transcendental Meditation are very subtle… It takes a while for the beginner to be able to pinpoint his experiences of the subtle state of thought. The practice of Transcendental Meditation must always be given by the expert teachers of Transcendental Meditation who have been properly trained to give it and who have been trained to check the experiences.
"The checking of experiences is a vital point in the practice of Transcendental Meditation. Again, it cannot be done through books…by nature it is delicate and therefore highly technical. But under personal instruction and guidance the way is smooth and easy.“ (Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, The Science of Being and Art of Living (New York: Plume/Penguin Group, 1963/2001), p. 35-36]
When a person learns the Transcendental Meditation technique, every instruction is given out only on the basis of the previous instruction being understood and acknowledged. The certified TM teacher guides the student step by step personally, adjusting the teaching process according to the pace of the student. This helps ensure that the student can remain innocent and relaxed without having to self-monitor results while learning.
