The Transcendental Meditation technique allows your mind to transcend—to settle inward, beyond thinking, to experience the state of pure awareness—the most silent and peaceful level of the mind, your inmost Self.
What is the Transcendental Meditation technique?
The TM technique is a simple, natural, enjoyable procedure to settle the mind, expand awareness and access the limitless reservoir of creativity, energy and intelligence that resides within everyone — for more powerful thinking, heightened well-being and greater efficiency in life.
The TM technique is practiced twice daily for 15-20 minutes while sitting quietly and comfortably with eyes closed. It is not a religion or philosophy, requires no effort or concentration and involves no change of lifestyle. You don’t even have to believe in the technique for it to work. Meditate regularly twice a day and you’ll get the benefits.
What happens during TM practice?
Mind and body spontaneously settle into a unique state of restful alertness — the body becomes deeply relaxed as the mind awakens to its inner potential. Twice-daily experience of this state of inner wakefulness alleviates stress and revitalizes mind and body.
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| WATCH: The mechanics of meditation |
This effortless meditation practice was long lost to society—even in India—until introduced in 1955 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who trained 40,000 teachers and founded meditation centers, schools and universities worldwide.
What does it do for you?
The Transcendental Meditation technique enriches all aspects of life, as watering the root nourishes all aspects of a tree. This is because the technique attends directly to the most basic level: the quality of one’s consciousness.Hundreds of scientific research studies on the TM technique show that daily practice leads to a wide range of personal benefits — higher IQ, faster reaction time, improved problem solving abilities, decreased anxiety, improved self-esteem, normalized blood pressure, reduced illness, longer lifespan and a more harmonious environment.
So it's scientifically proven to work?
The beneficial effects of the Transcendental Meditation program have been verified by hundreds of scientific research studies conducted at over 250 independent universities and research institutions worldwide — such as Yale Medical School, Harvard Medical School, Stanford and UCLA — and published in over 350 peer-reviewed scientific journals. The National Institutes of Health has granted over $25 million for scientists to further study the health benefits of the TM technique. After nearly 40 years of scientific investigation, all the major findings about the TM program’s benefits have been replicated. The TM technique is the only meditation practice recommended by the American Heart Association. Perhaps more important, over the past 50 years the life-enriching effects of the practice have been proven in the lives of millions of people around the world.
Where did this meditation technique come from?
The Transcendental Meditation technique was introduced by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1955. The technique comes from a timeless tradition of knowledge, the Vedic Tradition of ancient India, a tradition that has withstood the test of time as an advanced science and technology of consciousness.
The teachers of the Vedic Tradition preserved this meditation technique through the ages, handing down knowledge of the practice from generation to generation. But over the long lapse of time, the technique of "effortless transcending" eventually became became lost to society, even in India. Maharishi restored the technique to its original effectiveness and called it the Transcendental Meditation program. He systematized the teaching of the technique so that teachers could be trained in all languages and the technique would give consistent, all-positive results for people everywhere.
This revival of ancient Vedic wisdom has brought about a new understanding of consciousness and human potential, with implications for all areas of life.
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| Maharishi |
The teachers of the Vedic Tradition preserved this meditation technique through the ages, handing down knowledge of the practice from generation to generation. But over the long lapse of time, the technique of "effortless transcending" eventually became became lost to society, even in India. Maharishi restored the technique to its original effectiveness and called it the Transcendental Meditation program. He systematized the teaching of the technique so that teachers could be trained in all languages and the technique would give consistent, all-positive results for people everywhere.
This revival of ancient Vedic wisdom has brought about a new understanding of consciousness and human potential, with implications for all areas of life.
One of Maharishi’s important contributions has been to subject the Transcendental Meditation technique to scientific scrutiny, inviting scientists everywhere to conduct research on the practice. As a result, the TM technique’s practical benefits have been established on the objective ground of modern science—supported by over 600 scientific research studies.
Tens of thousands of teachers have been trained by Maharishi, and the Transcendental Meditation technique is taught in the same way everywhere. Instruction in the Transcendental Meditation technique by certified teachers is available in virtually every country, and over 6 million people have learned the practice worldwide. When the Transcendental Meditation technique is taught today, it is taught through the same tested and proven, systematic procedures used by Vedic teachers thousands of years ago. How to learn>
"I learned the TM technique at the Asheville TM Center in 1974 and have been meditating every day since. It is as integral to my life as sleeping or being awake, and I am still amazed at the energy, clarity and freshness that I feel after each meditation."—Timmy Abell, songwriter, musician, and storyteller, Asheville MORE