The irony of me, an American, writing to an Indian audience about meditation is not lost on any of you, I’m sure. But why was I asked to go from the USA to India by Transcendental Meditation’s founder, His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi? Transcendental Meditation – TM – is a rediscovery of the natural, effortless technique of meditation. Maharishi, who received the knowledge of TM from his master, Brahmananda Saraswati, Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math, and was trained in Physics at Allahabad University, knew that it would take respectable scientific research and popularity of TM in the West to awaken the Indian population to this purest form of meditation. So Maharishi left the Himalayas and came to the West in 1955 to offer TM.
TM is a mental technique for experiencing finer levels of thought until the finest level is transcended – gone beyond – and unbounded pure wakefulness – pure consciousness, is gained. This provides profound rest for both mind and body. Stress is eliminated and mental potential unfolds – ultimately leading to the stress-free state of enlightenment. TM is practiced 20 minutes twice a day by more than ten million people of all educational levels, all religions, and lifestyles.
Even skeptics can learn it. TM is taught by highly trained, certified instructors to adults age ten and older. (I instructed my grandfather when he was 89.) Children from age five to ten learn a modified practice which is very beneficial for their development. People are doing a thousand different things, including various meditation practices, in their daily life. TM is just one more thing to add; it will enrich everything else. “Water the root to enjoy the fruit.” Effortlessly contact the source of life within, and all areas of life will be enriched.
More than 380 peer-reviewed research studies on TM have been published in over 160 scientific journals. These studies were conducted at many US and international universities including, Harvard, Yale, Stanford and UCLA medical schools, and published in Journal of the Association of Physicians of India, Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, Journal of Indian Education, etc. And the results have shown TM’s benefits to be extraordinary! For example, a
Stanford University study found TM to be twice as effective as other techniques for reducing stress and anxiety. A journal of the American Heart Association reported a five year study in patients with established coronary heart disease; it showed an astonishing 48% reduction in death, heart attack and stroke in the TM group compared to controls! Other published research shows a 50% reduction in healthcare utilization. TM provides the profound rest that everyone’s body craves; this allows the body’s innate intelligence to correct any abnormality.
Transcendental Meditation also provides greater energy, creativity and awareness. Brain waves studies on TM meditators show increased use of hidden reserves of the brain. This is reflected in increased IQ, academic performance, creative thinking, etc. TM is widely practiced by industrial and governmental leaders in India and the world. In India
over 200 companies have had courses in TM provided by Maharishi Corporate Development Programme. Most of them have had numerous courses to allow more employees to benefit. I have taught TM to several companies in Bangalore, including WIPRO, Motorola, MICO, etc. The basic TM instruction takes place over four days. On the final day when
I would ask: “How many feel more rested and energetic since you started TM?” Virtually every hand would go up! And they would marvel at their increased creativity and productivity.
Transcendental Meditation has been taught to school and university students for more than 50 years and is currently being utilized in over 800 educational institutions with 500,000 students in
65 countries practising TM. In India, the Consciousness-Based system (using TM) is being utilized in 200 schools in 16 states with 104,000 students; a Consciousness-Based university; four branches of Maharishi Institute of Management; and four Maharishi Colleges; as well as schools for traditional knowledge with 25,000 students. In total, 46,000 Indian students are practising the advanced TM-Sidhi programme [www.consciousnessbasededucation.org] The TM and TM-Sidhi programmes develop a healthier, more whole person. Students think more deeply, and become more creative, compassionate, contributing citizens of the world.
Why is TM so effective? It employs the natural tendency of the mind to flow in the direction of greater charm, ultimately reaching the level of maximum charm – unbounded, pure consciousness. No concentrating; no control of the mind; no monitoring of thoughts (mindfulness); no trying to “empty the mind”.
With TM, spontaneously our relationships with others improve. That leads to healthier communities. Research shows that when 1% of a city practices TM, there is a measurable improvement in quality of city life. Just a few lamp posts lit is enough to dispel the darkness of a city. Just a relatively small percentage of a population transcending thought daily is enough to create a harmonious effect in the surrounding population. This is the Maharishi Effect – named in honor of Maharishi who first predicted this scientifically measurable effect. The Yoga Sutras long ago proclaimed: Tat sannidau vairatyagaha. (In the vicinity of coherence [yoga], hostile tendencies are eliminated.) The TM-Sidhi program, including yogic flying, is so powerful that merely the square root of 1% of a population practising it is sufficient to create this peaceful effect for the surrounding area. Here is the key to a peaceful world!
But you don’t have to take my word for any of this. Read the research.
https://indiatm.org
www.GUSP.org
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