MEDITATION
During Meditation stress and tensions are released.
A state of deep relaxation is achieved effortlessly and in a systematic way.
Meditation is experienced as something very useful, pleasant, and refreshing. It strengthens us mentally and physically. It develops the full mental potential and brings more stability and success to our life in all our endeavors.
The word ìmeditationî comes from the Latin word ìmeditireî. The first part of this word signifies ìmediumî (the source, center of our being) and the second part ìireî means ìto moveî. It is the same meaning which we find in the Yoga Sutras of Maharishi Patanjali:
ìyogas citta-v?tti-nirodha?ì (Y.S.I.2.).
Yoga means to transcend the activity of the mind. This sutra gives the principle of meditation. Transcend all mental activity and come back to yourself. During our daily activities we are more or less out of ourselves. The purpose of meditation is to experience our true self which is pure, transcendental consciousness, the state of Yoga. To achieve this, many meditation methods were designed. Each method takes some area of life from which it starts its journey, enabling the meditator to transcend the mental activities and reach the goal, the Self. To serve its purpose, meditation must transcend its own process.
Any of the senses can be used to bring awareness inward (pratyahara) and hold attention on the object of the sense (dharana), experience finer levels of the object of that sense organ (dhyana), and finally transcend the finest experience of the object and achieve unity of subject and object (samapati), in their common basis of the Unified Field, Pure Consciousness (Samadhi).
TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION
Transcendental Meditation, brought to light by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, is a simple, natural, and effortless technique which gives the experience of “restful alertness”. Transcendental Meditation is practiced for 15-20 minutes twice a day, sitting comfortably with eyes closed. In these few minutes, stress and tension are dissolved. In a natural way Transcendental Meditation creates a state of deep rest and relaxation that is not achieved even during deep sleep. At the same time, the mind remains fully awake. In contrast to other methods of relaxation, no concentration or contemplation is required. Thoughts are a natural part of this meditation and need not and should not be suppressed. The deep state of relaxation comes about effortlessly and systematically and the meditation is experienced as extremely beneficial, enjoyable, and refreshing. The technique strengthens a person’s physical and mental condition. Deep-rooted tension and fatigue is dissolved. The meditator experiences deep rest (mental and physical) which is at the basis of the wide range of medical benefits. The regular practice of Transcendental Meditation results in the full unfoldment of the personality as a whole and leads to more stability in daily life and greater ability to achieve one's goals. Electro physiological measurements under controlled and reproducible laboratory conditions have demonstrated that TM is a scientific technique and produces scientifically verifiable results. Transcendental Meditation has the effect of developing order and coherence at the deepest levels of physiological and psychological functioning, resulting in a profound improvement in the integration of the individual with his environment. Regular practice of Transcendental Meditation helps reduce the metabolic rate, increases brain wave coherence, regulates blood pressure, brings relief from insomnia, strengthens and balances the entire system and initiates holistic patterns of growth in all areas of life. Also, a marked improvement in intelligence has been observed along with overall personality developments and increased creativity. Please refer to the eight sample researches studies described in following pages. Transcendental Meditation does not involve any religious belief or practice. Millions of people of all religions and nationality practice TM regularly.
COURSE ON SEVEN STEPS FOR LEARNING TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION
The first step is an introductory lecture which gives a vision of possibilities for personal development through the Transcendental Meditation programme. In the second step, one gains knowledge of the mechanics of the technique which is distinctly different from any other program (this also includes knowledge of the origin of Transcendental Meditation, with its roots in the age-old Vedic tradition). The third step is the private interview. In this step the teacher can become acquainted with those who are about to start the TM technique, allowing e.g. for some personal points to be addressed. Steps four, five, six and seven are instructions in the actual practice itself. This is always done on four consecutive days involving about 1-2 hours each day. On the first day of instruction (the fourth step overall), the person sits with the teacher and receives personal and private instructions. Then the person returns on each of the following three days for verification of experiences and additional instructions, which are only meaningful in the light of the actual experiences with the practice of the TM technique. The theme of the fifth step is verification and validation of the practice. The theme of the sixth step is verification and validation of personal experiences – the effects of Transcendental Meditation on mind and body. The theme of the seventh step is a vision of the goal: evolution, freedom and fulfillment through the development of higher states of consciousness.