Inner Access

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Transcendental Meditation

The complexity and variety of meditative techniques can be awe inspiring. There are a great many to choose from and various aspects of each to be learned. But at the heart of them lies transcendental meditation (TM). A practice rooted in ancient times but outlined by Maharishi Mahesh in 1957, TM is as beneficial for the novice as it is for the experienced practitioner. It is simple, neither a way of life nor a spiritual belief, and can be practiced by anyone of any age or lifestyle. The strength of TM's effectiveness is in one's personal mantra, which, according to Mahesh, can be any word, name, or syllable that has meaning for you. Practicing TM twice daily, in the morning and evening, has been shown to increase concentration, memory, learning ability, and creativity, as well as to reduce stress, anxiety, and incidents of illness. It is a very personal meditation, and so your results will be unique.

Beginning TM is as straightforward as sitting comfortably with your eyes closed. Do not try to relax or control your breathing. Wait thirty seconds and then begin thinking your mantra. You may want to experiment with different mantras, but keep in mind that the goal is not to focus on the mantra or even to think it clearly. The mantra needn't have a rhythm. If thoughts interrupt your mantra, don't push them away, but instead let them pass. After fifteen to twenty minutes, stop thinking the mantra and sit quietly for another two minutes before opening your eyes. During the meditation, you will find that your mind will settle down and you will enter a period of deeply relaxed alertness in which your consciousness transcends its normal boundaries. Your creativity will thrive while accumulated mental fatigue is washed away. Your body will also have settled into a state of deep restfulness.

Some believe that TM can help one attain a higher consciousness, while others see the meditation as a route to self-knowledge and physical and mental health. In TM, however, there are no right or wrong goals. The practice simply provides you with a way to access all facets of your existence - mental, physical, spiritual, individual, and universal - in a natural and nurturing way.

What do you think?