What is Transcendental Meditation?

[Cireeric]

Recently I heard many interesting people talking about Transcendental Meditation. I saw a video from David Lynch and from Jerry Seinfield talking about it. Im into meditation but I dont really know what TM exactly is. What are the differences? Someone did their official courses and is it worth it?

[snowyowl]

@Cireeric funny thing is, the official sources talk a lot about TM without telling you what it is, how to do it. You need to pay a lot of money for that, but what you get (as a beginner) is a standard mantra meditation. I learned it in the 80s, my first meditation practice. There's a previous thread about TM, I'll have a look ...

Edit

 

Edited January 22, 2021 by snowyowl

[Cireeric]

Thanks for your answer! I will probably look into Mantra Meditation in the Future. I heard the Meditation and Mantra book from wami Vishnu-devananda is really good.

[snowyowl]

@Cireeric good luck I hope you find one which works well for you. TM is a perfectly valid technique, I just wish you didn't have to pay a big lump sum up front. Anyways, there's lots to explore and experiment with to find your right path. Let's all keep an open mind

[Nahm]

Mantra Meditation

??

[BlackMaze]

I read a book about it many years ago.. 200 pages or more.. The whole thing was studies and stuff without saying anything about the actual technique  a huge waste of time. Tm is a company. I find this extremely annoying and stupid. To struggle so hard to make money out of something that should be free. At least reveal the technique or something. Tm you suck. Really you shouldn't exist. 

I wonder if it is still possible to invent a meditation technique and make money out of it. 

[snowyowl]

1 hour ago, BlackMaze said:

At least reveal the technique or something.

oh that's easy, I'll tell you. They give you a mantra from the list with a Hindu puja ceremony: 

https://onhighroads.com/transcendental-meditation-mantras/

Mine was aing. You repeat the mantra silently for 20 mins twice per day while sitting down. 

1 hour ago, BlackMaze said:

I wonder if it is still possible to invent a meditation technique and make money out of it.

unlikely nowadays as it's so easy to research on the internet. But then, TM isn't new, just the marketing with pop stars (the Beatles) and the science, which could apply to most techniques but is presented as being unique to TM. 

Edited January 23, 2021 by snowyowl

[BlackMaze]

@snowyowl yeah i'm talking about 15 years ago that i got a book from the library talking only about the benefits of it presenting it as better than any other form of meditation. I searched on the internet but couldn't find something (i didn't search so hard). Thank you by the way i will give it a try. 

[Flyboy]

My take is that it appears like a clever commercialization strategy.  They got the catchy name, the "secret" mantra, the high priced course, the selling point differentiation of "you're comfortable and relaxed with cushions", and the claims that it works in 1 session.  This is MARKETING 101.

Basically, in some sense, it's a scam.

Which isn't to say mantra meditation can't be a powerful form of concentration work... but there's so much more to becoming an expert meditator and reaching the higher states.  There's no free lunch.

[Nahm]

Self inquiry quiets the mind by proposing a question, and redirecting attention to feeling for the answer. It is most effective when conditioning has already been emotionally expressed, released and understood. It is more of a second step than a first as meditations go. More advanced in that sense. A beneficial side effect is clarity & connection in terms of effortless contemplation.

Emotional suppression distresses the mind, and creates rumination in regard to meaning and identity. Repeating a mantra calms the mind by removing attention from the rumination and redirecting to a repeated sacred sound. The sound does not need meaning, which gives the mind a break from the ‘meaning aspect’ of the rumination. The body naturally follows and relaxes. Bringing the activity of the mind to rest, and grounding in what is sacred, is grounding in peace. Being, nonduality, or presence, is the apparent result, but that which was just prior to the overactive mind & emotionally contracted, or, conditioned body. 

Emotional awareness and Equanimity meditations are helpful with emotional balance & understanding. This has a positive effect on all aspects of life, all endeavors & relationships.

The overarching theme and outcome is a peaceful quieted mind filled with the true nature of it’s source. 

[Tim Ho]

10 hours ago, Cireeric said:

Recently I heard many interesting people talking about Transcendental Meditation. I saw a video from David Lynch and from Jerry Seinfield talking about it. Im into meditation but I dont really know what TM exactly is. What are the differences? Someone did their official courses and is it worth it?

TM is reading mantra meditation which is great for beginners.  You should NOT have to pay any $ thou. 

[Bojan V]

@Cireeric

There is one person who is practicing TM for 45 years. He has a blog davidya.ca maybe you can check up on him. He has a lot of usefull informations on his blog about spirituality.