How to do it
- https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-exact-technique-for-Transcendental-Meditation
- Explanation 1
- Sit comfortably, close your eyes and repeat a mantra. A mantra is a meaningless word which in TM's case is supposedly customized for each person.
- When you repeat the mantra, one of three things happen in the mind,
- Your mind is full of thoughts
- Your mind is with thoughts and mantra in the background
- Your mind is repeating the mantra and it becomes subtle and subtle.
- If situation no. 3 happens, the mind is supposed to have reached a state of transcendence which is beyond the levels of conscious mind,
- Explanation 2 (Source)
- Close your eyes, wait a few seconds, and then start thinking the mantra.
- The list of mantras can be found here: http://minet.org/mantras.html
- It is thought repeatedly only in the beginning of meditation.
- After a while you should “let it go” and “allow the mantra to change in any way it wants”. Whether it gets louder or softer, faster or slower down, clearer or fainter, we just take it as it comes. Its is more of a “hearing” of the mantra than repeating it, and that is why TM movement calls the technique “effortless”.
- Allow thoughts to come and go along with the mantra. There is no attempt to push thoughts out of our mind or use the mantra to override them.
- When the mantra disappears and the mind goes off on thoughts we quietly come back to it. This means that all we have to do is become (aware) that we are no longer hearing the mantra and the awareness of that will be quite sufficient to bring the mantra back to us.
- At the end of meditation stop thinking the mantra and wait about 2 minutes before opening the eyes.
- Close your eyes, wait a few seconds, and then start thinking the mantra.
- Explanation 3
- Repeat the mantra RAM (original TM) or LAM (NSR) to yourself, silently, for 20 minutes, once or twice a day. (The mantra rhymes with "arm" and is essentially meaningless.)
- Accept that it will work with little effort, other than the small amount to check that the mantra is indeed continuing. Don't worry too much about what your mind is doing, just "turn up" to the process.
- When you have finished, remain seated without a mantra for 1 or 2 minutes afterwards. You can be flexible as to seating position and exact times.
- Do this effortlessly. If you notice positive changes in the first few days then continue.
- Explanation 1
- http://caic.org.au/eastern/sydda/free-tm.htm
Famous practitioners
- http://tm-ireland.org/famous-tm-practitioners/
- Ray Dalio (hedge fund manager)
- This is the guy who most made me want to learn more about it.
Film Directors: David Lynch, Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorcese, George Lucas
Supermodels: Raquel Zimmerman, Ali Stephens
Presenters: Oprah Winfrey, Howard Stern (radio), Ellen Degeneres
Singers: Moby, Katy Perry, Paul Mccartney, Ringo Starr, Eddy Vedder (Pearl Jam), Sheryl Crow
Actors/Actresses: Russell Brand, Hugh Jackman, Jerry Seinfeld, Gwenneth Paltrow, Heather Graham, Eva Mendez, Liv Tyler, Naomi Watts.
Doctors: Dr. Oz
- Robert Cialdini talks about his experience going to a TM info session in his book "Influence".
- It's near the beginning of his "Commitment and Consistency" chapter, page 61 in the soft-cover book.