Transcendental Meditation: Principles, Benefits, and Cont...
Originating in Vedism (the Hindu religion), Transcendental Meditation is a type of meditation personal development technique adapted to the Western market and popularized by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the 1960s. The original premise is similar to that of other Hindu meditation practices: human beings are confronted with suffering throughout their lives, so they need to access the happiness present within them through a simple, effective practice. The aim of this spiritual meditation is to reach a level of transcendence where the mind experiences a state of profound calm. This method of self-realization is said to awaken consciousness, helping to combat negative emotions and limit stress and anxiety in daily life.
Principle of this meditative practice
Much more than just a meditative method, Transcendental Meditation has given rise to an international organization comprising meditation schools, universities and Ayurvedic medical centers. The meditative practice itself is simple, accessible and effortless, requiring no special concentration. With no special effort on the part of the mind, in a natural, effortless situation and with the help of a mantra, the mind calms down to experience a level of calm and awareness deeper than wakefulness, a kind of awakening of consciousness. This state is said to bring us a certain happiness and help us to peacefully go about our daily lives. This method of personal growth is aimed at active people who want to make things happen, as opposed to certain Indian meditative practices reserved for monks (such as zazen meditation in the Buddhist tradition). It could also be used for healing.
The idea is to "slide spontaneously towards inner peace, calm and stability within ourselves", according to Leonard Stein, a teacher of transcendental meditation. Transcendental Meditation is presented as secular, open to all, and is now practiced by 8 million people.
Transcendental mantra meditation technique
Presented as a form of anti-stress meditation, Transcendental Meditation is practiced at the rate of two twenty-minute sessions a day, ideally in the morning and evening. Transcendental Meditation is learned through interaction with a qualified teacher. During a session, the individual sits down, closes his or her eyes and repeats the mantra dictated by the teacher to enter into deep meditation. A mantra is a sound or a series of words whose repetition allows the mind and body to settle into a state of intense calm, akin to a state of sophronic consciousness (a state of transition between wakefulness and sleep).
Claimed benefits and personal fulfillment
Scientific studies have shown positive effects on health, anxiety and various brain functions. Here is a non-exhaustive list of the benefits claimed by the practice of Transcendental Meditation:
- stress management and anxiety
- lower blood pressure and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
- increased production of serotonin (a neurotransmitter linked to feelings of happiness)
- production of alpha brain waves, associated with a calmer, more relaxed state of mind
- increased creativity and productivity
- reduced post-traumatic stress symptoms
- enables you to experience your actions with mindfulness
While there are many benefits to this practice, it's worth looking at the many controversies associated with it.
Controversies and sectarian aberrations surrounding transcendental meditation
Despite its widespread popularity thanks to personal development coaching, particularly among show-business stars, transcendental meditation is not universally accepted. Around 1980, transcendental meditation began to worry some, who consider it sectarian. A 1995 commission of inquiry into cults at the French National Assembly, which drew up a list of 173 sectarian movements, identified transcendental meditation as an "orientalist sect " which advocates "personal transformation" and has some 3,500,000 followers worldwide. In addition, the Union Nationale des Associations de Défense des Familles et de l'Individu victimes des sectes (UNADFI) denounces the lobbying and propaganda engaged in by this movement.
In addition, the Catholic Church recommends a certain caution regarding oriental meditation methods, which can sometimes become an obstacle to our relationship with God.
