Transcendental Meditation

Casey Morgan26 said:Which method, tell me...

Well, it's an old classic. It isn't exactly being marketed right now—mostly because that's not its primary purpose, much like TM—but honestly, it's far more effective at curing insomnia than TM could ever be.

The method is called: State 😍

Enroll in college and sit through the most mind-numbing lectures imaginable. If you manage to stay awake, you've already won.😍

So, I finally finished up my degree... though, if I'm being honest, I barely ever actually showed up to the lectures because they were just so incredibly dull...
I ended up dealing with some pretty bad insomnia, mostly because of exam stress and spending way too much time scrolling through the internet and stuff...

Casey Morgan26 said:So, I finally finished up my degree... though, if I'm being honest, I barely ever actually showed up to the lectures because they were just so incredibly dull...
I ended up dealing with some pretty bad insomnia, mostly because of exam stress and spending way too much time scrolling through the internet and stuff...

Just record them and listen to the lectures at night.😁

The internet is acting up, though it seems fine on my end—must be my bandwidth.

Honestly, you need sports, fresh air, and a solid diet first. A person needs to get those basic physical fundamentals in order (which obviously includes sleep) before even thinking about meditation.

lol if I tried listening to those lectures on cassette late at night, I’d probably end up having a total nervous breakdown 😁 ...

Casey Morgan26 said:The tricky thing about TM is how they lure you in. They claim it’s just this "relaxation technique" that has absolutely nothing to do with religion and won't require you to overhaul your lifestyle or habits... and then, before you know it, they’re lecturing you on mantra chanting and all that Maharishi nonsense and philosophy...
I actually ended up feeling worse after just five days of TM. My tension, anxiety, and depression spiked, and I felt completely disoriented. It was a total shock to my system; it took me nearly twenty days just to feel steady again...
I originally signed up for the course because I couldn't sleep and was becoming dependent on sleeping pills, but instead, TM just triggered more psychological issues for me...
So, I decided to try practicing it again, but only for five minutes instead of the full twenty... I did that for about nine days. I can't even say what the effects were, really. At times, it would calm me down and quiet my thoughts, but other times it would leave me in this state of lethargy and apathy, or occasionally, it would just irritate my psyche again...
I suppose doing a minute or two of TM before bed helped me fall asleep for a couple of nights...
But my overall impression? TM just stirs up negative emotions in me. It feels like it numbs me out or makes me indifferent to everything around me, giving off this fake sense of peace...
At least, that's how it felt to me...
People say you have to stick with it for at least twenty or thirty days to see the actual results, but honestly, I'm afraid that continuing might just make my mental health even worse...

What I’m specifically wondering about is: why is TM the only one that gets all this scientific scrutiny? They spout all this fluff about a "fourth state of consciousness" and similar nonsense, when in reality, the technique just triggers alpha waves in the brain which induces relaxation, slows down breathing, and lowers metabolism—basically just a way to release some stress...
Apparently, that helps some people resolve health issues, while for others, it creates even bigger problems...

So, I want to know, does only TM have this kind of effect, or do all other forms of meditation work this way?
Is there anything else that could help with insomnia and anxiety?
Maybe some milder meditation or something?
Because clearly, the pills aren't solving the problem, lol...

It doesn't take 20 days to feel something. For me, the change happened during my first group session, and within those first few days, I was feeling extremely... wild😁 in a positive way, mostly. I talked about it with the instructor; it's not like you won't feel anything at all during those initial days😉
After 3 years, I quit, though I can't really explain why...😁
I just don't know what constitutes "actual results." I didn't view progress as some movie-edited projection of what they measured as being "good for me" or what "should" happen... physically, mentally, or whatever plane you look at. It’s great when you watch videos showing all that "scientific" data, but people have other motives...
Your motive is getting rid of insomnia. And if it isn't helping, it’s making things worse.

Casey Morgan26 said:The tricky thing about TM is how they lure you in. They claim it’s just this "relaxation technique" that has absolutely nothing to do with religion and won't require you to overhaul your lifestyle or habits... and then, before you know it, they’re lecturing you on mantra chanting and all that Maharishi nonsense and philosophy...
I actually ended up feeling worse after just five days of TM. My tension, anxiety, and depression spiked, and I felt completely disoriented. It was a total shock to my system; it took me nearly twenty days just to feel steady again...
I originally signed up for the course because I couldn't sleep and was becoming dependent on sleeping pills, but instead, TM just triggered more psychological issues for me...
So, I decided to try practicing it again, but only for five minutes instead of the full twenty... I did that for about nine days. I can't even say what the effects were, really. At times, it would calm me down and quiet my thoughts, but other times it would leave me in this state of lethargy and apathy, or occasionally, it would just irritate my psyche again...
I suppose doing a minute or two of TM before bed helped me fall asleep for a couple of nights...
But my overall impression? TM just stirs up negative emotions in me. It feels like it numbs me out or makes me indifferent to everything around me, giving off this fake sense of peace...
At least, that's how it felt to me...
People say you have to stick with it for at least twenty or thirty days to see the actual results, but honestly, I'm afraid that continuing might just make my mental health even worse...

What I’m specifically wondering about is: why is TM the only one that gets all this scientific scrutiny? They spout all this fluff about a "fourth state of consciousness" and similar nonsense, when in reality, the technique just triggers alpha waves in the brain which induces relaxation, slows down breathing, and lowers metabolism—basically just a way to release some stress...
Apparently, that helps some people resolve health issues, while for others, it creates even bigger problems...

So, I want to know, does only TM have this kind of effect, or do all other forms of meditation work this way?
Is there anything else that could help with insomnia and anxiety?
Maybe some milder meditation or something?
Because clearly, the pills aren't solving the problem, lol...

Pills don't solve it, Casey Morgan26, nor are they meant to. Meditation isn't a medication either. Forget their sales pitch and presentations for a second. You have a specific, real problem😉
At the same time, the fact that you're dealing with extra troubles right now is a kind of alarm or warning; you need to recognize it. That's why it's okay. If you see it—that something is wrong at the root and you need to change on a different level, like approaching it from a different angle.

Pills create dependency; over time they work less and less and you fall into a vicious cycle... and other shit. Believe me, I've taken enough of them😁
They can be a tool, for a little while, but they won't solve the problem.

Start taking action on yourself.
Like... what would you lose by going for a walk in the fresh air instead of hanging out in front of a computer or online, which (from experience) can easily irritate the mind and nerves and cause major sleep issues, especially if you're prone to that.

You have to get to know yourself and get rid of the habits that hurt you.
Acquire the ones that do you good.
It's just a matter of deciding.
Move.😁

bluemason3 said:Well, it's an old classic. It isn't exactly being marketed right now—mostly because that's not its primary purpose, much like TM—but honestly, it's far more effective at curing insomnia than TM could ever be.

The method is called: State 😍

Enroll in college and sit through the most mind-numbing lectures imaginable. If you manage to stay awake, you've already won.😍

Top-tier answer.🙏
I can personally vouch for how many times my head hit the desk during lectures.😁 😍

If I were giving advice for insomnia, though, I'd suggest some intense physical activity—work yourself until you're absolutely wiped out. 👍
That’s what actually helped me when I was dealing with insomnia during that same sedentary, purely mental phase of life.😵

My first meditation session was honestly such a miracle—it felt so good that I stayed hooked on it for a few days straight. After that, though, the intensity kind of dipped, and my drive to do it started fading too...
Anyway, it was a really beautiful and wonderful experience to have.

I can't keep up with all these posts,
Look, if you're feeling terrified of TM, then just run the other way! It’s blindingly obvious that this isn't working for you, so why on earth would you push forward? You'll just end up paying for every single new level they introduce. Honestly—I know a guy who went all the way through the whole thing, paid every cent, and you know what happened? In the end, they promise you paradise and enlightenment, provided you kneel before some portrait of their chief god or guru—I can't recall which one specifically—and offer up sacrifices (food, flowers, whatever) and bow down to him. Then you spend your time repeating formulas for the instructor leading you, and suddenly you hear this buzzing sound... just buzzing and buzzing until it starts drilling right into your skull. It feels like it's trying to force its way inside your head.
And if it actually does get in there, well, then you're enlightened too, aren't you? Then you can just head out into the world to recruit new followers, rubbing the "scientific nature of TM" into their eyes and insisting it has absolutely nothing to do with religion. All while collecting more checks from them.

Anthony Fowler83
Are you speaking from first-hand experience here? Like, actually lived it?

Anthony Fowler83 said:I can't keep up with all these posts,
Look, if you're feeling terrified of TM, then just run the other way! It’s blindingly obvious that this isn't working for you, so why on earth would you push forward? You'll just end up paying for every single new level they introduce. Honestly—I know a guy who went all the way through the whole thing, paid every cent, and you know what happened? In the end, they promise you paradise and enlightenment, provided you kneel before some portrait of their chief god or guru—I can't recall which one specifically—and offer up sacrifices (food, flowers, whatever) and bow down to him. Then you spend your time repeating formulas for the instructor leading you, and suddenly you hear this buzzing sound... just buzzing and buzzing until it starts drilling right into your skull. It feels like it's trying to force its way inside your head.
And if it actually does get in there, well, then you're enlightened too, aren't you? Then you can just head out into the world to recruit new followers, rubbing the "scientific nature of TM" into their eyes and insisting it has absolutely nothing to do with religion. All while collecting more checks from them.

Every religion with a heavy preaching or expansionist streak pulls the same stunt: they aggressively smear things they don't understand using heavily ideological stances, a mountain of prejudices, and incredibly childish arguments.

That applies here with TM when it's promoted through cheap tactics (like those highly questionable scientific studies or pretending it isn't a spiritual/religious movement), but this current take (much like plenty of other "official" statements from church sheep) is pretty mindless as well.

bluemason3 said:Every religion with a heavy preaching or expansionist streak pulls the same stunt: they aggressively smear things they don't understand using heavily ideological stances, a mountain of prejudices, and incredibly childish arguments.

That applies here with TM when it's promoted through cheap tactics (like those highly questionable scientific studies or pretending it isn't a spiritual/religious movement), but this current take (much like plenty of other "official" statements from church sheep) is pretty mindless as well.

Look, TM is just a technique, not a religion or some organized movement. You should be mature enough to know the difference.
The fact that some people who learn the technique end up following everything else being pushed on them is a different story entirely, and hey, that's their own choice.
The truth is, this is one of the most heavily researched meditation techniques out there, with proven benefits documented in over a thousand papers.
Of course, people from other religions or those practicing different meditation/relaxation methods get jealous. They're envious because there's little to nothing scientific research on their specific practices, so they aren't even sure if they actually work or if they're just spinning their wheels.😍
As for objectivity, you could nitpick the objectivity of any study ever. Doctors study their field, scientists study theirs—if we went by that logic, everyone would be considered biased.

casualmaker13 said:Look, TM is just a technique, not a religion or some organized movement. You should be mature enough to know the difference.
The fact that some people who learn the technique end up following everything else being pushed on them is a different story entirely, and hey, that's their own choice.
The truth is, this is one of the most heavily researched meditation techniques out there, with proven benefits documented in over a thousand papers.
Of course, people from other religions or those practicing different meditation/relaxation methods get jealous. They're envious because there's little to nothing scientific research on their specific practices, so they aren't even sure if they actually work or if they're just spinning their wheels.😍
As for objectivity, you could nitpick the objectivity of any study ever. Doctors study their field, scientists study theirs—if we went by that logic, everyone would be considered biased.

In TM, getting a mantra involves a traditional initiation process (you're offered fruit, you receive a mantra in front of a guru's picture). It’s a classic Hindu ritualistic initiation where someone acts on behalf of a guru to pass down a spiritual legacy. The way they twist the story to claim it's just a formal thing between a meditation teacher and a guru is just nonsense.

The research is questionable.

Most other groups don't feel the need for this kind of pseudo-scientific marketing, so they don't bother researching themselves.

It would be objective if, say, an independent institute studying social movements looked into how meditation affects crime rates. Instead, we have Maharishi's scientists at Maharishi's institute researching the Maharishi effect, only to conclude—using methods and projections known only to them—that crime has dropped, even when police statistics show it's actually higher than it was during the same period last year.😁

bluemason3 said:In TM, getting a mantra involves a traditional initiation process (you're offered fruit, you receive a mantra in front of a guru's picture). It’s a classic Hindu ritualistic initiation where someone acts on behalf of a guru to pass down a spiritual legacy. The way they twist the story to claim it's just a formal thing between a meditation teacher and a guru is just nonsense.

The research is questionable.

Most other groups don't feel the need for this kind of pseudo-scientific marketing, so they don't bother researching themselves.

It would be objective if, say, an independent institute studying social movements looked into how meditation affects crime rates. Instead, we have Maharishi's scientists at Maharishi's institute researching the Maharishi effect, only to conclude—using methods and projections known only to them—that crime has dropped, even when police statistics show it's actually higher than it was during the same period last year.😁

TM initiation is just there so you can get the mantra used in the technique. It doesn't require any loyalty to a specific religion or heritage that you don't even need to know anything about. What you're thinking about is a totally different thing.
If you were taken to a church as a kid and baptized, it doesn't mean you're a Christian, especially if you believe in Allah now.😍
Similarly, learning a certain technique doesn't instantly change your faith or your religion.
As for the research, well, all scientific research is subject to questioning, isn't it?
The only things that are truly questionable are those other techniques that haven't been sufficiently studied, which allows people to sell "foggy" techniques that are terrified of actual research that might expose them.
Since you clearly don't have a clue about these studies, maybe it would be better not to spread misinformation based on nothing but assumptions.
I get it, you probably wish the techniques you personally use had been studied too, because I can tell you're not entirely sure they actually work. But there's no need to be bitter about it.😉
If you're going to be interested enough to talk about it, maybe try to learn a bit more first so you aren't just talking for the sake of talking. It'll look better next time.🙂

casualmaker13 said:TM initiation is just there so you can get the mantra used in the technique. It doesn't require any loyalty to a specific religion or heritage that you don't even need to know anything about. What you're thinking about is a totally different thing.
If you were taken to a church as a kid and baptized, it doesn't mean you're a Christian, especially if you believe in Allah now.😍
Similarly, learning a certain technique doesn't instantly change your faith or your religion.
As for the research, well, all scientific research is subject to questioning, isn't it?
The only things that are truly questionable are those other techniques that haven't been sufficiently studied, which allows people to sell "foggy" techniques that are terrified of actual research that might expose them.
Since you clearly don't have a clue about these studies, maybe it would be better not to spread misinformation based on nothing but assumptions.
I get it, you probably wish the techniques you personally use had been studied too, because I can tell you're not entirely sure they actually work. But there's no need to be bitter about it.😉
If you're going to be interested enough to talk about it, maybe try to learn a bit more first so you aren't just talking for the sake of talking. It'll look better next time.🙂

Come on! 🙄

Here are the words of Maharishi:

When you first start out, they don't exactly pull back the curtain on the deeper, more spiritual significance behind the mantra. It’s kept under wraps for those just beginning. But Maharishi breaks it all down:

Think of it this way: we perform certain rituals here, specifically through precise chanting, to create a ripple—an actual effect—in another realm. It's like sending out a signal to catch the attention of those higher beings or gods inhabiting those different planes. In essence, The entire knowledge of The mantras or hymns of The Vedas [ hindu scriptures is all about building that bridge, facilitating a direct line of communication between us and the higher beings existing within the various layers of creation.

Transcendental Meditation is essentially a direct path to God.

Think of meditation as a profound way to pray—it’s a direct path that carries us straight to the field of the Creator, right to the very source of all existence, into the field of God.

TM is truly the sole path to finding both genuine success and spiritual salvation in this life; honestly, there just isn't any other way to go about it.

So, it turns out a 'mantra' isn't just some random, meaningless sound used in the TM technique. It’s clearly much more than that—it acts as a genuine 'spiritual' tool, a way to actually bridge the gap and connect with higher spiritual beings.

And then there’s the puja—that sung invocation. When you look at the translation, it goes something like this:

I bow down to Lord Narayana, to Brahma The Creator, born of the lotus, and to Vashishta, to Shakti, and to his son, Parashar. I bow down to Vyasa, to Shukadava, to the great Gaudapada, and to Govinda, the leader among yogis. My respects go to his disciple, Shri Trotika and Varttika-Kar, to all others, and to the sacred lineage of our masters. I bow down to The abode of The wisdom of The Shrutis , Smritis and Puranas, to the sanctuary of compassion, to the living embodiment of the Lord’s glory, and to Shankar, who liberates through the Lord. I bow down again and again to Shankaracharya, the redeemer, known as Krishna and Badarayan, the commentator of the Brahma Sutras. AT whose door The whole Galaxy of gods pray for perfection day and Night, he stands adorned in boundless glory—the one who perceives the entire world. Having bowed down to him, we find true fulfillment. He is a master at clearing away the fog of ignorance for all people; that gentle liberator, Bramanand Saraswati—the supreme, brilliant teacher—is the one I hold in my consciousness.

So, here’s the thing... TM is essentially just a religion or a cult wrapped in the branding of Hinduism—it’s basically a "scientific" way to tackle tension and stress. It’s really just a vehicle for spreading neo-Hindu messages across America.

Casey Morgan26 said:Is this meditation practice actually as beneficial as all those "scientifically proven" studies claim, or is it just another massive scam?
I can't help but wonder why, in the West, there seems to be such an obsession with researching TM specifically rather than looking into other meditative traditions.
Does TM actually end up doing more harm than good?
And don't even get me started on the whole philosophy behind it... it feels like a twisted version of Hinduism, especially with their claims that Hinduism and all other religions are fundamentally flawed.

If you want to learn something practical and secular about meditation, pick up or at least skim two books by Jon Kabat-Zinn:
1. Wherever You Go, There You Are
2. Full Catastrophe Living

He’s the founder and director of the stress reduction clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center and a lecturer at the preventive department.
He doesn't tie it to religion; he ties it to stress management.
But look, it isn't going to work if you try it once and quit. It requires actual time.
His approach doesn't involve mysterious mantras or holy figures.
And obviously, it doesn't cost you a dime. If you're a member of a library, you borrow the books, read them, and return them. Whatever you want to remember—just photocopy it.

Look, I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

As much as you're right—those who argue this is all about Hindu roots, religion, and philosophy—those people are also right when they claim the TM initiation and the mantra itself are just techniques without any "strings attached."
In my two and a half years doing TM, including the siddhi techniques, I’ve met all kinds of people. Some were basically zealots who treated TM like the only salvation for humanity, while others just took the mantra, kept practicing, and went right back to their regular lives.

Even though the mantras stem from Hindu tradition, they function as sounds (especially with bija mantras, which don't really carry religious baggage), and you don't have to accept them the way you'd accept a belief in a specific deity.
Similarly, even though the initiation ritual is directed toward the tradition's guru, it doesn't bind the person being initiated in any way—at least, not if you ignore the esoteric interpretations 😍. A person can believe in Jesus or Allah and still practice TM.

Regarding the "scientific" studies, I personally feel a lot of them seem "rigged," particularly those concerning "Maharishi's effect."
On the flip side, I do think some efforts in that direction were worth noting—measuring how meditation affects brain waves, skin conductance, heart rate, and so on... it wouldn't be a bad idea to keep researching that stuff with other techniques too.

In a conversation about TM, we should probably distinguish between "outer circle" members (those who just got initiated) and those deeply tied to the organization (teachers, Mother Divine, managers...).
The organization itself definitely has its pros and cons. When I was initiated, the prices for the techniques were relatively affordable (basic and advanced levels were fine; siddhis were a bit pricier, but not crazy). They went up later, and I know of teachers who actually left the movement because of that. Regardless, everyone has the free will to take a course and pay, or not.

For me, the technique was great at first, and I’d recommend it to anyone who doesn't want to deal with a bunch of spiritual or philosophical fluff and just needs a way to relax. Provided, of course, they aren't already mentally unstable.
I don't know how things changed later, but back then, nobody was promising us heaven or enlightenment, even if plenty of people drifted in that direction. 😍 In any case, no one forced anyone to do anything—you could show up or walk away whenever you wanted, and you could think or say whatever you liked (sure, the "orthodox" types would give you weird looks, but there were no "sanctions" 😍)

I met many good people in that movement. Maharishi himself didn't leave a huge impression on me when he visited the US, but I think making meditation techniques accessible to more people is a good thing—wishing him a happy journey to his eternal hunting grounds.

casualtiger2 said:Anthony Fowler83
Are you speaking from first-hand experience here? Like, actually lived it?

No; but it’s the experience of a very, very good friend of mine. When it comes to spirituality, we don't deal in secrets or make-believe—we just lay it all out there. Hardly anyone believes us, honestly, except for each other, because we’re so transparent about our spiritual lives. And besides, there’s no need to invent anything when everything is already... well, quite incredible and entirely true!
So, the real-life story goes like this:
When my friend arrived for that final TM initiation, bringing flowers and other gifts for the figure in the photo (or maybe his statue, I can't quite recall), he was supposed to repeat some sort of incomprehensible oath to his initiator. Right then, he felt something invisible manifest in the room. It was buzzing—this intense humming that seemed to be clawing at his head, trying desperately to force its way in through his ears, his forehead, his nose... It felt aggressive. My friend instinctively recited a Christian prayer: "Lord, let nothing enter me that is not from You"—thinking specifically of the Christian God—and because of that, that furious buzzing kept hammering against his head, unable to break through.
The interesting part of the story is that the instructor here in the States noticed immediately that something wasn't right. But since my friend had already finished the courses and paid for this initiation, the instructor told him: "That should have been it; you should be initiated now. But I don't know why it didn't work for you; I've never seen that happen before. So, come back for the initiation a second time. You don't need to pay extra; we just want to make sure you are properly initiated."
It just goes to show, these American TM teachers really know exactly what they're doing.

Anthony Fowler83 said:No; but it’s the experience of a very, very good friend of mine. When it comes to spirituality, we don't deal in secrets or make-believe—we just lay it all out there. Hardly anyone believes us, honestly, except for each other, because we’re so transparent about our spiritual lives. And besides, there’s no need to invent anything when everything is already... well, quite incredible and entirely true!
So, the real-life story goes like this:
When my friend arrived for that final TM initiation, bringing flowers and other gifts for the figure in the photo (or maybe his statue, I can't quite recall), he was supposed to repeat some sort of incomprehensible oath to his initiator. Right then, he felt something invisible manifest in the room. It was buzzing—this intense humming that seemed to be clawing at his head, trying desperately to force its way in through his ears, his forehead, his nose... It felt aggressive. My friend instinctively recited a Christian prayer: "Lord, let nothing enter me that is not from You"—thinking specifically of the Christian God—and because of that, that furious buzzing kept hammering against his head, unable to break through.
The interesting part of the story is that the instructor here in the States noticed immediately that something wasn't right. But since my friend had already finished the courses and paid for this initiation, the instructor told him: "That should have been it; you should be initiated now. But I don't know why it didn't work for you; I've never seen that happen before. So, come back for the initiation a second time. You don't need to pay extra; we just want to make sure you are properly initiated."
It just goes to show, these American TM teachers really know exactly what they're doing.

Now that's an interesting one!
Since I went through the initiation myself, I don't remember any specific vows having to be recited. And based on what I've heard from a few friends who were also there, nobody else had anything buzzing around their heads.
Maybe there was just a fly or a bumblebee in the room hitting his head, or maybe your friend just has flies following him around everywhere.😍
I bet those church exorcists helped him out by casting out whatever was wrong, so now he's a true believer and has definitely found God.
That's probably why you never hear about people in churches having flies buzzing around their heads.😁

casualmaker13 said:Now that's an interesting one!
Since I went through the initiation myself, I don't remember any specific vows having to be recited. And based on what I've heard from a few friends who were also there, nobody else had anything buzzing around their heads.
Maybe there was just a fly or a bumblebee in the room hitting his head, or maybe your friend just has flies following him around everywhere.😍
I bet those church exorcists helped him out by casting out whatever was wrong, so now he's a true believer and has definitely found God.
That's probably why you never hear about people in churches having flies buzzing around their heads.😁

Have you ever heard the story regarding the siddhis and how Patanjali acquired them?

shadowcobra13 said:Have you ever heard the story regarding the siddhis and how Patanjali acquired them?

Go ahead, lay it on me. I want to see if our versions match up.