Transcendental Meditation

Honestly, folks, the absolute best kind of meditation is just washing the dishes every single day, both morning and night.
Don't go thinking I'm joking here; I actually found my way into a state of total zen quite easily.

Richard Walker79 said:Honestly, folks, the absolute best kind of meditation is just washing the dishes every single day, both morning and night.
Don't go thinking I'm joking here; I actually found my way into a state of total zen quite easily.

Man, you're really digging deep here... saying "I" entered "into" samadhi.

Is that what they call puberty where you're from? 🤣

Edward Flores4 said:Man, you're really digging deep here... saying "I" entered "into" samadhi.

Is that what they call puberty where you're from? 🤣

It's what happens when someone obsesses over the packaging instead of the actual content. 🙄

I’m curious to hear from anyone here who actually practices transcendental meditation—or at least has in the past. I’m particularly interested in hearing from those with years of experience under their belt. It seems like there’s a mountain of literature out there about TM, but most of it feels pretty one-sided, if you know what I mean. I actually practiced it myself once after finishing a course, and my initial impression was quite positive—but then I abruptly stopped, mostly because I let some rather misguided people talk me out of it, unfortunately.
I’ve been thinking about getting back into it after all these years...

Richard Hernandez56 said:I’m curious to hear from anyone here who actually practices transcendental meditation—or at least has in the past. I’m particularly interested in hearing from those with years of experience under their belt. It seems like there’s a mountain of literature out there about TM, but most of it feels pretty one-sided, if you know what I mean. I actually practiced it myself once after finishing a course, and my initial impression was quite positive—but then I abruptly stopped, mostly because I let some rather misguided people talk me out of it, unfortunately.
I’ve been thinking about getting back into it after all these years...

We're in the exact same boat. I practiced TM way back when too, and honestly, it was great. I only stopped because my work schedule became a nightmare. I’d jump back into it in a heartbeat if I could, but my life is just constant grinding... waking up at 4 AM and not hitting the sack until 11 PM. How am I supposed to fit that in?

Casey Morgan26 said:I know they hand them out based on whatever year you were born, but honestly, they just have about ten standard mantras they give to everyone... then they spin this whole story about how it’s some special, personalized mantra meant specifically for you...
and yeah, that's pretty much how the whole initiation process goes...
But what I find most ridiculous is how they market themselves as just this "stress relief and relaxation technique" that supposedly has nothing to do with religion, only to turn around later and lecture you with all their specific philosophy and religious doctrines....

I don't get how they could brainwash you if you aren't even interested. I meditate regularly and I feel fine. They can only push their philosophy on you if you actually show up to the meetings—and nobody is forcing you to attend those. If meditation works for you, just do it solo at home and call it a day. The philosophy is for the people who are actually looking for it. And honestly, there's no religion involved; I've been to those sessions before, and everything always boiled down to philosophy and science, which is basically what started this whole thread.

Richard Hernandez56 said:I’m curious to hear from anyone here who actually practices transcendental meditation—or at least has in the past. I’m particularly interested in hearing from those with years of experience under their belt. It seems like there’s a mountain of literature out there about TM, but most of it feels pretty one-sided, if you know what I mean. I actually practiced it myself once after finishing a course, and my initial impression was quite positive—but then I abruptly stopped, mostly because I let some rather misguided people talk me out of it, unfortunately.
I’ve been thinking about getting back into it after all these years...

I’ve been meditating regularly for years now. For me, it’s been nothing but positive. To get straight to the point: I have more drive, I’m more relaxed, and I’m generally a happier person. One weird side effect—my posture actually improved significantly.
The only downside is that if you stop, everything just drifts back to how it was before.

I believe everyone’s journey is different, especially at the start when all those old, dormant stressors start bubbling up. But once you hit a few months of consistent practice, I’m convinced almost everyone sees the benefits.

My advice? Don't listen to anyone else regarding this, especially people who don't actually practice TM themselves. A simple way to gauge if it's working is to look in the mirror after a session. If you like what you see, then you know it's working.

Ryan Patel11 said:I don't get how they could brainwash you if you aren't even interested. I meditate regularly and I feel fine. They can only push their philosophy on you if you actually show up to the meetings—and nobody is forcing you to attend those. If meditation works for you, just do it solo at home and call it a day. The philosophy is for the people who are actually looking for it. And honestly, there's no religion involved; I've been to those sessions before, and everything always boiled down to philosophy and science, which is basically what started this whole thread.

Sorry, but that's just a facade. Mahatma Gandhi intentionally shifted the terminology to sound less Hindu. Their "scientific research" was mostly just them grading their own homework; it lacks any real objectivity, especially when they start talking about fields or that "one percent root" theory. It's all unproven nonsense. When you compare their claims (like crime rates dropping because of group meditation) against actual independent FBI statistics, the math just doesn't add up.

Regarding religion, during initiation, you're offered guidance, you receive a mantra, and you effectively adopt a specific spiritual heritage. That’s the worst part—the "hidden" aspect. An instructor will claim it’s just "their thing." It’s like a priest telling you baptism is just his personal preference, and then you end up reciting the Rosary just for "health reasons."😁

In court, they were even classified as a religion when they were trying to avoid that exact label (I can't recall why) 😁

I'm not a fan of these gimmicks and behind-the-scenes maneuvers.😛

Transcendental Meditation and chanting works... I practiced that way for three years. From my experience, it really helps you feel more fulfilled, calmer, and focused.

Using these specific mantras might help you connect with certain deities who could—but don't necessarily have to—grant you an experience.

What I'll say is that if you're aiming for total liberation or complete oneness with a single entity, chanting isn't going to get you there. It’s just one technique to quiet the brain, but it doesn't provide a direct experience. People who just sit there repeating "ding-ding-ding" are only working on expanding their consciousness to a certain level. But then you have to ask: what happens when you finally hit that moment of silence? What comes next? That’s where chanting falls short. You just "ding" away for an hour or two... and then what? Where do you direct your attention after that? The problem is people meditate on a mantra while being totally unconscious, and then for the other 23 hours of the day, they're back to being unconscious again. Where is the awareness during the day? Where is the mindfulness during those other 23 hours???

Nobody can hand you enlightenment; you have to find it yourself. People need to start exactly where they are right now. They should be looking for a direct experience or a direct connection with the rest of themselves. We just need to Be!

If you want to identify as just a human who needs to "evolve" or something like that, then that’s exactly what you will BE.

You have to seek it constantly, 24 hours a day. Where are you NOW? There shouldn't just be a "meditation time" in the evening! Where are you NOW? Yoga is about NOW, not just when you're meditating!

When will people actually start living their divine fullness? Instead of asking some deities to give them something. We already ARE those deities. We are everything already. And where is our planet in all this? Where are the Moon and the Sun? What are some random deities compared to that? We just need to connect with ourselves, with the rest of our being, which is everything around us. We are already everywhere in the universe. There is no need to go anywhere!