Transcendental Meditation: Introduction to Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Programme and Its Health Benefits

Transcendental Meditation: Introduction to Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Programme and Its Health Benefits

Transcendental Meditation is as old as time. It was introduced to the world in 1955 by His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, from the Vedic Tradition of India, the most ancient tradition of Total Knowledge on earth.

Transcendental Meditation is a simple, natural, effortless mental procedure which takes the mind to deeper levels of the thinking process until the conscious mind arrives at the source of thought, the field of pure consciousness—Transcendental Consciousness, Bliss Consciousness.

This process can be likened to a river which naturally and effortlessly flows into the ocean and gains the status of the ocean.

Transcendental Meditation is practised for fifteen to twenty minutes in the morning and evening, while sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. It dissolves deep stress in body and mind, and opens to our awareness a new experience of a relaxed life that is more alert, more creative, and more fulfilling.

Transcendental Meditation is a programme to unfold the full potential of life. It is the most direct way for the fulfilment of the supreme philosophy of life, where the individual lives life in full enlightenment, and where the individual breathes life in Cosmic Reality. It is universally applicable for the well-being of the individual and society as a whole. It has been learnt by about five million people of all cultures and religions, and every walk of life.

Over 600 scientific studies on the Transcendental Meditation Programme have been conducted during the past four decades by researchers at more than 200 independent research institutions in 30 countries. These include Harvard Medical School; Princeton University; Stanford Medical School; University of Chicago; University of Michigan Medical School; University of California at Berkeley; University of California at Los Angeles; York University, Canada; University of Edinburgh, Scotland; University of Lund, Sweden; University of Groningen, The Netherlands; University of New South Wales, Australia; Institut de la Rochefoucauld, France; National Institute of Industrial Health, Japan; and Moscow Brain Research Institute of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Russia.

Studies have been published in many major scientific journals, including Science, Lancet, Scientific American, American Journal of Physiology, International Journal of Neuroscience, Experimental Neurology, Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, Psychosomatic Medicine, Canadian Medical Association Journal, American Psychologist, British Journal of Educational Psychology, Journal of Counseling Psychology, The Journal of Mind and Behavior, Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Perceptual and Motor Skills, Criminal Justice and Behavior, Journal of Crime and Justice, Proceedings of the Endocrine Society, Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, and Social Indicators Research.

Many studies have been presented at professional scientific conferences, and others have been part of doctoral dissertations prepared under the guidance of thesis committees at leading universities. Much of the research has been gathered together in six volumes (over 5,000 pages). Refer to the Maharishi Vedic University Press publication Scientific Research on Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programme—Collected Papers.

These studies have validated the profound benefits of the Transcendental Meditation Programme for the individual and for every area of society, including health, education, business, industry, rehabilitation, defence, agriculture, and government.

Transcendental Meditation: Introduction to Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Programme and Its Health Benefits. Editing by Alice Long Christine