Below please find a list of Frequently Asked Questions. Please send us an e-mail or give us a ring on the telephone number above with additional questions.

Question: Is the Transcendental Meditation program like hypnosis or other types of meditation techniques?
Answer: The Transcendental Meditation program is unique. Hypnosis involves suggestion. The Transcendental Meditation technique is natural and involves no suggestion. All other forms of meditation or self-development involve either concentration or contemplation. The Transcendental Meditation technique is easy to learn, effortless to practice, and involves neither concentration nor contemplation.

Question: Is TM a religion?
Answer: TM is simply a practical technique. It involves no change in beliefs or lifestyle. People of all faiths and none practise the technique, including clergy of all religions.

Question: Will my practice of the Transcendental Meditation program conflict with my religion?
Answer: No, it will enhance your religion. Millions of people of all religions, including clergy, practice the Transcendental Meditation technique. They report that the technique, by increasing energy and intelligence and eliminating stress and fatigue, allows them to better follow the tenets of their religion. It is a technique, pure and simple. It involves no religion, belief, philosophy, or change in lifestyle. Rev. Dr. Craig Overmyer explains this point: “I would say to any Christian, to anyone of any religion, that Transcendental Meditation would benefit your life. It’s a technique, a simple process that requires no belief. It is not a religion. There are so many thoughts that clutter the mind, and Transcendental Meditation is like taking a bath - it’s very cleansing and very refreshing.”

Question: Where do you meditate?
Answer: The Transcendental Meditation technique is practiced sitting comfortably with the eyes closed for 20 minutes twice a day. It can be done anywhere - at home, in your office, on an airplane, on a camping trip. Anywhere.

Question: Is the Transcendental Meditation technique difficult to learn?
Answer: The Transcendental Meditation technique is easy to learn and effortless to practice. Over one million Americans - and six million people worldwide - of every age (10 years and up), profession, education, and religion have learned the technique and enjoy its benefits.

Question: Can I learn the Transcendental Meditation technique from a book or a tape?
Answer: No. Each person is unique; each person has a different nervous system and therefore a different pace of learning. Ensuring that you learn the technique properly requires personal instruction from a qualified Transcendental Meditation program teacher. Reading a book or listening to a tape cannot provide the experience of pure consciousness and the corresponding profound state of restful alertness; nor can a book anticipate or answer all of the questions that every person might ask while learning the practice. With proper personal instruction, you can enjoy the technique for the rest of your life - as well as all of the benefits it naturally unfolds.

Question: When I start the Transcendental Meditation technique do I have to join an organization?
Answer: No. Once you’ve learned the Transcendental Meditation technique, you practice it on your own. There is, however, a complete, optional, lifetime follow-up program, available to all meditators, to ensure that they continue to practice the technique correctly and gain maximum benefits. You can take advantage of this program at your convenience.

Question: How long does it take before I will notice some benefits?
Answer: It varies from individual to individual. All those who practice the Transcendental Meditation technique do notice positive growth and development in their life; however, it’s not really possible to predict which particular benefits you might receive from the practice or even how long it will take before you would experience a specific benefit. Extensive scientific research and the experience of teaching the technique to more than six million people around the world do show that correct practice of the Transcendental Meditation program on a regular, twice-daily basis is very important for gaining the most from the technique.

Question: Specifically, what happens to the brain during TM practice?
Answer: EEG research shows that practice of the TM technique increases alpha activity (8 to 12 cycles per second) in all brain areas. Alpha activity is the hallmark of restful alertness, inner silence, and wide-awake self-awareness. In addition, TM practice increases coherence in the EEG signals in the frontal lobes - the prefrontal cortex or “CEO” of the brain. Perhaps more significantly, this increased frontal coherence is spontaneously maintained after TM practice during daily activity and has been correlated with improved executive processing - the basis of comprehensive planning, open-minded judgment, and wise decision-making.

 

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