Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Transcendental Meditation (TM) - What It Is

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of Transcendental Meditation (TM), died the other day at the age of 91. TM became widely known in the 1960s when the Beatles became followers of the Maharishi, and many ordinary people began using TM over the years. So what exactly is Transcendental Meditation?

The focus of TM is what's called "restful alertness," sitting quietly with the eyes closed for 20 minutes twice a day. The person concentrates on a mantra, a word that they repeat over and over in their minds. The focus of TM is what's called "restful alertness," sitting quietly with the eyes closed for 20 minutes twice a day. The person concentrates on a mantra, a word that they repeat over and over in their minds. (You can learn more at the official Transcendental Meditation Web site.)

Studies have shown meditation to have a variety of benefits, and Transcendental Meditation continues to be practiced by many people today. Transcendental Meditation was even featured on the cover of Time magazine back in 1975, and at the time TM was practiced daily by nearly one million people worldwide, more than half of them in the U.S.

Over the years Transcendental Meditation has attracted many celebrities as practitioners, including Clint Eastwood, Howard Stern, magician Doug Henning, Sheryl Crow, and Sting.

No comments: