Hello fellow bloggers! Today, we begin our exploration of different forms of meditation across different cultures. This week, we explore transcendental meditation technique, or TM technique for short. This Hindu form of meditation traces its roots back over 3,000 years ago and has most recently been developed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The idea behind this form of mediation is simplicity in execution and using it as a tool for one’s self-development by refreshing one’s mind. To prepare, all you need is a quiet area and a chair or bed you will be comfortable using without moving for 20 minutes. And that’s it! To perform, just get comfy in your chair or bed, close your eyes, and remain still and quiet for 20 minutes, focusing on your breathing and the sounds of your body. Many people find it easier to focus by chanting a mantra when they need to refocus, which is a word or sound with no meaning that is supposed to be uttered effortlessly. To help me personally focus, I lit a candle, turned off my lights, and listened to a TM technique playlist that I found on Spotify, shown in the photos above. Shoutout to rainyday75 for the sweet playlist!
After performing this form of meditation, I definitely felt more one with myself and more relaxed. As my loyal followers know, I am pretty new to this whole meditation thing, so starting off with a technique with such simple execution was definitely the right choice for me. During the experience, my arms felt heavy, my head started to droop, and at one point I felt that I even saw flashing colors across my eyelids as I fell deeper into relaxation! As I relaxed, my surroundings outside my room felt like they were slipping away. Occasionally, a sound from one of my roommates outside my bedroom would break my concentration, but I was able to get back into the zone by chanting my mantra. After 20 minutes of meditating, my mind felt refreshed, like I had just taken a power nap. Doing two 20-minute meditation sets in one day, I felt that the first set was more effective in relaxing me than the second one. Looking back on this experience, I wish I had done multiple days in a row instead of just trying this technique for one day. Alas, more blogs are to come, where improvement can be made! This experience has definitely been the right first step in my new meditation adventures and helped me connect more with the Hindu culture. The concept of using a mantra was new to me, but after finding it effective, I would welcome back the idea if I ever gave TM technique a chance again. After experiencing some transcendental meditation, I have a deeper appreciation for the Hindu culture, slowing down, relaxing, and listening to your surroundings. Rate: 9/10, would recommend to all of my followers!