transcendental meditation Archives

How Long Should You Practice Transcendental Meditation?

August 24, 2023

Transcendental meditation is a form of meditation pioneered by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi that uses a sound mantra. During meditation practice you choose a single constant sound in your environment to continually focus on (also known as the sound mantra). When it comes to practicing transcendental meditation how do you know how long you should practice for? And how often? How long should you practice transcendental meditation? Most types of meditation can be practiced for as long or as little as you prefer. While this is true for transcendental meditation, experts and instructors of TM recommend that you practice this type of meditation for 20 minutes at a time. Herbert Benson M.D. researched the effects and benefits of transcendental meditation at Harvard University. Benson’s recommendation in his research for the ideal time of a meditation session is 10-20 minutes. The official transcendental meditation website ca.tm.org gives this recommendation: “Transcendental Meditation is ideally practiced for twenty minutes”. Meditating for over 20 minutes may become difficult for the average meditator. However, anything under 10 minutes probably won’t be effective. How often should you do transcendental meditation? Transcendental meditation can be practiced as often or as little as you desire. If you desire a specific outcome such as lower stress levels or increased states of consciousness, you should create a habit. The official TM website recommends practicing transcendental meditation 2 times per day for 20 minutes each session. The first session should be in the morning before daily activities or work. The second session should be in the evening after work is completed for the day. This schedule of twice daily at the beginning and end of the day is set up for a special reason. Practicing TM before the day begins gets your mind calm and focused for the day ahead. Having a session at the end of the day unwinds your mind from work and allows you to relax for the evening. How long does it take transcendental meditation to work? So you want to know when you’ll see the benefits of transcendental meditation. Transcendental meditation expert Dr. Tony Nader says it takes around 4 days of practice to begin seeing noticeable long term benefits. However, I find that even practicing transcendental meditation one time you’ll find it has a huge impact on your mindset for the day. With habitual practice of transcendental meditation, you’ll begin to find your mind to be quieter and calmer more regularly. Keep at it meditators!

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Transcendental Meditation: How To Do It

Transcendental meditation is a newer form of meditation developed in the 1950s by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Transcendental meditation is a form of silent mantra meditation where users focus on a sound for the entire duration of the meditation. Maharishi brought transcendental meditation to the West when he went on a world tour in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The sound is known as the mantra in transcendental meditation. A mantra is just anything that is repeatedly focused on by the meditator. The focus on the sound mantra in transcendental meditation brings you into the present moment and deepens your conscious awareness. How To Do Transcendental Meditation Here are the steps to practicing transcendental meditation: 1. Find a comfortable location and position Choose a quiet location that is distraction free and find a comfortable sitting position. You can decide to sit on a chair, bed, couch, or the floor as long as it will allow you to stay awake and alert for the duration of the meditation. 2. Close your eyes Begin your meditation by closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths. This will help you get centered and closing your eyes will help you focus solely on the sound mantra. 3. Choose a silent sound mantra Become aware of the sounds in the room or environment you’re in. Find a sound that is relatively constant in your environment. Choose this sound and use it for the duration of the meditation. 4. Focus on the mantra for 15-20 minutes For however long you want to meditate you’re going to continue to bring your attention to this one constant sound you chose at the very beginning. Anytime you get distracted just bring your attention back to the sound mantra. Continually refocus in this way for the entire meditation. Most transcendental meditation teachers recommend doing this for 15-20 minutes a day. How Long Should You Practice Transcendental Meditation? Why Transcendental Meditation? Transcendental meditation is unique for several reasons. This specific type of sound mantra meditation brings meditators deeply into a state of relaxation and peace with a relatively low amount of effort. This particular type of meditation can also be used to access higher states of consciousness. As you get deeper and deeper into a meditative state using transcendental meditation, you may have spiritual breakthroughs or spiritual awakenings. Transcendental meditation is incredibly simple to start practicing and gives you all of the mental and spiritual benefits of any other type of meditation. 7 Best Types of Meditation: Which Is Best For You?