Transcendental Meditation

[Keebleman]

There's a thread already for this, but it's about 6 years old so I'm starting a new one.

I went to an introductory session for this yesterday.  It was in a suburban house and our host was a lady of about 70, a former school teacher.  Four of us attended, me and three women, including a mother and daughter.  I was told the mother wasn't completely new to TM as she had already been for a consultation with an ayurveda doctor.  "It was very beneficial," she said.

We watched a DVD featuring a number of people in 'ordinary' jobs (though skewing heavily towards the arts) speaking about the benefits of TM.  Once it had finished, our host spoke to us in more detail about the practice, its history and its potential benefits.

We were told that there were studies conducted in the early 70s that showed US cities were 1% of the population practiced TM showed an 8% drop in crime, while cities which had less than 1% of practitioners showed an 8% rise in crime in the same period.  Our host admitted that the initial study had been carried out by the Maharishi's disciples, but a follow-up study confirmed the results.  (I have searched online but can find no record of either, except for a press release issued by the Maharishi University claiming similar results from a study in 2006.)

The word 'astrological' was used at one point, and 'Aura' at another.  The host also referred to the third law of thermodynamics, quantum mechanics and Freud and Jung as if just dropping these names and phrases conferred scientific credibility on the practice (she seemed to think that Freud's concept of the Id and Jung's of the Collective Unconscious were equivalent). 

There was also a fair amount of dissing of what might be termed the opposition.  Other meditative practices were derided and all religions dismissed.

For all this, though, I'm still interested because, anecdotally, it seems to work.  People who practice it say it benefits them greatly, and just because the teachers feel the need to bolster the claims with pseudo-scientific hooey doesn't negate that.  Has anyone on here tried it?

[Gerald Fjord]

I'm sure it does work for some people, but there are definitely other ways of "improving your mental health" (for lack of a better, general term) - including other meditative practices, including overtly spiritual ones- which aren't so cultish.

I'd stay away myself - why TM specifically?

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

I'm not gonna do a poo am I Jez

[Colin Sanction]

It's better than sitting around, doing nothing.

David Lynch is very vocal in his support of TM.

[NoSleep]

We were told that there were studies conducted in the early 70s that showed US cities were 1% of the population practiced TM showed an 8% drop in crime, while cities which had less than 1% of practitioners showed an 8% rise in crime in the same period.  Our host admitted that the initial study had been carried out by the Maharishi's disciples, but a follow-up study confirmed the results.  (I have searched online but can find no record of either, except for a press release issued by the Maharishi University claiming similar results from a study in 2006.)

Places where TM is on the rise probably indicates investment, opportunity and higher incomes are on the rise, too. It isn't the cause, just another indication.

[Keebleman]

I'd stay away myself - why TM specifically?

Because, based on what its practitioners say, it seems to be so effective.  I occasionally go to meditation sessions at the local Buddhist centre, but while I do feel refreshed after each one, they are completely unstructured, you have no idea if you're doing it 'right'.  And if TM attracts such apparently clear-headed people as Jerry Seinfeld, Sam Allardyce, William Hague and Daniel Dennett then I feel I won't be straying too far from the shore of common sense.

For example, listen to this guy.  His name's Tom Papa.  Never heard of him before but he doesn't strike me as the Icke type.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMg8IzQsdpI&t=175s

[mrpupkin]

David Lynch is very vocal in his support of TM.

David Lynch is off his nut mate

[Keebleman]

Places where TM is on the rise probably indicates investment, opportunity and higher incomes are on the rise, too. It isn't the cause, just another indication.

Yeah, of course.  Just one of the many questions I had about that story.

[Puce Moment]

I would love to try this as I think it would improve my life greatly. Of course, the thought of shutting off my mind with DMT or changa makes more sense as I am workingclass4eva and that's how you deal with problems. But I can see that well-managed TM would be hugely beneficial.

David Lynch is off his nut mate

Big bloke who sold me crepes (who also served Lynch and Bellucci in TP3) told me that he was lovely - quiet, unassuming, big tipper.

[grassbath]

Meditation is quite blatantly good for you, as anyone who's given it a proper try will attest to. Given that it is literally just relaxing, breathing and concentrating for a set period of time, something which basically anyone with access to a quiet room can do, I see no reason to couch it within a bunch of cultlike 'school of thought' bullshit. The crime rate 'stats' are especially annoying. I'm absolutely certain that Lynch for instance is sincere in his belief and enthusiasm, but TM's attempts to get money out of people - and use of his endorsement to do so - puts me off immensely.

[Shaky]

I've been in the audience when Lynch has been touting the virtues of TM at length and he absolutely comes across as sincere. It sounded like the practice has dug him out of a dark hole on more than a few occasions and helped keep depression at bay (for all the bleak weirdness of his work, he's generally a very cheery type in person).

But yeah, the money aspect is a hard thing to get around. Playing devil's advocate, though, if it works I guess the dosh becomes less of an issue as it's helping you achieve the holy grail that is peace of mind. Everybody wants to be lead by somebody or something and we throw out money at all sorts of other stuff on a constant basis.

[thugler]

As far as i can tell, there isnt really anything that differentiates TM from other forms of meditation, other than a bunch of mumbo jumbo and a structure of gurus who charge for teaching you it.

There's plenty of different forms you can try for £0 and it might be more beneficial to try a few and see if any of them suit you before committing to TM. I don't manage to meditate frequently enough really, but when i do i always find it beneficial, particularly have enjoyed learning some breathing techniques recently, which basically just involves a regimented way of making yourself hyperventilate. Brings on quite a nice feeling of peace and can apparently bring on hallucinations if you keep at it and can keep the technique going.

[NoSleep]

I know people who have practiced it and it seems it's just a simply-taught technique. The only thing the teacher bestows on the pupil is a personal word or mantra they must use in the practice of the technique; after that it's up to the individual whether they need to go back for any more advice.

[imitationleather]

I'll stick to my weapons grade anti-depressants, ta.

[NoSleep]

A bullet to the head?

[poo]

The word 'astrological' was used at one point, and 'Aura' at another. 

Mate.

[NoSleep]

Best meditation technique that I know is to go for a walk.

[Piggyoioi]

afiak its basically just simple Samadhi meditation as opposed to vipassina. you can learn these techniques for free online or free at any decent buddhist centre. don't join TM because you like some celebrities that do it, that's just sad.

[buzby]

Were you in Skelmersdale? Having the Golden Dome lot set up shop there has done fuck-all for the crime rate and happiness levels of Skem.

[Alberon]

If you can find somewhere that teaches meditation without all the woowoo bullshit then go for that instead.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Not even in my top 3 KLF records, sorry

[Sebastian Cobb]

If you can find somewhere that teaches meditation without all the woowoo bullshit then go for that instead.

This is what 'mindfulness' is isn't it? Basically meditation for chino wearing cunts.

[Pseudopath]

Best meditation technique that I know is to go for a wank.

FTFY

This is what 'mindfulness' is isn't it? Basically meditation for chino wearing cunts.

Aren't they opposite sides of the same coin? Isn't mindfulness is all about acknowledging everything that's happening at the present moment (thoughts, feelings, sights, sounds, smells, etc.) whereas meditation is more about clearing the mind and abstracting yourself from your surroundings? I think one of my friends who teaches yoga once said "Mindfulness is the awareness of something. Meditation is the awareness of nothing" or some bollocks like that.

[Piggyoioi]

This is what 'mindfulness' is isn't it? Basically meditation for chino wearing cunts.

Mindfulness is just a part of meditation. From the little i know about TM it seems like the aim is to enter a state of absorption into an object of consciousness, in this case they give you a mantra of an old sanskrit word (which will mean nothing to westerners). You can enter states of absortion using the breath or literally any other object as long as you have a very consistent, one-pointedness attention on that object. For some reason the mind likes this and you begin to feel happy for no reason.

[Sin Agog]

Watched a Russell Brand/Lynch interview/Nuremberg rally recently that ended with
Brand being handed a slip of paper which told him to pan-handle a member of the crowd for 1k for the opportunity to meet them backstage.  Even he seemed uncomfortable with their grabbiness.

You could say that charging money for something that will immeasurably benefit your life isn't a problem, and just because it's ethereal and you can't touch it doesn't mean it's any less real than pot noodles or a spatula.  But fuck that, it's a dead simple practise that should be in the public domain.  It's the making yourself do it every day part that's hard, though maybe knowing you've handed over a grand or two will increase your sticktoitiveness.  TM was started by Sexy Sady himself, ol 'hesh, and his racket was acting like the unique mantra he assigned you was the... Lynchpin to making it work.  Which is nonsense.  Just repeat any circular syllables in your head (I use the Persian book of kings, Shahnameh, just 'cause it was there in front of me when I did it for the first time).  Or count your breaths, or do both.  It fucks me off no end how a simple, tangible skill has been co-opted by nefarious eerie cunts like TM (and I love Lynch).  My technique is more of a Frankenstein's Monster of various methods, but it works.  Had to do it three times a day to survive Glastonbury recently, but I'd come down from my hill with a weird serene nothing can hurt me glimmer that lasted six or seven hours, and was more rejuvenating than sleep.  Don't take a course, though.  Just...try not to think for twenty minutes.  I accept payment in stamps.

[Sin Agog]

Mindfulness is just a part of meditation. From the little i know about TM it seems like the aim is to enter a state of absorption into an object of consciousness, in this case they give you a mantra of an old sanskrit word (which will mean nothing to westerners). You can enter states of absortion using the breath or literally any other object as long as you have a very consistent, one-pointedness attention on that object. For some reason the mind likes this and you begin to feel happy for no reason.

I think they're pretty adamant that you close your eyes during TM, although I prefer the focusing your attention technique.  It's tiny fucking differences like that which distinguish the different 'schools.'  It's like that Liliputian war in Gulliver's Travels over which side they eat their eggs from (although those tiny psychopaths who ate them upside-down deserved to be squished).

[imitationleather]

Is it a bit like when you drink four K cider in an hour and then find yourself just staring into space at absolutely nothing for ages?

[Sin Agog]

Kinda, but it's even more like the feeling of post-coital calm after vomiting out a gallon of White Lightning from your system.

[imitationleather]

You see, if they'd sold it to me using that kind of language I would have signed up years back.

[SteveDave]

MIKE LOVE