It is a well-known fact that meditation is the best exercise for our minds. Meditation is a form of mental exercise involving focus, relaxation, and awareness. Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a specific form of silent, mantra meditation. It has several benefits including the reduction of anxiety and stress. A greater sense of clarity and productivity and improved sleep are some other benefits.
Transcendental Meditation is once again in news after the latest Instagram post of Shweta Singh Kirti, sister of Sushant Singh Rajput, where she talked about his brother’s plans to start his workout and transcendental meditation. This has triggered a debate about the significance of TM in the lives of people who are living under stress.
According to Ram Shrivastava, Certified Transcendental Meditation Teacher, Maharishi Ayurveda, TM is a technique for experiencing deeper levels of our own awareness and promoting a state of balanced development.
“Transcendental Meditation is the simplest yet most effective form of meditation, which is practised for 20 minutes in the morning and the evening. There are more than 700 scientific research studies on TM conducted in over 30 countries proving its effects on all areas of life. A recent study funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH), USA, revealed that people who practice TM regularly have a 50 per cent less chance of a heart attack”, said Ram Shrivastava.
Transcendental Meditation practice is arguably the most researched meditation technique. It has resulted in more than 300 peer-reviewed, independently verified articles published in topmost academic journals like the American Journal of Physiology, Scientific American, Lancet, Journal of Counselling Psychology, International Journal of Neuroscience, British Journal of Educational Psychology, and Journal of Conflict Resolution.
“Earlier reports when Sushant Singh Rajput committed suicide brought to light that he was in mental pressure during COVID-19 and added so many things in his to-do list to bring down the pressure and to bounce back to normalcy. Perhaps knowing the characteristics of TM that helps stay calm under pressure, reboot and re-energize lives, and helps stay happier, he added TM in his list. But unfortunately, he couldn’t practice that. Had he been practised, he might not commit suicide because as TM works wonders in filtering out the impurities and redefining the new dimensions of hope and mental peace”, Said, Dr Chandrakant S Pandav, Former HoD Dept. of Community Medicine, AIIMS & President, ICCIDD.
Meditation, both TM and other forms, is generally safe and may improve a person’s quality of life. When meditating, the ordinary thinking process is “transcended.” It’s replaced by a state of pure consciousness. In this state, the meditator achieves perfect stillness, rest, stability, order, and a complete absence of mental boundaries. TM does not require any strenuous effort. Nor does it require concentration, or contemplation. Instead, students are told to breathe normally and not focus on anything, just repeat a mantra. In COVID-19 times when everyone was locked under certain restrictions, those who practised TM, got relaxed.
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