Practicing Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation is a meditation technique initially introduced in the West around the year 1958. This kind of meditation technique was introduced by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and is said to be a short period of meditation. Transcendental Meditation is recommended twice a day for just twenty minutes per session. As with other meditation methods and practices, the is a goal of Transcendental Meditation is enlightenment. The technique claims to be able to improve a person through the person's individual efforts.
The 7 States
The first three states of this meditation technique are waking, dreaming and dream less sleep. These states are usual states that can be achieved, in many other meditation techniques, not just this one.
The fourth state is called Transcendental Consciousness, which in time can be maintained as the person practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique goes about his daily life. This period of maintenance of the fourth state is the fifth state of Transcendental Meditation, which is called Cosmic Consciousness. This fifth state is part of the enlightenment that occurs to people who practice this form of meditation. The sixth and seventh states of Transcendental Meditation are termed God Consciousness and Unity Consciousness, which are refined states of Cosmic Consciousness.
Transcendental Meditation has several effects on the practitioners. When the practitioner is meditating and has reached an enlightened state, serotonin and cortisol are regulated by the body thus promoting a healthier individual. This also promotes a more relaxed and uninhibited individual who can delve better into himself.
The Other Side
Transcendental Meditation is a controversial practice that has attracted many comments from many religions. Some religions based in the Christian faith allege that this form of meditation strips away the concept of one true God in favor of the concept that Man is able to cleanse his sins by himself. Other religions concur with the Yogi who brought about this form of meditation because they believe it seeks to simplify and enlighten Man's relationship with himself.
There was also a controversy about a mentally ill practitioner of the Transcendental Meditation technique who stabbed a fellow practitioner. Lawsuits claim that the school that teaches the technique failed to be aware of the mental state of the deranged individual.
The meditation technique in question has acquired a number of followers but at the same time, many other individuals prefer the older and more original yoga meditation techniques that have been practiced for several centuries already.
