Last week I posted an article about a fascinating new book, Transcendence, by South-African born psychiatrist Norman Rosenthal. As I mentioned, I took TM years ago as a high school senior (3 years after I taught myself yoga) and so my memory of the key points (although overall the meditation technique is simple) about TM have likely faded. I received a comment by Tom Ball who teaches yoga and I wanted to bring them to your attention. He explained in detail the difference between TM and the Relaxation Response created by Dr. Herbert Benson. The following are some excerpts from what he wrote:
"When one learns TM, one takes a comprehensive course that includes gaining an understanding of the mechanism of "transcending," which is something that Benson doesn't talk about. Benson's technique asks that you keep your mantra (usually the word "one") in step with your breathing. In TM, one does not associate the mantra with the breathing because this would involve some control or effort, and TM is based on effortlessness. Associating the mantra with the breath would also keep attention active on the surface, disallowing the deeper rest gained through TM practice. With TM, there are many subtle differences regarding how one is instructed to use the mantra, which naturally make a difference in the experience and the outcome of daily practice....TM is designed for transcending, for going beyond thinking and sensations to experience the state of pure awareness. This is also known as the state of yoga (yoga, of course, means union, and refers to the individual, active mind settling inward, beyond thinking, to this state of transcendence). During this transcending process, one does experience deep relaxation, but scores of studies show that the mind-body state produced by TM is neurophysiologically distinct from the state produced by the relaxation response...now meditation researchers know that different meditation techniques produce very different effects on mind, body and behavior... The research on TM shows a range of effects not seen on any other practice."
We can see that meditation practices can differ significantly in their effects on the body and mind. I have been doing TM again the past 5 days and have noticed a pronounced state of "bliss" throughout the day even though I have been experiencing various areas of frustration in my life. I invite you to do your own research and take at least a few minutes a day to do some key of meditation practice.
Yours for transcending through meditation and yoga - they do go hand in hand...
Laura Venecia Rodriguez
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