And I’m for Anything that Supports This
There are many meditation practices. And each one has its value. The two forms of meditation that I practice are The Work and Transcendental Meditation (TM).
I find that they are very complimentary. The analogy that I like to use is that TM is a way to increase the light in the room, while The Work is like shining the light on one particular point.
Both The Work and TM accomplish the same thing: increasing the light so that the shadows of confusion in the heart and mind become less. When the light is bright, it is much harder to mistake a rope as a snake and go into needless suffering.
I’ve Been Doing TM Since I Was Six
It is a wonderful practice that continues to melt my heart and expand my awareness to this day. I consider my morning and evening practice of TM to be one of the core reasons why I am generally a happy person.
And the combination of TM and The Work makes it pretty much impossible for me to be unhappy for very long.
How Does TM Work?
TM is a simple technique which allows the mind to settle down and expand. You sit with your eyes closed for 20 minutes when practicing TM, and what happens is that metabolic rate drops. As the mind becomes quieter, the body experiences a state of rest that has been measured to be about 2x deeper than deep sleep.
Deep rest not only rejuvenates the body, and releases stored up stress and fatigue, it also allows the mind to function more effectively and fully. IQ goes up, moral reasoning goes up, even grades in school and productivity at work go up with regular practice.
There have been over 500 studies on TM showing benefits in all areas of life including: reduction of blood pressure, reduced stress hormone, reduced anxiety, and 48% reduction in heart attack and stroke.
What Happens When You Combine TM and The Work?
I have been doing TM for 40 years and I’ve been doing The Work for 10 years. Though no research studies have been done on this combination, I experience that the effects of both practices are amplified when done together.
Since I practice The Work, I tend to have less stressful thoughts and problems running through my mind when I sit to do TM. So the mind can settle down more easily. The result is deeper rest in meditation and greater clarity of mind outside of meditation. And this greater clarity in turn allows me to go more deeply into inquiry when I do The Work.
I invite you to try this additional form of meditation in your life and let me know what you experience. If you want to learn more about TM go to tm.org.
Have a great week,
Todd
“The Work is merely four questions; it’s not even a thing. It has no motive, no strings. It’s nothing without your answers. These four questions will join any program you’ve got and enhance it.” Byron Katie, Loving What Is
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