Showing posts with label meditation classes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meditation classes. Show all posts

Will other forms of meditation produce the same results?


While there are many venerable forms of meditation, scientific research shows that the various practices produce their own effects and that they do not all yield the same results as one another—nor are they seen to produce the same benefits associated with the Transcendental Meditation technique. Because of the many independent scientific studies showing the TM technique's holistic benefits and unique effectiveness for lowering high blood pressure, it is the only form of meditation recommended by the American Heart Association.

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Different practices, different results: Most meditation practices involve attempts to concentrate or control the mind, to keep it focused on a specific object of meditation (such as a thought, mantra, one's breathing or other sensations). Some approaches might involve contemplation, visualization, watching your thoughts or trying to maintain a passive or non-judgmental attitude—all of which employ varying degrees of effort or sustained attention. Though these various approaches have their benefits, they tend to keep the mind active, engaged or localized, usually within the active realm of thinking.

The Transcendental Meditation technique is unique. It is effortless and involves no attempt to control the mind. The technique allows the mind to systematically transcend all mental activity to experience the deeply settled state of restful alertness or pure awareness. During this process, the brain functions with greater coherence and the body gains profound rest. The holistic benefits associated with TM practice result spontaneously from this experience of effortless transcending. Practices that keep the mind active or engaged on more surface levels have not been found to consistently produce the deep levels of rest or holistic range of benefits known to result from TM practice.

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Dr. Vernon Barnes, Medical College of Georgia: "Comparative research has shown that the various forms of meditation do not produce the same effects. Because each kind of meditation practice engages the mind in it’s own way, there’s no reason to expect the same results from the various methods or that scientific research on the Transcendental Meditation program will apply to other practices.
 
"There have been many studies looking at the effects of the TM technique, Zen, Mindfulness, Tibetan Buddhist and Vipassana meditations, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Benson’s Relaxation Response—examining such factors as brainwave patterns, levels of rest, and benefits for mind and body. While some other forms of meditation have been found to produce good effects in specific areas, these various practices have their own aims and are not necessarily intended to produce the broad range of benefits seen to consistently result from Transcendental Meditation.
 
"Neural imaging and EEG studies indicate that TM creates a unique brain pattern: it is the only meditation technique known to create widespread brainwave coherence. The TM technique also produces deeper rest than other practices, and studies show the technique to be more effective at reducing anxiety and depression and increasing self-actualization."
 
VERNON BARNES, Ph.D., is a researcher at the Georgia Prevention Institute of the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, which has received $1.5 million from the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to study the effects of the Transcendental Meditation technique on African American teens at risk for high blood pressure. 


James Krag, MD, Clinical Psychiatrist, Veterans Administration: “Just as there are many kinds of medication, there are also many approaches that are termed ‘meditation.’ The vast majority of the more compelling research on meditation has been on the Transcendental Meditation technique—and the findings clearly indicate that the TM technique works better than other researched mental techniques to promote health. If research shows that a specific medication helps treat a disorder, it would be irresponsible and illogical to conclude that all medications help treat that disorder. In the same way, research on Transcendental Meditation should not be generalized to include other techniques also called ‘meditation.’ We should intelligently choose what works and what is supported by research.”
 
James Krag, M.D., is a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, recent president of the Psychiatric Society of Virginia, and former president of the Virginia Association of Community Psychiatrists. He is currently clinic psychiatrist with the Veterans Administration.

• The three categories of meditation practices 

• How the TM technique differs from concentration, mindfulness, other mantra practices and everything else 

Short essay: What kind of meditation technique did the Buddha teach?

VIDEO: Quantum Physicist John Hagelin on the variety of meditation techniques and how they differ: "Experiencing the Unified Field"

More on the AHRQ report and health research on meditation

The most comprehensive of the "no benefits" reviews is the AHRQ paper (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality). Experts in meditation research note that the review is methodologically flawed, laden with errors and grossly amiss in its conclusions.

Faulty research design: Scientists who conduct research on exercise, meditation or other behavioral health modalities have developed rigorous and widely accepted ways to determine effects. As a result of using such established methodologies, much of the research on the Transcendental Meditation technique is considered to be on par with the highest quality pharmaceutical research. However, if the research criteria used by this review, such as the double-blind experiment, were used for all scientific studies, there would be no acceptable research showing that cigarette smoking is harmful or proper diet and exercise are good for you. (The double blind experiment would require you to study smoking without the smokers knowing that they are smoking cigarettes—which is obviously not possible. Similarly, you cannot do a double-blind study on meditation whereby the subjects would not know whether or not they are meditating or practicing a particular technique.)

Yet, we know that cigarette smoking is bad for one’s health, and that a balanced diet and exercise are good for you, and that meditation does have many beneficial effects. How do we know this? Because scientists have ways other than double blind studies to identify effects.

Questionable conclusions: Based on its faulty approach, the review concluded—using unusually strong language—that all research on meditation is of “poor quality.” One can say “unusually strong language" because the wording used by the review’s authors is nonstandard and in fact rather odd for science journals.

Studies that have the most rigorous designs are often the largest (i.e., have the highest number of subjects and control groups, are conducted over longer time periods, etc.). They are also exceedingly expensive—typically costing several million dollars for a single research project.

Smaller studies (which are more common) can still employ rigorous clinical controls. They have their place and play a significant role in the scientific literature. Smaller studies point the way to further research, or, in combination with other studies, can strongly suggest an effect or benefit. Usually the researchers themselves will explicitly acknowledge the limitations of a study’s design and the limited conclusions that can be drawn from a single study. And that is the language that is typically used: “only limited conclusions can be drawn” or “further research is needed.”

But the ARHQ reviewers instead chose to characterize such studies as poor: “Scientific research on meditation practices does not appear to have a common theoretical perspective and is characterized by poor methodological quality.”

Quite a number of the studies so described were published in major medical journals, which generally would not be said to publish “poor research.” In fact, there have been over 350 research studies on the TM technique published in peer-reviewed science and medical journals (studies that were conducted at 250 independent research institutes and medical schools worldwide). The National Institutes of Health has awarded $26 million for scientists to further the body of research on the TM technique. NIH grants are intensely competitive and given only for studies that meet high standards of research. The NIH reviewers are no fools; they would not continue to grant millions of dollars over a 20-year period for research on the TM technique unless there was a precedence of promising findings based on quality research. Independent, peer-reviewed journals and their editors and peer-reviewers would not risk their reputations and continue to publish research on the TM technique if all previous research in the field was known to be “poor.”

Criticism of AHRQ: A number of meditation researchers have said that due to its methodological errors, the review's conclusions are invalid. One of the paper’s reviewers, Professor Harald Walach of the University of Northampton and School of Social Sciences and the Samueli Institute for Information Biology in England, strongly urged the authors to withhold publication. “When I looked carefully into the details of the study, the whole analytical strategy looked rather haphazard and ad hoc,” Walach said.

Other researchers have criticized the study as well: http://www.mum.edu/pdf/inmp_pressrelease.pdf

Top researchers criticize new meditation and health study: http://www.physorg.com/news104501710.html

Meditation researcher David Orme-Johnson on the AHRQ report: http://www.TruthAboutTM.org/truth/TMResearch/RebuttalofAHRQReview/index.cfm

Theoretical perspective: Moreover, experts in the various, long-standing traditions of meditation would flatly deny the review’s reference to meditation practices lacking a “theoretical perspective.” In the case of the Transcendental Meditation program, there has been 50 years of theoretical development aimed at providing a scientific understanding of the mechanism of the TM technique and integrating technique’s theoretical framework into modern science—especially with regards to quantum field theory. The TM program has its basis in a tradition of theoretical analysis that, according to scholars, is at least 10,000 years old.

Back to Myths

Aren’t all forms of meditation 'transcendental?'

If by transcendental one means a practice that systematically takes attention beyond the surface, active levels of the mind to finer, deeper levels until the faintest impulse of thought is left behind and what remains is pure awareness—the state of restful alertness—then no, all forms of meditation are not designed or intended for this specific process.
 
The variety of meditation practices available engage the mind in different ways and often have diverse goals. For example, concentration or controlled focus practices are a form of mental activity quite distinct from open monitoring (mindfulness). Concentration has its own brain wave or EEG pattern, distinct from the EEG of mindfulness practices. (For more on this, please see "The Three Categories of Meditation Techniques.")

Some methods urge you to control the mind, others to let it go. Some techniques aim to help you focus, others aim toward “unfocusing.” There are practices that involve continually repeating a mantra, watching your breath, or sitting without judgment and observing your experiences—just being aware of "what is." All of these various practices have their benefits. They are forms of sustained mental activity that keep the mind engaged and usually localized—which means they tend to keep one's attention within the realm of thinking, ideas, concepts, language, sensations, and emotions.

Such practices may come from venerable traditions, but they are not necessarily designed for automatic, effortless transcending—for going beyond all mental activity and transcending even the process of meditation itself. 

Even to “sit without purpose,” as some forms of meditation urge, is a purpose in itself and can give the mind a generally active orientation intended to be sustained during meditation.

The Transcendental Meditation technique is a unique approach: the TM technique enables the mind to experience increasingly subtler, quieter states of thought—earlier, more refined stages of the thinking process—until even the faintest impulse of mental activity is transcended and the meditator experiences the silent, peaceful state of pure consciousness. This experience is described as unboundedness or the source of thought: a silent reservoir of creativity, happiness and intelligence that resides deep within everyone.

In the scientific literature, the TM technique is called "automatic self-transcending" because it effortlessly (automatically) allows the mind to settle inward and go beyond even the activity of meditation itself, in contrast to practices such as open monitoring (mindfulness) or controlled focus (concentration) designed to sustain their specific type of cognitive or meditative process.

Practices not designed for transcending have their range of positive effects. Yet none have been shown through scientific research to provide the same levels of deep relaxation, orderly brain function, or holistic benefits for mind and body found to consistently result from transcending through TM practice (please see "12 Research Findings on the TM technique").

Of course, transcending is natural and universal. We’re all hardwired for it. It’s certainly possible for someone to transcend—to a degree or even completely—during practices other than the TM technique. However, when transcending happens it’s always due to the natural tendency of the mind and our innate ability to experience this least excited state of awareness. There’s nothing we can actively do to make ourselves transcend or get to the transcendental state, which is a state of pure Being or non-doing. This is why complete transcendence is not as readily achieved during meditation practices that involve effort or keep the mind active on the gross, surface levels.

The Transcendental Meditation technique harnesses the mind's natural, innate tendency to transcend, allowing the process to happen automatically. It is not a practice that takes a long time to master, because it’s based on a natural ability of the nervous system that everyone already possesses. Just as we all experience waking, dreaming and sleep, our nervous systems are also designed to experience this fourth state of consciousness.

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During TM practice, one experiences that it is the mind's 'nature' to settle inward and experience the state of pure awareness. Because transcending is a natural process, it's possible to transcend during any form of meditation if the right conditions are present. However, practices such as mindfulness, guided meditation, "Christian centering prayer" or common "mantra" meditation — which have their own valuable benefits — typically engage the mind within the realm of thought, sensation or emotion and are not designed for automatic self-transcending. Such practices tend to keep the mind active and do not spontaneously induce the deep, inward settling associated with transcendental consciousness.

If you'd like to learn more about the process of transcending and how TM practice is different from other forms of meditation, you're welcome to attend a free Introductory Talk, where all of these principles are explained in more depth and detail.

How can anyone put a price on Transcendental Meditation?

Meditators often say that you can't put a price on the Transcendental Meditation technique—because it's priceless.

Is is true that nothing spiritual should have a price tag on it, or that anything this good that will make the world better should be taught for free?

If the TM technique is everyone's birthright, as TM's founder, Maharishi, always said, then why not give it out to everyone free of charge? 

That would be great, if it were possible, but unfortunately that's not how the world works.

Take water, for example. Certainly it should be everyone's birthright to have pure water. And how could anyone put a price on water, natural and essential to every living being?


Yet, every month, most of us get an envelop in the mail from the water department. We open it and pay the bill to keep the water flowing. Have we put a price on something natural and essential that's everyone's birthright? Not really, it seems.


Water is of infinite value because we couldn't live without it, but we still pay our finite water bill. When we do, we're not placing a monetary value on water itself. We're paying the cost of getting the water to us, of being able to conveniently turn on the spigot to let the water flow. We're paying the cost of keeping the water pure and consistently available. We're paying for the delivery system.

When a person pays their course fee to learn the TM technique, they're not paying an amount that people in a boardroom somewhere determined was the value of the technique. If the TM course fee were set at even a fraction of the technique's true worth (in health care savings alone), few of us could afford it. 

So what does the course fee pay for? It pays for the cost of getting the technique to you in its pure form — meaning, in its original effectiveness. You could say you're paying for the convenient system that allows you to turn on the spigot and enjoy the consistent, satisfying results of tapping into your deepest inner reserves.

The TM technique is a tool for accessing the reservoir of limitless creativity and intelligence that resides within everyone. It's every person's birthright to be able to dive within and experience that inner treasury. But without proper instruction in the use of an effective technique for transcending, that experience remains pretty much out of reach for most people — left up to chance or to the realm of imagining or conceptualizing. Without an effortless, natural way to experience the mind's full, untapped potential, and without the knowledge that the transcendent exists within easy reach, a person may live an entire life not knowing this experience and never making use of the infinite possibilities of human consciousness. This lack of knowledge is said to be the cause of all suffering and problems in society.

Maintaining the delivery system: Teaching the TM technique is time-intensive for the teacher. When you pay the initial TM course fee, you're paying for the expert services rendered and you're helping sustain the non-profit organization that will always be there to offer you lifelong guidance and support that comes with learning the TM technique. Once you've learned, without any further cost you'll always have access to the trained and experienced TM teachers who can give you continuing knowledge and will make sure you're practicing meditation correctly. ("Correctly" means: in the natural, effortless way that leads to maximum benefits.) 

You're paying the cost of getting the water to you and maintaining the delivery system, so that others after you will not go thirsty.

If the TM technique were no different, in practice and results, from any other form of meditation, or if you could learn it from a book or on your own, there would be no reason for TM teachers to be trained, no reason for the seven-step TM course or the follow-up and support, no reason for the non-profit organization and no reason for the course fee.  The program's founder, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, would have had no reason for leaving the Himalayas to offer this technique to the world.

But the Transcendental Meditation technique is very different from other meditation practices, and you cannot learn the technique properly on your own or from a book.

If it's possible for human life to be lived in a state of harmony, happiness, progress and well-being, if peace is possible — for each of us individually and the society as a whole — then, considering mankind's history of suffering, clearly something very basic has been missing from human life. 

Maharishi taught that it is the direct experience of transcending that has been missing, the natural process of going beyond the surface, active levels of the mind to experience pure, silent, unbounded awareness, the inner source of all our energy, creativity and intelligence. 

The TM technique had been lost to society for many centuries before Maharishi introduced it in 1955. To help ensure that it doesn't get lost again, the technique is taught in this systematic, standardized way. Learning may require one-on-one instruction, a few classes and a course fee, but that's a small price to pay for what you're getting. By making your contribution to the program, you're helping preserve the technique for this and future generations. 

Filmmaker David Lynch answers this question
   

What if I meditate using a mantra that has a meaning?

Meditation practices using actual words or phrases for mantras may have a pleasing affect, allowing one to explore concepts or enjoy the feelings or ideas that the words or phrases might invoke, but such practices are not so conducive to going beyond mental activity to the more settled states of awareness. This is because they tend to keep the mind busy and engaged more on the surface — in the active realm of thinking and meaning. Such methods are not found to consistently induce transcending — the experience of the deepest, inmost level of one's Self.

The state of transcendental consciousness experienced during TM practice lies beyond mental activity, beyond all meaning and conceptualization at the source of thought.

Almost any kind of meditation will produce degrees of relaxation and resultant benefits, but practices that use sounds with meaning have not been shown through scientific research to consistently produce the deep, coherent physiological rest or holistic range of benefits gained from TM practice.

I heard that some mantras have meaning and can be religious — is this true of TM mantras?

Some people say the TM mantras have roots in a religious tradition — is this true?

Why are the TM mantras kept private?

So once I learn, I can’t teach the TM technique to others?

How is Transcendental Meditation different from mindfulness?

Mindfulness meditation, often associated with Vipassana (a Buddhist practice), is generally considered to be a form of "open monitoring"—watching thoughts, perceptions or sensations come and go without judging, reacting or holding on.

However, there are various forms of mindfulness meditation—practiced in different ways. Some methods referred to as ‘mindfulness’ may veer into controlled focus or contemplation.

How is the TM technique different?

The Transcendental Meditation technique is a different process, and the scientific research shows that TM produces different results—especially on stress levels and brain function. The TM technique is not a religious or philosophical practice. It does not involve monitoring your thoughts, watching your breathing, or scanning the body; nor is it concentration or contemplation. One distinction between TM practice and mindfulness meditation (and Vipassana) is that the TM technique is very easy to learn and effortless to practice. In fact, effortlessness is the key to the TM technique's effectiveness.
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American Heart Association: After analyzing the latest scientific evidence on different forms of meditation, a recent American Heart Association study concluded that meditation practices other than the TM technique cannot be recommended: "All other meditation techniques (including mindfulness) received a 'no benefit level of evidence’ ...[and] are not recommended at this time."
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Psychiatrist and NIH Researcher Norman Rosenthal explains how the TM technique differs from mindfulness meditation:

 

The main distinction: TM is designed for transcending

"Transcending thought is infinitely more powerful than thinking." —Maharishi

 The TM technique is characterized in the scientific and scholarly literature as an "automatic self-transcending" type of meditation. It is a practice of systematically going beyond mental activity—transcending—to experience increasingly refined, more powerful stages of the thinking process, until one arrives at the harmonious, perfectly balanced state of pure awareness. Experienced as the deepest level of the mind or the "source of thought," here there are no thoughts, perceptions or sensations, only consciousness in its most pure and peaceful state—the mind fully awake within itself. Most people who learn the TM technique report the experience of transcending even within the first few days. 

The value of transcending twice a day is that it prepares you for more dynamic, fulfilling activity outside of meditation. It's like pulling the arrow of the mind back farther on the bow, so that when you open your eyes and plunge into action, you have greater focus, more clarity, expanded awareness. The deep physiological rest produced by this process of transcending washes away accumulated stresses. Neuroscientists have found that this particular meditation process leads to more coherent and harmonious brain functioning throughout the day—which improves comprehension, creativity and intelligence.

Studies show this state of pure transcendence to be highly rejuvenating for mind and body. In this fourth state of consciousness—which is unlike waking, dreaming or sleep—the whole system becomes more balanced. In the words of brain researchers, it is a resetting of the brain's natural ground state. Through regular, twice daily TM practice, imbalances in the system naturally, spontaneously dissolve. The meditator feels refreshed and energized from deep within.

The TM program's founder, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, proposed that twice daily practice of this technique awakens the full potential of human consciousness—fully activating the silent source of creativity and intelligence at the basis of the mind. Meditators find that the TM technique spontaneously fulfills the goals of mindfulness and Vipassana in a graceful, natural way. Increased "mindfulness" is just one of the many benefits found to automatically result from TM practice.


See: American University Research Study: Does Transcendental Meditation Create Mindfulness?


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Although transcending is natural to the mind, most meditation techniques are not designed for transcending and tend to keep the mind active and engaged on the more gross, surface levels of experience. While any form of meditation can be beneficial, no other practice has been shown by scientific research to produce the levels of deep physiological rest, EEG coherence or holistic range of benefits gained from the process of transcending through TM practice.


Differences in Brain function:
Brain researchers have found that during mindfulness-type practices, the brain shows EEG patterns typical of monitoring inner processes or performing internal memory tasks—frontal theta waves (5-8 Hz) and possibly posterior gamma (30-40 Hz) (Cognitive Processing 11:1, 2010).

Practicing the TM technique creates a brain wave pattern distinct from mindfulness-type meditation and also different from ordinary focused attention: during TM practice, widespread or long-range alpha coherence (8-12 Hz) is commonly seen, especially in the frontal regions of the brain, indicating more efficient, integrated brain functioning and increased inner wakefulness (Cognitive Processing 11:1, 2010).

Different Levels of Relaxation:
Research studies show that the unique style of physiological functioning typically gained during TM practice is a state of rest much deeper than ordinary, eyes-closed rest—a distinct mind-body state not reported from research on mindfulness or other meditation or relaxation methods. Meditation practices that keep the mind actively attentive in the waking state have not been found to produce this deep, rejuvenating state of relaxation.

Read more:
The Huffington Post: "How Meditation Techniques Compare—Zen, Mindfulness, Transcendental Meditation and More"
Physorg News: "Are All Meditation Techniques the Same?"

Rare footage of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Los Angeles


Rare footage of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Los Angeles: This film from the 1960s shows Maharishi's arrival n L.A. and a few moments of his address to an audience of meditators. It gives a glimpse of the natural charm and spontaneity that Maharishi radiated, which captivated the hearts of so many people as he made his world tours to speak about the benefits of meditation. One of the most striking features of Maharishi's personality was how he was always overflowing with joy and happiness, as conveyed in this uplifting footage. (3:13)

More videos

Video: Maharishi on Yoga and Transcendental Meditation practice


Maharishi on Yoga and Transcendental Meditation practice:  
"Yoga we know is the summation of all the trends of mind - Yoga, Samadhi, Transcendental Consciousness. How it becomes perfected? Yoga becomes perfected when the Yoga state is not disturbed by anything. What could be the disturbing element—because that Yoga state is absolute silence—what could be disturbing to it? Only the activity could be disturbing to it. But when the action does not disturb the silence of the Yoga, then Yoga is perfected. It is a beautiful point." —Maharishi
In the West, yoga has come to mean the physical postures known as asana. But in the tradition that gave us yoga, the term actually refers to an inner experience gained during meditation: yoga means union or the state of unified awareness.

From the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali:

yogaś citta vṛtti nirodhaḥ

"Yoga is the cessation of the thought waves of the mind."
The Transcendental Meditation technique is yoga practice in the purest sense. It is a technique for arriving at the "cessation" of mental activity while maintaining inner wakefulness, the state of pure consciousness or samadhi. This experience is the true state of yoga. (2:46)

Read: The True Nature of Yoga: Stretching the Boundaries of Consciousness


Video: Maharishi on Creating Ideal Relationships


Maharishi on Creating Ideal Relationships: Relationships are based on giving, Maharishi points out. But we can only give what we have — or what we are. Effective meditation creates a situation whereby we have more to give. Developing one's inner potential through twice-daily practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique establishes the basis of truly fulfilling relationships. (3:17)

More videos



Learning the Transcendental Meditation technique: The Seven-Step TM Course

Phase 1: The initial seven steps

Step 1: Introductory Lecture A vision of possibilities through the Transcendental Meditation program—enhancing mental potential, health and social relationships, and promoting world peace. (1 hour)

Step 2: Preparatory Lecture The mechanics of the TM technique—how it works, why it is easy to learn and effortless to practice, how it is different from other forms of meditation, and the origins of the technique. (45 minutes)

Step 3: Personal Interview A brief private meeting with a certified teacher of the TM program, following the Preparatory Lecture. (10–15 minutes)

Four days of instruction—over four consecutive days:
 
Step 4: Personal Instruction One-on-one instruction in the TM technique with a certified TM teacher. (1–2 hours)

Step 5: First Day of Checking (group meeting) Verifying correctness of the practice and further instruction. (1–2 hours)

Step 6: Second Day of Checking (group meeting) Understanding the mechanics of the TM technique based on personal experiences. (1–2 hours)

Step 7: Third Day of Checking (group meeting) Understanding higher stages of human development. (1–2 hours)

Phase 2: The follow-up program

Once you have completed these seven steps, you have the intellectual and experiential knowledge of how to meditate effectively. Next comes a series of important weekly and monthly personal checking sessions to ensure that you are meditating properly and gaining the benefits. These classes are scheduled at your convenience over your first several months of practice.

As a course graduate, you are eligible for this complimentary lifetime follow-up at any TM center in the U.S. This includes personal checking of your meditation, advanced lectures, special events, group meditations, and celebrations.

Video: What is the Transcendental Meditation technique?



The Transcendental Meditation ("TM") technique explained by quantum physicist John Hagelin and Dr. Norman Rosenthal, medical school professor at Georgetown University.


Introductory Lectures

To learn more about the Transcendental Meditation technique, watch a free introductory talk online. The intro talk is also the first step in learning the TM technique.


Introductory lecture topics:
• Scientific studies on the TM technique's benefits for mind, body and relationships
• What is transcending?
• The difference between the TM technique and other meditation practices
• The latest scientific research on TM practice and brain functioning
• How the technique reduces stress and stress-related disorders
• How the practice helps keep you young: research on health and longevity
• The unified field, consciousness and world peace
• What is enlightenment?
• Where the TM technique comes from and how it is learned
• Q & A — all questions answered

A message from the teachers:

We work with people seeking inner peace and higher well-being, as well as those seeking relief from anxiety, depression, ADD/ADHD, PTSD, insomnia, or addiction.

Our teaching process allows most of the course to be done remotely—you can come to the Asheville TM Center only once, for personal instruction. If you’d prefer all course sessions in person, we’re happy to oblige.

Below is some info about the TM course. Please let us know if you have any questions or if we can help you remove any obstacles to starting. Looking forward to speaking with you!

We hope you can learn soon!

All the best,
Tom and Jeanne Ball
c 828-380-0325

Steps for learning:

Step 1: Online Intro Sessions 

Learn about:
• Independent scientific studies showing that TM produces a deeper state of relaxation, a broader range of benefits, and is more thoroughly researched than any other meditation practice
• How TM works
• How it's different from all other forms of meditation

View at your convenience: 
1. Dr. Tony Nader: (14 min) https://www.drtonynader.com/tony-nader-tm/
2. Women physicians on TM & women’s health (8 min): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxBVTE0N1DQ&t=10s
3. Scientific Intro (16 min): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ6zUzm16JM
4. Bob Roth Intro (20 min): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO3AnD2QbIg 

Step 2: Preparatory 20-minute Zoom or FaceTime video conference with the teacher (email, call or text to schedule your preparatory meeting, 828-254-4350) 

Step 3: Schedule your TM course: (Click here anytime to view or select your course schedule, or you can request a date by email or schedule during your Zoom with the teacher. Personal instruction days are generally Fridays and Saturdays, but we’re flexible, just let us know what suits you.)

The TM course consists of four 90-minute sessions, one each day over four consecutive days. The first session is personal, private instruction in person with your teacher—at the Asheville TM Center—followed every day for the next three days by: 

1. A 90-minute in-person class each day, or 
2. A 90-minute virtual lesson each day (viewable any time of day at your convenience) and a 30-minute Zoom meeting with your teacher. 

Satisfaction Guaranteed: If you’re not satisfied with TM after completing the course and 30 days of twice-daily practice, we’ll return your course fee in full.

Course fee: The sliding scale TM course fee, payable by installments, allows our non-profit foundation and local TM Center to be sustainable, helping us make the TM technique available to as many people as possible—especially to underserved, at-risk populations who cannot afford to pay (half the course fee goes to help someone in need learn through scholarships). For course fees, see below. 

Follow-up: There’s free ongoing follow-up and support for the rest of your life—virtual and also in person at any TM center in the country or around the world. 

Prerequisite: Abstinence from the use of any non-prescription drugs (marijuana, ecstasy, ayahuasca, etc.) for 15 days prior to learning.

*In-person free introductory talks and private classes are also given by personal appointment or to your business or organization. Please call 828-254-4350 for more information.

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Asheville TM Center
165 East Chestnut Street
Asheville, NC 28801
828-254-4350
(c) 828-380-0325

A non-profit, educational organization (501(c)3)

"No other 'stress management technique' has anywhere close to this amount of hard data in support of its claims to reduce stress. If TM were a new drug, conferring this many scientifically verified benefits, it would be the biggest-selling, multi-billion dollar drug on the market." —Norman Rosenthal, M.D., Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Georgetown University Medical School

"Transcendental meditation is a simple, natural technique... This form of meditation allows your body to settle into a state of profound rest and relaxation and your mind to achieve a state of inner peace, without needing to use concentration or effort." —Mayo Clinic


Household income           Course fee  or Four Monthly Payments

$200k +  $980  $245
$100k - $199k  $880  $220
$50k - $99k  $780  $195
Less than $50k                 $540  $135
Full-time students    $420  $105
Less than $29k                    Ask about financial aid/scholarships
MIU students  Speak with us

Honor System:

We won’t ask you for evidence of your household income.

We’re a non-profit providing support for at-risk children, veterans with PTSD, and many others in need.

We rely on your integrity.

Thank you.

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