History of Transcendental Meditation

The history of Transcendental Meditation (TM) began in 1957 as a type of meditation aimed at developing a person's mind so he could rise above, or transcend, above the noise of a hectic everyday life.

You can rise above your stress.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is the founder and developer of the TM technique. He was born in 1917 and was a disciple of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati, a prominent Hindu Guru and the spiritual leader of Jyotir Math. From 1958 to 2008, he led his organization in teaching spiritual regeneration and enlightenment to his disciples. Among the best know of these disciples are:

• The Beatles
• Heather Graham
• Mick Jaggar
• Clint Eastwood
• Howard Stern
• Andy Kauffman

History of Transcendental Meditation in Brief

1958, Mararishi began a world tour, teaching his meditation techniques first in the Far East, then expanding to the United States and Europe through lectures. By 1961, he saw a need to train instructors to spread his teachings even further and held his first international training course in Rishikesh, India and the transcendental meditation move exploded.

Over the next 30 years, from 1970, Maharishi put into action a plan to build a Transcendental Meditation teaching center for every million of the world's population. It was also during the 1970s when the first scientific research papers were published about the practice of TM. Since then, according to TM.org, more than 600 studies have documented the benefits of this meditation program. The benefits of TM include:

• Reduced stress levels and increased general health as a result
• Increased creativity
• Heightened intelligence
• Self-realization
• Increased age expectancy

TM reached a pinnacle of success in the mid-70s when it received a grant from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare to conduct experimental classes in levitation. It was also around this time that Maharishi appeared on The Merv Griffin Show, where the show's host and a number of famous guests endorsed the program to the show's more than 30 million viewers. However, shortly thereafter, TM received some bad publicity when they were accused of fraud for charging clients to teach them to "fly".

While the organization is reportedly not religiously affiliated, the history of Transcendental Meditation does venture into the political realm. In 1992, the Natural Law Party was founded at the Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa. The basis for the party is the use the TM-based principles to find solutions for the improvement of the constituents' health, to fight crime, to cleanse the environmental, and to improve the economic condition of the country.

Even with its lagging fellowship, you can find TM learning centers located internationally, and people have found the program beneficial enough to pay $2,500 for its basic meditation course. Additional advanced courses, such as teaching, accelerated progress, and enrichment are available for an additional fee, and you can also learn about the institute’s Maharishi Vedic Science programs. Visit the TM official website for more details.

The End of an Era

On January 11, 2008, Maharishi retired from his position after 50 years at the helm of this vastly successful organization. Less than a month later, he died in Vlodrop, Netherlands. Over a lifetime, this simple man from India turned a practice of peace and relaxation into a multi-billion dollar business that has contributed to the success and well-being of millions. Only time will tell if his teachings will endure and continue to bring people the harmony he aspired to spread to the masses.

Since its inception, TM has educated more than five million people in spiritually uplifting methods. While the cost is constrictive, it is a simple process to learn that takes up very little time each day and does not interfere with any religious beliefs. As with most worthwhile activities, its success, and yours, is measured in your commitment and the longevity of your practice. While you may see immediate results, if you don't keep up your daily mediation habits, those results will diminish.

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