Conference hydra::dejavu

    I have had very positive experiences. First learned how to use it about
    10 years ago (!), when I was going through lots of stress (working two
    jobs, going to school full-time, raising several kids, etc.). TM helped
    me re-energize at the end of the work day, so that I could continue
    being productive well into the evening.
    
    Years later went through incredible stress which required staying up
    many evenings, constant stress, etc., and I feel TM gave me the clarity
    of mind and energy needed to go through many years like this.
    
    It also happened that I learned TM while applying for law school, and
    my LSAT's went up almost 100 points (to ~700) after taking TM. This is
    too high an increase to attribute to much else...I believe TM helped
    clear my mind and very much helped me focus.
    
    Still doing it, but once a day, in the morning.
    
    Have seen discussions about possible negative implications. I find it
    leaves me in a place of peacefulness and rest, and has helped me
    survive!
    
    Peace,
    
    Tim
    

    Tim,
    
    That's a very positive experience you've related regarding TM. The
    technique of meditation used by TM seems to been quite useful in
    helping you deal with work stress, as well as improve your brain
    functioning in a more intelligent manner. That's really great,and
    quite the positive endorsement of meditation, and TM in particular.
    
    I've heard lately that TM in relation to Zen Meditation, is liking
    taking a trip from Boston to LA...with TM you take a jet plane, and
    with Zen Meditation you walk there...which seems to point in your case,
    that TM has done some wonderful things in your life.
    
    Have you practiced any other forms of meditation before so as to
    realize a difference between TM and other meditation practices?
    
    -Arthur

    re: .-1
    
    no, I haven't tried other forms of meditation, more because of lack of
    time than desire.
    
    TM is great, but also requires time and a quiet place. At times this
    has caused some problems when I would meditate as soon as I came home.
    This meant I was unavailable for yet another 20 minutes, which is a lot
    when you've got lots of things and people to deal with.
    
    However there have been times, such as times when I had to stay up all
    night watching a kid in the hospital when being able to meditate and
    re-energize was an absolute blessing. Can not imagine what I would have
    done without it (especially when I had to go to work the next day).
    
    Tim
    

    What is TM and how does it differ from just sitting and meditating?
    How does it differ from Zen and other types of meditation?
    
    Karin

    I haven't been taught the TM technique myself. The tho that I 
    investigate the meditation technique, the more I feel that I
    will pursue it.
    
    One book that I have been reading lately is called
    TM Transcendental Meditation by Robert Roth
    ISBN 1-55611-085-5
    
    This book expands some of the ideas inherent in TM. I'll try
    to add some highlights to this note, time permitting.
    
    -Arthur

Re: Arthur

Though I'm not a TMer, I am very familiar with the technique, their 
program, etc., and I went to their university in Iowa, Maharishi 
International University.  

My opinion is that you can't go wrong.  TM is at least as good as 
most publically available techniques, and probably better than most.  It 
is simple, yet very effective if practiced regularly. 

Jeff

    
    Try reading "TM" by Peter Russell (not sure if it is published outside
    Europe). I read this book just before I took my TM course and it
    explained a great detail. I recommend it to anyone thinking of
    learning. It has a very good scientific background as to why TM is good
    for you which as a former biologist I found to be a good reason to
    learn!!
    
    TM is very popular in Europe. The Dutch health insurance companies give
    discount to TMers!! The TM organisation in Britain is a bit wooly, but
    well meaning. When we visited the famous TM village and Golden Dome in
    Lancashire, you could feel the peace in the air.
    
    seals
      

re: Note 1458.2 

>    I've heard lately that TM in relation to Zen Meditation, is liking
>    taking a trip from Boston to LA...with TM you take a jet plane, and
>    with Zen Meditation you walk there...

	Is the purpose the result, or is it the process of getting
	there ?  How much of the countryside do you miss experiencing
	when you travel by jet ?  

	Perhaps there's a reason why the Zen master walks.

>	Perhaps there's a reason why the Zen master walks.
    
    	Purely a matter of personal preference, I think.  In either case, if you
    	try it for a while, and find negative results, or get so bored that
    	you are considering giving up on it, it's probably best to try
    	a different approach.  It *does* take longer to understand what is 
    	going on with Zen.  The slowness and boredom of the practice are quite 
    	deliberate, as part of what is being taught.  I've found great
    	value in it at times, and at other times it doesn;t seem to be what's 
    	called for.
    
    	Anybody ever try both Zen and TM approaches at the same time ?
    
    	Do you end up flying without the jet ?   Or do you end up 
    	rolling on the ground like a big jet moving at walking speed ?  :-)
    
    								todd

>    	Do you end up flying without the jet ?   Or do you end up 
>    	rolling on the ground like a big jet moving at walking speed ?  :-)
    
Perhaps you fly like a jet, but at that point it really doesn't matter you.
:-)

Actually, it isn't really fair to compare "speed" of results when 
comparing meditation techniques.  The "speed" at which one travels is 
more dependent on the individual than the technique, though the 
technique can't be totally discountd.  Meditation itself doesn't really 
lead to any goal.  Meditation is a practice which, if successful, makes 
us more capable of quality *action*.  It is what we *do* that is important, 
and meditation adds potency, clarity and centredness to the doing.

We may reach nirvana while in meditation, but it will not be solely the 
result of meditation.  Rather it will be a result of the combination of 
meditation and action

Jeff

    Hi Jeff,  (re: .10)
    
>us more capable of quality *action*.  It is what we *do* that is important, 
>and meditation adds potency, clarity and centredness to the doing.
    
    	That's a very pragmatic view.  I personally agree with it.  
    	I'm not sure that *everyone* who meditates agrees that the goal is 
    	related to resultant action, though.   Defining 'action'
    	might yield some interesting differences in ideas.
    
    							todd

    Comparing TM and Zen is useless. Do you mean Zen as read about and
    dabbled in by Europeans in America? Or do you mean as practiced in Japan
     under the guidance of someone who knows what he's doing. To some
    extent the same is true of TM. If you get a mentor who knows what he's
    doing and picks a mantra thats suited to your needs, TM can work well.
    There are far more sophisticated approaches to mantras, though. 
    
    To sum it all up methods for transformation are culturally determined
    and must also be adapted to the individual.
    
    john

    re: .12,
    Sounds like you're saying two different things, John.  
    
    One the one hand, you're opinion is that it is useless to make a
    distinction.  
    
    One the other hand, you seem to feel that people aren't making enough
    distinctions when comparing the two.
    
    Also, I feel a somewhat elitist tone from your reply, I don't know
    whether you intended it or not.  Maybe you could clarify.
    
    								todd

    Reading these books that I have on TM, they talk about how 
    TM practioners can descend into the alpha brainwave state
    faster than Zen monks in Japan who use the concentrative
    approach popular with Zen. That's what Maharishi says,
    and what TM espouse in their literature. I'm only stating
    what they say.
    
    So...if its a matter of seating in Zazen for hours to achieve
    the meditative/alpha state or in 20 minutes via TM...I would
    tend towards TM myself. The idea is to lessen stress and reach
    a relaxed state, so the natural creative mind can follow on 
    towards it path towards enlightenment, which it naturally wants
    to do, if the obstructions of stress, and negativity, and 
    stupid thinking can get cleared up.
    
    You can make a distinction between TM and Zen.
    
    -Arthur

Re: .11 (Todd)
    
>    	That's a very pragmatic view.  I personally agree with it.  
>    	I'm not sure that *everyone* who meditates agrees that the goal is 
>    	related to resultant action, though.   

No, I'm sure your right; and it isn't really important that people 
meditate for the same reasons.  "Facts is facts," and they will reap the 
rewards of meditation regardless of their thoughts about it.

I also tend to overemphasize action because, to me, their are far too 
many people who think that it is enough to meditate and just "be."  
There are basically two sides to life:  the outer, relative world which 
has activity as its very nature, and the inner, still, "being" side of 
life which is not "active" as we normally use that word.  To me, a full 
life means making a commitment to both worlds; and when that is the 
case, then each world enhances and supports the other, and growth is 
accelerated.

Jeff

    I agree.

    
    Speaking for myself, and I believe many others, on the search for
    "enlightenemnt" it is easy to concentrate on the 'still' side like so
    many hermits before us, and stand apart from the 'active' side.
     However I believe today, especially in the West, that is no longer
    feasible or required. We must use our awareness to the benefit of all,
    not just those in the same "I'm searching for enlightenment too" club.
    
    Back to TM, I started during University, 13 years ago,and found 
    20 minutes peace and quiet hard to find, so son lapsed. But I never
    forgot my mantra, and am starting to use it again. I never got to any
    great depth, which is why I probably got bored wit it.
    
    I am currently investigating Raja yoga, and may post a relevant note
    later.

    I agree with you.
    
    mary

    I hope I never gave the impression that meditation in any form
    is all that's needed on one's spiritual path...I don't hold to
    that belief at all.
    
    But...action done in a stumblebum, inept, out of synch way isn't
    going to accomplish much in life, or bring any kind of fundamental
    change that one could describe as enlightened to the world. To me
    enlightened is being able to benifit the whole at the same time
    not disminising yourself in a mode that's either active or passively
    responsive to the situation at hand with love. 
    
    -A
    
    
    

    
    Some folks simply use TM as a battery charger and reap a great many
    physical benefits from it. You feel healthier, (younger??), your skin
    tone improves and your eyes look brighter. You are better able to cope
    with long days and reduced periods of sleep. A friend uses TM as a
    method of allowing her to go without sleep for long periods of time.
    Her job involves investigating sleep deprivation in troops - she is
    always in better shape than her subjects at the end of the experiment!!
    
    All this talk of Zen being a walk and TM a jet flight reminds me that
    TM is great for combating jet lag. 2 sessions of TM on a trans-Atlantic
    flight (3 from the west coast) and I'm straight back into local time
    and can cope with work/whatever the day I arrive home.
    
    Maybe the general feeling of well-being from TM is the first step in
    enlightenment!
    
                      seals
     

    Would anyone who practices TM be willing to give an overview of how
    it's done here?  I already use subliminal tapes (with great success)
    but have never noticed any major change in 'skin tone improvement' or
    my eyes looking brighter, and I would be very interested in anything
    that would have that result.  The subliminal tapes work in both a
    passive and an active way, that is, the messages get through to your
    subconscious whether you fall right asleep or stay awake during the
    entire playing of the tape.  I use them when going to sleep at night,
    and if I wake up during the night.  I rarely stay awake past the middle
    of the tape.
    
    Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
    Nancy
    

Re: .21, Nancy

>     Would anyone who practices TM be willing to give an overview of how
>     it's done here?  I already use subliminal tapes (with great success)

Beginner's TM is a mantra performed twice a day, twenty minutes
a session. You pay for a course and you get a personal mantra.
TM goes a lot further than that though, if you really get involved.

The Sahaja Yoga people think that TM is bad for you.
But the people I know who still do it seem well and
balanced to me. (I did it for a year or two and then
changed when it didn't seem to progress - I have a 
vague notion that six months {say} of 'effort' should produce
*some* kind of change).

Personally, I think that some kind of meditation is
better than none. But why not read Laurence LeShan in
'How to Meditate'? A very good and practical book.

Peter Russell has written a book called 'The TM Technique'
which explains a lot of the ideas.

Also, it is probably worth investigating Ayurvedic (sp?)
yoga - the nutritional/medical/lifestyle side to TM.

John D.

    
    Hi Nancy,
    
    Though I'm not familar with TM, I just learned about japa and mala
    beads while at Kripalu last week.  They use a mantra which is not at
    all secret (Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya) - the spelling may be off by
    a few letters.  It means, "Thy will be done, not mine, O Lord".
    
    Anyway, the other night I first tried it with my mala beads.  Mala
    strands have 108 beads on them, and they are used for counting the
    repetitions of the mantra - 108, then you reverse direction.  It is
    similar (so I'm told) to the Catholic rosary, and it may even be that
    the rosary came from this tradition.
    
    Anyway, I felt the energy changing in my body - kind of a balancing 
    out.  I was experiencing tension around my third eye, and at the end it
    was gone.  There is definitely something to it.  Very peaceful and 
    powerful.
    
    Cindy

    re: 22
    
    John, why do the Sahaja people think TM is bad for you?
    
    I practised TM back in my early twenties (when it only cost $10 or $20
    to get your mantra...I hear now the price has gone up quite a bit).
    Back then I don't remember feeling any great changes.  However I have
    started practicing it again in the last couple of weeks, with some
    pretty powerful results.
    
    Mary
    
    BTW  My manager and I compared mantras.  He got his back in college,
    too, along with 3 friends of his.  Turns out that between the 5 of us,
    they only gave out 2 mantras -- Eeeem-Ahhh and Ahhh-Eeeem (phonetical
    spelling here ;-).

  
  Re .23 (Cindy)
  
  > They use a mantra which is not at all secret (Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya)
  > - the spelling may be off by a few letters.
  
  Having never tried any form of yoga or mantra-led meditation, I've often
  wondered about how to pronounce these things. Although I can have a fair
  guess at the sounds, surely if rhythm is the key (as always :-) then the
  pronunciation and stressing of the syllables must be critical ?
  
      i) How do you pronounce "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya" ?
     ii) How do you accent the various sections ?
    iii) What changes in intonation [pitch] are used across the phrase ?
  
  Just curious ...
  
  Frank

    In most cases, the way the mantra resonates in the body is more
    important than the actual words. Different temperaments need different
    sounds to interact with which ever "chakras" are dormant. 
    
    john

    
    Re.25
    
    Frank,
    
    John is correct - it has to do primarily with the vibrations in your 
    body.  
    
    To pronounce this particular mantra, it is:
    
       Om Na-mo Ba-gay-va-tay Va-sue-day-vi(long i)-yah
    
    Put spaces in between the words.  Breathe into your solar plexus
    and speak the words from that area so they vibrate through your body.
    
    You can speak them in monotone slowly, keeping focused on the meanings
    of the words (Thy will be done, not mine, O Lord).  They can also be sung,
    which is what is typically done at the evening gatherings at Kripalu.
    I've done both.          
    
    Cindy

    
    I received a mantra in 1972, meditated for about five years, and
    stopped (for a number of reasons, unimportant now). I resumed
    meditation in 1989 and have continued since. 
    
    Meditation has brought these benefits:
    
    Physically, my blood pressure readings have decreased by thirty points
    (both diastolic and systolic). I had high blood pressure, and my blood
    pressure, while still a little high, is much closer to normal for me.
    
    I have increased physical energy, and need to sleep less. I used to
    sleep about seven hours a night, and now sleep about five or so, with
    no apparent ill result. I can 'do' more than I was able to do, and am
    far less tired. 
    
    This is even more difficult to describe than my last statement above,
    but I feel more 'balanced' and less out-of-sorts. I used to suffer from
    bouts of anxiety - attacks, at times - and these seem to have become a
    thing of the past. 
    
    I see things more clearly - again, this is subjective, but what isn't?
    I find answers to problems more quickly. My thoughts are clearer, for
    the most part (although I'm still foggy before nine in the morning).
    
    Now, metaphysically -
    
    I have a stronger sense of my connection with an infinity of spirit
    that despite my improved intellectual clarity still escapes definition. 
    
    I am far more able to create successful events and occurrences in my
    life. Of course, it's possible that what I'm doing is seeing
    possibilities and likelihoods much more readily, and making
    lightning-fast highly probable successful choices/decisions based 
    on my observations, but that kind of heightened awareness is an 
    important element in what we often refer to as 'magic', 'luck', etc.,
    in my opinion. 
    
    In sum, the quality of my life is richer, more creative, more
    energetic, and the frustrations and irritations seem to bother me less.
    If my eyes are brighter, and my coat shinier [pant,pant (^;] and if I 
    jump over fences higher, it's the result of that improved quality of
    life. 
    
    Note: my mantra bears little relationship to yours or that of your 
    colleague and his friends, Mary. I think I contributed $40, some
    flowers, a handkerchief, and two oranges to Maharishi's cause, though.
    
    gloria (who races her ten-year-old grandson down the driveway, and
    sometimes actually wins)
         

    
    
    
    
    
    - what is the cost of learning TM ??
    
    - how long does it take to learn TM ??
    
    - what is involved in learning TM ??
    
    thanx.
    
    Albrik
    

    
    Answers:
    
    I believe that at present, a three-session workshop in which one learns
    the TM process and receives a mantra costs $400- in the US. There are
    significantly less expensive charges for students and those over 60, as
    well as for children over 10 years old.
    
    The steps are these:
    
    One attends a (free) one hour introductory lecture on TM principles.
    
    A second lecture (part of the course) goes into further detail on
    aspects of TM. One receives a mantra, practices meditation, and leaves.
    
    The next day, there is a ceremony, one meditates with a teacher (a
    check on the process) and leaves. 
    
    Within the week, one returns for a checking session with the
    instructor. 
    
    From that point on, periodic checking (free) at any TM center in the
    world is strongly suggested. 
    
    Also, refresher courses (free) are available at any time after the
    initial course.
    
    At least, this is as it was when I received my mantra. (However, as I
    mentioned, the student rate in 1972 was $40.)
    
    
    gloria

    Also, My wife and I pleaded poverty when we started with TM...
    evidently they have a way of dealing with that, got our mantras
    the training classes, etc. at NO cost (we were told that the fee
    was discretionary, and would go to the trainer himself.) We 
    actually tried to trade services or work, but they let us in
    without PAYING anything (I wasn't going to go to the Maharishi
    if there wasn't a free way to learn...seemed like I heard somewhere
    that a Guru who charged didn't have anything to sell.
    Ron

    
    Does anyone know...is TM a non-profit organization?
    
    Also, over the weekend I went to the 50% off sale at Insights, the shop
    that is closing in Acton.  There on the shelf were lots of yoga,
    mantra, chanting and meditation books, so bought the bunch and had lots
    of interesting reading on mantras over the weekend.  Quite fascinating!
    
    So many good pieces of information...I'll start a new topic on mantras
    since the information can be applied to more than just TM specifically.
    
    If you have any questions, put them in the new topic and I'll look
    through the material to find answers for them.
    
    Cindy

    I learned TM back in the early 70's and have done it once or twice each
    day since then. I look at it as a wonderful gift and a way to cope with
    the stresses of life.
    
    Soon after I learned it I saw many of the effects described in .28. One
    very striking example was that my scores on the Law School Boards
    (LSAT) and other tests for graduate school went up 50 points (from ~650
    to ~700), which is a significant, measurable improvement. I hadn't
    gotten any smarter, but felt so much more focused and relaxed when I
    took it. My grades at school also improved dramatically, in part
    because I could now spend much more time studying with a clear mind.
    
    TM was invaluable for my wife and I during six years when our son was
    in and out of hospital. We would get very stressed and then need to
    make a significant decision quickly. We learned to take a half hour to
    meditate (we refer to it as "zonking out"), and then talk it through.
    When we did this we would approach the problem with a clear head and
    with very much less stress.
    
    My view is that having the ability to quickly refresh your mind to
    relieve stress and recharge your battery should be something each and
    every person has. It is such a powerful tool, involving no magic.
    
    /tim
    

    I'm looking for any information (or pointers to notes) on a so-called
    problem with TM.  I remember reading something about TM over using
    some channel in the body and under utilising some opposing channel.
    This causes some unbalance which in turn produces a pain in the
    back of the neck.
    I met someone last weekend who also heard something about this and
    thought that possibly it was due to a kundalini rising and maybe
    getting blocked in one of the centers.
    Does anyone know of the full explanation and where the source
    of information on this problem is?
    
    Dave

    
    Dave,
    
    Can't help you with the TM info./connection, however if you'd like to
    read more about what happens when kundalini rises through the wrong
    channel, read "Kundalini - The Evolutionary Energy In Man", by Gopi
    Krishna.  There are other works out as well...perhaps someone else can
    mention them.
    
    Cindy

    
    Answering my own question in .32...from "Perfect Health", by
    Dr.Chopra on p.130, paraphrased:
    
    "The TM centers are non-profit.  The approximate prices are $200.00 
    for students and $400.00 for adults, which include the cost of
    instruction tailored to meet your individual needs.
    
    Recommended reading is "Transcendental Meditation: A New Introduction" 
    by Robert Roth (New York: Donald I. Fine, 1987)."
    
    Cindy
     

	I recently discovered this string and felt like offering a few
	comments of my own. I have been doing the basic TM meditation
	method for six years now (have also got the first advanced tech-
	nique). For those who don't know about TM, a bit more informa-
	tion would be nice:

	The TM meditation method is devided into two parts:

		1. The basic method (with 7 advanced techniques)

		2. The Shiddi technique (which I don't know much about)

	The basic method is easily learned - during a small ceremony
	(where the TM teacher sings a song for you!) a mantra is recei-
	ved together with the first instruction how to use it. And let
	me say this: it is NOT advisable to share this mantra with ANY-
	BODY else than the teacher (as in .24). It is dedicated to the
	person, and if shared with others, the effectivines of the me-
	ditation could be harmed. Secondly, it could cause confusion if
	somebody try to meditate with the wrong mantra and without gui-
	dance. One should ALWAYS pay attention to what the TM teacher
	says. Like how long time to meditate, when to do it, how to do
	it, etc.

	The basic method is always used, also when one later decides to
	learn the Shiddi technique.

	The meditation is best when performed sitting upright in a chair,
	in a comfortable position. One closes the eyes, wait around a 1/2
	minute to let the peace come through, then starts the meditation,
	which should go on for 20-30 minutes (the teacher tells each one
	how long time). After stopping the meditation, another 2 minutes
	should pass by, before one SLOWLY opens the eyes. After this, ac-
	tivity of some sort is recommended (work, house-cleaning, jogging,
	yoga, writing or whatever). Silence/activity is good, as mentioned
	earlier in here.

	In short-form, the TM technique is about NONE-concentrating. One
	should just let the thoughts flow like they want - even the man-
	tra should not be thought of steadily. After a while, one learns
	to let mantra run by itself - it sort of 'pops up' in the mind,
	then goes away, then reappears, repeated fast or slow, strong or
	faint. I like to think about the thoughts as a river - the water
	runs wherever it wants, one should not try to control the natural
	flow of it. After some time of practicing, I found myself like
	sort of a spectator, sitting on an absolutely quiet place, watch-
	ing my own thoughts - sometimes I have seen scenes from earlier
	lives (unbelievable, but true). TM takes the 'natural' approach -
	everything 'that feels wrong' should not be done. The technique
	is burried in every and each person and should just be started to
	begin working - but it works different on many, it depends on the
	individual's state of development, karma and what you can imagine.

	A key element in TM is tension releases (there might be a better
	english word for it). All what one have experienced, in this life-
	time as well as other lifetimes, may leave tensions in one's un-
	consciousness/subconsciousness - even happy events can leave ten-
	sions inside ('I did not deserve this' or 'I'll propaply loose it
	again'). These tensions occupies/binds the flow of energy/happi-
	ness within each person, takes away the possibility to feel unli-
	mited happiness, to love others, to be loved, etc. - all of what
	we miss to be hole and complete human beings - the goal we're all
	heading for - and we all shall reach, at some time.
	TM makes these tensions go away, one by one - normally the big
	ones first, then the smaller, etc. The first year or so I noticed
	small muscle trembles during meditation - these were tension re-
	leases. Other times I could burst into tears at appearently no
	reason (which can stil happen when I'm alone and permit myself
	to do so), followed by a wonderful burst of happiness. Other
	times one can feel sad (in a strange beautiful way), which can be
	caused by saying goodbye to something - for example the old state
	of development, which gives room for the new one.
	A woman I knew started TM and had so heavy tension releases after
	each meditation, that she started uncontrolled crying - which was
	unpleasent for her. So, if something feels bad, one should not do
	it. With this approach she stopped meditating and started again
	after some years - this time with no problems. Most people have
	NO problems, however. If one listens to the teacher, there is NO
	danger involved by doing TM. If somebody get 'smart ideas' and
	meditate twice as much as recommended, it can result in unpleasant
	tension releases or feelings of bluntness or whatever.

	After learning the basic method, one can achive 7 different 'ad-
	vanced techniques', with a timestep of 1 1/2 year between. As I've
	only got the first advanced, I can say about this one, that it in-
	volved an extra syllable on the end of the original mantra. After
	achiving this, I noticed extra powerful meditations for 2-3 months.
	Then one gets used to it, and it feels 'normal' again. The cost of
	achiving an advanced technique is the same as achiving the basic
	one.

	The Shiddi technique can be achived after 3 months (as far as I
	remember) meditating, twice a day, each day. It involves a longer
	course (and a higher cost). I think a period of 1-2 months is not
	unusual to learn this tecnique. After one have learned the Shiddi
	technique, one becomes a Shidda. This method is *very* powerful
	and involves 'flying' while sitting upright on a soft mattress.
	What happens here is powerful energy and happiness bursts, which
	make the body sort of 'jump' up and down, while sitting with cros-
	sed legs on your behind. These jumps can be of 1 meter or more!
	It is told be true that some of the Shiddas can keep themselves 
	flying during meditation. As one also has to perform the basic 
	technique, the Shiddi method involves a program of about 1 hour 
	duration, twice a day. Once a Shidda, one has got a very powerful 
	way to get in balance with nature and harmony with oneself - which 
	again can cause unbelievable possibilities in one's life (and I 
	really mean _unbelievable_).

	The TM method is natural and easy - my advise: go for it!

	Poul

    Hi,
    
    This was originally posted in the mantra topic, since I was going
    backwards through this conference, and saw that topic first.  This is 
    where it belongs.
    
    I do TM--the MacDonald's of meditation, some say.  The mantra I was
    given is pronounced somewhere between *I'm* and *ah-eem*.  They told
    us never to pronounce it out loud after it was given to us, but they
    said nothing about phonetically spelling it out for people. 
    Theoretically, that mantra fits my physical or personality type in some
    vibrational way that I don't understand.  
    
    Their directions are to pick a  quiet place where you won't be
    disturbed for about 25 minutes, and sit in a comfortable position. 
    Close your eyes and relax for about 30 seconds or so.  Then start
    repeating the mantra to yourself silently.  Your mind will repeatedly
    wander off to other things, but don't fret about that.  When you notice
    that, just easily and effortlessly bring your mind back to focus on the
    mantra.  Determined concentration is not the goal.  They say that when
    you close your eyes, thoughts come to mind with no effort at all on
    your part--that is the way to think the mantra, with that same
    effortless ease as any other thought.  They say that you may notice the
    mantra subtly change as you use it--don't worry  about that either,
    just go with it.  They want you to have a clock or watch nearby, and
    when you think 20 minutes have gone by, glance at the clock to check. 
    If it has, stop repeating the mantra in your mind.  Just sit quietly
    for another 2 full minutes or so with your eyes closed.  Then you're
    done.  Do this once in the morning, and once in the late afternoon or
    early evening.  Don't do it for 2 full hours after you've eaten--the
    body is busy digesting, and you won't get the full benefit.  Don't do
    it at or near bedtime; they say it will interfere with your normal
    sleeping.  They say that if you fall asleep while doing it, and then
    wake up, that's ok.  You needed the rest.  Just continue doing the
    mantra for about 5 minutes after you awaken, and then stop the way you
    would normally stop a meditation period.
    
    I don't do the meditation twice per day, generally, and seldom on
    weekends.  I've been doing it for about 20 years now.  Even after all
    this time, I still notice myself working on not involving effort in the
    process.  I hold physical tension in my body and face, far more than
    I'm usually aware of.  I still look for the best way to coordinate
    thinking my mantra with my breathing so as to be as relaxed and
    effortless as possible.  I watch for my tendency to try to hurry up and
    relax.  Sometimes it seems to work to watch the images that come to
    mind and gently name them with my mantra.  Sometimes it seems more
    peaceful if I wait about 5 minutes after first closing my eyes before I
    start saying my mantra.  Sometimes it seems best if I think my mantra
    in the space between exhaling and inhaling.  Sometimes it seems best
    when I think of the mantra as coming from some tense spot on my face,
    usually around my eyes--the tension seems to diminish.  I find it a
    strange sort of effort to do something effortlessly.  Absolutely
    everything else that I consciously do in my life requires some sort of 
    effort on my part, or so it seems.  If you've never done something like
    this, and you try it, you may be surprised to how much subtle, and not-
    so-subtle physical tension you carry around unawares.  Lately I think
    that EVERYTHING that I upset or distress myself about involves
    physical tension of some kind, so that's part of my enduring interest
    in periodically removing as much as I effortlessly can.  The "mental"
    side of that is that I find it very difficult to physically relax
    unless I'm focusing my mind on things that are peaceful to me.  TM
    seems to combine both, with the "effortless" mantra.
    
    Sometimes I get a stillness of mind that is unlike my usual thing.  I
    feel what I think the term 'centered' means.  That is what I would like
    to happen as often as possible when meditating.  It seems like that is
    who I really am, when I'm not distracted by some worry or concern.
    
    When I was in college, long ago, they mentioned a type of psychological
    therapy called 'systematic de-sensitization'.  The idea was to teach to
    client to thoroughly relax at will, and then consider or confront the
    threatening agent in a very gradual way, over the course of a number of
    sessions.  The idea was that gradually the client could confront the
    full blown problem, or fear causing agent in a fully relaxed way.  I've
    always thought that TM does something like that, amongst other things.
    I find myself thinking about something diisturbing, then notice I'm not
    on the mantra and get back to it.  If I keep going back and forth
    between the mantra and the disturbing thoughts, the meditation won't be
    as peaceful as it could be, but I will have formed more of an ability
    to think about that disturbing thing more peacefully than I would
    otherwise.
    
    Lunch beckons.  Maybe I'll go to MacDonald's!
    
    Mike
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

Posted on sci.skeptic by Jim Kutz ([email protected]) 14-Jul-1993.
    
>Subject: Paraphysics experiment bombs (meditation to reduce urban crime)
> 
>The following is part of a report from the American Physical
>Society's "What's New" weekly report.
> 
>    Article #205 (207 is last):
>    From: [email protected] (Physics Department)
>    Newsgroups: cwru.academic.physics.world-news
>    Subject: APS "What's new" file - 25 June
>    Date: Fri Jun 25 21:10:52 1993
> 
> 
>    WHAT'S NEW (in my opinion), Friday, 25 June 1993   Washington, DC
> 
>    [ ... ]
> 
>    4. SUPERSTRING FIELD IS USED TO REDUCE CRIME IN NATION'S CAPITAL!
>    The Institute of Science, Technology and Public Policy revealed
>    on Tuesday that a 2-month, $4M program to reduce crime has been
>    underway in Washington since 5 June.  The Institute's director,
>    John Hagelin, a Harvard-trained field theorist, explained that a
>    coherent field generated by 1,000 trained experts meditating in
>    unison has been cutting crime and enhancing the effectiveness of
>    President Clinton by spreading tranquility throughout the city.
>    This "scientific demonstration" will provide proof of a "unified
>    superstring field," Hagelin said, but he acknowledged that the
>    Supercollider will be needed to provide independent confirmation.
> 
>    Robert L. Park  [email protected]         The American Physical Society
> 
>    --
>    Physics Department, Case Western Reserve University
>    Cleveland, Ohio 44106
>    (216) 368 4000
> 
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
>    Article #206 (207 is last):
>    From: [email protected] (Physics Department)
>    Newsgroups: cwru.academic.physics.world-news
>    Subject: APS "What's new" file - 2 July
>    Date: Sat Jul  3 08:57:58 1993
> 
> 
>    WHAT'S NEW (in my opinion), Friday, 2 July 1993    Washington, DC
> 
>    [ ... ]
> 
>    4. EXPERIMENT GOES HORRIBLY WRONG!  MURDER RATE IN CAPITAL SOARS.
>    To the scores who have asked: No, we did not make up the story
>    about the anti-crime field (WN 25 Jun 93)!  No, the $4M is not
>    federal money!  String theorist Hagelin, a 1992 presidential
>    candidate (WN 4 Sep 92), is chair of the physics department at
>    Maharishi International University.  The murder rate is way up.
> 
>    Robert L. Park  [email protected]         The American Physical Society