Everything You Want to Know About TM: Including How to Do It

The reason I like this book and recommend it is that it appears to give almost anyone a chance to practice "TM Meditation" or something very like it without the great cost. Now it does require you to be able to apply what you read without someone hanging on your shoulder and coaching. But, most people can do that. In fact, if you combine this book with some online research I think you pretty well have the whole technique. I've tried it and it seems to be productive.All I've said above is in the first 40% of the book. The other 60% is somewhat aggravating. The author comes across as a whiner who says he is not critical of the TM institution and its founder -- then goes on to criticize and criticize and criticize. The gist of his displeasure is that TM meditation, in his opinion, is a "kindergarten" form of meditation. He wants the Maharishi to do much more. In fact, what he really wants is to be taught a different KIND of meditation. He does not seem to realize that there are different kinds and people have different purposes. Not everyone seeks Samadhi. So, much of the last 60% of the book was annoying. That is not to say that it was uninteresting. The author strews the entire book with a bunch of interesting (if sometimes conflicting) evidence and information.On balance, if you have any interest in TM meditation or simply getting started in meditation in a simple and effective way, then this book is worth your while. Also, if you are considering going to the "paid up" version of TM it is probably worthwhile to read this book (with a grain of salt) first.

Like many people that look into learning TM, I was immediately put off by the organization's prohibitive fees. When I first inquired several years ago they were charging $2500(now $1500) and I pretty much gave up on learning to meditate. Recently my interest was renewed when I picked up Dr. Herbert Benson's Relaxation Revolution and Meditation for Dummies by Stephan Bodian.What struck me about hose two books was the fact that they both mention TM several times but are scant on details(naturally). After practicing Benson's method, as well as Mindfulness and various other relaxation meditations I started to feel like I was still missing something. My sessions were relaxing but nothing happened that matched the enthusiasm I've seen in practitioners of TM.I began searching online relentlessly for alternative methods to learn TM and after many hours of searching, I finally came across a viable option, but more on that later. I read this book, "Everything You Want to Know About TM" after already having learned to successfully transcend. I purchased the book because I was intrigued by taking a skeptical look at the TM movement and on that level it delivers.One of the main problems I had with the book is that the author never experienced states of bliss while meditating. This is something that came naturally to me in my first session and every one since. I can't help but wonder what the book would have been like had the writer been profoundly moved the way I was.Another problem that I had was that the book was written more than 30 years ago. A lot has happened in the TM movement since then, including the passing of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. This book could have greatly benefited from revisions over the years. Some of the ideas posited in the chapter, "The Future of TM" were quite simplistic.Despite the book's flaws, it does indeed teach you the basic TM technique, it's right on page 48. Throughout the book, Mr. White characterizes new TM practitioners as being in spiritual kindergarten, which makes a lot of sense. The problem is that this book will not get you any closer to the answers that you will surely seek as you begin your journey. The TM organization might charge an arm and a leg but there is value in guidance and talking with people that have been traveling for some time on the road you just reached.If you have the financial means, the TM org is the way to go in my opinion. If you don't have the means, I recommend learning from a former TM teacher by the name of David Spector(NSRUSA.org). The method he teaches is called Natural Stress Relief and he charges $25 for instruction with free support in the form of a public web forum. In addition, he offers expert private support at affordable rates. NSR is basically TM without the veiled quasi-religion.I applaud John White for writing this book and I enjoyed reading it very much. His critical writings about spirituality and the science of TM were very insightful and thought-provoking. I also enjoyed the three appendix articles(written by others) as well. One thing that should be made clear, however, is that this is not a manual on TM. For greater guidance in that respect I whole-heartedly recommend NSRUSA.org and David Spector. I'd also recommend purchasing Maharishi's "Science of Being" for greater context.Jai Guru Dev.

This little book (190 pages) is the best book on Transcendental Meditation (TM) I have ever read. Wildly popular in the 70's and 80's, TM continues to be the most accessible form of Eastern spiritual practice in the West. It is billed as "a simple, natural, and effortless mental technique practiced 20 minutes a day". One of the greatest strengths of this book is chapter 5 ie "How to Do TM?" because every student of TM has a legal contract with the TM movement not to teach it to anybody else, let alone to reveal its precious mantra (It now costs circa $3000 to study TM). I also congratulate John White, the author of the book, to include crucial articles on TM by prominent authors in Appendixes 1-3. Finally, John White appraises TM. Does it live up to its hype? Does Maharishi Mahest Yogi enlightened? What is the purpose of mantra? What does science say about TM? And whether TM ignores the core traditional concern of Indian mysticism ie "Kundalini". Read this book and you will have a balance view of TM.

If you want to learn how TM differs from regular meditation, It's in the book. Most of the book is all about TM. Who said what and the authors viewpoint is on what was said or done. Frankly I lost interest after reading 40% of the book and started skimming. One 7 page chapter tells you how TM is done. The rest is more historical with the authors opinion on it. It would be like reading a book on Kendo karate Who started it, what they said, how the movement got started, what a famous martial artist said,the authors opinion on what the author said and should have said instead of what he said etc. etc. With one chapter on how to Kendo karate differs from other forms of karate.

I, for one, am very grateful to John White for his very honest and objective book. I wanted to take a TM course this month, and their corporation told me it was now $2500, since they were offering $500 off this month. I can't imagine anyone charging that much for something you can learn in, using their words, 20 minutes. You CAN learn how to meditate from a book, and I strongly oppose the reviewer you said you can't. I learned how to from John White's book, and believe me, it works. I feel the people from TM have lost their way. Was TM supposed to become an elitist method, excluding millions of people who are unable to come up with nearly $3,000?

Informative

Does a decent job of "pulling back the curtain" of mystery surrounding Transcendental Meditation. But this kindle version uses poor OCR with tons of typos that have not been checked.That aside if you have questions like: What is it? Who started it? What on earth do you get for your (at time of writing) £600 tuition fee? How do you do it? Does it work? - this pretty much answers them all.However this book isn't exactly written from an entirely impartial or skeptical - passages like ..."Telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, and psychokinesis all give evidence of the mind’s extending beyond the limits of the skin"... throw a bit of a spanner in the works. But don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.This seems to be the case with TM in general - or at least mantra meditation. The principle and practice seems sound - it works as a relaxation technique and way to take some reflective time out. I haven't done it long enough to speak of huge benefits but even in a month or so I feel calmer, less likely to feel quite so stressed in stressful situations.Why EXACTLY this is the case I couldn't say - is it the technique or would sitting quietly with your eyes closed and taking 15-20mins out twice a day have the same impact - maybe. Do I think I'm aiming to be one with the universal infinite and reach god consciousness? Not really but I like how it feels, I like the relaxation, I like the time out and I like (so far) the results. I don't buy any specific 'belief system' as being a pre-requisite for it and maybe that's why I feel TM appears a bit cult-like - that and the need for such outrageous fees to offer people something that by its very nature should be available to allAs to whether the TM course itself is worth the £600 instruction fee - again I can't comment because I don't want to pay it. There is a much more reasonable options in the shape of ACEM Meditation (at a much more reasonable £80) which is (seemingly) identical but without the mumbo jumbo belief systems or advanced (even more expensive) courses in 'levitation' (bouncing on mattresses cross legged).For a book that is purely a how-to on what is basically the same system try: http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Meditation-Pathway-Personal-Enlightenment-ebook/dp/B001L1RUTQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1425212410&sr=1-1&keywords=deep+meditationFor a free audio course in the same system try project meditation: http://www.project-meditation.org/project-meditation.zipIf you decide it's for you then it is probably worth going to a class maybe ACEM or TM if you buy into it and can afford - there are benefits from having an actual tutor to learn from and question. You can state all the principles fairly easily - but getting it right take at least a bit of guidance at first.Think of it a bit like swimming - it's easy to describe, natural to do once you know how but try shouting instructions to a drowning non-swimmer.

Das Buch zeigt klar, was TM kann und was sie nicht kann. Inder bezeichnen TM wohl als Anfänger Meditation. Eine schnelle Möglichkeit Stress zu reduzieren. Vielleicht einen Vorgeschmack zu bekommen, was es heisst einen ruhigen Geist zu bekommen. Was gut ist. Aber das hat mit Erleuchtung nichts zu tun. Muss es auch nicht. Jedem das seine. Das einzige Problem ist, dass TM eine tatsächliche sensation generiert. An sich nichts Schlimmes. Nur verfallen wohl einige Menschen dem kurzfristigen high und richten ihr Leben danach aus, ohne wirklich ihr Leben zu ändern. Und im übrigen zur Praxis: Die Quintessenz ist es voll konzentriert ein Nicht-Wort permanent zu wiederholen. Zum Beispiel Sum, Som, Sur, Tar, Mir oder was auch immer. Ein Wort/Laut zu dem keine Assoziationen gebildet werden können, mit denen sich der Geist beschäftigen kann. Die Idee dahinter ist, dass der Geist dadurch erlahmt (ihm ist langweilig) und so schneller in einen Status des Nicht-Denkens gerät. Sehr effektiv und das meine ich positiven Sinn. Aber wie gesagt: dahinter fehlt das göttliche/humanistische/sinnstiftende Gebäude

Ich wollte mal wissen, was TM ist und wie es funktioniert. Die meisten Bücher behaupten, etwas darüber zu erzählen, sind aber nur bessere Werbebroschüren. Dieses hier ist anders - es gibt einen tiefen, nüchternen Einblick in die Funktionsweise von TM.Aber: Wer hat das Ebook verbrochen? Auf JEDER Seite mehrere Rechtschreibfehler, falsche Buchstaben, falsche Satzzeichen, mal fehlen Worte, mal halbe Sätze, nur um ein paar Zeilen weiter hinten zusammenhanglos wieder aufzutauchen.Es scheint, als habe man das Buch einfach mittels OCR gescant und das Ergebnis ungeprüft übernommen. Dafür einen Stern abzug.

If you are interested in practising TM I recommend this book it provides a balanced view behind the controversial claims about TM on both sides. You might want to read "The Sceince of Being and The Art of Living" and Herbert Bensons "The Relaxation Response" First though. I should point out that John Whites book did not deter me from continuing with meditation, reading all three books has given me a rounded knowledge of what TM is all about and saved me a lot of money . . . this will become self explanatory the more familiar that you become with the subject.

Wer schon immer alle Hintergründe über TM und die dazugehörende Bewegung erfahren wollte, wird hier gut bedient. Das Buch bietet eine sehr gute Übersicht über alle Einflüsse, Motivationen und Fakten von TM und im besonderen über Maharishi.Der Autor schreibt aus einem sehr stark wissenschaftlich geprägten Bezug über die Meditationstechnik und ihre belegbaren Punkte, was es zum Teil für nicht-englisch-sprechende Leser schwierig macht, jedoch die seriösen Aspekte einer spirituell ausgelegten Gruppe verstärkt.Die "how to do it"-Teile könnten ausführlicher beschrieben sein, da hier der Leser alleine gelassen wird, was wiederum der Gang zu einem professionelle TM-Lehrer nötig macht.Im Grossen und Ganzen jedoch sehr seriös, interessant und unterhaltsam!