Here’s An Opinion On:
Submitted by: Mindvalley Academy
The Perfect Compliment to Your Yoga Practice: TM
Are you a yoga practitioner? Are you looking for a new and invigorating way to deepen the heart of your yoga practice? Transcendental meditation may be the answer.
But before we delve into what transcendental meditation is, and the ways in which it can enrich your yoga experience, lets begin with a brief exploration of yogas roots and how this practice has become so popular today.
The Ancient Vedic Roots of Yoga
Yoga is an ancient spiritual practice. And by ancient, we do mean ancient.
Yogas roots go back some 5000 years to the Indus-Sarasvati of Northern India. Some historians say they believe the practice could be older still, but many of the records from this era have been lost. The word yoga first appeared in the sacred ancient texts of the Rigveda, a collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns.
Yoga began as a collection of ideals, philosophies, and techniques, assembled by Vedic priests and mystic seers of the era. Its changed much since its inception many thousands of years ago, but it remains an integral spiritual pillar of modern society, and has holy ties to several religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
The Practice of Yoga Today
Yoga wasnt really introduced to the West until the nineteenth century, when it was discovered by Western intellectuals who were intrigued by the philosophies intrinsically tied with yoga practice.
It didnt take long before yoga spread, encouraged by several influential yogis who settled in and around the United States to teach asana yoga to the intrigued Westerners that flocked to learn the technique. Soon, many different forms of yoga became popularized, including Ashtanga, Kundalini, Hatha, and many more.
Today, many people practice yoga on a routine basis, and all have their individual reasons for their practice. But sadly, many Western practitioners are missing one very important component in their yoga practice.
There is an intrinsic spiritual element to yoga that is often subdued in the yoga classes offered in the West. There may or may not be a short meditative component to the classes taught, but it is not often the focal point of the practice.
But yoga is a spiritual practice. The word yoga means to unite. It is the practice of uniting the physical and spiritual, the concrete and the abstract. It is a way to reconnect with our innermost selves. A way to enrich our understanding of life, and the energy we harbor within us.
If youve been practicing yoga and feel that theres something missing, perhaps there is. And thats why transcendental meditation is the perfect compliment to an enriched yoga experience.
Transcendental Meditation and How It Will Help Your Yoga Practice
Transcendental meditation was popularized by a man named Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who was also the founder of the non-profit organization Global Country of World Peace.
Maharishi studied under several influential gurus, and then went on to introduce the practice of transcendental meditation to the world. He taught more than 5 million people this incredible technique before he passed away at the age of 90 in 2008.
So, whats transcendental meditation all about?
Transcendental meditation is meditative discipline that invokes the use of a mantra (usually the sound Om). Practitioners sit and repeat the mantra silently or aloud for a period of 20 minutes. The aim of transcendental meditation is to give the conscious mind a focal point: the mantra. As the mind is focused on the repetition of this simple sound, the spirit is then free to transcend into higher states of consciousness.
Many yogis who have incorporated transcendental meditation into their practice report profound benefits most notably, a deepening of their spiritual awareness during yoga.
Transcendental meditation can be practiced in tandem with yoga. In fact, some styles of yoga incorporate mantra meditations right into their classes! Its a wonderful way to deepen your understanding of the self, and to learn more about the ways in which yoga can entwine both spirit and body for a holistic healing experience.
During a 2007 conference at the Maharishi European Research University in Holland, Maharishi had this to say about yoga and transcendental meditation:
Yoga means unityit means living unified wholeness in the field of diversity. My advice is to continue practicing Yoga on the physical levelbut also to start and continue to practice Yoga on all other levelsmental, intellectual, and on the level of self-referral, Transcendental consciousness. On all levels, Yoga will help you to progress in every way, in every field of life.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
For those who wish to explore and delve deeper into this powerful technique of transcendental meditation, we bid you good fortune on your journeys, and happy spiritual travels.
Are you curious about transcendental meditation? Would you ever try it at home? Tell us what you think in the comments below!
About the Author: Founded in 2003 by Vishen Lakhiani, Mindvalley Academy is an online school for all the things regular schooling forget to teach you. We bring you world-class courses from the world’s top personal growth authors and brands to allow you to create remarkable transformations in all areas of your life.We know that you are so much more extraordinary than you were made to believe.Go beyond just having a good career – lead a life that is extraordinary in all dimensions of being human, and beyond.Learn more at
mindvalleyacademy.com/blog/mind/transcendental-meditation
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