I started off my day by going to Whole Foods to purchase some sweet fruit (oranges and a banana) and some fresh flowers to bring along with my white handkerchief to the class. It was explained that during the first day there would be a short ceremony to honor the previous teachers of the TM technique... Having been to India, it is a puja to honor Guru Dev, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's teacher.
When I arrived I was given a quick summary of TM and then we proceeded to the room to learn the meditation. Mark did the 7 minute puja to start out lighting some incense and a small bit of camphor for the aarti. Once the puja was finished, he taught me my mantra and asked me to repeat it out loud and have a seat. As I repeated the mantra, he asked me to say it softer and softer until eventually I was repeating it mentally only.
He told me if the mantra disappeared, that was fine and that if I had a thought, I could use the mantra to come back to the meditation.
While I did not think the process would work, I felt pretty relaxed. A few times during the meditation, my head felt light and my arms felt sort of heavy like I was melting. It was a very yummy feeling... sort of like you feel during a massage.
When I was done with the last bit of the meditation., I felt like you do after a good relaxing massage. It was a very enjoyable experience. We had a 15 minute question and answer session and then I was sent on my way.
Unlike Zen, I thought it was easy... unlike The Relaxation Response, it actually had an effect. I am not sure yet if this was due to the incense, the camphor, the puja, the meditation or the combination of all of that.
I am looking forward to the next few meditations to see what happens.
When I arrived I was given a quick summary of TM and then we proceeded to the room to learn the meditation. Mark did the 7 minute puja to start out lighting some incense and a small bit of camphor for the aarti. Once the puja was finished, he taught me my mantra and asked me to repeat it out loud and have a seat. As I repeated the mantra, he asked me to say it softer and softer until eventually I was repeating it mentally only.
He told me if the mantra disappeared, that was fine and that if I had a thought, I could use the mantra to come back to the meditation.
While I did not think the process would work, I felt pretty relaxed. A few times during the meditation, my head felt light and my arms felt sort of heavy like I was melting. It was a very yummy feeling... sort of like you feel during a massage.
When I was done with the last bit of the meditation., I felt like you do after a good relaxing massage. It was a very enjoyable experience. We had a 15 minute question and answer session and then I was sent on my way.
Unlike Zen, I thought it was easy... unlike The Relaxation Response, it actually had an effect. I am not sure yet if this was due to the incense, the camphor, the puja, the meditation or the combination of all of that.
I am looking forward to the next few meditations to see what happens.
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