b'A D V A N C I N G I N N O V A T I O N S I N H E A L T H C A R E P O L I C Y ABOUT THE TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION TECHNIQUEWhat Is Transcendental Meditation?TM is a simple, natural, effortless technique practiced 20 minutes twice a day while sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. Its not a religion, philosophy, or lifestyle.What happens when you meditate?Transcendental Meditation allows the active thinking mind to settle inward to experience a naturally calm, peaceful level of awareness. During TM, the body enjoys a profoundly rejuvenating rest, while the brain functions with significantly greater coherence.How does Transcendental Meditation differ from other meditation techniques?Brain research has identified three basic approaches to meditation:Focused attention (concentrating on a thought or object: gamma brain waves)Open monitoring (observing breath, thoughts, or the environment: theta brain waves) Automatic self-transcending (spontaneously experiencing quieter levels of thought as a unique state of restful alertness: alpha 1 brain waves)The Transcendental Meditation technique involves no focused attention nor open monitoring. It is a process of automatic self-transcending, allowing the practitioner to experience a field of calm deep within.How do you learn Transcendental Meditation?TM is taught in a five-step, personal course of instruction, along with a lifetime of optional follow-up, by a specially-trained, certified teacher. (More information is available at TM.org.)53'