Transcendental Meditation and Its Many Benefits

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Transcendental Meditation?How Does It Work?How It ComparesResearch on BenefitsLearning This Technique

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Is Transcendental Meditation?

How Does It Work?

How It Compares

Research on Benefits

Learning This Technique

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You can learn this form ofmeditationfrom a certified TM instructor in a few days, but you can also learn the basics here. Those who practice transcendental meditation may experience a decrease in stress and anxiety within minutes. As with other forms of meditation, long-term practice can lead to even more positive changes, including resilience to stress, lower overall anxiety, and even greater life satisfaction. It’s definitely worth taking a few minutes to learn more.

Mantra Meditation for Stress Relief

Unlikemindfulness-based meditationsthat focus on clearing the mind of thoughts and gently bringing the attention back to the present moment when you notice that your mind has wandered (as it will), TM is based around focusing on a single mantra, repeated silently. This mantra can be different for every person, and those who complete training programs are generally assigned mantras based on their personal characteristics and are expected to be a good fit.

Press Play for Advice On Mantras

For this practice, it is recommended to practice 15 to 20 minutes twice a day. This involves getting into a comfortable position, breathing through the diaphragm in a relaxed way, and practicing your ability to notice the thoughts in your mind without engaging with them. Then the mantra—usually a single word or sound, such as the near-cliche of “om,” while focusing on the sensations that arise.

That’s the basic practice, which is quite simple. It can be hard to find time to practice when you are busy, which is why simple and accessible stress management techniques can be so helpful.

Even just a few minutes of meditation can be beneficial to calm your mind.

There are many forms of mediation. Here is how transcendental mediation compares to other types of meditation:

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

The main concern with the studies done on TM was that there may have been selection bias—some of the studies may have selected participants who were more cut out for the practice and would be more likely to show a positive response. There were, however, many studies in which participants did show improvements with subjects assigned randomly to the TM group or a control, showing a real link between the practice and the beneficial outcomes.

Both forms of meditation were linked with increased gray matter, decreased stress, and positive psychological outcomes like self-acceptance, purpose in life, and autonomy.

However, many people find MBSR to be more challenging to practice, and the typical MBSR training program lasts eight weeks as opposed to a four-day training program for TM. This may make transcendental meditation a more attractive and accessible option for many people. Given the amount of research conducted on TM, it shows great promise, but more research should be conducted, according to many psychologists, so that we can know even more about this useful and effective technique.

Simple Meditation Techniques

There are other simple meditation techniques such as sitting quietly witharomatherapyand focusing on the scent sensations—a form of mindfulness-based meditation—or sitting quietly in a bath and focusing on the physical sensations—also mindfulness-based. However, these types of meditation are less widely studied, so it’s more difficult to compare them to the more popular techniques of TM and basic MBSR.

However, many people find them to be useful, and many of the general benefits of meditation can be assumed to apply, so if TM doesn’t appeal, there areseveral other ways to meditatethat should be tried before you give up on the idea of meditation altogether.

Transcendental meditation has been associated with a great many benefits for mental and physical well-being. Some of the top benefits are related to brain functioning, heart health, and, of course,stress managementand the relief of anxiety. Additionally, it has been found to be helpful for depression, insomnia, addiction treatment,post-traumatic stress disorder, attention-deficit disorder, autism spectrum disorders, and even Alzheimer’s.

Physical Benefits

One study in 2017 reviewed eight meta-analysis studies, meaning it was a study that reviewed several studies that reviewed other groups of studies—in all, this was an analysis of dozens of studies and thousands of participants.

While there were a few conflicting findings, the overall trend was that TM is effective in lowering blood pressure. This evidence is strong enough that the American Heart Association recommends that TM be considered in clinical practice.

Mental Health Benefits

Another meta-analysis in 2014 studied 14 research papers that examined 16 studies and 1295 participants. Compared with control groups who received their regular treatment for anxiety, this study found that TM was effective in minimizing trait anxiety. Trait anxiety is the type that doesn’t simply come as a passing mood, but rather as more of a regular experience.

Results also showed that subjects showed substantial reductions in anxiety over the first two weeks of practice, but that these reductions could still be sustained three years later. Interestingly, those who experienced the highest levels of trait anxiety at the beginning of the study—those in the 80th to 100th percentile range, like veterans with PTSD and prison inmates—experienced the greatest decrease in anxiety, generally reducing their anxiety levels down to the 53rd to 62nd percentile range.

Another interesting 2015 study examined theeffects of TM on high school studentsand found that it worked well for not only their stress levels but their academic work as well. More specifically, a group of ninth-graders who participated in a TM program called “Quiet Time,” where they practiced TM for fifteen minutes twice a day.

After several months in the program, the teens scored higher on resilience and lower on anxiety. Those who spent more time in this kind of meditation experienced greater decreases in anxiety. Overall, this group said that they experienced better sleep, greater happiness, and more self-confidence as well.

Meditation and Longevity

Similarly to yoga, the process of learning from an instructor versus learning from a book means you may not know if you’re doing it optimally. You may not have an expert there to correct your practice, but you may very well still find benefits. The mantra you are given and not sharing that mantra is also an important part of the TM practice lineage.

8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ooi SL, Giovino M, Pak SC. Transcendental meditation for lowering blood pressure: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Complement Ther Med. 2017;34:26-34. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2017.07.008Burke A, Lam CN, Stussman B, Yang H. Prevalence and patterns of use of mantra, mindfulness and spiritual meditation among adults in the United States. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2017;17(1):316. doi:10.1186/s12906-017-1827-8Elder C, Nidich S, Moriarty F, Nidich R. Effect of transcendental meditation on employee stress, depression, and burnout: a randomized controlled study. Perm J. 2014;18(1):19-23. doi:10.7812/TPP/13-102Mayo Clinic.Meditation.Holt A.Mindfulness-based stress reduction and transcendental meditation: current state of research.J Patient Cent Res Rev.2015;2:64-68. doi:10.17294/2330-0698.1199Ooi SL, Giovino M, Pak SC.Transcendental meditation for lowering blood pressure: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Complement Ther Med. 2017;34:26-34. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2017.07.008Orme-johnson DW, Barnes VA.Effects of the transcendental meditation technique on trait anxiety: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Altern Complement Med. 2014;20(5):330-41. doi:10.1089/acm.2013.0204Wendt S, Hipps J, Abrams A.et al.Practicing transcendental meditation in high schools: relationship to well-being and academic achievement among students.Contemp School Psychol. 2015;19:312–319. doi:10.1007/s40688-015-0066-6

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ooi SL, Giovino M, Pak SC. Transcendental meditation for lowering blood pressure: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Complement Ther Med. 2017;34:26-34. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2017.07.008Burke A, Lam CN, Stussman B, Yang H. Prevalence and patterns of use of mantra, mindfulness and spiritual meditation among adults in the United States. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2017;17(1):316. doi:10.1186/s12906-017-1827-8Elder C, Nidich S, Moriarty F, Nidich R. Effect of transcendental meditation on employee stress, depression, and burnout: a randomized controlled study. Perm J. 2014;18(1):19-23. doi:10.7812/TPP/13-102Mayo Clinic.Meditation.Holt A.Mindfulness-based stress reduction and transcendental meditation: current state of research.J Patient Cent Res Rev.2015;2:64-68. doi:10.17294/2330-0698.1199Ooi SL, Giovino M, Pak SC.Transcendental meditation for lowering blood pressure: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Complement Ther Med. 2017;34:26-34. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2017.07.008Orme-johnson DW, Barnes VA.Effects of the transcendental meditation technique on trait anxiety: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Altern Complement Med. 2014;20(5):330-41. doi:10.1089/acm.2013.0204Wendt S, Hipps J, Abrams A.et al.Practicing transcendental meditation in high schools: relationship to well-being and academic achievement among students.Contemp School Psychol. 2015;19:312–319. doi:10.1007/s40688-015-0066-6

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Ooi SL, Giovino M, Pak SC. Transcendental meditation for lowering blood pressure: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Complement Ther Med. 2017;34:26-34. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2017.07.008Burke A, Lam CN, Stussman B, Yang H. Prevalence and patterns of use of mantra, mindfulness and spiritual meditation among adults in the United States. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2017;17(1):316. doi:10.1186/s12906-017-1827-8Elder C, Nidich S, Moriarty F, Nidich R. Effect of transcendental meditation on employee stress, depression, and burnout: a randomized controlled study. Perm J. 2014;18(1):19-23. doi:10.7812/TPP/13-102Mayo Clinic.Meditation.Holt A.Mindfulness-based stress reduction and transcendental meditation: current state of research.J Patient Cent Res Rev.2015;2:64-68. doi:10.17294/2330-0698.1199Ooi SL, Giovino M, Pak SC.Transcendental meditation for lowering blood pressure: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Complement Ther Med. 2017;34:26-34. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2017.07.008Orme-johnson DW, Barnes VA.Effects of the transcendental meditation technique on trait anxiety: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Altern Complement Med. 2014;20(5):330-41. doi:10.1089/acm.2013.0204Wendt S, Hipps J, Abrams A.et al.Practicing transcendental meditation in high schools: relationship to well-being and academic achievement among students.Contemp School Psychol. 2015;19:312–319. doi:10.1007/s40688-015-0066-6

Ooi SL, Giovino M, Pak SC. Transcendental meditation for lowering blood pressure: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Complement Ther Med. 2017;34:26-34. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2017.07.008

Burke A, Lam CN, Stussman B, Yang H. Prevalence and patterns of use of mantra, mindfulness and spiritual meditation among adults in the United States. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2017;17(1):316. doi:10.1186/s12906-017-1827-8

Elder C, Nidich S, Moriarty F, Nidich R. Effect of transcendental meditation on employee stress, depression, and burnout: a randomized controlled study. Perm J. 2014;18(1):19-23. doi:10.7812/TPP/13-102

Mayo Clinic.Meditation.

Holt A.Mindfulness-based stress reduction and transcendental meditation: current state of research.J Patient Cent Res Rev.2015;2:64-68. doi:10.17294/2330-0698.1199

Ooi SL, Giovino M, Pak SC.Transcendental meditation for lowering blood pressure: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Complement Ther Med. 2017;34:26-34. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2017.07.008

Orme-johnson DW, Barnes VA.Effects of the transcendental meditation technique on trait anxiety: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Altern Complement Med. 2014;20(5):330-41. doi:10.1089/acm.2013.0204

Wendt S, Hipps J, Abrams A.et al.Practicing transcendental meditation in high schools: relationship to well-being and academic achievement among students.Contemp School Psychol. 2015;19:312–319. doi:10.1007/s40688-015-0066-6

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