Transcendental Meditation in Nepal

Meditation is a practice that we have at least heard at one point in our lives. Be it through social media, advertisements, texts, and books or we have seen or heard the word. So, what exactly is mediation, and why it is popular among people? Considering all the health benefits it offers, it’s no surprise that an increasing number of people use it. There are even many of its types that have been classified along with their natures and characteristics. Mindful meditation, spiritual meditation, Transcendental meditation, and Loving-kindness meditation are some of the meditation types. Each type has its character, history, and origin. These have their importance as they came into existence at various times, through various regions and various civilizations.

Simply, meditation is the act of remaining in a silent and calm state for a period. In other words, meditation is the process of focusing and channeling their spirituality to a center by calming the mind and making the body still. The practitioner attempts to get beyond the reflexive “thinking mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness. Meditation is practiced in numerous religious traditions. Meditation plays a salient role in the contemplative repertoire of Hinduism and Buddhism. It helps you to get in touch with your deeper self. Many meditation practices do not follow this standard definition of yoga. There is walking meditation which does not follow the typical staying still while performing meditation.       

Transcendental Meditation / Silent Mantra Meditation in Nepal

Transcendental meditation refers to the specific form of silent and a mantra meditation. It promotes a state of  relaxed awareness, stress relief, and access to higher states of consciousness, as well as physiological benefits such as reducing the risk of heart diseases and high blood pressure. This technique became more popular when the transcendental meditation movement occurred.

Transcendental meditation was invented by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the 1950s. He first introduced the technique in India and along with the technique also introduced the transcendental meditation movement. In 1955, the Maharishi began publicly teaching a traditional meditation technique which is called Transcendental deep meditation and later renamed” Transcendental Meditation”.

Transcendental meditation is practiced 15 to 20 minutes a day once or twice depending upon you and your timetable. However, the standard practice is twice a day which if one can complete is good. Transcendental meditation has been described as both religious and non-religious, as an aspect of a new religious movement, as rooted in Hinduism, and as a non-religious practice for self-development.

Hearing the mention of mantra people get the idea that Transcendental meditation is a type of religious meditation because the standard definition of mantra is a religious one. For those who believe in Hinduism Transcendental meditation is a religious one as it is based on or attached to the religious techniques of Hinduism.  However, if you are a non-religious person also then transcendental meditation is for you. It is a non-religious method for relaxation, stress reduction, and self-development. It doesn’t matter if someone takes it as a religious path or some take it as a path of self-development or taking either part is fine.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was an Indian yoga guru, known for developing and popularizing Transcendental Meditation, and for being the leader and guru of a worldwide organization that has been characterized in multiple ways including as a new religious movement. He was born on January 12, 1918, in India. The date is filled with new mysteries as it is used mostly to define his birthday, but many have doubts about the authenticity of this date. This is due to the fact when an individual moves on the way to becoming a Yogi, they sever their connection with the family and society. To be on the yogic path one must leave all their belongings, materials, and relations also. This is the very reason that the name given to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is also not certain and is varied with sources.

The Early Life of Maharishi

Maharishi studied Physics at the University of Allahabad. He earned a degree in Physics from this University in 1942. Before following the spiritual life and yogic path he tried his life in one or two things here and there. However, his destiny and his true passion lie elsewhere, he had not realized that till now. He felt increasingly attracted to the spiritual life. He joined the Jyotir math and became a disciple of Swami Brahmananda Sarswati. It is also said that it took more than two years to consider Brahmananda Sarswati to take Maharishi as the disciple of the path. He started calling himself Bal Brahmachari Mahesh. Maharishi says that his life truly began in 1940 when he met his master. He was with his Master till the death of Sarswati in 1953.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Transcendental Meditation

After the death of the Maharishi’s guru, he thought of teaching his learning to the world in 1955. So began teaching traditional meditation technique called Transcendental deep meditation to India and the world. He also assumed the title “Maharishi” which means great sage and is quite common amongst Indian Gurus who have achieved great spiritual capacity.

Transcendental Meditation Movement

In 1957, he founded his first organization the Spiritual Regeneration Movement. There have been many related organization, they tend to get grouped under the heading of Transcendental meditation Movement. The growth in Transcendental Meditation movement was rapid especially in 1960s when the counterculture made meditation and eastern spirituality more appealing and in the public eye. Many high profile celebrities  were attracted to the movement.

Process of Transcendental Meditation

Transcendental Meditation involves repeating a mantra silently for 15-20 minutes (or longer) in a quiet, dimly –lit room with no distractions or music. Before starting make sure you turn off your phone or put it on silent. You can also light candles or burn incense to make your meditation space more comfortable. This meditation involves simple steps of 7 to 8, which collectively completes the meditation.

Then follow these steps:

• Sit in a comfortable position either in the chair or in the floor with your hand on the lap.
• Take a deep and slow breath and relax your body and mind so that your body goes through the meditation period efficiently.
• Closing your eyes during the whole period of time is one of the compulsory thing about Transcendental meditation.
• Silently repeat the mantra in your mind continuously for 15-20 minutes. This could be a Sanskrit sound you learned from a meditation teacher.
• Focus on the mantra completely. If you feel yourself getting distracted, refocus your thoughts on the mantra.
• Just after chanting mantra, take a deep breath and start slowly moving your feet and palms. Now you are back to the world.
• Gently and slowly open your eyes.
• Relax and rest for a few minutes until you feel ready to get up. This concludes transcendental meditation.

Mantra for transcendental Meditation

Mantra selection can be a complicated process for some people, as there are thousands and thousands of mantras here. Search for positivity and balance in whichever mantra you choose. Few are believed to have massive spiritual and deity powers. Those who practice transcendental meditation for religious approaches also can use it. Om Nama Shivaya, Om Gan Gana Pattye Nama, Surya Namaha, Om Namo Narayan Aaya, etc. There are many to choose from, you can choose one, no need to think hard about it more than necessary. Those who are into transcendental meditation for self-development and are not religious can create their mantra if they like, the options are open and wide. To create a mantra first, go through yourself to find out want from transcendental meditation.

Your goal can be lots of things like confidence, spiritual strength, mental strength, and inner peace. First, figure out what you want through your meditation and make it your mantra. All types of meditation, including transcendental meditation, can have the following benefits:

• Reduce stress
• Improve focus and memory
• Improves quality of sleep
• Connection to the inner-self
• Improves productivity, and self-steem
• Improves pain management
• Decrease the risk of developing certain diseases
• Improve awareness

New Maharishi Vaastu Building for Transcendental Meditation

Our fourth Maharishi Vaastu Building project is almost complete as of January 2021. This project is a campus with four buildings to house 400 Maharishi Vedic Pandits and one building to serve as a Training Center.

Maharishi Vaastu architecture ensures that a building or community will have only nourishing influences on its occupants. This results from the use of several key natural law-based, Vedic principles: Right Direction, Right Placement of Rooms, Natural and Nontoxic Materials, Right Proportion, and Solar Energy, plus several external influences.

Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest holistic healing systems used 3000 years ago in India, where it was first discovered. It’s based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. Ayurveda is a lifestyle, more than being a cure for certain ailments or diseases. If we practice Ayurveda, we can surely enrich our lives and our attitudes by meditating and balancing chakras and all those healthy habits for the promotion of better health. Likewise, Ayurvedic massage brings balance to your body, mind, and soul.

AYURVEDIC MASSAGE

Here we will talk about Ayurvedic Massage which is known as “Abhyanga” which is considered a practice in Ayurveda. It is a warm oil massage and the main focus of this massage is to balance out doshas within your body to achieve spiritual fulfillment and relaxation. Also, the Ayurvedic practice of Abhyanga (Oil massage) touts physical benefits like releasing muscle tension, lymphatic drainage, and nourishing skin from head to toe.

Doshas refers to the five elements—earth, water, air, fire, and space—known as Vata, Pitta (fire and water), and Kapha (water and earth). The body has large energy points, and with a well-trained touch and an understanding of energy flow, the massage therapist can sense any imbalances your body might be experiencing. The Ayurvedic physician decides on the herbal oil used based on the patient’s Dosha Prakriti. Sesame oil is ideal for performing an Abhyanga massage. The systematic massage with Ayurvedic herbal oils helps to release toxic accumulation from the channels. Abhyanga treatment addresses imbalances within the body and works to restore a person’s Dosha to its original state.

It starts with rubbing warm sesame oil over the body and increasing the stroke frequency to lightly warm the body. Slow and steady motions allow blood circulation in the body, making it more relaxed, and alleviating exhaustion. It positively activates the body and keeps it on a routine basis.

After the therapy, the therapist advises the patient to take complete rest for a while to allow the oil to be absorbed into the body. They recommend a light, digestible diet after the bath. The massage, combined with a steam bath, produces great results. The heat and steam help the medicated oils seep into the body, nourishing it from the inside.

Miraculous Benefits of Ayurvedic Massage

1. Eliminates toxins
2. Boosts immunity system
3. Clear energetic pathways
4. Increases blood circulation
5. Balance Doshas
6. Cleanses the lymphatic system
7. Create deep relaxation
8. Lowers blood pressure
9. Increases flexibility
10. Promote  healthy skin

Difference between Ayurvedic Massage and a Regular Massage

In general, Ayurvedic massage takes a more holistic approach, aiming to remove emotional stress rather than physical stress. During a typical massage, the practitioner uses hands and sometimes essential oils. In Ayurvedic massage, however, essential oils play a crucial role, as the focus is primarily on energy points rather than joints and muscles.

Ayurvedic Massage is also known as “Oil Massage” because warm essential oils play a crucial role, tailored to an individual’s needs and Doshas. Each person has a dominant Dosha and can balance it by following an Ayurvedic lifestyle.

Also, Ayurvedic Massage focuses on clearing the energy channels in the body, removing toxins, and balancing the chakras. Whereas a typical massage focuses more on core anatomy and physiology rather than energy channels.

Join Himalayan Yoga Academy to do this amazing Ayurvedic Massage in Nepal. We will provide the most authentic therapies in Nepal.

Whether you are a beginner or you’ve been meditating for a while, the meditation postures are very significant. The first step to setting yourself into practice is finding a comfortable position to meditate. Sitting for hours with a blank mind seems impossible, right? But as with any exercise, it takes practice, time, and commitment. The goal of meditation is to guide you toward increased awareness, focus, and compassion for yourself. Your body positioning should reflect that. You can’t be in any discomfort or pain.

Thus, here are some meditational postures for your practice :

What exactly is meditation?

Meditation is a practice where an individual uses techniques, such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity to encourage a heightened state of awareness and focus your attention. It has numerous benefits for psychological well-being. Such as Meditation can significantly reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and pain and enhance peace and perception, self-concept, and well-being.

Also, you become more self-aware and focus on the present. You reduce negative emotions. You can increase your imagination, creativity, patience, and tolerance.

Factors for Meditation Postures

1) Comfort: You need to choose a posture that makes you feel comfortable even after being in the same position for so long. You need to focus on your inner self, so you don’t want any physical distractions, only comfort.

2) Stillness: During meditation, you should seem focused and balanced. You can test this by gently rocking your body from front to back and side to side. Do this until you’ve found the perfect spot.

3) Relaxation: Meditation is supposed to relax you, removing all the tensions. So, scan your body for any part that isn’t relaxed and adjust accordingly.

4) Alignment: You must check whether your spine is straight or not. It should be stacked, shoulder over hips, not leaning in any direction.

  Five Meditation Postures

1) SUKHASANA – EASY SEAT POSE

• Sit with the legs straight in front of the body.
• Bend one leg and place the foot under the opposite thigh.
• Bend the other leg and place the foot under the opposite thigh.
• Place the hands on the knees in chin or jnana mudra.
• Keep the head, neck, and back upright and straight but without strain. Close your eyes.
• Relax the whole body. The arms should be relaxed and not held straight.

Sukhasana is a relaxing postures said to be  the  simplest meditation posture. However, it is difficult to sustain for a longer periods of time unless the knees are close to the ground or on the ground . Otherwise most of the body weight is supported by the buttocks and backache develops .

For those who are extremely stiff, Sukhasana may be performed sitting cross-legged with a belt or cloth tied around the knees and lower back.

2) PADMASANA – Lotus pose

Here two levels of lotus  pose are described. Each one progressively more difficult than the last. You should be perfect on one variation before doing next one.

Also, make sure you prepare your hips before practicing with hip openers.

Half  Lotus

• Sit with the legs straight in front of the body.
• Bend one leg and place the sole of the foot on the inside of the opposite thigh.
• Bend the other leg and place the foot on the top of the opposite thigh.
• Without straining, try to place the upper heel as near as possible to the abdomen. Adjust the position so that it is comfortable.
• Place the hands on the knees in either chin or jnana mudra.
• Keep the back, neck, and head upright and straight.
• Close your eyes and relax your whole body.

Full Lotus

• Sit with the legs straight in front of the body.
• Slowly and carefully bend one leg and place the foot on the top of the opposite thigh.
• The sole should face upward and the heel should be close to the pubic bone.
• When this feels comfortable, bend the other leg and place the foot on top of the opposite thigh.
• Both knees should, ideally, touch the ground in the final position.
• The head and spine should be held upright, and the shoulders should be relaxed.
• Place the hands on the knees in chin or jnana mudra.
• Relax the arms with the elbows slightly bend and check that the shoulders are not raised or hunched.
• Close your eyes and relax your whole body.
• Observe the total posture of the body.

Those who suffer from sciatica or weak or injured knees should not perform this asana. This asana should not be attempted until the flexibility of the knees has been developed through the practice of pre-meditation asanas. It is not advisable during pregnancy as the circulation in the legs is reduced.

3) Virasana pose – hero pose

• Sit with both legs straight in front of the body.
• Bend the left leg underneath the right leg so that the left heel is touching the right buttock.
• Bring the right leg over the top of the bent left leg so that the right heel touches the left buttock.
• Adjust the right knee so that it is above the left knee.
• Place the hands either on the right knee, one on top of the other, or the each foot, whichever is comfortable.
• Hold the head, neck, and back straight.
• Close your eyes and relax your whole body.
• Be aware of the breath at the tip.

This asana is quite easy and comfortable to sustain for a long  period as a comparatively large area of the body is in contact with the floor. It is a useful alternative to other meditation asanas.

4) TADASANA

• To take your meditation poses off the ground, try standing in tadasana.
• To get the most out of this pose, pay close attention to the anatomical checkpoints.
• Start standing with your big toe mounds touching.
• Pick up all of your toes and spread them wide before placing them back down.
• Pull your quads upward, making your kneecap rise.
• Internally rotate both thighs.
• Draw your belly in and widen through your shoulder blades.
• Shrug your shoulders up and let them roll back as you release.
• Arms hang naturally by your sides with your palms facing forward.

Anatomical Checkpoints

• If your ankle touching is uncomfortable, slightly separate your heels.
• Root your calves and feet into the floor.
• Maintain the natural curves of your spine.
• Make sure your shoulders are stacked over your hips.
• Keep your neck long and chin neutral.

5) SAVASANA (Corpse Pose)

• Lie flat on the back with the arms about 15 cm away from the body , palms facing upward.
• A thin pillow or folded cloth may be placed behind the head to prevent discomfort.
• Let the fingers curl up slightly.
• Move the feet slightly apart to a comfortable position and close the eye.
• The head and spine should be in a straight line.
• Make sure the head does not fall to one side or the other.
• Become aware of the natural breath and allow it to become rhythmic and relaxed.
• After some time, again become aware of the body and surroundings, and gently and smoothly release the posture.

POINT CHECK

Once you’ve chosen your position, move through these points to check for an optimal experience :

1. Find your comfortable position.
2. Your spine should be straight but not over extended.
3. You can place your hand on your lap or make any gestures. Try not to move your hands throughout the practice.
4. Relax your shoulders.
5. Slightly tuck your chin about 20 degrees to  stay relaxed for long period of time.
6. release your jaw, or if you are unsure, you can move it around a bit to find and release tension.
7. Choose your gaze. You can either keep your eyes closed, or you can have a gaze at a focal point 3 to 5 feet in front of you.

How to practice?

• First of all, choose a quite spot that is free from any kind of distractions.
• Then, you can set a time limit. If you are just getting started, you might want to stick to shorter sessions of about 5-10 minutes in length.
• Pay attention to your body and get comfortable with it; you shouldn’t feel any pain or discomfort.
• Focus on your breathing, and pay attention to how each breath feels.
• Notice your thoughts, whenever you start to think about something then gently focus on bringing attention back to breathe.