The Science of TM
The reality is that there is a good to very good body of scientific research to back the reality that TM really is very good for health of mind and body.
Fundamentally I would draw your attention to the research work completed in the Department of Physiology at UCLA of a then young researcher called Robert Keith Wallace which was intended for publication as his doctoral dissertation.
In reality before he even received his doctorate the research was published in 1970 or the early 1970s in prestigious scientific journals such as Science, The American Journal of Physiology and Scientific American.
Robert Keith Wallace comments on this in a YouTube film which you should be able to independently locate.
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/167/3926/1751
I am reliably told by a neutral individual who is a science journalist (who does not use or “do” TM) that these journals would not publish unless they are very happy with the highest standards of peer reviewed science.
Essentially this research told us there is a 4th state of consciousness (already described by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi) of “deeply restful alertness” in which all the markers indicated a movement in the opposite direction of stress for mind and body.
The 3 preceding states of consciousness are waking, dreaming and sleeping. We all share these – we only share the 4th state of consciousness when we have properly learned TM with a trained teacher. In Sanskrit this state is known as “Turiya” or essentially “transcendental consciousness.”
Some of the markers of “Turiya” are
1. deep rest indicated by a significant decrease in oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide elimination which occurs proportionality or in balance.
2. A significant decrease in respiration rate and heart rate. This is almost a universal experience for those who learn TM – I am not aware of exceptions.
3. alpha and theta wave activity in the frontal and central areas of the brain increasing (as indicated by EEG activity) which corresponds with this state of “restful alertness.”
4. Stress can even be measured through our skin – skin resistance increases with deep relaxation. Skin resistance increases when practicing TM.
I am able to verify this state exists through direct personal experience. It is easily and effortlessly available to anyone – right from the beginning of learning the technique of TM. Everyone can easily and quickly become an expert.
Within the 4 day teaching structure or at latest a few weeks you will be as expert as me. Why? Because as Maharishi himself said, it is a very simple technique available for everyone.
I strongly recommend Robert Keith Wallace’s book,
The Physiology Of Consciousness
This covers some aspects or a story of science and scientific research with regard to TM (see below in section after Ayur Veda).
I recommend studying this science based website;
Science is, in truth, just a launch pad to get the new learner a degree of “faith” that they are learning something that is valid and worthwhile.
It also will encourage those who come to commit to the practice for those critical 1st 3 months whereby we will be able to properly assess TM and its value. TM is not a magical pill which will suddenly make everything better. It is a practice for the months and years ahead. And it is a delight right from the beginning and even more so once established as a practice.
I strongly encourage those thinking of coming to learn to think about committing to a 2-3 month trial to give TM a real and decent trial. It simply would be unrealistic for individuals who may either be in good health or have had long term difficulties of mind and/ or body to expect sudden improvements within a week or two.
I hope this makes sense.
If in doubt read the additional section below “The Science of TM continued.”
Ayur Veda
TM belongs to and within the tradition of Ayur Veda – which is the or one of the holistic traditions of medicine/ health care from India which has been around for millennia and which was suppressed by the British when they were in India.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi spearheaded a revival of Ayur Veda, with the help of leading Vaidyas (the term for “Doctor”) such as Dr Balraj Maharshi, Dr Brihaspati Dev Triguna and Dr VM Dwivedi, of which TM is considered an integral or central component (amongst other central components).
Therefore TM belongs with Ayur Veda as much as say acupuncture belongs with the tradition of TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine.
TM Devon 