Understanding Transcendental Meditation

Sara-Mai ConwayPublished April 16, 2023 · Updated October 21, 2026 · 7 min read

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Transcendental Meditation ® is a specific meditation technique that involves the repetition of a mantra, given to you personally by your TM instructor. The meditation style was introduced to the United States in the mid-20th century and quickly became well-known as a result of its celebrity following. The organization that oversees TM says practicing twice daily can lead to a state of deep inner calm in which the mind is relaxed, clear and aware.

Learn more about what transcendental meditation is, how it differs from mindfulness, and what the two popular meditation techniques have in common.

What is Transcendental Meditation?

Transcendental Meditation ® is a meditation style with roots in ancient Vedic practices, but is a modern technique. The technique was developed in the 1950s by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who based the practice on the teachings of his own guru, Brahmananda Saraswati (Guru Dev). A celebrity following that included The Beatles helped the meditation style gain popularity in the 1960s. The TM organization says more than 6 million people worldwide have learned the technique.

Part of the growth of TM may be due to the emphasis that it is a non-religious practice that requires no belief on the practitioner’s part, nor any need to change one’s lifestyle or adopt a particular worldview. TM teaching holds that even skeptics can use it to transcend ordinary thought and experience a higher level of consciousness.

In the TM account, this deep level of awareness is brought about through the relaxed and steady silent repetition of a mantra. Mantra is a Sanskrit word that refers to a sacred syllable or sound. In TM, 1-2 syllable mantras are not meant to have meaning, but rather, a particular vibration. TM teachers describe repeating the mantra as quieting the body and mind, allowing for what they call an experience of pure consciousness.

Those who practice TM receive their mantra from a teacher. According to the official non-profit organization which oversees TM in the United States, it is not possible to learn authentic Transcendental Meditation from a YouTube video or book. Learning TM begins with a one-on-one teaching session followed by four group sessions. The organization says these sessions are offered on a sliding price scale based on family income.

Practitioners of Transcendental Meditation meditate twice daily for 20 minutes per session. The first session takes place in the morning and the second in the early evening. The preferred meditation posture is seated comfortably yet upright, with eyes closed.

The benefits of TM may include a deep sense of relaxation and improved energy, clarity and creativity. As with other forms of meditation, research suggests TM may also benefit the body, with possible gains in physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Understanding Transcendental Meditation — Different Benefits Of Transcendental Meditation

Different Benefits of Transcendental Meditation

Among the primary benefits of Transcendental Meditation are the simplicity and ease of the practice, combined with the 40-minute daily commitment and the guided introduction. Meditation works best for those who do it. By creating an accessible means of meditating consistently, Maharishi set out to bring even the most distractible of skeptics into a regular practice.

The role of mantra: TM teaching describes mantra as having a protective quality for the mind that can help limit distraction and inner discourse. Taught correctly, the practice is described as relatively effortless, promoting relaxation and a sense of ease.
Consistency: Few meditation techniques come with such explicit instructions regarding daily practice. TM’s twice daily 20-minute sessions set a steadier routine than an occasional 5-minute sit.
The role of a guide: Many people who try meditation on their own get frustrated, having spent their time chasing expectations that arise from misunderstanding the practice. Learning with an experienced, skilled guide can help.

Benefits that TM practitioners and the TM organization commonly report include the following (see the note on the research below):

Minimized stress and anxiety
Improved mental clarity and cognition
Increased creativity and energy
Greater sense of general well-being
Improved relationships and reduced social stress
Reduction in alcohol and tobacco use
Lower blood pressure
Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
Reduced body mass index

Whether or not these benefits are evidence-based is debated, despite a large body of research on TM. Many of these studies have been criticized as biased, for early TM researchers were frequently practitioners. That said, some researchers continue to report that several of the above outcomes are linked to TM, as they are for other forms of meditation practice.

Understanding Transcendental Meditation — The Science Behind Transcendental Meditation

The Science Behind Transcendental Meditation

Studies listed in the references below have linked Transcendental Meditation to changes in the body and brain that may improve physical and mental health.

TM may reduce reactivity to stress

Our bodies react to stress by releasing hormones that can trigger inflammation. Ongoing inflammation is associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Studies of regular Transcendental Meditation practice report moderated sympathetic nervous system activity and a body and brain that are less reactive to stress. This may contribute to reducing risk of disease and supporting physical and mental wellness.

TM may reduce risk factors for morbidity

Stress is among the primary risk factors for morbidity. Others include alcohol, nicotine and illicit drug use, psychophysiological disorders, endocrine imbalances and high blood pressure. Some studies report that Transcendental Meditation may help minimize these risk factors by helping people relax. One 1994 paper comparing TM with other relaxation and meditation methods suggests TM may do so more effectively than other forms of relaxation.

TM may support cognition

A relaxed, calm mind is available for the experience of clarity and creativity. Some longitudinal studies report a relationship between consistent participation in TM and improvements in measures of general intelligence. Studies comparing TM practitioners with non-meditators, including one of older adults, reported improved cognition across a variety of measures.

Bringing Mindfulness to TM

Transcendental Meditation and mindfulness meditation are two distinctly different practices. Despite this, they have overlapping benefits, many of which are the result of the similar physiological changes in the body and brain. Secular meditation practices may improve wellness primarily by reducing stress and inflammation. Whether TM or mindfulness is more relaxing for you is quite personal.

Proponents of TM emphasize that the practice requires no strenuous effort, concentration or active contemplation. This is perhaps a bit of an oversimplification. With or without realizing it, anyone participating in a mantra practice is employing mindfulness, regardless of how effortless it seems. How else is one to know whether or not the mind is repeating the mantra?

That mindfulness requires strenuous concentrative effort, actively thinking about what’s happening, or engagement with the busy-ness of noticing everything is a misconception about what mindfulness is. Mindfulness is simply relaxed, accepting presence with this moment, just as it is.

Perhaps those who practice TM can enhance the benefits of their formal practice by bringing mindfulness to what they sense and how they process it between their meditation sessions. On the other hand, many mindfulness practitioners could benefit from inviting less doing and more being into their daily sessions.

Conclusion

Transcendental Meditation ® is an accessible practice with a large body of research behind it, some of it disputed. The TM organization says it leads to deep inner calm and clarity. While its benefits may not be exclusive to TM, there may well be benefits to the mantra-based, twice-daily practice. TM and other meditation practices complement, and do not replace, professional medical care, so talk with your doctor about blood pressure, heart health or other conditions. As with any style of meditation, whether or not it helps you feel more joyful, at peace and at ease is something only you can decide, and only after you have tried it.

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