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Title:Supermind:howtoboostperformanceandlivearicherandhappierlifethroughtranscendentalmeditation/NormanERosenthalMD.

Description:NewYork:TarcherPerigee,2016.|Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.Identifiers:LCCN2016006787(print)|LCCN2016010923(ebook)|ISBN9780399174742(hardback)|

ISBN9781101983478(ebook)Subjects:LCSH:TranscendentalMeditation.|Self-actualization(Psychology)|BISAC:BODY,MIND&SPIRIT/Meditation.|SELF-HELPPersonalGrowthGeneral.|SELF-HELPPersonalGrowthHappiness.Classification:LCCBF637.T68R6672016(print)|LCCBF637.T68(ebook)|DDC158.1/25—dc23

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Version_1

FORBOBROTH

CONTENTS

TitlePage

Copyright

Dedication

Epigraph

I.DEVELOPMENTOFCONSCIOUSNESS

1.ANewBeginning

2.TheScienceofConsciousness

3.TranscendentalMeditation:TheSecretPassageway

4.Transcendence:BeyondWaking,Sleeping,andDreaming

5.ThePhysiologyofTranscendence

6.FromTranscendencetoSuperMind:AnExtraordinaryTransformation

7.TheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire

II.GIFTSOFTHESUPERMIND

8.ConnectingBodyandMind

9.BuildingaBetterBrain

10.BeingintheZone

11.InternalGrowth

12.EngagementandDetachment:ADelicateDance

13.SupportofNature

14.TranscendenceandMindfulness

15.MeditateandGrowRich

16.MeditateandBeHappy

III.BEYONDTHESUPERMIND

17.TheSuperMindinAction

18.CosmicConsciousness:SuperMindRoundtheClock

19.TranscendentSurprisesandtheGrowthofConsciousness

20.TowardaConnectedUniverse

Appendix1:AnswerstoQuestionsAbouttheSuperMind

Appendix2:ConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire

Notes

Acknowledgments

Index

Ournormalwakingconsciousness...isbutonespecialtypeofconsciousness,whilstallaboutit,partedfromitbythefilmiestofscreens,thereliepotentialformsofconsciousnessentirelydifferent.Wemaygothroughlifewithoutsuspectingtheirexistence;butapplytherequisitestimulus,andatatouchtheyarethereinalltheircompleteness,definitetypesofmentality,whichprobablysomewherehavetheirfieldofapplicationandadaptation.Noaccountoftheuniverseinitstotalitycanbefinalwhichleavestheseotherformsofconsciousnessquitedisregarded.

WILLIAMJAMES

Throughtherepeatedexperienceofsettling,acontinuumofcalmnessdevelops.

PATANJALI

PARTI

DEVELOPMENTOFCONSCIOUSNESS

1ANEWBEGINNING

Inmyendismybeginning.T.S.Eliot

Haveyoueverconcludedaproject—orthoughtyouhad—onlytochangeyourmindlater?Allthosefeelingsyouhadatthetime—prematureinretrospect—weregenuine:typicallyrelief,mixed(onehopes)withameasureofcontentment,thoughmingledwithsadness.Itcanbehardtosaygood-byetoideasandcharacterswithwhomyou’vesharedsomanyhours.Conclusionandclosurebringrewards,butalsoasenseofloss.ThatishowIfeltwhenIcompletedTranscendence,abookthat—likethepresentone—dealswiththeTranscendentalMeditation(TM)techniqueanditseffects.IthoughtIhadsaideverythingIhadtosayonthesubject.

ButIwaswrong.T.S.Eliot,quotedabove,waswiser:“Inmyendismybeginning.”Exactlyso.

IhadcomefullcycleoncebeforewithregardtoTM.IfirstlearnedthetechniquebackinSouthAfricaintheearly1970s,butinthehelter-skelterofdailylifeIletitfallbythewayside.Thirty-fiveyearslater(in2008),challengedbyayoungpatienttorenewmyTMpractice,Ididsoandhavebeenmeditatingregularlyeversince.Afterobservingbeneficialeffectsofmeditationinmyself—suchasdecreasedanxietyandreactivity—Ibeganrecommendingthetechniquetosomeofmypatients.Manyexperiencedresultsthatwereequallyimpressive—orevenmoreso.AfterdelvingintotheliteratureonTM,IwassoimpressedwithitsmanybenefitsthatIfeltcompelledtowriteaboutit—anddoso,onceagain.

AlthoughbothTranscendenceandSuperMindexploretheeffectsofTM,theearlierbookdealtmostlywithitsdocumentedbenefitsonphysicalandemotionalhealth,especiallyinpeoplewithproblemssuchasanxiety,depression,addictions,andpost-traumaticstressdisorder(PTSD).Incontrast,thisbookexploresnotonlytheadvantagesthatTMcanbringtoyourtask-drivenlife,buthowitcanactuallyresultinanewstateofconsciousness—awordthatmayseemtroublesometoascientist,butseemsperfectlyaptfortheexperiencesIwilldescribe.

ThefounderofTM,MaharishiMaheshYogi,outlinedseveralstatesofconsciousness—thethreewidelyacknowledgedstates(waking,sleeping,anddreaming),andfourothers,whicharesummarizedintable1belowandpresentedinmoredetailinthenotes.1

Table1:TheFourHigherStatesofConsciousness(AccordingtoVedictradition)

Stage4:Transcendence—theexperienceoftheSelfinthesilenceofmeditation.

Stage5:CosmicConsciousness—theexperienceofthetranscendentinactivity—traditionallyusedtoexpressthestateinitsfullyrealized,continuousform.

Stage6:RefinedCosmicConsciousness—astateinwhichthedevelopmentofthesensesandemotionsareattheirmaximum.

Stage7:UnityConsciousness—astateinwhichyouexperiencethetranscendentalrealitynotjustwithinyourself,butalsowithineveryoneandeverything.

Iwilldiscusstranscendence(thefourthstate)insomedetailinchapters4and5,andCosmicConsciousness(thefifthstate)initsfullyrealizedforminchapter18.Whenitcomestostagesofconsciousnessbeyondstage4(transcendence),however,Iwillspeakofthemcollectivelyas“SuperMind”—atermthatseemswellsuitedtoourpresentfreneticandinterconnectedera.Indeed,inthesestressfultimesweneedtohaveallourneurons,synapses,andbraincircuitsatourdisposal.Iselectedtheterm“SuperMind”becauseitdescribesanexperienceofnotonlyheightenedaptitudeandproblem-solvingabilitybutalsoastateofemotionalsensitivity,empathy,perspective,anddiplomaticskills.Itisthemindinpeakcondition,notjustmomentarily—aswehaveallexperienced—butwithaconsistencythattendstogrowovertime.

*

IfirstbegantogetaglimpseofthisstateinmyselfandsomeofmypatientssoonafterpublishingTranscendence(in2011).Icontinuedtomeditate,andaftersometime,anewandutterlyunexpectedsetofdevelopmentsbegantounfold,bothwithinmymeditatingpatientsandmyself.Thesedevelopmentsfellroughlyintotwocategories.ThefirstIcanbestdescribeaseverydaychangesinawarenessorconsciousness:Feelingsofstillness,expansiveness,boundlessness,andpeace,formerlyconfinedtomymeditationsessions,begantoseepintomydailylife.Forawhileaftermeditating,Iwouldsenseapleasantglowaboutme—andotherswouldnoticeit.

“You’vebeenmeditating,haven’tyou?”oneknowledgeablefriendremarked.Or,asIwouldtalkwithapatientorcolleagueaboutfeelingsthataroseduringmeditation,Iwouldfeelmyselfslippingintothatstateofinnerexpansivecalm,oftenatthesametimebecomingevenmoreengagedintheconversation.AswithsomanyotherexperiencesIhavehadthatseemedatfirstuniquetome,Ilaterfoundthatthisphenomenon—stillnessinthepresenceofactivity—iscommonplaceamonglong-termmeditators.

Intandemwiththedevelopmentofexpandedconsciousness,mylifestartedtoimproveinmanyways(thesecondsetofchanges).Andonceagain,theseshiftsturnedouttobetypicalinpeoplewhohavebeenmeditatingformonthstoyears—although,asyouwillsee,dramaticchangessometimesoccurwithindaysofaperson’sveryfirstTMsession.Iwillelaborateonthissubjectlater.Atthispoint,letmesaysimplythatlifebecameeasierandIbecamehappier—bothofwhichwereapparentnotonlytomebutalsotomyfamily,friends,andevencolleagues.Itisthesetwosetsofchanges—developmentsinconsciousnessintandemwithimprovementsinmanyaspectsofaperson’slife—thatIamcollectivelycallingtheSuperMind.

ItoccurredtomethatsincethetwosetsofchangesbothappearedafterIstartedtomeditate,theymightwellberelated.Mightdevelopingconsciousness—anadvancedformofwhichhastraditionallybeencalledCosmicConsciousness—inandofitselfbeanagentofchange?Iwondered.Mightthepresenceofstillnessandsilencethatinfusesthedailylivesofmeditatorsinfluencetheirwell-being,andtherebytheiractivitiesandconnectionswithothers?Suchideasarehardlynew.Theyhavebeensuggestedbysagesforcenturies,butnowtheywerearisingfrommyownexperience,andIhavenoticedthatone’sownexperienceoftenovershadowsthewisdomofsagesandtheopinionsofexperts.Also,wenowhavetools,intheformoftechnologyand

abetterunderstandingofthemind,thatcanlendsoliddatatotheineffablewisdomoftheages.

Ihavealwaysviewedmyownmindasasortoflaboratorywherenovelobservations(noveltome,thatis)throwmeintoafeverofcuriosity,whichhasbeenadrivingforcethroughoutmylife.That’showitwasformeasayoungman,whenIfirstnoticedmyenergyandgoodhumordrainingawayintheshort,darkdaysofwinter,thenresurginginthegloriouslightofspring.Ihadneverhadsuchexperiencesinmynativesun-drenchedSouthAfrica,andthedramaticcontrastbetweenmyseasonalresponsesintheoldcountryandthenewonewereinstrumentaltomyfirstdescriptionofseasonalaffectivedisorder(SAD).2ItturnedoutthatIwasjustoneofmillionsofpeoplewhosufferfromthiscondition.

Inananalogousway,Ibecameawarethatmeditationhadinducedinmealterationsinthequalityofmyeverydayconsciousness—andallsortsofgoodthingsstartedtohappen.Onceagain,likeanexplorerwhostumblesuponawonderofnature,IwaspossessedtofindoutallIcouldaboutitandtosharemyobservationsinthehopethattheywouldbeofinterestandvaluetoothers.

Soheregoes.

CANITBETRUE?Thesubtitleofthisbookmakesagrandpromise:thatTMcanboostyour

performanceandhelpyouleadaricherandhappierlife.Idon’tknowaboutyou,butwhenIseesuchclaims,Iamimmediatelysuspicious,aswasafavoritecousin,Lois,whoattendedatalkonTMthatIgaveinLondon.Shecamemostlyoutoffamilyloyalty,Isuspect,butwassufficientlyimpressedthatshelearnedthetechniqueherself.WhenIsawherayearlater,shewasdelighted.Shewasmeditatingregularlyandcreditedthepracticewithhelpinghergetoutofatoxiclong-termrelationship.“Iwassosurprised,”shesaid,“tofindoutthatyouweretellingthetruth.Tobehonest,Ithoughtitwasjustapublicitystunt.”(That’swhatIloveaboutfamily.Theytellyouthingsthatothersaretoopolitetosay.)

Inthisbook,Iwilldescribemanyinstancesofpeoplewhohaveenjoyedthetransformativechangesthataccompanyexpandingconsciousness.Thesepeopleincludesuperperformersintheirchosenfield,whichIwouldclaimisnoaccident.Inowthinkthatallhighperformershaveincommon,knowinglyorunknowingly,qualitiesandcharacteristicsoftheSuperMind.Thatis,theyarecalmunderpressureanduncannilyresilienttostress.Theytakecareoftheir

health,sethighstandardsofinnovationandcreativity,andarenotonlyintenselyengagedintheiractionsbutalsocapableofdetachingwhenneedbe.Theychoosetheirprojectscarefully,keepthebigpictureinmind,andignoretriflingdetails.Itisnotnecessary,however,tobeasuperperformerinordertodevelopyourSuperMind.Whatmattersistoreachyourownpotential,notsomeidealizedstandard.

IwillalsopresentforthefirsttimethefindingsofasurveyofmorethansixhundredTMpractitionerswhowereaskedaboutthequalityoftheirconsciousnessandtheirlivessincestartingtomeditate.Irecognizethatevenifyouacceptthatsuchbeneficialchangescananddooccur,youmaywellaskwhytheyhavetocomeaboutexclusivelythroughTranscendentalMeditation.Theansweris,theydon’t.Therearemanywaystoreachthesamedestination.Iamconvincedthatalmostanybodyhasthecapacitytoexperiencetranscendence—thatinnerawakeningoftheSuperMind.Itisanaturalstateofthebrain,reportedbypeoplefrommanyculturesthroughoutrecordedtime(aswewilldiscuss).Fornow,however,let’saddressanobviousquestion:ifitispossibletoaccessthesestatesbymanyroutes,whydoIrecommendTMinparticular?

BeforeIanswerthatquestion,letmetellyouaboutaseriesofeventsthatoccurredwhenIwasafirst-yearresidentatColumbiaPresbyterianHospitalinNewYorkCity.Onceaweek,firstthinginthemorning,Iwouldhavearegularsessionwithmy“long-termpsychotherapy”patient.Thesesessionsweremeantbothtohelpthepatientandtoteachtheresidenthowtoconducttherapybasedonpsychoanalyticprinciples,whichdiscourageprovidingdirectadvice.Myanalyticsupervisorhadbeenquitesternonthesubject.“Don’ttellthepatientwhattodoorhowtodoit,”headmonished.“Helphimfigureitoutbyhimself.”

Now,Ishouldmentionthattheseearlymorningsessionstookplaceinacliniconthefifthfloorofabuildinginwhichtheelevatoronlystartedrunninglater.Therewasawork-around,however,asonefacultymemberexplained:Ishouldtakeanelevatoruptothefifthfloorofaneighboringbuilding,whereelevatorswereinearlymorningservice.Then,byalabyrinthineroutethroughvariouscorridors,Icouldconnecttotheclinicbuildingbyaninconspicuouspassageway.Thatmadelifemucheasier—atleastforme.Iwouldbeinplace,freshandreadyforthesession,asmypatient—amiddle-agedman—arrived,redfacedandpanting,afterclamberingupfiveflightsofstairs.Itseemedunfair.YetIhadbeensternlyinstructednottotellpatientswhattodoorhowtodoit.SowhatwasItodo?

Acommonstrategy,adoptedbyanybrightthree-year-oldwhenanauthorityfiguresaysno,istoseekanotherauthority.ThatisexactlywhatIdid.Itookthequestiontoadifferentsupervisor—onelessimpressedbypsychoanalysis,andinfactratherhostiletowardit.Iexplainedmypredicamentanddescribedthesecretpassageway.“WhatshouldIdo?”Iaskedhim.“Tellhim,ofcourse,”themanreplied.“He’llneverfinditonhisown.”

AlthoughIagreethatitisgoodtohelppeoplefindanswersforthemselves,Ialsoknowthattherearepassagewaysinlife—includingthelifeofthemind—thatoneisunlikelytostumbleonalone,andsincethatearlylessonIalwayspointthemoutwhenitseemsuseful.AndsoitiswithTranscendentalMeditation—thesimplestandmosteffortlesswayIknowtoaccesstranscendence,theroyalroadtotheSuperMind,andallthebenefitsthatflowtherefrom.Itis,accordingly,withdelightandenthusiasmthatIsharewithyouwhatIhavelearnedaboutTM,inthehopethatyoumaybenefitasmuchasmypatientsandIhavedone.

WHYTHISBOOKANDWHYNOW?IthoughtIhadsaideverythingworthsayingaboutTMwhenIwrote

Transcendence,soyoumightwellask,what’slefttosay?TranscendencefocusedonTMasapowerfultechniqueforhelpingpeoplewithproblems—forreducingstressanditsrelatedailments.Incontrast,thegoalofSuperMindistohelpanybody—includinghealthyandsuccessfulpeople,andevensuperperformers—whowanttolivearicher,morecreative,andmorefulfillinglife.ItshowshowTMcaninfluencebrainfunctioningbeyondmerestressreduction—andopenthedoortonewpossibilities.

Inthesechallengingandever-more-stressfultimes,wearecalledupontonavigateacomplexworldwhilemaintainingourinnerequilibrium,ataskinwhichweoftenturnforhelpandcomforttothemanytechnologicalwondersofrecentdecades.Thesedevicescontinuetoproliferate,givingusunprecedentedaccesstoinformationandacertaintypeofconnection.Theycanalsooverwhelmus,however,andgobbleuptheinternalspaceandquietinwhichhappinessandcreativityflourish.Nowmorethaneveritistimetofindawaytoexpandourinternalspace,toinstillajoyfulsilencealongsidethefreneticactivityofourdailylives.ItismyhopethatSuperMindwillprovidearoadmaptowardthatgoal.

HEREARESOMEOFTHEKEYQUESTIONSTHATWEWILLCONSIDERINTHISBOOK:

Whatis“consciousness”anyway?CanconsciousnessbedevelopedandhowdoesthatrelatetotheSuperMind?WhatistheSuperMindandhowdoesitrelatetoCosmicConsciousness?Howdoesitfeelwhenconsciousnessdevelops?Whatarethephysicalsignsofsuchdevelopment?Whatscientificevidencedowehaveforit?Whatvaluedoesthedevelopmentofconsciousnesshavebeyondtheexperienceitself?WhatarethegiftsoftheSuperMind?Canithelpyoubecomemoreeffective,creative,andsuccessful,personallyandprofessionally?Canithelpyoubecomerich?Howaboutgreaterfulfillmentandhappiness?

MAHARISHIANDTHEBEATLESThefullyrealizedSuperMind—astateinwhichtranscendenceinfusesone’s

dailylifeinanunbrokenflow—hasbeencalledCosmicConsciousnessintraditionalVedicteaching.Ifirstheardthisterminarathermagicalsetting—aconcertatRadioCityMusicHall,whereformerBeatlePaulMcCartneytalkedaboutCosmicConsciousnessandincorporateditintoaliltingmelody,bothhauntinganduplifting.ItwasasimplesongbasedonaninvitationgivenbyMaharishiMaheshYogidirectlytoMcCartney:“Comeandbecosmicallyconsciouswithme.”

McCartneywasreminiscingabout1968,whenheandtheotherBeatleswenttovisitMaharishiinRishikesh,India.Itwasatimeofturbulenceandintergenerationalstrifebutalso,inthewordsofSimonandGarfunkel,“atimeofinnocence.”Backthen,“makelovenotwar”and“flowerpower”wereubiquitousslogansthatcapturedkeyelementsoftheera—theincreasinglyunpopularVietnamWar,thesexualrevolution,andtheideathatsomethingasinnocentasidealsofpeaceandlovemayultimatelyhavemoreimpactthangunsandgrenades.

Fromtheseroilingsocialcurrentsiconicfiguresemerged,ofwhomtheBeatleswereperhapsthemostfamous.Itwasfortuitousthattheserevolutionaryyoungmusiciansfoundtheirwaytoaneminentspiritualfigurewhoiskeytoourstory—MaharishiMaheshYogi,amanofslightbuildwithagentlefaceandlongflowinglocks.HedressedinthetraditionalgarbofaVedicmonk—whiteflowingrobes—andoftenworeagarlandofflowersroundhisneck.MaharishihadstudiedforthirteenyearsintheHimalayasastheprincipalstudentofthegreatsageBrahmanandaSaraswati,knownasGuruDev,fromwhomhehadlearnedanancientVedictechniqueofmeditation

MaharishicalledthetechniqueTranscendentalMeditation,andhebelievedithadsomuchpotentialtohelppeoplethathewasdeterminedtoteachitthroughouttheworld.Inthismission,hewassurprisinglysuccessful,inlargemeasureduetohispersonalqualities.Thosearoundhimtalkedoftenabouthiskeenintellect(hewasaphysicistbytraining),hischarismaticpersonality,hisseeminglyendlessenergyandtirelessworkethic(heneededjustafewhoursofsleepanight),theblisshebroughttohiswork,andhisfascinationwitheverythingaroundhim.Hehadthoughtdeeplyaboutthenatureofconsciousness,bothpersonallyandprofessionally,andwasanauthorityonVedicteachings.Inshort,hewasbothaninnovatorandaconsummatemarketer,whobroughttobothEastandWestnotonlyapowerful,ancienttechniquebutalsoacompellingcombinationofartlessinnocenceandtheartfulskillsofamanoftheworld.

Inretrospect,itmakesperfectsensethattheseiconicfiguresfromtwodifferentworlds—theBeatlesandMaharishi—wouldmeetup.TheBeatlesweresearchingforanswerstoquestionsthatarosefromtheconflictsofthetimes,andMaharishihadanappealinganswer.Insummary,themessagewassimplythis:Meditate,divewithin,andexpandyourconsciousness.Insodoing,youwillchange,andtheworldaroundyouwillfollow.

METAPHORSOFCONSCIOUSNESSFleshingoutabstractionssuchasconsciousnessinvitestheuseofmetaphors

asawaytolendshapeandsubstancetoconceptsthatcanseemalltoovague.Awisementorofmineoncetookthisapproachinexplainingthepowerofunconsciousprocessesinshapingourlives.“Theunconsciousislikethewind,”hesaid.“Youcan’tseeit,butyoucantellitseffectsbythewayitmovesthebranchesoftreesandscatterstheleavesacrossthelawn.”

Inconsideringtheconsciousmind,weareonsomewhatsturdierfootinginthat,bydefinition,consciousthoughtsandfeelingsareaccessibletous—ifwechoosetoattendtothem.But,likeunconsciousprocesses,consciousonesalsoblowaroundthebranches.Soanotherimportantwaytoassessourconsciousmentalprocessesisbyexaminingwhatwedowithourlives.Asthesayinggoes,“Bytheirfruitsyouwillknowthem.”3

ThisbiblicalquotebringstomindoneofMaharishi’sfavoritesayings:“Watertheroot,andenjoythefruit.”HewasofferingTranscendentalMeditationasawaytowatertheroot—tonurturethepsycheatitsdeepestcore—whilethefruitsweretheprizethatwouldresultfromtheprocess.ToderivethebenefitsofTM,thatmaybeallyoureallyneedtoknow.“Meditateandact,”Maharishiusedtosay—andthebenefitswillemergeinthequalityofyourlife.

Ifwewishtoextendthismetaphorfurther,however,wecouldconsiderthedevelopmentofhigherconsciousnessasalltheinterveningstepsbetweentherootandthefruit.Itistheseexperiencesofhigherconsciousness(whichareajoyinthemselves),plusallthebenefitstheybring,thatIamcollectivelyreferringtoastheSuperMind.

Anotherwaytothinkofconsciousnessisasthemediumthroughwhichwemoveandexperienceourlives,almostinthewayafishswimsthroughwater.Andwhetherthatwaterisclearormurky,freshorbrackish,makesabigdifference!Boththequalityofourconsciousnessandthewayitaffectsusarekeystoagoodlife.

Somehavealsocomparedourdifferentstatesofconsciousnesstowearingdifferent-coloredglasses.Redglasseswillmaketheworldlookred,blueglassesblue.Accordingtothismetaphor,theSuperMindallowsyoutowearcolorlessglasses—sothatyouseeeverythingclearly,initsactualcolor.

Givenourhigh-techenvironment,itisnaturalthattheeffectsofTMareoftendescribedintermsborrowedfromtheworldofcomputersandcellphones.Peopletalkaboutmeditatingto“reboot”or“reset,”andIknowwhattheymean.Often,whenfeelingstressedanddepleted,asingleTMsessioncan“rechargemybatteries.”Butovertime,twonew(andlarger)computer-relatedmetaphorshaveoccurredtome—thatTMgivesmea“systemsupgrade”or,betterstill,a“morepowerfulcomputer.”Inshort,aSuperMind.WhenIthinkofmeditating,I’mnotexpectingjusttorelievethestressofthemomentbuttonurturethegrowthofconsciousnessandtoimprovethefunctioningofmymindandtheoverallqualityofmylife.

Beforegoinganyfurther,letmeclarifyafewpointsabouttheSuperMind.First,I’mnotsuggestingthateveryonecandoanythingtheywant.Weallhavelimitations,whichdifferfrompersontoperson.Rather,I’mreferringtoanabilitytoliveuptoyourpotential—somethingthatsuccessfulpeoplestrivetodo.Second,IdonotseetheSuperMindastheendstageofaprocess,asin:“NowthatIhaveattainedaSuperMind,Ihavearrived!”Instead,IseetheSuperMindasaprocessofcontinuedgrowthinwhichthedevelopmentofconsciousnessevolvestogetherwithincreasingsuccessandwell-being.

DEFININGTHESUPERMINDSinceIamgoingtousetheterm“SuperMind”frequentlyinthisbook,it

maybeusefultodefinewhatImeanbyitrightupfront,soheregoes:theSuperMindisamentalstatethatconsistsofthedevelopmentofexpandedstatesofconsciousnessandthatoccursintandemwithreducedstress,betterphysicalhealth,andtheemergenceoflife-enhancingpersonalqualities.GrowthoftheSuperMindoccurscommonlybutbynomeansexclusivelyinthosewhopracticeTM,andcanbemeasuredandcharacterizedbytheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire(CIQ)(seechapter7).

AGUIDETOTHISBOOKThisbookisorganizedintothreeparts:Inpart1,afterthisintroductory

chapter,Iwilltellyouaboutthenewscienceofconsciousness(chapter2)—asetofintriguingdevelopmentsthathavetransformedwhatusedtobephilosophicalconjecturesintomeasurablephenomena,suchasEEG(electroencephalogram)tracings.Wewillconsiderthesenewfindingsalongsideancientwisdomaboutthegrowthofconsciousness,forwhichwenowalsohavescientificdata.

Inchapter3,Iwilldescribethetechniquethatis,inmyopinion,thesurestwaytoexpandconsciousness—namely,TranscendentalMeditation.Chapter4dealswiththesubjectiveexperienceoftranscendence,andchapter5addressesthephysiologicalbasisassociatedwiththatstate.

Inchapter6,IwillintroducetheSuperMindbydescribingthemysteriousprocessthroughwhichthe“repeatedexperienceofsettling”developsinto“acontinuumofcalmness,”phrasesderivedfromanancienttext,theYogaSutrasofPatanjali,quotedintheepigraphtothisbook.

Iwillthen,inchapter7,introduceyoutotheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire,developedbymycolleaguesandmetomeasurethecomponentsoftheSuperMindinthesamewaythatresearchersmeasurepsychologicalfunctionssuchasdepression,happiness,resilience,andanxiety.WeadministeredthisquestionnairetomorethansixhundredTMmeditators,withresultsthatarerevealedforthefirsttimeinthisbook.

Inpart2,IwillshowyouhowthegiftsoftheSuperMindoccasionallyoccursoon,butgenerallydevelopovertime.Thesegiftsincludebetterphysicalwell-beingandmentalfunctioning(chapters8and9),thejoysandrewardsofbeinginthezone(chapter10),andacceleratedinternalgrowth(chapter11).Inmanysituationswearecalledupontobalancetwoemotionalforcesthatappearonthesurfacetobeatwarwitheachother—remainingengagedwiththeworldwithoutbeingoverattachedwhenitishealthytoletgo.IhopetoshowyouhowthisdelicatebalancenaturallyunfoldsaspartofSuperMinddevelopment(chapter12).Iwillthendescribethecuriouswayinwhichpeoplefeelluckierafterstartingtomeditate,asthoughtheyarebeingsupportedbytheworldaroundthem(chapter13).Manypeopleareunclearaboutthedistinctionsbetweentranscendenceandmindfulness—anotherwidelypopularandinfluentialformofmeditation.Inchapter14,Iwillcompareandcontrastthesetwodifferenttypesofmeditation.Inthelasttwochaptersofthissecondsection,Iwillexplainhowasconsciousnessgrows,peoplecanalmostautomaticallyattainhappinessandsometimesevenwealth—twothingsforwhichsomanystrive(chapters15and16).

BythenIhopeyourcuriositywillbearousedtolearnmoreabouthowconsciousnessexpandsinsuchawayastooffertheseseeminglymiraculousgifts.Enterpart3,inwhichIwillalsoshowyouhowthedevelopingSuperMindcantransformpeople’slives,andhowtheSuperMinddevelopstosuchanextentthattheyexperiencethisstateofconsciousnessanditsbenefitscontinuouslythroughthetwenty-four-hourday(chapter18)—astatethathastraditionallybeencalledCosmicConsciousness.AlthoughthisdegreeofexpandedconsciousnessisbynomeansnecessarytoenjoythehugebenefitsoftheSuperMind,thefullydevelopedformisfascinatingtocontemplate.

Chapter19introducesyoutoalesstypicalwayinwhichconsciousnessmaydevelop—by“transcendentsurprises,”intensemysticalexperiencesthatariseunbidden(andthereforecannotbeplanned),butthatcanhavepowerfullong-termconsequences.Inthefinalchapter,“TowardaConnectedUniverse,”IwillbrieflydiscusshowtheSuperMindkeepsgrowingbeyondourindividual

concerns,therebyprovidingachannelforgreaterconnectionbetweenandamongindividuals,theirfellowhumanbeings,andtheuniverseasawhole.

Withoutfurtherado,letmewelcomeyoutoourjourneyintodevelopingconsciousnessandtheSuperMind.

2THESCIENCEOFCONSCIOUSNESS

Consciousnessistheonlyrealthingintheworldandthegreatestmysteryofall.

VladimirNabokov

AtthetimewhentheBeatleswerevisitingMaharishi,Iwasplowingthroughmedicalschool.Asmostmedicalstudentscantestify,therewasandisagreatdealtolearn,notallofitinterestingorevenrelevanttoone’slaterprofessionallife.ManydetailsthatIlearnedIhavelongsinceforgotten;others,nomoreimportant,tenaciouslystayput.Ienjoy,forexample,strange-soundingwords—soImayneverforgetthezonuleofZinnorthecanalofSchlemm,bothobscurebutimportantstructuresintheeye.Likewise,Latinatetermsseemtoclingtomyneurons—the“substantianigra”and“locuscoeruleus,”forexample,meaning,respectively,“blackstuff”and“purpledot,”bothsmallbutcrucialregionsofthebrain.

ButwhenIaskmyself,whatdidIlearnaboutconsciousnessatmedicalschool?theansweris,notverymuch.Ourgenericpatientwaseitherconscious,unconscious,orsomewhereinbetween—concussed,stuporous,obtunded.Mypsychiatrictrainingwaslikewiselacking.Wedid,ofcourse,learnaboutsleepwithitsvariousstagesandmaladies,andweattendedlecturesonhypnosis.Wealsolearnedaboutmood,anxiety,andotherdisorderslistedinthelatestmanualofpsychiatricailments.Weweretaughttoinquireaboutpeople’sthoughts,dreams,andfeelings,andeventomakesomeattempttounderstandwheretheycamefromandhowbesttodealwiththem.AsIthinkaboutit,though,allofthislearninginvolvedthecontentsofconsciousness—thesubjectmatter,ifyouwill

—notconsciousnessitself.Consciousnessasatopicforstudyandunderstandingwasnotonthemenu.

MODERNSCIENCEInreadingtheexcellentcomprehensivereviewConsciousnessandtheBrain

byneuroscientistStanislasDehaene,professorofexperimentalcognitivepsychologyattheCollègedeFrance,IfoundthatmySouthAfricancolleaguesandIwerenotaloneinthosebenightedtimes.AccordingtoDehaene,theword“consciousness”wasbannedfromscientificdiscoursewhenhewasastudentinthe1980s.Atthattime,asDehaeneputit,“Iwassurprisedtodiscoverthat,duringlabmeetings,wewerenotallowedtousetheC-word....Andtheninthelate1980severythingchanged.Todaytheproblemofconsciousnessisattheforefrontofneuroscienceresearch.”1

Agreatdealhasbeenwrittenaboutconsciousness,muchofitofaspeculativeandphilosophicalnature,askingquestionssuchas“Whoexactlyhasconsciousness?”DanielDennettraisesthisquestioninhisencyclopedicbookConsciousnessExplained:“Donewbornhumanbabies?”heasks.“Dofrogs?Whataboutoysters,ants,plants,robots,zombies...?”2InthisbookIwillavoidventuringintosuchheadyterrain.Asapsychiatristandresearcher,IammoreinclinedtotheempiricalapproachadoptedbyDehaeneandhiscolleagues.

Dehaenesummarizesthreefundamentalelementsthathaveenabledthetransformationofconsciousnessfroma“philosophicalmysteryintoalaboratoryphenomenon.”Theseelementsare:“thearticulationofabetterdefinitionofconsciousness;thediscoverythatconsciousnesscanbeexperimentallymanipulated;andanewrespectforsubjectivephenomena.”

Letussaythatanimageisflashedonascreeninfrontofyou—verybriefly,soit’sbelowyourdetectionthreshold;youwill(bydefinition)beunabletoseeit.Anotherwayofmaskinganimagesoyoucannotdetectit(eventhoughitisflashedinfrontofyou)istopairitwithdistractingimages.Incontrast,asyoucanimagine,thatsameimagecouldbeflashedinfrontofyouforalongerdurationorwithoutdistraction,insuchawaythatyoucouldbothseeitandreportonitspresence.

Researchershaveinfactconductedstudiesinwhichtheypresentedimagesinthesevariouswaysandmeasuredpeople’sresponses,bothintermsofsubjectivereports(whatpeoplesaytheysaw)andspecificbrainchanges(forexample,EEGandimagingmethods).Then,bycorrelatingsubjectivereports

withbrainmeasurements,scientistshavebeenabletoestablishfourEEGsignaturesthatsignalconsciousness.Theseareshownintable2(below).

AsforDehaene’sthirdelement—anewrespectforsubjectivephenomena—mostpsychiatristswouldprobablysay,“Abouttime.”Clinicianshavedependedonpatients’reportsoftheirconsciousexperiencessincetherapy(ormedicine,forthatmatter)firstbegan—sometimeswithexcellentresults.

Thetablebelowdetailsfoursignaturesofconsciousness,EEGpatternsshowingthataperson’sresponsetoastimulusisconsciouslyexperienced.3Theresearchershaveasimplewayofdeterminingwhethersubjectsexperiencestimuliconsciouslyornot:theyask.TheresultingEEGtracingsaremeasuredbyelectrodesgluedtothescalp.

Table2:FourEEGSignaturesofConsciousness1.TheEEGresponsebecomesamplifiedandinvolvesmanybrainregions.BasedonthedifferencesbetweenEEGresponsestoasubliminalstimulus(onethatisregisteredunconsciously)versusaconsciouslyperceivedstimulus,researchershavecomparedtheimpactofthesetwoeventstothatofasnowball(theunconsciousstimulus)versusanavalanche.

2.TheEEGresponsetostimuliexhibitsawaveformwithseveralbumpsinit,ratherlikearowofrollinghills.Onlyduringconscioustrials(wherethesubjectisawareofthestimulus)doresearchersobserveanespeciallylargethirdhill—theso-calledP300,whichoftenstartsaround300millisecondsafterthestimulusispresented.

3.Duringconscioustrials,theEEGshows“amassiveincreaseingamma-bandpowerstartingataround300milliseconds.”Duringunconscioustrials,thisfast-frequencywavelengthgenerallyfadeswithin200millisecondsafterthestimulus.

4.Whenstimuliareconsciouslyregistered,thereisinvariablya“massivesynchronizationofelectromagneticsignalsacrossthecortex.”Informationthatreachesthelevelofconsciousnessisjudgedbythebraintobeespeciallyimportant.Itthereforemakessensethatdifferentbrainregionsshoutouttooneanotheratthesametime.

ANCIENTWISDOM:STATESOFCONSCIOUSNESS

Althoughmostscientistsignoredthestudyofconsciousnessuntilthelate1980s,sagesfrommanytraditionshavecontemplatedthesubjectforthousandsofyears.Ingeneral,differentstatesofconsciousnesshavebeendefinedintermsofsubjectiveexperiences—forexample,feelingsofstillness,boundlessness,andbliss.Nowscientistsareusingmoderntechnology,suchasEEGsandbrain-imagingtechniques,totrytounderstandthephysiologicalunderpinningsofthesestates.

WhilethisbookfocusesprimarilyonmeditationderivedfromtheVedictraditionofancientIndia,includingbrainchangesthatoccurinTMpractitioners,otherformsofmeditationhavealsobeenassociatedwithmeasurablebrainchanges.Forexample,SaraLazar,assistantprofessorofpsychologyattheMassachusettsGeneralHospital,andcolleagueshavemeasuredthethicknessofthecerebralcortexintwentylong-termpractitionersofBuddhist“insightmeditation”andfifteennonmeditatingcontrolsbymeansofmagneticresonanceimaging.Theyfoundincreasedcorticalthicknessinbrainregionsassociatedwithattentionandothermentalfacultiescentraltothisformofmeditation.4

Therearealsomanyotherstudiesofbrainchangesassociatedwithdifferenttypesofmeditation,whichdeserveconsiderationbutfalloutsidethescopeofthisbook.AsidefromachapterinwhichIcompareandcontrastmindfulnessandtranscendence(chapter14)andafewparagraphsattheendofthischapter,IhaveforthemostpartlefttherichandextensiveliteratureonmeditationsderivedfromtheBuddhisttraditiontothosefarbetterqualifiedtowriteaboutthemthanIam.

IwilltellyouaboutthebrainchangesassociatedwithTMindetailinchapters5and18,andalsoreportonmyownexperiencesofbeinghookeduptoanEEGmachine,meditating,andseeing—tomydelight—thatthepredictedalphawaveshadrolledoffmybrainandontotherecordingpaper.

Despitetechnicaldevelopments,Ihavetosaythatinourcurrentstateofknowledge,subjectivereportsremainthemostprecisewaytocharacterizestatesofconsciousness.Technologyhasyettocatchup.

Threestatesofconsciousnessareself-evident:waking,sleeping,anddreaming—thoughtherecanbehugevariationsevenwithintheseseparatestates(forexample,efficientandrestfulsleepversusbroken,disturbedsleep).Thesestatesofconsciousnessareaccompaniedbyspecificphysiologicalandbrainchanges.Forexample,dreamingismarkedbyREMsleep,astateinwhichthebodyisstillexceptfortheeyes,whichdartrapidlyfromsidetoside.TheothersleepstagesareaccompaniedbyspecificEEGpatterns.

Beyondthethreeordinarystagesofconsciousness,otherstateshavebeenobservedbypractitionersfromdifferentculturesandbyscientistsalike.TheeminentpsychologistWilliamJames,forexample,explicitlyrecognizedsuchdifferentstateswithoutwhich“noaccountoftheuniverseinitstotalitycanbefinal.”

ThehistoryofexpandedconsciousnessindifferentcultureshasbeenelegantlyreviewedinCraigPearson’sTheSupremeAwakening.Inseveralculturesthereisarecognitionthatexpandedstatesofconsciousnesscanbeclassifiedaccordingtoincreasingdegreesofcomplexity,refinement,orpurity.HereisonecolorfulexamplefeaturedinPearson’sbook:

DaoistliteraturereferstostatesknownasHighPure,MostPure,andJadePure,correspondingtodifferentdegreesofconsciousnessdevelopment.5

IhavealludedheremostlytoEasterntraditions,buttherearealsomanyWesterntraditionsthatincorporatemeditativeelementsintotheirprayersandspiritualpractices.AlthoughIwillnotdetailthemhere,itwouldbeanomissionnottoacknowledgethem.

InthisbookIhavefocusedontheexpandedstatesofconsciousnessthatarisethroughthepracticeofTMaccordingtoVedicteachingforafewreasons:First,TMisamethodthatIknowpersonallyandthroughdirectobservation,andalsoonethatsciencehasshowncanreliablyinducethesestates.Second,expandedstatesofconsciousnesshavebeenamajorfocusintheancientVedicstudyofconsciousness,whichhasacknowledgedandanalyzedthemforcenturies.Third,Ihavebeenfortunateenoughtohavethepresent-daycooperationofalargenumberofTMmeditators.Theyhaveprovidedmewithbothcrucialdataandexcellentstoriesthatsupportandilluminatetheobservationsonwhichthisbookisbased.Finally,TMistaughtinastandardizedandreproduciblewaythroughouttheworld.ThisenhancesmyconfidencethattheprogressionofconsciousnessdescribedbyTMpractitionersindifferentpartsoftheworldisinfacttheoutcomeofasharedpractice,andthereforelikelytorepresentsharedbrainmechanisms.

AccordingtoVedictradition,astranscendentalconsciousnessextendsbeyondtheexperienceofmeditation,itentersthewakingstatewhereitunfoldsprogressively.6Itisthisunfoldingofconsciousness—alongwithitsaccompanyingbenefits—thatwearecallingtheSuperMind.Althoughthis

unfoldingoccursprogressivelyovertime,itmaystartsurprisinglysoonafterapersonbeginstomeditate,asweshallsee.

Beforeproceedingfurther,itmaybeusefultoclarifysomedifferencesbetweenTMandpopularformsofBuddhistmeditation,especiallywithregardtothedevelopmentofconsciousness,whichisourfocushere.Certainkeyelementsofthreemajortypesofmeditationareshowbelow(figure1).

Figure1

Category FocusedAttention OpenMonitoring AutomaticSelf-Transcending

Vehicle imageorprofoundemotion

breath,bodysensations,thoughts,feelings

mantra

Example lovingkindness Buddhist-stylemindfulness(Vipassana)

TranscendentalMeditation

PredominantEEGwavelength(cyclespersecond)

gamma(20–50) theta2(6–8) alpha1(8–10)

Astheabovefigureshows,modernmeditationscholarshaveclassifiedvariousformsofmeditationintothreecategories:focusedattention,openmonitoring,andautomaticself-transcending.7TMfallsintothelastcategory.Theotherformsofmeditationgenerallyinvolveeitherfocus(forexample,onanimage,thebreath,orathought)oropenmonitoring(inwhichthemindisdirectedtofocusonspecificstimulithatarisefromthesenses,thebody,orthebrain).Theselattertechniques(bothofwhichfallunderthecategoryofmindfulness)differfromTM,inwhichaspecialsound,a“mantra,”isusedinasystematicmannertoslowdownandrefinementalactivity—amoreautomatictypeofprocessthanfocusingoropenmonitoring.

AccordingtomeditationexpertChrisGermer(aclinicalpsychologistaffiliatedwithHarvardMedicalSchool),alteredstatesofconsciousness(knownasthejhanas)havebeenpartofBuddhistmeditationinthepast,butthiselementhasbeende-emphasizedinthelastcentury.Nevertheless,thejhanascontinuetobetaughtandpracticed.LeighBrasington,aBuddhistmeditationteacherandauthorofRightConcentration:APracticalGuidetotheJhanas,8explainedtomethatthesestatesofconsciousnesscanbeaccessedbyconcentratingonasmanyasthirtydifferentstimuli,includingthebreath,mantras,orthoughtsofcompassionandlovingkindness.Accordingtohim,however,noneofthemfullycoincideswiththestateoftranscendenceasIdescribedittohim.9

TOSUMMARIZEWHATWEHAVEDISCUSSEDINTHISCHAPTER:

Modernneuroscientistshavedefinedconsciousnessinsuchawaythatitcanbestudiedexperimentally.Usingscientificmethods,especiallyEEGmeasurements,fourspecific“signaturesofconsciousness”havebeendefined.AccordingtoancientVedictradition,therearestagesofconsciousnessbeyondthethreetraditionalstages(waking,sleeping,anddreaming),whichhavebeendescribed.Thescienceofthese“higherstates”ofconsciousnessdevelopmentwillbedetailedinlaterchapters.Elementsofthreemajorformsofmeditationarepresented.

ThenextchapterprovidesanintroductiontoTM—asimplepassagewaytotranscendentconsciousness.

3TRANSCENDENTALMEDITATION:THESECRET

PASSAGEWAY

Scienceisn’taboutauthorityorwhitecoats;it’saboutfollowingamethod.

BenGoldacre

IntheintroductionIrelatedaminoranecdoteinvolvingasecretpassagewayinahospitalcomplex.OnceI’dbeentoldaboutit,Iwasabletobreezeintomyofficeforanearlymorningsession,withnoneedtoclimbfiveflightsofstairs.

Welearnaboutsuchsecretpassagewaysfromourchildhoodstorybooks.InLewisCarroll’sAlicebooks,forexample,theyoungheroinefallsdownarabbitholeandfindsakey,orstepsthroughalookingglass,eachofwhichgivesheraccesstoanabsurdwonderland.Morerecently,considerthemagicaltransitionsintheHarryPotterseries,wherethestudentsofHogwartsSchoolofWitchcraftandWizardrystepthroughaspecialportalinKing’sCrossStation—unknownandinvisibletoordinaryMuggles,whoseeonlyabrickwall—toboardtheHogwartsExpress.Itseemstobeanenduringpartofhumanfantasiesthatsomehow,byacquiringsomespecialknowledgeorability,wecanslipthroughanordinary-lookingobjectandpass,asifbymagic,intoanalternativereality.

Iwouldsuggestthattherealworldisalsowellpopulatedwithsecretpassageways.Itwouldbeanenjoyableexercisetoinventorythemall,butfornow,letusconsiderjustone—thetelescope.ByturningthetelescopetowardtheheavensandobservingthemoonsofJupiter,Galileohelpedupendtheprevailinggeocentrictheoryoftheuniverse,accordingtowhichallheavenlybodieswereconsideredtorevolvearoundEarth.Bydevelopingamethod,atruthwasrevealed.Inamoremodestbutanalogousway,amethodisneededtoreliably

accesshigherlevelsofconsciousness.ThemethodweareprincipallyexploringhereisthetechniqueofTranscendentalMeditation.

WHYDOTMINTHEFIRSTPLACE?Beforeconsideringhowtodoanything,itisusuallyworthaskingwhyone

shoulddoitinthefirstplace.HereisalistofpotentialrewardsthatIhaveseeninmyselfandmyclients.Inseveralinstances,theseobservationsaresupportedbypublishedscientificstudies,whichIlookforwardtosharingwithyouinthechaptersthatfollow:

Betterphysicalhealth(seechapter8).Moreefficientcognitivefunctioning—includingcreativity(chapter9).ImprovementinmanypersonalattributesBetterinterpersonalrelationships(chapters11–13)Betterperformanceandgreatersuccessprofessionallyandfinancially(chapter15)Greaterhappinessandself-actualization(chapter16)

Withthesebenefitsinmind,letusconsiderwhatlearningTMinvolves.

THEPRACTICEOFTRANSCENDENTALMEDITATIONReducedtoitsbasicelements,TMconsistsofthefollowing:

1.Learningthetechniquefromaqualifiedteacher.Youstartbyattendinganintroductoryeducationalsession,answeringsomebasicquestionsaboutyourself,andmeetingwithateacheronfourconsecutivedaysforuptoninetyminutesoneachoccasion.

2.Sitcomfortablyinachairtwiceadaywithyoureyesclosedfortwentyminuteseachtime.

3.ThinkofthetraditionalmantrathatyourTMteacherprovidesforyou,intheprescribedway.

Thatseemsprettysimple,doesn’tit?Well,itisanditisn’t.Let’slookdeeper.

WHYDOINEEDTOLEARNFROMAQUALIFIEDTEACHER?Likemanypracticesinwhichprecisionisimportant—suchasballet,playing

thepiano,ormartialarts—TMneedstobetaughtbyaqualifiedteacher.TMteachershaveundergoneextensivetrainingandarecredentialedtohelpalldifferenttypesofpeopleacquirethetechniqueaseffortlesslyandenjoyablyaspossible.Somepeoplearesurprisedathoweasilytheycanlearnatechniquethatcanrapidlyleadtoprofoundeffects.ActressCameronDiaz,forexample,saysthatTMisnotonlytheeasiestformofmeditationshehaseverlearnedbuttheeasiestthingshehaseverlearned.Butsinceeachpersonhasdifferentlifeexperiences,adifferentbrain,andlearnsatadifferentpace,theteachingprocesswillproceeddifferently,dependingontheindividual—andsomepeopledonotgetthehangofitquitesoeasilyasMs.Diazdid.Ifellintothatcategory.

Theartofproperlyteachingthissubtleformofmeditationhasbeenhandeddownfromteachertoteacherovercenturies,andmodernteacherscontinuetotaketheirworkseriously.Ihaveregardeditasaprivilegetobeabletolearnandbenefitfromthistechniqueatthehandsofsomeveryfineteachers,andwouldwishthesameformyfamily,friends,patients,andforyou,thereader.SoIshouldmakeitclearatthispointthatyouwillnotlearnhowtopracticeTMfromthisbook—oranyotherbook.

Aftertalkingwiththestudentandprovidingbackgroundinformation,theteacherassignsthestudentaspecialsoundormantra.Themantras,whichhavenomeaning,areancientandtraditionaltothepractice.Overthecenturiestheyhavebeenfoundtohavesoothing,positive(theTMteachersdescribethemas“life-supporting”)qualitiesthatareconducivetotranscendence.Oncelearned,thestudent’spracticeischeckedseveraltimesuntilbothstudentandteacherareconfidentthatthetechniquehasbeenproperlyestablished.Theentirecoursecanbeaccomplishedinthespanoffourdays,andthenyou’regoodtogetstarted.Periodiccheckins,however,arestronglyrecommendedtomakesurethatthetechniqueisworkingwellforyou.Andcertainlyifyoufeelyourselfstrugglingwiththetechniqueornotgettingthedesiredresults,thestudentshouldnothesitatetogetbackintouchwiththeteacher.

Sometimesthequestionaboutwhyoneneedsateacher,whicharisesfrequently,isapolitewayofasking,ifthetechniqueissosimple,whyshouldI

spendthetimeandmoneytolearnit?Yes,thetechniqueissimpleandeffortless,butformanypeople,learningit

canbe—atleastinitially—complicatedandconfusing!Imyselfhavebeenguiltyofunderestimatingitssubtlety.AcentralgoalofTMistohelpthemeditatorenterastateoftranscendence,thekeytotheSuperMind.Inordertodoso,propertechniqueisnecessary,andthisisacquiredbylearningfromatrainedteacherandthencheckinginwiththatteacherperiodicallyuntilaregularandeffectivepracticeisestablished.Ihaveheardmanystoriesfromintelligentandsophisticatedpeoplewho,despitehavinglearned,werenotachievingtheirdesiredresults.AbriefconsultationwiththeirTMteacheroftenrevealedthesourceofdifficulty,puttingthemeditatorbackontrack.Sometimesmeditatorsarepleasantlysurprisedathowamerecannysuggestion(ortwo)canmakeallthedifference.

Despitehavingmeditatedforsevenyears,ItoohavebeensurprisedathowmuchvalueIinvariablyfindinhavingmytechniquerefreshed.Afewyearsago,Ihadawonderfulexperienceinthisregard.Myson,Josh,andIwerevisitingSouthAfricaforafamilyweddingandhadoccasiontostayinJohannesburgforafewdays.IvisitedtheTMcenterthere,whichisrunbyVickiandRichardBroome.(ItwasVickiwhohadfirsttaughtmetomeditatesomethirty-fiveyearsearlierandwhomIwillmentionagaininchapter19whenIdiscusssudden,dramatictranscendentexperiences.)TheTMrefreshersessionthatsheconductedwithJoshandmewasdeepandpowerful.Inaddition,Vickiemphasizedanelementthathadbeenglossedoverinearlierteachings.

“Takeafullthreeminutestoemergefromyourmeditationsession,”shecounseled.“Itisveryimportant,anddosoeveniftimeisshortandyouhavetotakethattimeawayfromthemantra.”Thatseemedlikestrangecounseltome.Surelythemantrawaskeytotranscendence—andtranscendencewasthegoal!AlthoughIhadheardaboutpeopleoccasionallygettingheadachesiftheyemergedtooquickly,wasthethreeminutesreallynecessary?Andwhydidsheemphasizeitso?OnlyonceIbegantothinkmoredeeplyabouttheSuperMinddidIrealizethatitsdevelopmentdependsingoodpartuponthecarryoverofthetranscendentstateintodailylife.Byallowingacertainamountofoverlapbetweenthetranscendentandtheordinarywakingstate,wemayfostertheeasyminglingofthesestatesandpromotethegrowthoftheSuperMind.Yetevenknowingthis,Itoooftenjumpupattheendofasessiontogetonwithmytasks.Thatbringstomindanotherimportantroleoftheteacher:notonlytoprovideus

withnewinformation,buttoremindusofthingswealready“know”butmaytendtoignore.

NowadaysitisanoccasionaltreatformetomeditatewithmyfriendandTMmentorBobRoth.Whenwemeditatetogether,hegoesthroughaspecialcheckingprocedureinwhichheassessesmytechnique.Hehasmeopenandclosemyeyes,andinquiresaboutmystateofmindbeforewelaunchintoourtwenty-minutesession.Sometimesheisalmostapologeticaboutgoingthroughthesesteps,asiftosay,“Youknowthisallalready.Ihopeyou’renotoffendedbymyreviewingitwithyouyetagain.”I’mneveroffended.Iamalwaysgrateful.Smallelementsofthetechniquecaneasilyslipawaythroughcarelessnessordistraction.Howgooditistoberemindedofthem.Aswebegintomeditate,Bobtypicallysays,“Remember,everymeditationisdifferent.Eachmeditationisanewexperiencebecauseeachtimeyousittomeditateyourbodyisdifferent—tired,fresh,agitated,calm.Sotakeyourexperiencesinmeditationeasyandtakethemastheycome.”

*

Bob’sinstructionsremindmeof“beginner’smind,”anexpressionthatcomesfromZenBuddhism.“Beginner’smind”referstolookingatasituationwithfresheyes—liketheeyesofachild,unencumberedbymemories,expectations,aspirations,orotherdistractions.InthewordsoftheZenteacherShunryuSuzuki,“Inthebeginner’smindtherearemanypossibilities.Intheexpert’smindtherearefew.”1So,inhisinstruction,Bobisencouragingmetoleavebehindtheprejudiceandexpectationthatcomeswithexperience.AndsomehowthemeditationthatfollowswhenIdoisdeeper,quieter,andeasierthanever.

Let’sconsidertwoimportantwordsthatBobuseswhenhereviewsmytechnique.

“EFFORTLESSLY”

Howcansomethingthatpromisestotransformbeeffortless?Animageusedbymanymeditatorstoexplainthisideaisasledortobogganride.Fortheexperiencedsledder,slippingdownagentleslopemayrequirelittleeffortbecausethebasicdrivingforceisgravity.Butlearninghowtomakesmall,moment-by-momentadjustmentsthatwillseeyousuccessfullydownthehilldoesrequireattention,andthebodyneedstobeengaged.Oncemastered,

however,sleddingissheerjoy,aseeminglyeffortlessslide—asisthecasewhenyoumeditate.Asoneexperiencedmeditatordescribedit,“Ijustclosemyeyesandgoforalong,smoothlugeride.”

Itistrue,however,thatpracticingthetechniquedoesrequireadifferentkindofeffort—blockingofftimeinyourscheduleandsettingasidethemanycompetingclaimsonyourday.Havingdoneso,onceyousitdownandaccessthemantraasyouhavebeentaughttodo,youwillenjoyaneasyridetowhereverthemantratakesyou.

Paradoxically,forcingthemantra(“mantrabashing,”asoneTMteacher-friendcallsit)orpushingyourselftogetthetechniqueexactly“right”isoftencounterproductive.Effortlessness,asyouwilllearninpersonalinstructionbyyourTMteacher,isthekeytosuccessfultranscendence.

“INNOCENTLY”

WhenBobfirstsaid“innocently”inadvisingmehowtoapproachmymeditation,Ithoughtitastrangewordtouseinthatsetting.Itdid,however,resonatewith“beginner’smind”inconveyingasenseofpurityandfreshness.IttookmeawhiletounderstandthemeaningofthewordwhenusedinthecontextofTM.Essentially,itmeans“withoutexpectationastotheoutcome.”Inthisregard,TMdiffersfrommostformsoftherapy,whereagoalisidentifiedandeffortsaremadetoattainit.TMcanhelppeopleinmanydifferentsituations(aswewillsee),butonlyifitisapproachedinnocently—withoutexpectinganythinginparticular.

AswesitdowntopracticeTM,therewillnodoubtbemanyproblemspercolatingawayatdifferentlevelsofourmind,muchunfinishedbusiness.Asthesethoughtsminglewiththeblissfulpeaceoftranscendence,theybecomelessbothersome,disturbing,orproblematic.Thetranscendentstateexperiencedduringmeditation—alongwithitssettlingeffectsonbodyandmind—willifrepeatedregularlymoveintotheperson’sdailylife,whichwillautomaticallybecomeeasierandmorefulfilling.Whattheword“innocently”signifiestothemeditatorthereforeisthatitisnotnecessarytoburdenone’ssessionwithgoalsorexpectations,becauseyoucantrusttheprocess.

WHYDOIHAVETOMEDITATEFORTWENTYMINUTESEACHTIME?

Thisisatrickquestion.Youdon’thavetomeditateatall.Manyofushaveaskepticalorevenanoppositionalstreak(Isaythatfrombothpersonalandprofessionalexperience).Whytwentyminutes?Ihaveaskedmyself.Whynotfifteen?Oreventen?Thesimpleansweristhatovercenturies,thetwenty-minutedurationhasempiricallybeenfoundtowork,notonlyduringmeditationitself,butintheintervalsbetweensessions.IhaveoftencontemplatedwithappreciationtheintelligenceofthosewhofiguredouttheoptimaldurationforthebasicTMtechnique—longenoughtoaccomplishitsgoalsbutnotsolongastodisruptthedayofabusyperson.

Wehaveatendencytothinkarithmetically.Forexample,wemightconcludethatfifteenminuteswouldbethree-quartersasgoodastwentyminutes,thereforenobigdeal.Butthisthoughtcouldbealtogetherincorrect,forinmyexperienceitoftentakesthefirstfiveorsixminutesofaTMsessionformymindandbodytosettledown.(Ofcourse,Ispeakformyselfhere;othermeditatorsoftenhaveverydifferentexperiences.)Thencomesaperiodofstillness,andonlyinthelastthirdofthesessiondoIenjoythefullblissoftranscendence.ImagineifIweretoclipoffthelastfiveminutesofasession.Itwouldbelikemissingthelastquarterofaballgame,play,orconcert.I’dbemissingthebestpart,whichwouldhardlyyieldthree-quartersoftheenjoyment.

Manyothershavereportedasimilarneedandappreciationfortheentiredurationofthesession.Consider,forexample,thecommentofmoviedirectorMartinScorsesewithregardtohislongtimeTMpractice:“Itcreatesasenseoforder,ofpriorityastowhatwereallyshouldbethinkingabout...finally,inthelastsixminutesorso,thereisakindofpeacefulnessthatIdon’tthinkI’veeverachievedbefore.”

Butwhatifit’sabsolutelyimpossibletodevotetwentyminutestoasession?Theansweris,ofcourse,todothebestyoucan.Anyamountofmeditationisbetterthannoneatall.

WHYISITIMPORTANTTOMEDITATETWICEADAY?“Whynotonceaday?”mypatientsoftenask.Ofcourse,that’sbetterthan

nomeditationatall,Iconcede,butIalsoechothesentimentsofmanyexperiencedteacherswhoagreethatmeditatingonceadayislessthanhalfasgoodasmeditatingtwiceaday.It’salmostasthoughtheeffectsofmorningmeditation(whichisusuallytheeasierofthetwotoaccommodate)wearoffbylateafternoon.Also,resultsfromoursurveyofTMpractitionerssupportthe

valueofmorefrequentmeditationinpromotingthedevelopmentoftheSuperMind(seechapter7).

FamouscomedianJerrySeinfeldhaspracticedTMforforty-oneyears,andhasderivedgreatbenefitfromit.Asheputsit,“I’veexploredalotofdifferentthingsandgottenalotfromallofthem,butnothingcomparestowhatTMhasdoneforme...especiallylately.”SeinfeldwentontosaythatforthefirstfortyyearsofhisTMpractice,“Iwouldjustdooneintheafternoon...andthatwasaverysustainingthinginmylife.”

“Iimmediatelystoppeddoingtheoneinthemorning.Couldn’tunderstandwhyyouneededtogetoutofbedandrest,”thecomedianobserved.ThenhemetwithBobRoth,whosuggestedthatSeinfeldaddasecondsessioninthemorning.Hedid,andaccordingtoSeinfeldithaschangedhislife.

IhaveinterviewedBobRothforthisbookaboutseveralaspectsofTMandtheSuperMind,andthoseofyouwhoareinterestedinourconversationcanfindmyquestionsandBob’sanswersinappendix1attheendofthisbook.

OftenitistheafternoonTMsessionthatfallsvictimtothepressuresandcommitmentsthatpileupasthedayproceeds.IrememberoneoccasionwhenIwasvisitingaTMteacherontheWestCoastoftheUnitedStates.HeandhispartnerandIhadbeentravelingthatday,andwearrivedathishomeafewhoursbeforedinner.Hispartner,adelightfulwomanandaretiredpediatricsurgeon,wasbustlingabout,takingcareofchores,whensheturnedtomeandsaid,“AttheendoftheafternoontherearealwayssomanythingsthatseemurgentthatIfeelinclinedtoputoffmymeditation.ButwhatI’verealizedisthatifImeditatefirst,everythinggetsdonemoreeasily.”Herwordshavereturnedtomemanytimes,especiallyasmypatientstellmehowdifficultitistosqueezeintheirafternoonsession,andIpassonhergoodadvice.Ihavelearnednevertomissmyafternoonsessionifatallpossible.Ifeelasthoughthesecondsessiongivesmeawholenewstartontheday,sothatIstayfreshandclearheadedthroughouttheevening.Moreover,bylogginginthesecondsession,ImaintaintheregularityofmypracticeandreapthebenefitsoftheSuperMind.

Anotherperspectiveonthebenefitsoftwice-dailysessionswasofferedbyElaine,anoldfriendandfellowmeditator(youwillmeetheragaininchapter17).“ItfeelslikethereismuchmoreenergytomymeditationwhenIdoittwiceaday,”shesaid.“Ijustcan’twaitformynextmeditation.It’sthewayIusedtofeelaboutsexwhenIwasyounger.”Icouldhearthegiggleinhervoice,andwebothlaughedlongandhard.

CONCLUDINGWORDSAccordingtotheclassicSanskrittexttheBhagavadGita,“Youhavecontrol

overactionalone,neveroveritsfruits.”2Whatthismeansforourpresentdiscussionisthatifyouractionsarepracticedandcorrect,thedesiredresultsaremorelikelytofollow.Specifically,ifyoumeditateintherightway,fortherightamountoftimeandwiththerightfrequency,thatisallyoucancontrol.Butinmostcasesthatisenoughtoenableyoutoreapthefruitsofexpandingconsciousness—fruitsthatcansustainyouforalifetime.

4TRANSCENDENCE:BEYONDWAKING,SLEEPING,

ANDDREAMING

BecometotallyemptyQuiettherestlessnessofthemindOnlythenwillyouwitnesseverythingunfoldingfromemptinessSeeallthingsflourishanddanceinendlessvariationAndonceagainmergebackintoperfectemptiness—

Lao-Tzu1

Consciousnesshasbeencomparedtotheocean—vastanddeep,almostboundless.Accordingtothisanalogy,theordinarywakingstateislikethesurfaceoftheocean,whichmaybejoyfulandlively,aswhensunlightsparklesofftheever-movingwaves.Butthesea’ssurfacecanalsobemenacing,roilingwithbreakers,powerfulanddangerous.Soitiswithourwakingstateandallitsmoodsandcontemplations,hopesandfears,triumphsanddisasters.Itvaries!Andofcourse,whenwesitdowntomeditate,whereverweareisalwaysthepointatwhichwebegin—ourwakingstate,whateverithappenstobeonthatparticularday,atthatparticularmoment.

Sonowitistimetomeditate,andwesitdowncomfortablyandpreparetotaketimeawayfromtheocean’ssurfacewithallitsturmoil.Wethinkourmantraaswehavebeentaughttodo,andlikeadivingbell,themantratakesusdeeperanddeeperintoourinnermostself—atdepthstowhichwemayneverhavegivenmuchthought.Downthereitisutterlystill,andtheagitationsof

dailylifearetransient.Bothbodyandmindcanrestinaspecialway—differentfromsleeporothertypesofrest.Suchisthestatewecalltranscendence,thefourthstateofconsciousness.

Whenyouemergefromthisstate,youmayfeelrestedinaparticularway—onethatnotonlyenergizesyou,butalsohelpsyouorganizeyourprioritiesandfocuswithrenewedenthusiasm.

Forthoseofyouwhohavemeditated,thesedescriptionsprobablystrikearesonantchord.Forthosewhohavenot,imagine:Oneminuteyouaresittingonachairorcouch,andthenextminute...peaceandquiet.Yourmindfeelsperfectlysettledandallencompassing,suffusedwithjoyandindifferenttosorrow—allatthesametime.That’showitwasformewhenIfirstexperiencedtranscendence.Itwasastateboththrillinginitsnoveltyyetstrangelyfamiliar.Inretrospect,Ishouldnothavebeensurprised,sincethestateweaccessduringTMissimplyadeeppartofourselves.Perhapswehaveseenflashesofitfromtimetotime,orfallenintoitaccidentallyforbriefspells.Wemaynothaveidentifieditorgivenitaname,butoncewereexperienceit,itiseasytorecognize.

Asyoucanimagine,whileweareexperiencingtheseprofoundpsychologicalchanges,majorshiftsaretakingplaceinbothbrainandbody.Iamgladtoreportthatwehaveagooddealofinformationaboutthesechanges—somuchsothatIhavedevotedtheentirenextchaptertodiscussingthem.Atthispoint,however,Iwishsimplytoremindyouthateverythingweexperienceatthelevelofthemindissupportedbycorrespondingchangesinthecircuitsofthebrainandtheworkingsofthebody.Withtheexpectedarrivalofnewimagingtechniquesandothertechnologicaladvances,alongwithmorepowerfulcomputersystemstoanalyzethedata,wecanlookforwardtoexponentialgrowthinneuroscience—includingourunderstandingofmeditation.Theseareexcitingtimesforthoseofusintriguedbythedevelopmentofconsciousness.

What,then,aretheusualelementsoftranscendence?ThatwasthequestionIaskedagroupofstudents,atLoyolaUniversity’sStritchSchoolofMedicineinChicago,whohadlearnedtomeditate.Theyrepliedwithgusto:stillness,quiet,noboundaries,nothoughts,andbliss.Inshort,theycapturedtheessentialspiritofthestate.

Maharishiexplainedhoweasyitistoentertranscendence:“Togotoafieldofgreaterhappinessisthenaturaltendencyofthemind,”hewrote.“[T]hemindfindsthatthewayisincreasinglyattractiveasitadvancesinthedirectionofbliss.”Allthatwasneededtoaccomplishthisgoal,hetaught,wastheregularpracticeofTM.2

AsImentionedinchapter2,therearemanydifferenttypesofmeditation,eachofwhichasksthemeditatortodosomethingdifferent,whichappearstohavedifferenteffectsonthebrain(moreaboutthatinthenextchapter).Briefly,thethreemaincategoriesofmeditationarefocusedattention,openmonitoring,andautomaticself-transcending(seefigure1).In“focusing”typesofmeditation,themeditatordirectsattentiontoaspecifictarget,suchasathought,image,orfeeling.Loving-kindnessmeditationisawell-knownmemberofthisgroup.Inopenmonitoring,themeditatordirectsawarenesstowhateverishappeninginthemindorbody,oftenstartingwiththebreath.TMfallsintothethirdcategory,automaticself-transcending.“Focusing”doesnotaccuratelydescribetheTMtechnique.Rather,itisanautomaticwayoftranscending.

Withregardtothecentralroleoftranscendence,TMdiffersfrommostotherformsofmeditation,whichde-emphasizeitsimportance.Nevertheless,thetranscendentstateisfamiliartomeditatorsofmany,ifnotall,cultures.Thequoteatthetopofthischapter,forexample,beautifullydescribestheexperience,yetitcomes,notfromtheVedictradition,thesourceandfountainheadfromwhichTMarose,butratherfromTaoism—illustratingtheuniversalityofthisstateofconsciousness.

Aswemeditate,bothmindandbodyareeffortlesslyinvolvedintheprocess,changingaswemovefromthewakingtothetranscendentstate.Thechangesinthesetworealmsareintimatelyintertwined.Forthesakeofclarity,Iwilldealwiththechangesinbodyandmindseparatelyintheparagraphsthatfollow.Pleaseremember,though,thattheyarehappeningsimultaneouslyandinfluencingoneanother.Youmightthinkofthemasdancingtogether.

THEBODYDURINGTRANSCENDENCEOneofthefirstchangestoappearinthebodyduringtranscendenceisthat

breathingslowsdown.Thisslowbreathingduringmeditationisveryfamiliartomepersonally.Sometimeswhilemeditating,IwonderhowIamgettingenoughoxygen—butofcourseitisnotarealconcern.Maybeweneedlessoxygenwhenwemeditatebecauseourmetabolismslowsdown—thoughIknowofnogoodresearchtosupportthisnotion.Ofpossiblerelevance:I’venoticedthatIneedtocovermyshouldersduringmeditationsoasnottofeelcold(whichmightresultfromaslowedmetabolism),andothermeditatorshavereportedasimilarneedforashawlorblanket.

Besidesslowerbreathing,theremaybeotheridiosyncraticchangesinbreathingduringmeditation.Inmycase,forexample,asIamabouttoentertranscendence,Ioftenstartyawningingreatgulps—almostasthoughIjustthenrealizehowtiredIamandhowwelcometheapproachingrestwillbe.Justaspeopledifferinhowtheyfallasleeporwakeup,sotheydifferinhowtheyentertranscendence.Andtheydifferinthephysicalchangesthatmayoccurduringtranscendence.

Ifyoutuneintoyourbodyasyoumeditate,youmayfeelyourmusclesrelaxingasyourbodymoldsintothechairorcouch.Thisrelaxationmaybeaccompaniedbyreliefofanypainduetomuscletensionanywhereinthebody.Indeed,painsofeverykindmayeaseduringmeditation—abdominalpains,headaches(evenmigraines),andsorefeetmayallimprovesomuchthatsometimes,oncethesessionisover,notraceofpainremains.

AsImarvelatthefar-reachingphysicalchangesthatmayoccurduringtranscendence,IneedtoremindmyselfthatTMinfluencesthesympatheticnervoussystem,awidespreadmeshworkofnervesthatramifiesthroughoutthebodyandaffectseveryorgan.Forexample,inmyowncase,mysinusesregularlybecomeunblockedduringaTMsession.Perhapsyouwillalsoobservesomeunexpectedbutwelcomephysicalchangesasyoumeditate.

THEMINDDURINGTRANSCENDENCEBeforeIgoontodescribedifferentwaysthatpeoplemayfeelwhiletheyare

meditating—andeveninatranscendentstate—Ineedtoemphasizeonething:thequalityofyourtranscendentexperiencesduringmeditationmayhavenobearingwhatsoeveronhowmuchbenefityougetfromyourregularTMpractice.

Thisishardtobelievebecauseitisnaturaltothinkthatexoticandesotericexperienceswilldoyouthemostgood—butthereisnoevidencetothateffect.IrememberbeingquitediscouragedbecauseIdidn’thavesuchexperiencesuntilaTMteacher-friendreassuredmeandencouragedmetokeepmeditating.IntimeIwouldharvestthefruits,sheassuredme—andshewasright.

HereareafewfamousexamplesofpeoplewhoreportasimilardisconnectbetweentheirbanalexperiencesduringTMandthedramaticresultsoftheirpractice.

*

ArtistMindyWeiselcreditsTMwithtransformingherfromastateofexhaustionandhopelessnessintoahappy,fulfilledwoman.Inaddition,shebelievesthatTMchangedthedirectionofherartisticcareer.Beforelearningtomeditate,shehadforyearsbeenapainter.WithinafewyearsofbeginningregularTM,however,sheshiftedtoworkinginglassandhassincebecomefamousforherglasssculptures.

WhenIaskedheraboutherexperiencesduringmeditation,however,sherepliedthatmostlyshehasnothoughtsatall,justasenseofopennessandspace,andanicefeelingthatseemstobecenteredaroundthefrontofherhead.

*

LetmeclosethisparticularpointwithafewwordsfromJerrySeinfeld,whoselongexperiencewithmeditation(forty-oneyearsasof2015,andcounting)hasbyhisownaccountchangedhislife.Yet,here’swhathehastosayabouthismeditativeexperienceduringhismorningTMsessions:

I’lldotheTMbeforeanybodygetsupandhowdoesitfeel?Itdoesn’tfeellikeanything.Itdoesn’tdoanything.Idon’tgetit.Idon’tunderstandit.Buthere’sthedifference:At1:00p.m.thatday,myheaddoesnothitthedesklikeitusedto.

Hereweseeintheconcise,punchystyleofabrilliantcomedianthepowerfuleffectTMhasonhisdaydespitehowuneventfulthesessionsthemselvesfeel.

*

What’sgoingoninthemindwhilethebodyissobusyrelaxing?First,notallmentalchangesaretranscendent.Ordinarythoughtscomeandgo,asnaturallyhappenswhenyouclosetheeyes.You’resittingatrestforwhatmaybethefirstbreakyou’retakingallday,andthatfeelsgoodinitsownright.Butthenthemantracomes,asyouhavebeentaughttoaccessit,inawaythatmaybedifferenteachtimeyoumeditate.

Nowthatwehavetheseimportantpointsoutoftheway,letmeturntomyfriend,colleague,andveteranTMteacherBobRoth,whoexplainshowthebrainworkswiththemantrainthisway:“Themind,bynature,doesn’tliketodo‘nothing.’Themindlikestothink,imagine,visualize,plan.Thinkingthemantraengagesthemind.Andbecausethemantrahasnomeaning,thediscriminatingintellectdoesn’thavetogetinvolved.Andbecauseitisasoothing,life-supportingsound,andyouaretaughtinpersonalinstructionhowtouseitproperly,youareabletoeffortlessly,naturally,andquitespontaneouslyaccessdeeper,moreabstract,intuitivelevelsofthemindthatarerarelyavailableintheordinarywakingstate.”

Forawhilethoughtsandmantramaytravelsidebyside,thenperhapsjustthemantraandthen...transcendence.Youhavegonethroughthelookingglassandenteredthefourthstateofconsciousness.Itisquietthere.Still.Peaceful.Thoughtsmaystillcomeandgobutsoonerorlater...silence...allthoughtshavegone.Howstrangeitistobealertandpeacefulatthesametime—soalert,infact,thatyoucouldhearapindrop.Yetintheplacewherethoughtsusuallyreside—nothing.That’swhythisstatehasbeencalled“pureconsciousness,”becauseyouareconsciousinawaythatThoreauhascomparedto“astilllakeofpurestcrystal,”where“withoutaneffortourdepthsarerevealedtoourselves.”

Usually,whenwethinkaboutsomething,weengageinaprocesscalled“duality,”inwhichthepersonthinkingandthethoughtitselfseemliketwoseparateentities.Evenwhenwearethinkingaboutourselves,dualityappliesinsofarasthemindandthataspectoftheselfthatisthefocusofreflectionareexperiencedastwoseparateentities.Inpureconsciousness,however,nosuchdivisionoccurs.

ThephilosopherMartinBuberdividedrelationshipsinto“I-Thou”and“I-It,”referringtoprofoundinterpersonalrelationshipsandimpersonalones,respectively.Whenyoutranscend,I,thou,anditallblend.Thereisafeelingof“oneness.”AsIwriteabouttheseexperiences,Iamawarethatsomepeoplemightimagineasenseoflossassociatedwithsuchoneness,ornonduality.Whereisthethou?Whereistheit?Won’tIfeellonely?Youmightthinkso.Yetinconductingmanyinterviewswithpeoplewhohaveexperiencedtranscendence,Ihaveneverencounteredthisasanissue.

Onceinawhile,somepeoplefeelminoranxietyonfirstmeditating,perhapsduetothenewnessoftheexperience.Ifthatshouldhappen,checkinginwithyourTMteacherusuallyresolvesthematterwithinafewminutes.Formostpeople,however,thesenseofonenessisblissfulandrelaxing.One’ssenseof

selfdissolvesintoapleasantemptiness,whicheventuallyfillsupagainwithvibrantthoughts,feelings,andallthebric-a-bracofmentallife,asdescribedinthequotefromtheTaoTeChingattheheadofthischapter.

Justasourthoughtscomeandgo,so(attimes)dootherboundaries,suchasoursenseoftimeandspace.Onepersontoldmethatheoncelostallsenseofhishands,whichwereproppinghimupashesatonthefloor,yethadnofearoffalling.Thesenseoftimedisappearingisalsocurious.IsitWednesdayorThursday?HowlonghaveIbeenhere?Intranscendence,thefamiliaranchorsoftimemayvanish.Yetsomehowthebrainseemstohaveitsownalarmclockthattellspeoplewhentwentyminutesisup.It’snotinfallible,ofcourse,andifyouhaveanimportantengagement,youmaywanttouseameditationappthatgivesasinglefaintchimeaftertwentyminutesandthenshutsoff—unlikeanalarmthathastobeturnedoffmanually.

OnepropertyoftranscendencethattheLoyolastudentsnailedisthefeelingofbliss.It’sanunusualword,“bliss,”notoneweusemuchineverydaylife,perhapsbecauseithasanotherworldlyquality.Beyondthecomponentsofjoyandhappiness,forwhichtherearemanyotherwords,“bliss”alsoconveysasenseofserenityandpeacefulness.Idon’tknowanyothersinglewordthatcapturesalltheseelements,whichtogethertypifythestateoftranscendence.

Afewpeoplediveintotranscendencetheveryfirsttimetheylearntomeditate(seemoreaboutthisbelow),butformostothersthestatecomesmoreslowly.Ifellintothesecondcategory,anditwasseveralweeksbeforeIevenrealizedIwastranscending.Thisisanimportantpointtonote,becausethejoysoftranscendenceareoftenthereinforcementyouneedtokeeponmeditating,especiallyintheearlydays.Absentsuchreinforcement,itiseasytogiveup,therebymissingoutoneverythingTMhastooffer.HereisanotherplacewheretheinputofagoodTMteachercanmakeacrucialdifference.Sometimesasmallcorrectionintechniquecanhastentheprogression;atothertimessimpleencouragementtopersevereisallthat’sneeded.Oneofmypatients,awomaninhersixties,insistedthatshewasunabletomeditate.“Ican’tevensitstill,”shesaid.Aftersomeencouragementandsimpletweakingofthemechanics,however,shenowmeditatesregularlywithherhusbandandlovesit.

Thedescriptionsoftranscendencethatwe’veencountered—stillness,peace,unity,bliss—capturemanyofthestandardaspectsofthefourthstateofconsciousness,buttherearemanyexceptions.Forexample,somepeoplereportgoingintoastatewhereawarenessofanysortdisappears—untilconsciousnessreturns—when,loandbehold!twentyminuteshavepassed.Iknowthatsounds

prettymuchlikeanap,buthavingexperiencedsuchtranscendentstatesmyself,IcansaythatwhenIemerge,IdonotfeelasifIhavetakenanap.AlthoughIcannotswearnoz’sslippedin,Iamclearheadedinanon-postnapway,wideawake,andreadytogetonwiththeday.Othershavereportedsimilarexperiences.

Thentherearethosewhohavespectaculartranscendentexperiences—withthecaveatmentionedabove,whichisimportantenoughformetorepeat:Dramaticexperiencesarebynomeansnecessaryforobtainingthebenefitsoftranscendence.Actually,BobRothtellsmethatmanypeoplerarelyhaveexperiencesthatcanbereadilyidentifiedascleartranscendenceyetlovetheirmeditationpracticebecauseitproducessuchpowerfulandpositivebenefitsintheirlives.Theexperienceofcleartranscendencemostoftencomesfromtwice-a-dayregularmeditationpractice.Althoughtranscendencecanstartwiththefirstmeditation—goingbeyondagitatedthinkingtocalmerlevelsofthemind—theclarityandrichnessoftheexperiencegrowsovertime.

Keepthesethoughtsinmindasyoulistentovividpyrotechnicdescriptions,especiallyifallyoumayexperienceisstillness,quiet,bliss,andpureconsciousness—whichiswhathappensmostlyforme(andwhichisreallyquitealot,whenyouthinkofit).Ithastakenmeyears,infact,tofullyacceptthevalueofthislessspectacularformoftranscendence,butnowIdofinallybelievethatitsbenefitsarejustasprofoundassomeoftheexperiencesyouwillreadaboutbelow.

Evenso,Imustconfessthatalingeringtraceoftranscendenceenvycancropup.Recently,thatoccurredwhenIwasvisitingwithmyfriendRichardFriedman,aprofessorofpsychiatryatWeillCornellMedicalCollegeandaregularcolumnistfortheNewYorkTimes.Hewastellingmeaboutthecopper-coloredlightthatinfuseshisinnerspaceashepracticesTM.“Ialsoseephosphenes,”hesaid,referringtodotsoflight(suchasyoumightseewhengentlypressingtheclosedeyelids).Myfirstinstinctwastoask,“Whydon’tIseephosphenes?”ButthenIremindedmyselfofhowIhavechangedsinceIbegantomeditate—evenintheabsenceofdazzlingvisuals—andenvyturnedtogratitude.

OnefamousexampleofaspectaculartranscendentexperienceisdescribedbyiconicfilmmakerandveteranmeditatorDavidLynch,inhisbookCatchingtheBigFish.3Accordingtohim,theveryfirsttimehemeditated,itfeltasthoughthecableofanelevatorinwhichhewasridinghadbeensevered.Itwasasthoughheliterallyfellintoapoolofbliss.Somepeoplereadingthatecstatic

descriptionhavefeltinadequateinneverhavinghadsuchathrillingexperienceduringmeditation,nolessontheirveryfirstattempt.Asyoucanseefromtheabovediscussion,however,suchfeelingsofinadequacyareunwarranted.

NowthatIhaveissuedallthesecaveats,let’shavesomefun:herecomesomecolorfuldescriptionsofwhattranscendenceislikefordiversemeditators,drawnfromresponsestotheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire(seechapter7).

Itislikeawakingdream,analteredstatewherethemindfeelslikeitissuspendedmidwayina“flotationtankofconsciousness.”

fifty-two-year-oldmanfromJohannesburg

ItisasthoughIhaveputonnoise-cancelingearphones.Icanhearmyheartbeatinmyears.Iamawareonlyofwhitenesssurroundingme.

sixty-seven-year-oldmanfromFlorida

Mysensesareignited.Theairismorefragrant.I’mfilledwithaconnectednesswitheverythingaroundme,livingorinanimate.Iamoverwhelmedwithasenseofjoyandmeaningatbeingalive.

sixty-three-year-oldwomanfromMaryland

Artists,inparticular,seemtohaveespeciallyvividtranscendentexperiences.Hereisadescriptionbyoneofmypatients,Moira,awomaninherearlysixties.

AsIamtranscending,Ioftenfeelasthoughvibrantcoloriswashingovermeagainandagain.AtothertimesIfeelasortofpulsatingauroraborealis.Idescribeitthatwaybecausethehuesarevividwithnohardedgesanditmovesupwards,fillingmewithbeautifulcolor.WhenIhavefullytranscended,Idon’tremembertoomuch.Sometimesideasformycurrentpaintingsdriftinandout,butmostlyIexperienceawonderful,restfulfeeling.

Moirahasexperiencedremarkablechangesinthequalityofherpaintingandherlifeafterjusteighteenmonthsofmeditation.Shehasrealizedthatsheismoreinterestedinrepresentingcolorthanformandhas,therefore,simplifiedthedesignofherpaintingstoreflectthisnewemphasis.Moirahasshownme

picturesoftheserecentpaintings,andtheyareindeedspectacular.Inparallelwiththesedevelopmentsinpaintingstylehavecomechangesinherlifestyle,whichshehasalsosimplifiedsoastoemphasizeherpriorities—ashiftshefindsmorefulfillingthemoreshecontinuestoreshapeherlife.

ItcouldbetemptingtoconcludethatthebeneficialeffectsonMoira’sartandlifearedirectlyrelatedtoherdramaticexperienceswhiletranscending.Recall,however,thesimilartransformationaleffectsonartistMindyWeisel—bothpersonallyandinherwork—eventhoughherexperiencesduringmeditationsoundquiteordinary.Theseanecdotalobservationsareconsistentwithbrain-wavestudiesinwhichtheEEGchangesseeninmeditatorsbearnorelationtohowdramatictheirtranscendentexperiencesare.

SoifyourexperiencesduringmeditationaremorelikeMindy’sthanMoira’s,don’tdespair.Thereisnoevidencethatspectaculartranscendentexperienceswilladvancethedevelopmentofconsciousness—thegrowthoftheSuperMind—anybetterthanlessdramaticones.Myowntranscendentexperiencesandthoseofmostofmypatientsarepleasantbutunsensational.Whatissensational,however,aretheeffectsofthoseTMsessions—theemergenceandgrowthoftheSuperMind.LetmeleavethelastwordonthesubjecttoMaharishi.Someoneonceaskedhimifadeepermeditationisbetterthanonethatseemsmoreonthesurface.Maharishirepliedthatbotharegood.Whenaskedwhy,hesaid,“Becauseeveninashallowdivewegetwet.”

*

Atthispoint,letussummarizewhatwehavelearnedsofaraboutthechangesinbodyandmindduringaTMsession:

Duringtranscendentalconsciousnessthemeditatormayexperiencestillness,quiet,nospecificthoughts,disappearanceofboundaries(oftimeandspace),andbliss.Breathingslowsdown,musclesrelax,andanypainthatispresentmaydiminish.Theactualcontentofthoughtsandexperiencesduringthesessionishighlyvariable,butthereisnoclearassociationbetweenthesethoughtsandexperiencesandtheemergenceandgrowthoftheSuperMind.

Inthefollowingchapter,wewillinvestigatewhatweknowscientificallyaboutthephysicalandmentalchangesthatunderlietheexperienceswehaveduringTMsessionsingeneralandduringtranscendence.

5THEPHYSIOLOGYOFTRANSCENDENCE

Ishallconsiderhumanactionsanddesires...asthoughIwereconcernedwithlines,planes,andsolids.

BaruchSpinoza

Inthelastchapter,weconsideredthesubjectiveexperienceoftranscendence.ThekeyquestionIwilladdressinthischapteris,whileapersonismeditating,whatchangescanwemeasureinbodyandbrainthatmightexplainthequietblissoftranscendence?

Atthispoint,Ishouldprobablybeexplicitthat—likemostpsychiatristsandneuroscientists—Iregardmindandthebrainastwoaspectsofthesamesetofphenomena.Wheneverwefeel,think,oract,specificneuralcircuitsfireaccordingly.Weregisterphenomenaofthemindasexperiencesoriginatingeitherfromwithinorfromtheworldaroundus.Wemeasurephenomenaofthebrainwithspecificinstruments.Weusedifferentlanguagesasweshuttlebetweenthetwodomainsofmindandbrain,butallthewhileweunderstandthattheyrepresentoneandthesameentity.

Becausepeoplespendmostoftheirlivesexperiencingthemselvesintheframeworkofthemind—thoughts,feelings,memories,anddesires—itisthesemindelementsthatcoheretocreateasenseofself.Everynowandthen,though,peoplebecomeawarethatthereisabrainoperatinginparallelwiththemind—forexample,whenyouhaveanEEGor,morecommonly,whensomethinggoeswrongwithyourbrainandyourealizethatyoursenseofselfisrootedinneurons,synapses,andcircuits.Withthatinmind,letusexaminewhatweknowabouttheeffectsofTMonthebody,brain,andmind.

LET’SSTARTWITHTHEBODYTheGermanphilosopherFriedrichNietzscheemphasizedthewisdomofthe

bodyinhelpingusunderstandourselves.WilliamJames,knowntomanyasthefatherofpsychology,wouldhaveagreed.Inhisfamousessay“WhatIsanEmotion?”hepostulatedthatwhenweseeabearinthewoods,werunfirst!—andonlythendoesfearfollow.Accordingtohim,weareafraidbecausewerunratherthantheotherwayaround.Asyoucanimagine,therehasbeenendlessdebateonthissubject,whichcontinuestothisday.Forpresentpurposes,letussimplyagreethatmeasuringchangesinthebodyduringmeditationmayadvanceourunderstandingofboththephysiologicalandpsychologicalchangesthatresultfromthepractice.

Besidestheremarkableslowingandirregularityofthebreath,themostnoteworthyphysicalchangeshaveemergedfrommeasurementsofelectricalcurrentconductedacrossthesurfaceoftheskin—theso-calledgalvanicskinresponse(GSR).TheGSRisasensitivemeasureofnervoussystemarousalthatincreaseswhenapersonistense,anxious,orexcited.Itisakeymeasureemployedinapolygraphorliedetector.Apersonafraidofbeingcaughtinalieislikelytofeelaspikeofanxietywhenasensitivequestionisposed,andtheGSRbouncesupaccordingly.Ofcourse,theGSRcouldbounceupforotherreasons,andtheaccuracyofliedetectorshasbeenchallenged.

Youmaywonderwhythesurfaceoftheskinwouldbeagoodplacetodetermineifsomeoneislying.Well,eventhoughwegenerallyconsidersweatingasabimodalbodilyfunction—thatis,we’reeitherdrenchedwithsweatorbonedry—infactthesweatglandsontheskin’ssurfaceareveryfinelycalibratedtoouremotions.Whenouranxietylevelrisesevenslightly,sweatingincreasesenoughtoboostthecurrentbetweentwoelectrodesontheskin(partoftheGSRapparatus)andregisteranupwardblip.Whenwerelax,theoppositeoccurs.Inotherwords,changesinGSRcurrentresultfromtinymoment-to-momentvariationsinsweating.

Wemightthereforeexpectthatwhenapersonmeditatesandtranscends,theoverallGSRdrops.Oddly,however,justbeforepeopleentertranscendencethereisaclearuptickintheGSR.WhenFredTravis(apreeminentEEGresearcher,whomwewillmeetagainsoon)firstnoticedthisparadoxicaluptick,hewonderedwhethertherewassomethingwrongwithhisequipment.Herepeatedhisstudiesandcheckedthemachinery,butsureenoughthereitwasagain—aGSRincreasejustbeforeapersonsettlesintotranscendence.1

Uponreflection,Travis’sparadoxicalfinding(increasedGSRatthestartofaTMsession)isnotasstrangeasitmayseem.Inaparallelway,levelsofwakefulnesshavebeenfoundtoincreasejustbeforebedtime.It’sasthoughthebodyandbrainhaveevolvedtogetactiveandmakesureyourplaceofslumberissafebeforeyouletyourselfsleep.IoftenwonderwhethersomethingsimilarishappeningasIwatchdogsdrawingsharpcirclesinthecarpetbeforetheynap.It’sasthoughtheyareenactinganancientritualofdiggingasafeplacewheretheycansettleintotheprofoundcanineslumberthatistheenvyofmanyahumanbeing.

PROLACTIN:AHORMONETOTRANSCENDBYBeforewegoontowhathappenstothebrainduringtranscendence,one

otherobservationisworthmentioning—aftermeditationthereisariseinbloodlevelsofthehormoneprolactin.Prolactinissecretedbythepituitarygland,astructurelocatedatthebaseofthebrain.Thehormonehasmanyfunctions,butofparticularinteresthereisitscapacitytoinduceastateofcalmalertness,likewhatpeoplefeelastheyentertranscendence.

ThomasWehr,apsychiatristandclosefriendsinceourtimetogetherattheNationalInstituteofMentalHealth,observedsimilarincreasesinprolactinlevelswhenpeoplewereaskedtolieinthedarkforextendedperiods,spendingthenightasourancestorsdidbeforethedevelopmentofelectriclights.2Underthosecircumstances,peopleexperiencedsleepnotasoneunbrokenblock(aswedoinmodernlife),butastwoseparateblocks.3Betweenthefirstandsecondsleepperiod,Wehr’ssubjectslayinastateofcalmattentiveness,whichafewdescribedas“crystal-clearconsciousness.”ThisphraserecallsdescriptionsoftranscendencearisingbothduringTMandinthecourseofday-to-dayliving.

Whatisthefunctionofthiscalminghormone?Althoughwecertainlydon’thaveacompleteanswer,wedoknowthatprolactinlevelsriseinnursingmothersandbroodingchickens—bothsituationsinwhichitisimportanttoremainstationaryandcalm.Therearealsohumandatathatsuggestprolactinmayofferpsychologicalbenefits—suchasthecalmnessandclarityofthinkingthatsomeofWehr’sstudyparticipantsreported.

THEBRAINDURINGTRANSCENDENCE

WhilechangestakeplaceinthebodyduringTMsessions,especiallyduringtranscendence—slowingdownofthebreath,relaxationofthemuscles,decreasedGSR,andincreasedprolactin—whatishappeninginthebrain?EEGrecordingsshowanincreaseintheconcentrationofalphawaves,aslowwaveformassociatedwithcalmself-reflection.Theincreaseddensityofalphawavesduringtranscendenceismostprominentintheprefrontalareaofthecortex—thatpartofthebrainjustbehindtheforehead,4whichisknowntobeimportantinregulatingimpulsesandpromotinggoodjudgment.Inthewell-functioningbrain,theprefrontalcortexoperatessmoothlyinharmonywithotherbraincenters.Indeed,givenitscentralroleinthebrain’sexecutivefunctions,theprefrontalcortexhasoftenbeencalledtheCEOofthebrain.Bysoothingtheprefrontalcortexovertime,thepowerfulfluxesofalpharhythmsmaystrengthenthisimportantbrainstructure.Wewillreturntothisideawhenweconsiderwhathappenswhentranscendentexperiences—initiallypresentonlyduringTMsessions—begintopervadeaperson’sdailylife.

Inarecentimagingstudy,sixteenexperiencedTMpractitionerswerecomparedwithsixteencontrolsubjectsusingblood-oxygen-level-dependentmagneticresonance.Whilemeditating,themeditatorsshowedincreasedbloodflowtoportionsoftheprefrontalcortex(andelsewhereinthebrain),aresultconsistentwiththeideathatTMstrengthensthisexecutivepartofthebrain.5

AnotherconceptI’dliketointroducehereisEEGcoherence,whichreferstotherelationshipbetweenEEGpatternsindifferentregionsofthebrain.Themorethatbrain-wavepatternsindifferentbrainregionscorrelatewithoneanother,thehigherthelevelofcoherence.DuringTMsessions,EEGcoherenceincreasesinthealpharange,especiallyintheprefrontalcortex.StudiesinNorwayconductedbyHaraldHarung(atthetime,associateprofessoratOsloUniversityCollege)andFredTravishavefoundthatinbothbusiness6andathletics,7moreaccomplishedindividualsshowedhigherlevelsofEEGcoherenceinthefrontalregionsacrossseveralwavelengths.8Inotherwords,thisincreasedcoherencewasfoundwhensubjectshadtheireyesopenandwereperformingtasks.SimilarEEGfindingsoccurduringthewakingstate(witheyesopen)inthosewhomeditateconsistentlyovertime(aswewillseeinchapter18).

Insummary,thebrainchangesseenduringmeditation,inparticularduringtranscendence,fallintotwobroadcategories.First,therearebodyandbrainchangesthatreflectdeeprelaxation.Suchchangesmaybethebasisofthestress

reliefthatmeditatorsexperience,whichmaybeginwithindaysofthefirstmeditationsession.ThisreliefthenbuildsinimpactoveryearsandprobablyaccountsforthecardiovascularandotherhealthbenefitsofTM.Second,therearechangesinbrainrhythmsthatoccurduringmeditation—notablyanincreaseinalpha-rhythmdensityintheprefrontalcortexandgreaterlevelsofalphacoherencethroughoutthecortex.Thesebrain-wavechangesmayexplain(atleastinpart)themanywaysinwhichthebrainappearstofunctionbetterinthosewhoregularlypracticeTM.

OFFTOSEETHEWIZARDAsIcontemplatedwritingthisbook,itwascleartomethatIwouldneedto

payavisittothelaboratoryofFredTravisatMaharishiUniversityofManagement—thewizardinthetitleofthissection,whoseGSRresearchwehavealreadyconsidered.ItisfairtosaythatnobodyintheworldknowsmoreabouttherelationshipbetweenEEGpatternsandTranscendentalMeditation.IarrivedatFred’slab,whichishousedin—ofallthings—ayellow-brickbuilding.Fredhadjustarrivedbybicycleandgreetedmewithhischaracteristicsmile,moreimpishthanwizard-like.Hewascasuallydressedandwearingsandals,andhisbicyclehelmetwasstillinplace,withbushyhairburstingoutonbothsidesofit.Heshowedmeintohislabandintroducedmetohisassistant,nicknamedNeo—acharacterfromthemovieTheMatrix—allofwhichcontributedtoanexcitingsensethatIwasenteringanalternateuniverse.

FredleftmewithNeo,whoattachedelectrodestovariousplacesonmyskullandhookedthemuptoanEEGmonitor.First,heaskedmetoperformasetofcomputerizedtaskswhileherecordedmyEEGresponses.Thenhehadmeclosemyeyesandmeditatefortenminutes.Inthissegment,IwastopressabuttonwhenIwascompletelylostinthoughtbeforecomingbacktothemantra.Thisallowedmetomarkspecificexperiencesduringthemeditationpractice.

DuringthatTMsession,Ihadwhatwasformeauniqueexperience.Ifeltsuffusedbylight—asthoughIcouldseethelightoftheroomshiningbrightlydespitehavingmyeyesclosed.Afterthetestwasover,Ibecameskepticaloftheexperience,quizzingmyselfastowhetherIwasfabricatingitinordertoproduceabetterstoryforthebook.Ismiled,however,tothinkofwhatapoorjobIhaddonehadIintendedtobetheatrical.Howmuchbetter,Ithought,ifthelightshadbeencolored,vivid,flashing,sinuous!But,no,theylookedlikeordinaryfluorescentofficelights.

WhenIreportedmyexperienceandthetrainofthoughtsthatfollowed,Fredrespondedinamatter-of-factway:“Ifyousawlight,yousawlight,”hesaid,andhadnofurtherquestions.Onreflection,Iunderstandwhyhewasuninterestedintheexactphenomenaofmytranscendentexperience.AsIpointedoutearlier,thereislittleornocorrelationbetweenpeople’ssensoryillusionsduringtranscendenceandthechangesTMwillproduceintheirlives.

AftercompletingFred’sresearchprotocol,IlookedovermydatawithNeoandfoundthatmyEEGresponsetomeditationwasexactlywhatitwassupposedtobe:DuringTM,alpharhythmspredominatedinthefrontalareasofmybrain,andtherewasanincreaseinalphacoherence.Asexpected,ofcourse—butnonethelessIwaspleased.Ihavedoneandseenmanystudiesinwhichthedatadon’tturnoutaspredicted,sowhentheydo,itisalwaysahappyevent.

THEALPHA,BETA,ANDGAMMAOFEEGRHYTHMSNowmaybeasgoodatimeasanytotellyouabitaboutdifferentbrain

rhythmsandtheircorrespondingstatesofawareness.Thecorrespondencesarenotrigid,however.Fewthingsinnatureare.EEGrhythmsmayvaryacrossdifferentbrainregionsatanyparticulartime.Sowhenwesayacertainrhythmisassociatedwithacertainstate,wedonotmeanaperfectcorrespondence.Instead,wearereferringtoapreponderanceofacertaintypeofrhythminthemajorityofpeoplestudied.

DuringmyvisittoFredTravis’slab,Ihadthetreatofaprivatelectureonbrainwavesbyaworld-classelectrophysiologist.Intable3(below),I’mdelightedtosharewithyouwhatIlearnedfromhimaboutdifferentbrainrhythmsandthestatesofawarenessandsubjectiveexperienceswithwhichtheyaremostoftenassociated.

ThepairingsofEEGrhythmswiththesubjectivestatesshowninthistabletellonlyafragmentarystory,astherearemanyothersubjectivestatesnotcoveredhere(suchasanxiety,ecstasy,anddissociation,tonamejustafew).Also,EEGrhythmsmaybesharedbydifferentsubjectivestates.

Table3

NAMEOFRHYTHM WAVELENGTH(CYCLESPERSECOND) SUBJECTIVESTATE

delta 0–4 sleep(deepsleepmostly)

theta1 4–6 drowsiness/dreaming

theta2 6–8 internalmentalprocesses,openmonitoring

alpha1 8–10 TM(paradoxicalalpha)

alpha2 10–12 eyes-closedrest

beta 16–20 attending

gamma 20–50 focusedattention

Asthetableshows,thealpharhythmisdividedintotwobands:alpha1or“paradoxicalalpha,”isassociatedwithTM,whereasalpha2isseenwhenapersonisatrestwitheyesclosed.Becausebothtypesofalphaoccurduringrestingstates,youmightexpectthatbothwouldbeassociatedwithdecreasedbrainmetabolism.Suchadrop,however,occursonlywhenalpha2predominates.Whenalpha1predominates,asoccursduringTM,brainmetabolismactuallyincreases—hencetheterm“paradoxicalalpha.”ThisparadoxicalstatemayreflectthemixedexperiencesocommonduringTM,inwhichactivethoughtsandquiettranscendencemayoccuratvarioustimes—orevensimultaneously—duringasinglesession.

Differentformsofmeditationarecharacterizedbydifferentpredominantbrain-wavepatterns,asonemightexpect(seetable3above).Afterall,eachonerequiresadifferenttypeoftask.Loving-kindnessmeditation,forexample,ispredominantlyassociatedwithhigherlevelsofgammawaves,afastfrequencyassociatedwithactiveattention—asexpected,giventhatthemeditatorconcentratesonsendingmessagesoflovingkindnesstowardselfandothers.Loving-kindnessmeditation,whichderivesfromtheBuddhisttradition,fallsintothebroadcategoryoffocused-attentionmeditation.Inotherexamplesofthistype,attentionmightfocusonamentalimage—suchasaflower,aflame,orapointoflightbetweentheeyebrows.

Inopen-monitoringmeditation,peoplepredominantlyshowincreasedtheta2wavesinthefrontalpartoftheirbrains.Thismakessense:itreflectstheinternalprocessingrequiredtopaycloseattentiontointernalexperiences—suchasthebreath—thatarecentraltothisformofmeditation.Openmonitoringandfocusedattentionareoftenconsideredtobeformsofmindfulnessmeditation.

Thedifferentbrain-wavesignaturesassociatedwitheachtypeofmeditationarejustoneofseveralelementsthatdistinguishonetypefromanother,andthatsuggesttheyarenotinterchangeableintheireffectsuponparticularpeople.

LET’SSUMMARIZEWHATSCIENCECANTELLUSABOUTCHANGESINTHEBODYANDBRAINDURINGTM:

Thereisanincreaseinlevelsofthesoothinghormoneprolactininthebloodstream.EEGstudiesshow(1)anincreaseinalpha1powerinthefrontalpartsofthebrain,and(2)anincreaseinalphacoherenceintheprefrontalcortex.Thereisanincreaseinbloodflowintheprefrontalcortexandelsewhereinthebrain.

JustastherearespecificEEGchangesassociatedwithtranscendence,sotherearewithCosmicConsciousness—thecontinuousexperienceoftheSuperMind—whichIwilldiscussinchapter18.Fornow,however,let’sexaminethedevelopmentoftheSuperMindingreaterdepth.

6FROMTRANSCENDENCETOSUPERMIND:AN

EXTRAORDINARYTRANSFORMATION

Thekeytogrowthistheintroductionofhigherdimensionsofconsciousness.

Lao-Tzu

OvertheyearsthatIhavemeditated,changeshaveoccurredinmethatweresosubtlethatoftenIcouldn’tdetectthematall—thoughIdid,ofcourse,noticethateverydaystressesseemedtobothermeless.Ifsomeoneoffendedmeorwasrude,insteadofhavingitout—asImighthavedoneinthepast—Iinstinctivelyadoptedanattitudethatthemattercouldwaittillthenextday,andinmostcasesbythentheissuedidn’tseemworthpursuing.Peoplewerenicertomeandeverythingcamemoreeasily.Butallthatfeltlikenobigdeal.Ittooktheobservationsofothers—family,friends,andcolleagues—toshowmehowdramaticallyIhadchanged.

Beforegoinganyfurther,IfeelobligedtosaythatIhavehardlyreachedsomeloftysummitofenlightenment.Likeeveryoneelse,I’maworkinprogress.However,unbeknownsttome,I’vemadesignificantgainsalongtheaxisofhappinessandself-fulfillment.OvertimeitbecamecleartomethatImeditateformuchmorethansimplystressrelief.ImeditatealsotosustainandadvancethechangesIhavelearnedtoassociatewiththeSuperMind.

Ihadbeenencouragingmanyofmypatientstomeditate—andafairproportionfollowedthroughwithgoodresults.Attimeswewoulddiscusstheirmeditationexperiencesduringsessions,andIsawinthem,asinmyself,changesthatwentbeyondreliefofstress.Instead,theyweremoreliketheprogressIwasusedtoseeingfrompsychotherapy—agrowthinwhattherapistscall“ego

strengths,”bywhichtheymeanpositivepersonalityattributes.ItbecameapparentthatTMwasnotmerelyrelaxingmypatientsbutalsohelpingthemchangeforthebetter.Curiously,itwasindiscussingtheirexperiencesoftranscendencethatIfirstbecameawareofmirroringthestatestheyweredescribing.Specifically,Iwouldbegintoslipintoatranscendentstateduringourdiscussions—asortofsilenceduringwakefulness.ThereIwas,activelyengagedinlistening,thinkingaboutwhatmypatientwassaying,offeringresponseswhenappropriate,butatthesametimeexperiencingstillness.Thiswas,Irealizedoneday,thebeginningofmypersonalawarenessoftranscendenceandwakefulnessminglingtogetheroutsideofaTMsession—myfirstawarenessofthedawningSuperMind—andanenormousexcitementcameovermeattheexperienceofthisnewstateofconsciousness.

ThejoyIfeltthen—andnowasIwriteaboutit—remindsmeofthatnovelstateoffeverishblissmixedwithquietconfidencethatIexperiencedwhenIfirstbecameawareoftranscendingduringmeditation.AllowmetorepeathowIdescribedthatfeelinginTranscendence.

Itwasathresholdexperience,muchliketheecstaticdaywhenIrealizedIcouldswim,thatIcouldactuallytakemyfeetoffthebottomoftheshallowendandpaddlearoundwithoutsinking;orwhenIrealized—thiswasbeforetheeraoftrainingwheels—thatIhadpedaledhalfablockwithnooneholdingontothebike.InallthesecasesIneededtoperseverebeforeIsawanypayoff.

AndsoitwaswiththefirstexperienceoftheSuperMind:Ihadthatsamefeelingofecstaticdiscovery—inthesense,ofcourse,thatonemight“discover”anynaturalwonderorworkofgeniusonexperiencingitforthefirsttime.Keatsexpressedthatinnerstatebeautifullyinhispoem“OnFirstLookingintoChapman’sHomer.”

ThenfeltIlikesomewatcheroftheskiesWhenanewplanetswimsintohisken;OrlikestoutCortezwhenwitheagleeyes

Hestar’datthePacific—andallhismenLook’dateachotherwithawildsurmise—Silent,uponapeakinDarien.

Evennow,asIrememberthosefirstSuperMindexperiences,astillnesscomesoverme,butalongwiththestillness,anenergy,afocus,asenseofbeingabletotacklewhatevermightcomemyway.MyfriendRayDalio,adecades-longTMpractitionerandfounderofthehedgefundBridgewaterAssociates,describessuchfeelingswellinchapter15.AsRayputsit,TMhashelpedhimfeellikeaninjainthemidstofbattle,whoexperiencesthingscomingathiminslowmotionsotheyareeasiertotackleonebyone.

Thethrustofthepresentbook,therefore,istoexplorethebenefitsofTMthatgobeyondpromotingphysicalwell-beingandhandlingstress.Rather(orinaddition),mynewfocusisonthedevelopmentofconsciousnessandthemanyfruitsityields—collectivelywhatIamcallingtheSuperMind.I’mintriguedtoseewhathappensnext,becauseitisnowcleartomethatconsciousnesscankeeponexpanding.Iamconvincedthatmanyotherssharethisfascination,andhopethatthisbookwillprovideasortofroadmaptothiscuriousandthrillingjourney.

MuchofwhatIamsharingwithyouisnotnew.Infact,itcomesfromVedicteachingsthatarethousandsofyearsold.But,aswithmanygreattexts,theirmeaningisnotimmediatelyapparent.Sometimeago,forexample,IcameacrossthefollowingquotefromtheMaitriUpanishad,oneoftheUpanishads,aseriesoffoundationtextsinVedicliterature.

Thereissomethingbeyondourmindwhichabidesinsilencewithinourmind.Itisthesuprememysterybeyondthought.Letone’smind...restonthatandnotrestonanythingelse.1

WhenIfirstencounteredthispassage,Iimmediatelyfellinlovewiththedescriptionoftranscendenceembeddedinthewords“somethingbeyondourmindwhichabidesinsilencewithinourmind.”Whatasubtleportrayalofhowitfeelstopassthroughsomemysteriousportalintoanotherworld!Itwasthereforenosurprisethatthetextshouldenjoinustorestonthatsomething.Butnottorestonanythingelse?ThereIgotstuck.

Howcouldthatbe?Iwondered.Surelyonlyaprofessionalpunditorgurucouldaffordsuchaluxuryasrestingontranscendence—notabusypersonwhohadajobtodo,afamilytocarefor,alivingtomake.Butovertime,wheneverIreencounterthesewords,Ihavecometoexperiencethatcuriouspleasureone

getsonrereadingaclassicasamatureadultthattheylastreadyearsbefore.Hasthateverhappenedtoyou?Asaresultoflifeexperience,youarenowabletoappreciatethewritinginanentirelynewway.

Soitwasformewiththeabovequote.Ihavenowgraspedthatitispossibleforthetranscendenttobepresentthroughouttheday—orpartsoftheday—eveninthemidstofordinarylife.SoitseemsthattheUpanishadisreferringtoCosmicConsciousness—thefullyestablishedSuperMind—andinthecourseofwritingthisbookIhaveencounteredpeoplewhoenjoytranscendencethroughouteachday,evenwhilegoingabouttheirbusyandsuccessfullives.

Theprogressionfromtranscendence—astateexperiencedinitiallyonlyduringTMsessions—totheSuperMind,withitsmanyfacets,ishighlyvariablefrompersontoperson.InsomepeoplethereisclearevidenceofSuperMinddevelopmentevenwithinthefirstfourdaysoftraining.Oftentheseinvolvechangesinperceptionorprofoundpsychologicalattitudesthatseemdifficulttoexplainpurelyintermsofstressrelief.OneERdoctor,forexample,wasconvincedthatthecriticalcareunitwheresheworkedhadbeenbrightenedinsomeway,eitherwithnewlightingorafreshpaintjob,neitherofwhichhadoccurred.Afterpeoplestarttomeditate,theworldoftenappearsbrighter,bothliterallyandfiguratively.Suchearlychangesaretheexception,however.Formostpeople,thechangesassociatedwiththeSuperMindoccurslowly,subtly,andincrementally.Ultimately,however,theircumulativeeffectcanbepowerfulandeventransformative.

Asconsciousnesscontinuestodevelop,somemeditatorsexperiencethestateofstillnessduringwaking,alongwithitsbenefits—inotherwords,theSuperMind—continuously.Thisfarendofthedevelopmentofconsciousnessisthesubjectofchapter18.

*

Asyouwillseeinthenextchapter,whichpresentstheresultsofasurveyofoversixhundredTMpractitioners,thelongerandmoreregularlyapersonmeditates,themoresteadilyandprogressivelytheSuperMinddevelops.ThisprogressionhasledsomemeditatorstocomparethegrowthoftheSuperMindtocompoundinterest:Ittendstogrowgeometricallyovertime.Certainlythatishowithasbeenforme.

BEFOREPROCEEDINGTOTHENEXTCHAPTER,LET’SSUMMARIZEWHATWE’VECOVEREDHERE:

Withregularmeditation,peopleexperiencetranscendenceenteringtheirwakinghours.Theresultisanintermingling(coexistence)oftranscendenceandwakefulnessthatcanbeasourceofblissinitself,aswellasyieldingnumeroustangiblegiftsthatwewilldiscussinsubsequentchapters.Collectively,thecombinationofchangesinconsciousnessandthebenefitsthataccrueconstitutetheSuperMind.Whenaperson’sconsciousnessdevelopstothepointwheretranscendenceispresentcontinuously,thatpersonissaidtobeinastateofCosmicConsciousness.

7THECONSCIOUSNESSINTEGRATION

QUESTIONNAIRE

Ifyoucan’tmeasuresomething,youcan’tunderstandit.H.JamesHarrison

Althoughthedevelopmentofconsciousnessisanancientconcept—andalthoughMaharishiandothershavesetforthitselementsinrichlydescriptiveterms,1ithasnottodatebeenscientificallycharacterized.Canyoumeasureit?Doesitchangeovertimeand,ifso,how?Whatareitselementsandpredictors?Andperhapsmostimportant,howdoesthegrowthofconsciousnessaffectaperson’slife?Thesearethetypesofquestionsthathavebeenaskedforotherpsychologicalstates,andthereareestablishedmethodsforfindingout.Questionnaireshavebeendevelopedinmanyareasofbehavioralscienceandareimportantforbothunderstandingandmeasuringsuchexperiencesasanxiety,depression,resilience,andhappiness.Iwondered,“WhynotusesimilarmethodstomeasuretheeffectofTMonthedevelopmentofhigherconsciousnessandthelivesofmeditators—inotherwords,ontheSuperMind?”Tothisend,mycolleaguesandIconstructedtheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire(CIQ),whichyoucanfindinappendix2.2

Becausethedevelopmentofaquestionnaireandsurveymethodsinvolvesmorequantitativeelementsandstatisticsthanmaybeofinteresttomostreaders,Ihavechosentorelegatetechnicalinformationtothenotesforthoseofyouwhoenjoydelvingintosuchthings.Thatallowsmetousethischaptertosharewithyouourmostinterestingsurveyfindingsunencumberedbytechnicalities.Also,

themostimportantfindingsfromoursurveyaresummarizedattheendofthechapter.

StartingwithMaharishi’steachingsabouthigherstatesofconsciousness,FredTravis,GerryGeer,andI,alongwithmanyotherTMscholars,constructedalistofitemsthatwegroupedaprioriintotwosubscalesthatmeasuredaspectsof(1)consciousnessdevelopment(StateofConsciousnessscale),and(2)theeffectofTMonaperson’slife(ImpactonLifescale).ThereasonfornamingthecollectiveresponsestoquestionsaboutthesetwoscalestheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaireisthatoneofourmajorgoalsistoassesshowthedevelopmentofconsciousness(scalenumber1)affectsandbecomesintegratedintoaperson’slife(scalenumber2).Youcanfindtheactualquestionnaire(CIQ)inappendix2,answerthequestionsyourself,andseehowyouscoreonthetwodifferentscales.Theitemsinthesetwoscalesarealsoshowninfigures2–5(below),whichshowwhatpercentageofrespondentsendorsedeachitemasyesand,inthosewhohadhadtheexperience,howfrequently.

Althoughinoursurveyallthesequestionsreferredtotheperiodduringwhichrespondentshadbeenmeditating,thequestionnairecaneasilybemodifiedandadministeredtoanybody.Forexample,itwouldbeusefulasabaselinemeasurebeforepeoplestarttomeditateorengageinanypracticethatmightaltertheirstateofconsciousnessorchangetheirlives.Thatwaytheycanusethequestionnairetocheckbacklaterandseehowtheymighthavechanged.

MEASURINGTHESUPERMIND

Weconductedasurvey,andanalyzeddatafrom607meditators,3referredbyvariousTMcentersintheUnitedStatesandSouthAfrica,usingaweb-basedinstrumentcalledSurveyMonkey.4Ofthosewhoreplied,about80percentwerefromtheUnitedStatesand20percentfromSouthAfrica.Thechoiceofthesetwolocationsmayseemstrange,buttheywerethetwocountrieswhereTMteacherswerekindenoughtomotivatetheirstudentstocompletethequestionnaire.Womenslightlyoutnumberedmen(52percentversus48percent).TherewasawiderangeindurationofTMpractice,withamedianoffouryears.(Forthoseinterestedinmoredetailsaboutbackgroundvariablesofthesurveyedpopulation,seethenotes.5)

WheneverpeoplerespondyestoaCIQitem,theyaregivenachoiceastohowfrequentlytheyexperiencethatitem.Foranalysispurposes,wedivided

frequencyintothreecategories:infrequent,often,andveryoften.6Asmentioned,westatisticallydevelopedtwoscalesbywhichweassessed

theeffectsofTMonaperson’slife:theStateofConsciousness(seefigure2)andtheImpactonLifescales.7Bymeansofappropriatestatistics(factoranalysis)wefurthersubdividedtheImpactonLifescaleintothreefactors:(1)supportofnature,(2)internalgrowth,and(3)inthezone(seefigures3–5).8

THEIMPACTOFTMONTHEDEVELOPMENTOFCONSCIOUSNESS

ThefollowingfigureshowstheitemsthatconstitutetheStateofConsciousnessscale(listedinfigure2below,alongwiththeproportionofrespondentswhoendorsedeachitem).Thebargraphsinthefigureitselfshowthefrequencieswithwhichthosewhoendorsedeachitemreportedeachexperience.Inthethreegraphsthatfollow(figures3–5),dataarepresentedinthesameformat.9

Figure2

KeytoFigure2ITEMNUMBERSINTHEFIGUREANDBELOWCORRESPONDTOITEMNUMBERSONTHECIQ

4.Silentandcalmexperiencesduringmeditation(95percentsaidyes)5.Stillnessduringordinarywakingexperience(92percent)6.Asensethatthe“realyou”isseparatefromtheupsanddownsofordinarylife(85percent)

7.Experiencingtheworldinmorevivid,richlycolorful,orfine-graineddetail(78percent)

8.Continuinginfluenceofsuchvividexperience(61percent)9.Changesinqualityofsleep(76percent)

Theaboveitemsmaybefamiliartoyoufromyourreading,fromyourownmeditationpractice,orfromboth.

Atthispoint,Iwouldliketodrawyourattentiontothelastthreeitemsshownabove:thoserelatedtoexperiencingtheworldmorevividly,andchangesinqualityofsleep.ThenwewillproceedtolookatotherwaysinwhichregularTMpracticecaninfluenceaperson’slife.

HEIGHTENEDSENSORYEXPERIENCES

Ononeoccasionaftermyeveningmeditation,Iwentforastrollaroundmyneighborhood.Thoughitwasdeepsummer,theeveningwassurprisinglycool—moistaftertherain.Onmyreturn,Iwalkedupthegardenpathtowardmydoorandstoodforamoment,ormaybeseveralmoments,inaspacebetweenflowersthathadgrowntall—tallerthanme—overthecourseofthesummer.

Theflowershadgeneratedmoisture,creatingaminiatureatmosphereoftheirown.Whatjumpedoutatmewasthecleome—pinkandwhitespideryblooms,likecreaturesfromouterspace—thatseemedtoreachouttome,whiletheairstrokedmyfacelikeagentlehand.Thehibiscusflowersstoodaloof.

Forawhile,standingthere,itseemedtomeasthoughtimehaddisappearedsothatI,theflowers,andthemoistairwereallpartofasingletapestry.

TheheightenedexperiencestayedwithmelongafterIhadunlockedthedoorandenteredmyhouse—thevibrantblooms,thecoolmoistair,andthesummereveningwerestillfullypresentasIwentaboutmydailychores.Andformanydaysafterward,wheneverIpassedthatthresholdtoenterthehouse,Iexperiencedanechoofthatstateofmind.

Ihadneverbeengiventomysticalexperiences,suchastheonedescribedabove,butmeditationhassharpenedbothmysensesandmyawarenessoftheworldaroundme,justasmanyothershavereported.Eventually,as

consciousnessdevelopsbymeansofrepeated,regularmeditation,perceptionsoftenbecomemorevivid,fine-grained,andradiant.Let’shearaboutsuchexperiencesfromotherTMpractitionerswhorespondedtotheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire.

HerearesomethoughtsfrompsychiatristRichardFriedman,oneofthepeoplekindenoughtorespondtothequestionnaire(hehadbeenpracticingTMforaboutthreeyearsatthetime):

Itisasthoughasensoryfilterhasopenedup—moreinformationentersthanbefore.Iseethingsinmorevivid,intense,fine-graineddetail.Forexample,recentlyIwassittingonthestoneporchupatmyhouseinthecountrybymyselfoneshimmeringafternoonjustlisteningtothebirdsandbeingawareofthelightandtheclouds.Idon’trememberhowithappened,butIfellintoareverieandrealizedthatIhadbeensittingthereforanhourormore,admiringnatureandlostinarapturoushaze.AndthedaywentflyingbyandIthoughttomyself,“Whatdidyoudotoday?OhmyGod,youdidn’tdothis,andyoudidn’tdothat,andyoucouldhave.”Andyouknow,itdidn’tmatteratall.IwasperfectlycontentwithwhatIhadexperienced,anditwasgreat.AndthisfromatypeAwholovesthechargeofdeadlineandpressure.Icanonlyattributethiseffecttomeditation—orthetoothfairy.Youpick.

SeveralotherCIQrespondentsalsoreportedexperiencesrelatedtoscenesinnature:

ThethingInoticedthemostisthateverythingappearsbrighterandclearer,especiallythebirdsflyingbyandthecloudsinthesky.Ifeelanintenseawarenessofthebeautyofnature.Natureambushesmewithbreathtakingsunsets.Iwasdrivingontheinterstateandsometreescaughtmyattention.Theywerejustsecond-growthpoplars,nothingspecial.Ihadseenthemmanytimesbefore.Yetthistimetheywerevastlydifferent.Theywereglowingwithincrediblewhitelight.

Sometimesperceptionsconcernmundane,everydayobjects:

Iwasintheladies’restroomofthemeditationhallandmyeyesfellonthesimpleboltlatchonthestalldoor.Itseemedlikethemostbeautifulobject.WhenIspontaneouslyhadthatappreciation,Iknewmykeenerperceptionhadkickedinagain.Thismorning,duringthesimpletaskofmakingcoffeeInoticedtherefractionoflightonwater.Itwasfascinatingtomeandleftmeopentotheday’sdelights.RecentlyinBrooklyn,NewYork,Ibegantoseeoldbicyclesparkedonthestreet,lockedtostreetlightpolesorfences.Eventheseseeminglysimpleobjectsjusthitmewithabeautythatfeltverypersonalandreal.

YoucanfindmoreaboutheightenedsensoryexperiencesoccurringduringTMsessions,orarisingspontaneouslyandunexpectedly,inchapters4and19,respectively.

TOSLEEP,PERCHANCETOWITNESS

Inaskingaboutsleepchanges(item9),wewereparticularlyinterestedinfindingoutthefrequencyof“witnessing,”astateinwhichpeoplearesimultaneouslyasleepandaware(seechapter18formoreaboutthisfascinatingphenomenon).Wedidnot,however,wanttoaskthequestioninaleadingway.Instead,weasked,“Haveyounoticedanychangesinthequalityofyoursleeporinyourexperiencesduringsleep?”Iamsogladthatwekeptitvague,becauseindoingsowelearnedaboutawholespectrumofinterestingsleep-relatedchangesthatpeoplereportafterstartingTM.

Alargemajority(76percent)reportedchangesinsleepsincestartingtomeditate.Ofthese,almosthalfprovidedcommentsthatallowedustoidentifythenatureoftheirsleepchanges.

Themostcommonreportwasofimprovedqualityofsleep—ingeneralsleepbecamedeeper,longer,andmorerefreshing.OnewomanwrotethatafterherveryfirstTMsessionsheexperienced“thebestrestI’veeverhadinmylife.WhenIwokeup,Ifeltlike,‘Wow,thisiswhatarealpersonfeelslike.’”Anotherobserved,“Thequalityofsleepismuchbetterwithmoremeditation.”

PraiseforTMasasleepingaidtookmanyforms.Forexample,onepersonsaid,“Ihavenotneededtousesleepingpillssincethefirstweekofmeditation.”Severalothersechoedhersentiment.Onehappyconsumersaid,“Sleeping

throughthenighthasbeenworththeentireTMcoursefee.”Somepeoplemadeadirectconnectionbetweenfallingasleepmoreeasilyandtheabilitytosettledownfromthecaresandworriesoftheday.

Themostdramaticresponseconcernedawomansufferingfromseverepost-traumaticstressdisorder.Shewrote:

Theeffectonmysleepwasprofound.Ayearorsobeforestartingtomeditate,Ihadbeenattacked,strangledtoa“near-death”experience,andwashavingviolentnightmareseverynight.MypartnerwasaTMteacher—andwasnearlykilledintheattack—andsuggestedTMasawaytodealwiththeexperience.Thenightmaresstoppedcompletelywithinamonthofmeditating.

ManypeopledescribedchangesintheirpatternofdreamingafterstartingTM,includingdisappearanceofnightmaresandtheexperienceofmorevividdreams.Severalreportedtheonsetofluciddreaming,amixedstateinwhichpeopleareconsciousanddreamingatthesametime—awarethattheexperienceisadream,andalsothatthey(theirnondreamselves)arehavingit.Inafewinstances,unrelatedpeopledescribedanaspectofluciddreamingthatwasnoveltome—theabilitytoinfluencetheoutcomeofthedream.Asonewomanputit:

WhiledreamingIsometimeshavecontrol.I’mabletoconsidermyoptionsandmakedecisionsthatchangetheoutcomeofthedream—particularlyinrecurringdreamsthatIhavehadonandoffovermanyyears.Also,Idonothaveasmanyanxiety-riddendreams.

Anotherwrote,“Dreamsaremorelucid.SometimesIcanchangethecontentifIdon’tlikethestoryline!”

ThegeneralsenseIhavefromreadingalltheresponsesisthatafterstartingTM,sleepbecomesanoverallmorepleasantexperience,lessbesetbyinsomniaandnightmares.Indeed,formanypeopleitbecomesajoyfulpartofthetwenty-four-hourday.AlthoughIcouldcitemanyrespondentstoillustratethis,Iwillchoosejustafew.

Ienjoymysleep.Sincestartingtomeditate,thesleepqualityisbetter.Therearefewerunpleasantdreams—infact,Ihardly

everhaveunpleasantdreamsnow.WhileIcannotsaythatIhave“witnessed,”Iexperiencethenightasenjoyable.Iwillwakeupwithdeeprealizationsfromadreamthatseemedmorelikeavision,whichrevealstomequalitiesoflife.Ilovethosedreams/visionsbecausetheybringtothesurfaceofmyconsciousnessmeaningsaboutrelationships,events,etc.,thatwerepreviouslyhiddentome.Ilaughmoreinmysleep—ahappylaughthatcomesfrommyheartandsometimeswakesmeup.

Asyoureadthesefirst-personaccountsofluciddreamingandjoyfulmoodshiftsduringsleep,youmaywonderwhetherthesechangesrepresentthebeginningsofwitnessing,asdoI.Asyoumayrecall,“witnessing”referstothatstateinwhichpeoplehaveasenseofawarenessevenwhiletheyaresleeping(seechapter18formoredetailsaboutthisintriguingphenomenon).ExperiencedTMteacherKatieGrosehasobservedthatpeoplefirstexperiencewitnessingaroundtransitionsinthesleepcycle—momentswhenthey’redozingoff,movinginandoutofdreamstates,orinthosedrowsymomentsbetweensleepingandwaking.Itispossible,therefore,thatluciddreaming(beingawarethatyouaredreaming)maybepartofthedevelopmentofwitnessing.

Aswitnessingprogresses,itcanexpandtofilltheentirenight.Ofthe286peoplewhoprovidednarrativeresponsestoourquestionaboutTMandsleep,alucky48(about17percent)reportedwitnessing.Herearesomeoftheiraccounts.

AlmostimmediatelyuponstartingmyTMpractice,Ibegantoexperiencemuchmorevividdreamsthanbefore.Thatlastedonlyafewmonths.Themorerecentdevelopmentisaninteresting“ability”tosomehowbeawarethatIamasleepandnotdreaming.Itissomewhatlikebeingawakebutwithoutthoughts—averyrestfulcondition.Usuallythesemomentsareaccompaniedbyasenseoflight,nothingspecific,justacomfortablelightallaround.

IfeellikeI’mnotreallyasleepwhilesleeping,althoughIwakeuprefreshed.Thedifferencebetweenwakingandsleepingusedtobeconsiderable,butnowitissosubtlethatIcanbarelytellwhenI’mabout

tofallasleep.Whenwakingup,I’mawareofgoingthrougha“zone”ofintenseblissandcomeoutinfusedwiththatfirstthinginthemorning.

DuringsleepthereisanelementofpureconsciousnessthatseemslikeIammeditatingratherthansleeping.

AfterapersonlearnsTMandpracticesitforawhile,certain“advancedtechniques”areoffered(formoreinformationaboutthese,seemyinterviewwithBobRothinappendix1).Severalrespondentscreditedoneofthese,“thenighttimetechnique,”forimprovingtheirsleepandpromotingwitnessing.IfyouwanttolearnthistechniqueyoushouldcertainlycheckitoutwithyourTMinstructor.

AfterreadingthroughalltheresponsestothesleepquestionontheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire,IcameawaywithanincreasedrespectfortheprofoundeffectsofTMonsleep.IamnowmoreinclinedthanevertosuggestTMtomypatientswhosufferfrominsomnia.Sometimes,however,thepersoninquestionhasalreadylearnedbutisnotpracticingregularly.Ifyouaresuchaperson,youmightconsidertouchingbasewithyourTMteacherandgivingtwice-a-dayTMsessionsasteadytry(sayfortwotofourweeks),inordertocapitalizeontheinvestmentyouhavealreadymade.TheCIQdata,asweshallseebelow,strengthentheargumentforregularpractice.

Finally,thesleepdatareaffirmformethevalueofaskingopen-endedquestions.Hadwenarrowlydirectedthisquestiontowardtheexperienceofwitnessing,wemighthavemissedatroveofvaluableinformation.

THEIMPACTOFTMONAPERSON’SLIFE:GIFTSOFTHESUPERMIND

StatisticalanalysisofCIQitemsrelatedtotheimpactofTMonaperson’slifeyieldedthreefactors,whichareshowninthefiguresbelow.Iwilltellyoumuchmoreabouteachoftheseinthreechapters,namedforeachfactor:supportofnature(chapter13),internalgrowth(chapter11),andinthezone(chapter10).

Figure3

KeytoFigure324.Healthierchoices(85percentendorsed)25.Changesinrelationships(89percent)—almostallfavorable*26.Othersnoticechanges(72percent)27.Changesinfinances(55percent)—almostallfavorable*28.Feelluckier(72percent)

*Inthoseinstanceswherequestionsweredeliberatelyleftambiguous(asinchangesinrelationships),narrativecommentswerereadtogetasenseofthedirectionofchange.

Weusetheterm“supportofnature”todescribethesensethatthingsaregoingyourwaymoreeasily.Youhavemore“goodluck.”Theuniverseactuallyseemstocooperate!Ithasbeensuggestedthatthiseffectcomesabout,astheSuperMindgrows,becauseyouaremoreeffectivelyabletoharnesstheforcespassingthroughyou,bothfromwithinandoutsideyourself.Peopleseemmorewillingtohelpyou.Chapter13isdevotedtothisconcept,“supportofnature.”

Figure4

KeytoFigure410.Increasedmindfulness(94percentendorsed)11.Improvedlevelofwell-being(94percent)12.Improvedrecoveryfromunpleasantevents(95percent)13.Improvedresponsetopleasantevents(84percent)14.Notasoverlyattachedtothings(88percent)15.Morefullypresentandengaged(91percent)19.Morecontentwithwhoyouareandwhatyouhave(90percent)20.Moreempoweredtobeyourauthenticself(90percent)29.Greaterconnectionwithcommunity,theworld,oruniverse(85percent;nofrequencyquestionassociatedwiththisitem)

Figure5

KeytoFigure516.Beinginthezone(85percent)21.Improvementatwork(86percent)22.Easiertogetthingsdone(85percent)23.Moreproductiveorcreative(83percent)

PREDICTINGTHEDEVELOPMENTOFTHESUPERMINDWhatpredictsthedevelopmentofconsciousness?Byusingappropriate

statistics—inthisinstancemultipleregressionanalysis—theCIQtellsusthattwobackgroundvariablesaresignificantlyassociatedwithbothgrowthofconsciousnessandtheimpactofTMonaperson’slife—inotherwords,growthoftheSuperMind—durationandfrequencyofTM.10ThisispreciselywhatexperiencedmeditatorsandTMteacherswilltellyou:practiceregularlyandovertimetoenjoymoreregulartranscendentexperiencesandgrowthoftheSuperMind.

Inaddition,themoreconsciousnessdevelops,thegreatertheimpactTMhasonaperson’slife(andviceversa).

IfyouwouldliketoseehowyoufareonbothCIQscales,youmayfinditinterestingtocompletetheCIQyourself(seeappendix2).

*

Beforemovingon,let’ssummarizewhatwehavelearnedfromtheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire.

TheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnairehastwenty-fiveitems,ofwhichsixitemscanbegroupedintoaStateofConsciousnessscaleandnineteenitemsintoanImpactonLifescale,whichcollectivelymeasuretheSuperMind.TheImpactonLifescalecanbedividedintothreefactors:supportofnature,internalgrowth,andinthezone—eachofwhichwillbeexploredinitsownchapter.Thequestionnaireappearsinfullinappendix2,alongwithscoringdirectionsthatwillenableyoutomeasureyourownscoresonthetwoscales.Thescoresonbothscales—yourSuperMindscore,ifyoulike—tendtoincreasewithlengthandfrequencyofpractice.Inotherwords,regularTMpracticeovertimeisthebestwaytocultivatetheSuperMind.GrowthofconsciousnessandimpactofTMonlifearestronglycorrelated.

Nowthatwehaveexploredthedevelopmentofconsciousness,letusconsiderwhatthisdevelopmentcandoforyou.Welcometopart2,“GiftsoftheSuperMind.”

PARTII

GIFTSOFTHESUPERMIND

8CONNECTINGBODYANDMIND

Thereismorewisdominyourbodythaninyourdeepestphilosophy.

FriedrichNietzsche

Takecareofyourbody.It’stheonlyplaceyouhavetolive.

JimRohn

AfterTranscendencewaspublished,therewasatimewhenItouredwithmyfriendandfellowmeditator,thefilmmakerDavidLynch.DavidhadwrittenCatchingtheBigFish,acharmingcollectionofinsightsdrawnfromhisownlifeandart,whichacknowledgeshisdebttomeditation.TheeventwasusuallystructuredsothatIwouldspeakfirstandhewouldfollow.Iwasthestraightman,andhegotthelaughs.Hewouldbeginbysaying,“WhenIfirststartedmakingmovies,somepeoplefoundthemratherdark,andsuggestedthatmaybeIshouldseeapsychiatrist.”Thenhewouldpointatmeandsay,“NowItravelwithone.”Asyoucanimagine,wehadalotoffun—andtheaudienceseemedtoenjoyitaswell.

WheneverDavidwasmyfellowspeaker,youcouldalwaystellthatalargeproportionoftheaudiencehadbeendrawntotheeventbecauseofhim—artsy-lookingyoungmenwithlonghairandnotepads,andchiclydressedyoungwomen—allaspiringartistsandfilmmakers,tojudgebytheintensityoftheirgaze.Itwastothesepeoplethatheaddressedhistalk,whichstartedmoreorlessasfollows:

“Thereisthismythabouttheartist,”hesaid,“assomeonesufferingandstarvinginagarret.That’sreallyallaboutgettinggirls.Aguythinksthatagirlwillseehimsufferingandhungry,soshe’llfeelsorryforhimandmakehimabowlofsoupandsoonthey’llbeeatingtogether,andonethingwillleadtoanother.Andthenhe’llstartcreating!Well,asameanstocreativity,thisispurefiction.Ifyou’rehighupinacoldgarretandyou’restarvingandhaveamigraineheadache,abdominalcramps,anddiarrhea,Icanassureyou,you’renotgoingtogetanyworthwhileartaccomplished.Onthecontrary,inordertobecreativeitisimportantthatyoufeelwell,thatyourbodyisrested,andthatyouarewellnourishedbothphysicallyandemotionally.”

Davidwasright,ofcourse.Physicalwell-beingisaprerequisiteforcreativity—aswellasforotheraspectsofwhatwemightconsideragoodlife.RobertSapolsky,professorofbiologicalsciencesandneuroscienceatStanfordUniversity,haswrittenextensivelyonthemanynegativeeffectsofstressonbothbodyandbrain—infact,enoughtofillanentirebook,thehighlyreadableWhyZebrasDon’tGetUlcers.1Thesefar-reachingeffectsshouldcomeasnosurpriseifyouconsiderthatstresspromotescardiovasculardisease,andhealthybloodvesselsarenecessaryforcarryingoxygentoeveryorganofthebody.Inthenextchapter,wewillfurtherconsidertheeffectsofstressonthebrainandbrainfunctioning.

*

Foravividillustrationofthemind-bodyconnection,considerthefollowingvignette.

MEGANFAIRCHILD:THEHIGHPRICEOFPERFECTIONFewworldsareasfiercelycompetitiveasthatofprofessionalballet.Outof

thousandsofyounggirlswhosettheirheartsonbecomingaprincipaldancerinamajordancecompany,onlyahandfulsucceed.MeganFairchildisonesuchsuccessstory:acceptedintotheNewYorkCityBalletatseventeen,asoloistatnineteen,andprincipalattwenty,hercareertrajectorywasanaspiringballerina’sdream.Whatmightbelessapparenttosuchastarry-eyedneophyte,however,isthetoughlandscapethathastoberepeatedlymasteredinordertoachieveandmaintainthatlevelofaccomplishment.AsMeganputsit:

Theworldofballetisalmostimpossiblebecauseit’saboutbeingperfect...there’sneveramomentwhere“that’senough.”...It’sapressurecooker.We’vegrownuptogether,butwe’realsopittedagainsteachotherforroles.

Atacertainpointinhercareer,theunthinkablehappened—shebegantohavefaintingspells.Whenshebecamestressed,shewouldfaint.Andthefaintingcausedhertoworryaboutwhenshemightfaintnext.Clearly,shecouldnotcontinueasaballerinawithsuchanaffliction.

ItwasatthispointthatherballetmistresssuggestedshelookintoTM,whichshehadpracticedforsometime.AfterherfirstTMlesson,Meganimmediatelyfeltasenseoftheenergyinherchestsettlingdown,asthoughshewason“adifferentwavelength.”Afterafewdays,herhusbandsaid,“You’reacompletelydifferentperson.”Soonshenolongerfeltasthoughherhusbandhadtomanageheremotions.Shemanagedthemherself.

Ononeoccasion,whenherdogbitherfinger,whichbegantobleed,Meganfeltasthoughafaintingepisodemightoccur,buthersystemrestabilizeditself,andshewasfine.Atthetimeofthisinterview,shehadhadnofaintingepisodesfortwoyears.

STRESS,HEALTH,ANDTHESUPERMIND

TheancientRomansgaveustheaphorismmenssanaincorporesano(ahealthymindinahealthybody),andtherehasbeengeneralagreementaboutthisideaeversince.Itistrueevenatthemostbasiclevel:Ifyoufeelsick,youarenotgoingtoenjoyyourlife.Ifyourbloodvesselsareblocked,toolittleoxygenwillflowtoyourheart,brain,andothercriticalbodyparts,resultinginpainanddisability.

Onamoresubtlelevel,however,ahealthybodysupportsflourishinginallways—atworkandinyourpersonallife.Likewise,physicaldisturbancemaysignalorpromotedistressanddysfunction.Thattensionyoufeelinyourneckandshoulderscomesnotonlyfrombeinghunchedoveryourcomputeralldaybutalsogetscompoundedeverytimeyourbossshoutsatyouorsomethinggoeswrong—orevenmightgowrong.Itcanfeellikeascrewbeingturnedinyourmuscles.Whyhaven’tyoumetyournumbers?Themusclestightenoveryourtemples.HowmanytimesmustItellyounottodoitthatway?Nowyoufeelitinyourlowerback.Howwillyougetitalldonebytheendoftheday?The

corrugatormusclesinyourbrowwrinkleyourforeheadintoafrown,sendingdistresssignalsbacktothebrain,whichregistersanxietyanddespair.

*

AswesetouttounderstandtheeffectsofTMonthelifeofameditator,itisusefultoappreciateitsimpactonthebody.Perhapsnowhereisthisbetterdocumentedthaninthecaseofhighbloodpressure,whichhasbeencalledthesilentkiller,andforgoodreason:“silent”becauseyoucanwalkaroundforalongtime,unawarethatyourbloodpressureisfartoohigh;“killer”becausehighbloodpressurecananddoesleadtoheartattacks,stroke,anddeath.Oftenhighbloodpressureistreatedwithmedications,butnowtheAmericanHeartAssociation(AHA)hasalsoapprovedTranscendentalMeditation,specifically,asacomplementarytreatmentforhighbloodpressure;theAHAalsoendorsesTM,notonlyasasupplementto,butalsoasasubstitutefor,certainothermedicalapproaches,dependingonthecircumstances.

OnethingthatfascinatesmeabouttheTMbloodpressurestudies2isthathundredsofstudysubjectsmeditatedinthemorningandtheevening,whilebloodpressuresweretakenatvarioustimesofday.SoitisapparentthatthevasculareffectsofTMpersistforseveralhoursaftermeditation.Changesinaperson’sbrainandneurophysiologynodoubtsupportthisprofoundeffectontheheartandbloodvessels.InsofarasbloodpressurechangesmayoccurwithinmonthsofstartingTM,thesefindingsareyetanothercluethattherelaxationofthenervoussystemthatextendsbeyondTMsessionsandintotheday(physicalevidenceofexpandingconsciousness)beginssoonafterapersonstartsTM.

Researchershavewonderedhowthisloweringeffectonbloodpressuremightbemediated.Themostlikelyexplanationinvolvesstabilizingthesympatheticnervoussystem,which(asyouprobablyknow)orchestratestheso-calledfight-or-flightresponses.Forourancestors,thetriggersforsuchresponsesmighthavebeenasnakeinthegrass,anorangutanattack,oranenemyarmysurgingoverthenearbyridge.Althoughincidentssuchasthesearenowhappilyrare,formostpeopleourwell-adaptedsympatheticnervoussystemcanstillrespondinthesamemanner.Facedwithathreat,itkicksallsystemsintohighgearandmountsamassiveresponse—forfightorflight.Thebodysettlesdownonlyafterthethreathaspassed—assumingtheindividualsurvives.

Bycontrast,nowadays,stressismostoftenrelativelyminor—butrepetitiveandfrequent:forexample,deadlinepressures,financialconcerns,family

worries,anaggressivedrivercuttingyouoffonyourmorningcommute.Theresults,however,areoftencumulativeandcanbedisabling.JustaswhenGulliverwokeupinLilliputtofindhimselfimmobilizedbythousandsoftinythreads,anysingleoneofwhichhecouldeasilyhavesnapped,sohismodern-daycounterpartsfeeloverwhelmedbyinnumerableminorstresses.Takentogether,theymaybesooverwhelmingastotriggerafight-or-flightresponse—forexample,inpeoplewhoworklonghoursunderdeadlinepressure,orpeoplewhohavetomakesnapdecisionsinanenvironmentwheremistakescanbecostly(suchastheERorfinancialsector).Inthesesituations,thesympatheticnervoussystemmaynothavetimetosettledownbeforethenextstressorhits,soiteventuallyremainscockedandready,waitingforthenextblow.Irememberthatclenched-fistfeelingfromwhenIwasoncallasanintern.AttheendofthedayIwouldretiretothedoctors’dorm,gotobed,andtryandcatchsomesleep.ButinsteadIwouldtossandturn,wondering,“What’sthepointoftryingtosleepwhenatanymomentIcanbejoltedawakebythephone?”

ResearchershavetestedtheresponsepatternofthesympatheticnervoussysteminbothTMpractitionersandnonmeditatingcontrolsintwoseparatestudies.Ineach,researchersexposedtheirsubjectstoadisturbingstimulusandmeasureditsimpactonthesympatheticnervoussystembythegalvanicskinresponse(GSR),whichwediscussedinchapter5.Inonestudy,DavidOrme-Johnsonandcolleaguesusedstartlingnoisesasthestimulus,3whileintheother,byDanielGolemanandGarySchwartz,thestimuluswasagrislyoccupationalsafetymovie,whichcontainedbloodyimagesofwhatmightbefallthecarelessworker.4Bothstudiesarrivedatthesameconclusion:MeditatorsshowedasharpriseinGSRwhenexposedtothedisturbingstimulus,followedbyacrispreturntobaseline.Innonmeditatingcontrols,however,theGSRresponsewasnotonlyslowertoriseandfall,butshowedfurtherfalsealarmspikes,indicatingasympatheticnervoussystemunabletofullysettledownevenafterthethreathadpassed.

Oneway,therefore,tounderstandthehealthbenefitsofregularTMpracticeisasasurgeprotectorforthesympatheticnervoussystem,onethatbuffersthemeditatoragainsttherecurrentonslaughtsofmodernlife.

InTranscendenceIsummarizedthemanywaysinwhichTMcanprotectourbodiesandremedyourachesandpains,oursufferinganddistress.Ireferthereaderwhoisinterestedinamoreextensivereviewofthesebenefitstomyearlierbook.Fornow,letmejustinventorythebenefitsandsummarizethemostimpressivefindings.AsIlookoverthelist,Iamstillamazedbythedozensof

high-qualityarticlesonwhichthesefindingsarebased.Dependingonthestrengthofavailabledata,Ihavedividedbenefitsinto“solidbets”and“intriguingpossibilities.”

SolidBetsCARDIOVASCULARBENEFITS(ASIDEFROMREDUCEDBLOODPRESSURE)SUPPORTEDBYATLEASTONECONTROLLEDSTUDY:

ReducedriskofheartattackandstrokeinpeopleatriskIncreasedlongevityDecreasedatherosclerosisincarotidarteriesIncreasedsensitivitytocirculatinginsulinDelayedleftventricularenlargement

IntriguingPossibilitiesCONDITIONSFORWHICHTHEREISANECDOTALEVIDENCEOFBENEFIT:

Headaches,includingmigrainesInvoluntarymovementdisorders,suchasParkinson’sdiseaseandTourette’ssyndromeOtherpainsyndromes

Thedatafavoringthelife-extendingcardiovascularbenefitsofTM,spearheadedbyresearcherRobertSchneiderofMaharishiUniversityofManagement,areparticularlyimpressive.Inaretrospectivestudyofdeathrecordsofpeoplewhohadbeenrandomlyassignedtoshort-termstudiesofTMversushealtheducation,aftertenyearsthoseintheTMgrouphad23percentlowermortalityfromallcauses,and30percentlesscardiovascularmortality.5Theseresultswereallthemoreamazingbecausetheresearchershadnotfollowedtheirstudysubjectsaftertheinitialtrial,andthushadnoideawhetherthoseintheTMgrouphadcontinuedtomeditate.

Totheresearchers’credit,theyfolloweduptheirretrospectivestudywitharandomizedcontrolledstudyofAfricanAmericanmenandwomenfifty-fiveyearsandolder,allofwhomwereatriskforcardiovascularproblems.Again,somepatientsreceivedhealth-educationcounseling,whileotherslearnedTM.Afteranaverageoffiveyears,6Schneider’steamanalyzedpatientrecordsforwhatisknowninthetradeas“hardendpoints”—heartattacks,strokes,and(the

hardestendpointofall)death.Onceagain,reductionofcatastrophicoutcomesintheTMgroupwasastonishing—asignificant45percentforallendpointscombined.Thisfindingwasallthemoreamazingbecauseallthestudysubjectswerealsoreceivingstandardtreatments,suchasmedicationstoreducehighbloodpressureandcholesterol,plusdietandexercisecounseling.

Inoneespeciallyfascinatingcontrolledstudy,AmparoCastillo-RichmondatCedars-SinaiMedicalCenterinLosAngelesandcolleaguesfoundthatTMcanactuallyhelpreversetheprogressionofcardiovasculardisease.7Usingaspecialtypeofultrasonography8in138peoplewithhighbloodpressure,theyexaminedthethickeningoftheinternalliningofthecarotidartery—thecrucialpipelineintheneckthatfeedsbloodtothebrain.Theresults:Inthecontrolgroup,thearterialliningscontinuedtothickenoverasix-tonine-monthperiod,whilethereverseoccurredintheTMgroup.Thearterialliningsinthenewmeditatorsactuallybecamelessthick,morenormal!

IhaveoftenthoughtthatIwouldwillinglytakesomenastymedicinetwiceadayifitwouldreducemyriskofearlydeathsodramatically.YetasthoseofyouwhopracticeTMknow—andthosenon-meditatorswhohavereadtheearlierchaptersmaywanttoconsider—TMispleasantmedicineindeed.AscomedianJerrySeinfeldhaspointedout,oneofthegreatmysteriesaboutTMiswhypeoplewhotakeupthepracticeandbenefitfromiteverchoosetostop.Ithinktheexplanationsaresometimesquitebanal.Peoplegetbusy,andotherprioritiesdisplacemeditation.Ifyouthinkaboutthelong-termbenefits,however,youmaybelesslikelytoletsuchavaluableresourceslipaway.Anotherreasonwhypeoplestopmeditatingisthattheirtechniquemaybecomerusty,andthereforetheexperiencebecomeslessrewarding.

AlthoughoneoftheadvantagesofTMistheeasewithwhichitcanbelearnedandpracticed,therearealsosubtletrickstogettingthemostoutofit.Soifyoufindthatyourpracticeislessbeneficialandrefreshingthanitoncewas,don’thesitatetocontactanearbyTMcenter(www.tm.org)tohaveyourtechniquechecked.Remember,afteryourinitialpayment,allsubsequentassistanceisfree!

THESUPERMIND:AKEYSTONEHABITFORBETTERHEALTH

Wearewhatwerepeatedlydo.

Aristotle

AsAristotlepointedoutthousandsofyearsago,ourlivesareshapedbyourhabits.Forbetterorworse,theymakeuswhoweare.Inawaythisconceptresonateswiththewholethemeofthisbook.Ifyoumeditateandtranscendtwiceaday,thestillness,peace,andevenblissofregulartranscendencebringsthesequalitiesintoyourdailylife.Thestateoftranscendencebecomesestablishedinwaking,sleeping,anddreaming.Asthisprocessadvances,externaleventsnolongerovershadowyourinnerexperienceofyourownunboundedtranscendentself.

Buttherearemanyotherhabitsthatarealsoimportanttoourhealthandwell-being—frombrushingyourteethinthemorningtoflossingthematnight.Indeed,itcanbedauntingtothinkofallthethingsweneedtodotomaintainourphysical,emotional,andfinancialhealth.IntheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire,therefore,weaskedpeoplewhether,sincestartingtomeditate,theyhadmadehealthierchoicesintheirlives—suchasdiscontinuingbadhabitsorinitiatinggoodones.Overall,85percentsaidyes,andonfurtherquestioningofthosewhosaidyes,60percentsaidtheyhaddoneso“veryoften,”and25percentsaidtheyhaddoneso“often.”

Thelistofbadhabitspeoplereportedhavingquashedisencouraging.Asonemanwhorespondedputit:

Iusedtosmoke.Idon’tsmokeanymore.Iusedtodrinkalcohol.NowIhaveanoccasionalglassofwine.Iusedtoeatjunkfood.NowIpreferhealthieralternatives.Iusedtostayuplateatnight.NowIgotobedbefore10:00p.m.

Onewomanchosetoemphasizeeatingbehaviors:

Istartedeatingmorehealthily.Iwasasugarjunkieanddecidedthathadtostop.Istartedeatingmorevegetablesandfruits,cutoutthesugar,andlostthirtypounds.Also,Ihavebeenexercisingregularly.

Hereisonefurthercandidexampleofferedbyawoman:

WhenIstartedTMIdrankalotofcoffee,hadusedsomedrugsandalcohol,hadsomecasualsex,stayeduptillallhoursrandomly,

neglectedmynutritionordietedwithoutsense,usedprofanitygratuitously,wasverynervousaroundmen,wasoftendepressed,andcomparedmyselfunfavorablytoothers.Iwasnothappyinmyskinbutpracticallyburstingoutofitsometimesinastateoftorment.Allthesehabitsofaction,thought,andemotionfellawayovertimewiththeTMtechniquewithoutmytryingtochangeoneofthem.

InTranscendenceIsummarizedtheimpressiveliteratureonthevalueofTMinhelpingpeoplewithdifferenttypesofaddictions.AmonographbyDavidO’ConnellandCharlesAlexander9devotedtoresearchinthisareaincludesstudiesofpeopleaddictedtoalcohol,drugs,andcigarettes.Inalltheseareas,thosewhomeditatedrecoveredmoresuccessfullythanthoseassignedtocontrolgroups.

ThethreeexamplesofCIQrespondentsshownaboveareintriguingbothintheirsimilaritiesandtheirdifferences.Inthefirst,themansimplytellsusthataseriesofhabitschangedforthebetter.Inthesecond,awomanmadearesolution:“Iwasasugarjunkieanddecidedthathadtostop.”Shethenimplementedaplantocarryouttheresolutionsuccessfully.Butinsomewaysthethirdexampleisthemostastonishingofall:aclusterofunhealthyhabitsjustseemedtofallaway,withnoactiveeffort.

Ihaveoftenencounteredsuchstoriesasthislastwoman’sinresponsetoTM.Acelebratedcase,forexample,isradio-showhostHowardStern,whospontaneouslykickedathree-and-a-half-pack-a-daycigarettehabitwithinonemonthofstartingtomeditate.Moreimpressive,perhaps,hedidn’trelapseevenafterbreakinghisankle,whichwouldnormallyhavebeenanexcuseforresumingthehabit.Twelve-stepprogramsforallmannerofaddictions,betheytosubstancesorbehaviors,recognizethevalueofmeditationinoneoftheirsteps(Step11).

Afriendofmine,aTMteacherwhousedtosmoke,toldmethathehadaskedhisownTMteacherwhetherheshouldquitsmoking.Theteacherresponded,“Don’tstopsmoking.Justdon’tsmokewhenyoudon’twantto.”Myfriendfoundthathestoppedbuyingcigaretteswithhisaccustomedregularity,thenturnedtofriendswhenhefeltlikesmoking.Theysoonbecameirritatedwithhisconstantbumming,andaskedhimwhyhedidn’tbuyhisown.“BecauseI’mtryingtostopsmoking,”hesaid.“Wellthen,stop,”theyresponded.Andhedid.

HITTINGTHEPAUSEBUTTONAlthoughitisdifficulttostopsmokingorquitanyaddiction—whethertoa

substanceorabehavior—thedevelopmentoftheSuperMindseemstodecreasetheneedforwhateverthefixmightbe.Onewaytounderstandwhyistorecognizethatwealltrytoregulateourinternalstate.Forexample,ifwearetiredatwork,wemaydrinkcoffee.Ifwearehyperattheendoftheworkday,aglassofwinemayappeal.Twelve-stepprogramsrecognizefourinternal-stateadjectivesthatposeadangertotheaddictedperson—“hungry,”“angry,”“lonely,”“tired”—convenientlyrememberedbytheacronymHALT.Infact,therearemanyfluxesinourstateofconsciousnessthatcanpromptustoseekoutdysfunctionalremedies(alcohol,tobacco,Ben&Jerry’s,drugs,gambling,etc.!).HALTisausefulreminderinthefaceoftemptation—totryandcorrecttheunderlyingurge—suchasbeinghungry,angry,lonely,andtired—inahealthierway.

TheSuperMindprovidesadifferent,ongoingtypeof“halt”—abuilt-inabilitytotakeafewmomentstopause...andconsiderwhatyouwanttodonext,insteadofjustdoingit.PamelaPeeke,assistantprofessorofmedicineattheUniversityofMaryland,whoisanexpertintreatingpeoplewithfoodaddictionsandaTMpractitionerherself,agreesandoftenrecommendsTMtoherpatients.“Ithelpspeoplehitthepausebutton,”shesays.Whenitcomestoaddictions,unwantedbehaviorsareoftendrivenbyimpulse.Iftheimpulsecanbedelayed,theactioncanmorereadilybeaverted.Althoughitmightfeelasthoughyouwill“burstoutofyourskin,”liketheTMpractitionerinoursurvey,theinnerpeacethatcomeswithregularmeditationsomehowprovidesreassurancethatyourskinwon’tinfactburst.Usuallyavoiceinsideyou,onethatispartofasteadilygrowingSuperMind,tellsyouthatyou’llprobablybejustfine.

Settlingdownourinternalstatehelpseliminatethecascadesofbadsolutions.Byhelpingusstaycalminthefaceofchallenges,alertduringlongshiftsatwork,andengagedevenwithnostimulation,wecanfeelsteadilygoodandfunctionwell.IshouldemphasizeherethatjustastheSuperMindisusuallynotanall-or-nonephenomenon,sothesecontrolsandsafeguardsarenotwatertight.Overthelongterm,howwellwedowilldependonourlevelsofstress,thequalityofourlives,and(importantly!)theregularityofourmeditationandotherhealthyhabits.

Peeke,inherbookTheHungerFix,10referstocertainareasofthebraintoexplainhowthisshiftmayoccur:“EveryoneofmyclientscanbenefitfromTMbecauseitstrengthensthefunctioningoftheprefrontalcortex(PFC),whichisnecessaryforsurvival.”ThePFCisthatpartofthebrainjustbehindtheforehead,whichisknowntobeessentialtogoodjudgment,wisedecisions,andeffectiveexecutivefunctioning.

Peekepointsoutevidencethatherpatients’rewardssystems(brain-pleasurecircuitsmediatedbydopaminereceptors)arehijackedbythefoodstowhichtheyareaddicted—justasoccursinpeopleaddictedtodrugs.11ThehijackeddopaminereceptorsweakenimportantPFCfunctions,suchastheabilitytodelaygratificationandmakegooddecisions.

InwonderingwhereTMmightexertitspowersinthebrain,oneotherregionworthconsideringisthedeep-seatedcentralpartofthebraincalledthebasalganglia,whichgobackveryfarinevolution.Thebasalgangliahavebeenshowntoinfluencethedevelopmentofhabitsinallanimals,includinghumans.Soalthoughwehavenodirectevidencetothiseffect,it’safairspeculationthatTMmayhelpfostergoodhabitsbycoordinatingthefunctioningofthebasalganglia.

CharlesDuhigg,authoroftheusefulandhighlyreadablebookThePowerofHabit,12haslabeledthosehabitsthatinfluenceotherhabits—makingiteasiertostopbadonesandembracegoodones—“keystonehabits.”(Thekeystoneofanarchisthevaguelytriangularpieceatthecenter-topthatholdsalltheotherstonesinplace.)Inmypractice,Ioftenencounterpeoplewhowouldliketoimproveaspectsoftheirlivesbutdon’tknowwheretostart.Ifrequentlysuggesttheybeginwithakeystonehabit—and,asyoucanimagine,TMreadilycomestomind.Otherkeystonehabitsincludegoingtosleepandwakingupatregularhours,gettingenoughsleepandlight,regularexercise,agooddiet,andlimitingtheuseofalcoholandstimulants.

Itiseasytoseehowanimprovementindailyhabitswouldtranslateintobetterhealth—andfewermedicalexpenses.OnestudyledbyRobertHerron,aresearcherformerlyassociatedwithMaharishiUniversity,whoexaminedthemedicalexpensespaidbyaninsurancegroupinQuebec,foundthatafterstartingTM,peopleincurredsignificantlylowermedicalcosts.13

*

Itisclear,then,thattheregularpracticeofTMovertimecaninduceallmannerofusefulimprovementsinphysicalhealth,thoughpreciselyhowsuchdiversechangescomeaboutissomewhatmysterious.Itiseasytoattributepositivechangesto“stressreduction”—andthatistrue,asfarasitgoes.ButasIconsiderthecomplexityofchangesthatTMinducesinbothmindandbody,thatexplanationseemstoosimplistic.MyminddriftsbacktothosebooktoursItookwithDavidLynch.

IwouldtalkabouthowTMhelpedmefeelcalmandrelaxedsothat“Ididn’tsweatthesmallstuff.”Davidfeltotherwise.Ononeoccasionheexclaimed,“WhenNormansaysthatTMmakeshimcalm,Iwanttopuke.Idon’twanttobecalm!Artistswanttokeeptheiredge,energy,anddrive.AndthisiswhatTMgivesyou—agreatreserveofenergy,accesstoideasonadeeperlevel,andtremendoushappinessinthedoing.”

Asyouthinkaboutallthehealthbenefitsthataccruewiththedevelopmentofconsciousness,youwillperhapsagreethatthebenefitsofTMcantakeusbeyondthatancientRomanidealmenssanaincorporesano—ahealthymindinahealthybody.NowwecanaspiretoaSuperMindinasuperbody.

TOSUMMARIZETHISCHAPTERBEFOREWEMOVEON:

AhealthybodyisnecessaryforoptimalmentalhealthanddevelopmentoftheSuperMind.Stressisamajorcontributortoawidevarietyofillnesses.ExtensivestudiesshowthebenefitsofTMonhighbloodpressure,cardiovascularhealth,andlongevity.TMmayalsobehelpfulinalleviatingotherphysicalconditions.TMhelpsourbodycomeintobalance,andthisisrelayedtousintheformofgreaterphysicalwell-being.Thisprovidesanimportantfoundationforemotionalbalance.DevelopmentoftheSuperMindinvolvesbothphysicalandemotionalbalance.Improvedhabitsandhealthierchoices,whichaccompanySuperMinddevelopment,addtotheotherphysicalbenefits.

Inthenextchapters,wewillshiftfromconsideringtheeffectsofTMonthebodytotheeffectsonthemind.

9BUILDINGABETTERBRAIN

Promisemeyou’llalwaysremember:You’rebraverthanyoubelieve,andstrongerthanyouseem,andsmarterthanyouthink.

A.A.Milne

Arewesmarterthanwethink,asA.A.Milnesuggests?Andifso,howdowegainaccesstotheassetswehaveandmakethemostofthem?Throughoutthisbook,wewillencounterpeoplewhosaythatTMhasboostedtheircapacities,enablingthemtolivefuller,moresuccessful,andmoreenjoyablelives.Inthischapterwewillexaminesomeoftheevidence,bothanecdotalandexperimental,suggestingthatTMmayindeedenhancecertainbrainfunctions.Ifso,thatwouldexplainsomeamazingstories.

REMEMBRANCEOFTHINGSPAST—ANDPRESENTThehousewaspackedattheupscaleUrbanZeninNewYorkCity,where

CameronDiazwasguestofhonorataneventhostedbytheDavidLynchFoundation.Lookingasradiantasever,Diaz,aregularTMpractitioner,wasdressedcasuallyinblack,herblondhairsweptacrosshercheek,assheengagedwarmlywiththeaudienceaboutherexperienceswithTM—suchasthisone:

ItwasaboutninetydegreesintheValley,attheLosAngelesZooparkinglot,underatent,inacar,underlights,withthewindowsupandnoair-conditioning.Itwasaboutathousanddegreesinthecar.AndIhadamonologueandIcouldn’tremembermylines—linesthatIknew.

IknewIknewthem.I’dsaidthemamilliontimes,andIcouldn’taccessthem.They’recompletelylostin...wherevertheygo.AndIrealizedallofasudden,Iwent,“No,Ineedtwenty-fiveminutes.Ijustneedtwenty-fiveminutes.”IranbacktomytrailerandIrebooted.Ididmytwenty-minutemeditation.AndIcamebacktothecarandIcouldseeallthosepoorgripguys—they’reallsweating,holdingheavyequipment.They’relookingatmelike,“Ihateyou.Getyourlinesright,woman,sowecangetoutofhere.”Imeanreallyliketheevileye.AndIdidn’twanttoletthemdown,andIwantedtobeabletodomylines.ButafterIhadgonebacktomytrailerandrebooted,IcamebackandInailedit.Iwaslike,Done,thankyouverymuch.Andwewereoutofthere,Ihavetosay,inliketwentyminutes.

DiazheldtheaudienceatUrbanZenspellboundasshedescribedthepowerofTMasatechniqueforminingmemory.

Herdescriptionofretrievingherlostlinesisatonceforeign(Afterall,howmanyofushavebeenonamoviesetattheLosAngelesZoo?)andscarilyfamiliar.Howoftenhaveyousearchedforaword,telephonenumber,orthefirstlineofafamiliarpoem,onlytofindthatitis...sometimesthereand...sometimesnot.Weareleftasking:wherediditgoandhowcanwebringitback?

Diaz’sstoryalsoresonatesbecausemostofushaveasensethatourbrainsholdavaststorehouseofburiedtreasure,andthatifwecouldonlyunearthitmoreefficiently,we’dbefarbetteroff.Itisthissense,perhaps,thathasledtotheurbanmyth(thoroughlydebunked)thatweuseonly10percentofourbrains(thoughmanyaretheself-helptomesthatpromisetounlockthemissing90percentforthepriceofafewlattes).Althoughthesepercentagesseemsillytoanyonewithevenamodestknowledgeofthebrain,theideacontainsagermoftruththathasperhapsgiventractiontothemyth:wedohaveuntappedpotential,soperhapswecanbesmarterthanwethink.

Althoughnobodycansayforsurewhyapersonforgetssomethingatonemoment,thenremembersitlater,wedoknowthatstresscanaffectmemoryinwaysbothgoodandbad,andwehavesomeideasabouttheunderlyingbrainstructuresatwork.Infact,onceagainouroldfriendtheprefrontalcortex(PFC)appearstobeinvolved.Studiesinanimalshaveshownthatspecificneurochemicalpathways,whenactivatedbyexcessstress,causeprofoundimpairmentofthePFC.1Specifically,toomuchdopamineandnorepinephrine

areimplicated.Byreducingstress,TMmaylowertheconcentrationsofthesetwokeyneurotransmittersinthePFC,therebyimprovingcognitivefunctions—suchasrememberinglostlinesinamoviescript.

Thiseffectofimprovedbrainfunctionwhenstressisreducedmayremindsomeofyouoftheso-calledinvertedU-shapedcurve,whichshowshowsmallamountsofstressoranxietycanboostperformancebutlargeamountscanmakeitworse.IfyouconsiderthedeclininglimboftheinvertedU(thatpartofthecurvewhereanxietyisincreasingbutperformanceisdecreasing),itiseasytoseehowTMcoulddecreasestressandreducekeyneurotransmittersinthePFC,therebymakingthebrainworkbetter.

*

WhateverbrainmechanismswereatworkonthatmemorabledayattheLAZoo,wewillneverknow.ButthebottomlineisthattwentyminutesofTMrestoredCameronDiaz’smemoryrapidlyandcompletely.Shehadinstinctivelyreachedfortherightremedy,anditworked.

ManyotherperformerswhopracticeTMhaverecommendeddoingmeditationbeforetacklingastressfultask.MeganFairchild,principaldancerfortheNewYorkCityBallet,doesherTMbeforeeveryperformance,asdoesTonyAward–winningactressKatieFinneran.Sodoesactor,singer,anddancerHughJackman,whosays:“ImeditatedbeforeIhostedtheOscars.ImeditatebeforeIgoonstage.ImeditateinthemorningandlunchtimewhenI’monafilmset.It’slikeitresets.”AnddirectorMartinScorseseroutinelymeditatesbeforefacinganothergruelingdayonthemovieset.

Buthereisanobviousfact:Youdon’thavetobewell-knownoraperformerforTMtowork.AnybodywhohaslearnedTMcantakeadvantageoftheseobservations.Icanimagineanarchitect,schoolteacher,firstresponder,librarian—anyone,really—benefitingfromTMatthestartoftheday.Ifyouarearegularmeditator,youarealreadyatanadvantagebecausethestillnessoftheSuperMindisalreadypartofyou,residingalongsideyoureverydayactivities.Andifacrisiscomesup,youcanexpandthatadvantagebytakingaTMtime-out.

DRIVENTODISTRACTION:ADHDANDTHESUPERMIND

Beforeleavingthetopicofmemory,let’sconsiderafewotherexamplesofimprovedmemoryapparentlyresultingfromTM.Awomanfriendofmine,a

medicalstudent,hasfoundthatTMgreatlyimprovesherabilitytorememberthevolumesofinformationhercourseworkrequires—butforadifferentreason.Shehasbeendiagnosedwithattentiondeficitdisorder,aconditionthatmakesithardtomaintainfocus.Asyoucanimagine,ifyouhavetroublefocusingonsomething,youwillnotdowellatrememberingit.Problemswithattentioninterferewithbothstorageandretrievalofmemory.OnebenefitofTMhasbeentostillheroveractivemind—evenwhensheisnotmeditating—whichhashelpedherfocusbetterandtherebybemoresuccessfulinretainingwhatshestudies.

AlthoughtherehavebeennolargecontrolledstudiesofTMspecificallyforattentiondeficit/hyperactivitydisorder(ADHD)atthistime,onesmallpilotstudyontendistractiblestudentsbetweentheagesofelevenandfourteenwasconductedbySarinaGrosswald,BillStixrud,andcolleaguesataschoolintheWashington,D.C.,area.2Althoughthestudywassmallanduncontrolled,itsresultsdrewravereviewsfromthestaff,whoobservedthatthestudentsnotonlyconcentratedbetterbutwerelessimpulsive.Oneboy,forexample,whocouldbarelysitstillinhischairatthebeginningofthestudy,wasabletoconcentratelongenoughtoreadanentirebook—totheastonishmentofhismother.AnotherboytoldBillStixrud,aD.C.-areaneuropsychologistandlongtimeTMpractitioner,“BeforelearningTM,whensomeonewouldbumpintomeinthehall,Iwouldhithim.NowIaskmyself,‘ShouldIhithimornot?’”

Inaseparatecontrolledstudy,FredTravisandcolleaguesinvestigatedtheeffectsofTMontheEEGineighteenstudents,ageseleventofourteen,whohadbeendiagnosedwithADHD.3InpriorworkonADHDinadolescents,ithadbeenestablishedthattheseverityofsymptomsishighlycorrelatedwithacertainEEGfunctionknownasthetheta/betaratio(asimpleratiobetweentwoEEGwavelengths):theworsethesymptoms,thehighertheratio.4InthestudybyTravisandcolleagues,theeighteenstudentswererandomlyassignedtopracticeTMorwaitforthreemonthsbeforelearningTM.TheirEEGsweremeasuredatthestartofthestudyandattheendofthreemonths(justbeforethecontrolslearnedTM).Aspredicted,theresearchersfoundthatthetheta/betaratiosintheTMgroupdeclinedsignificantlyoverthefirstthreemonthscomparedtothecontrolgroup(seefigure6below).OncethecontrolgrouplearnedTM(afterthreemonths),itstheta/betaratiosalsodeclined.

Bottomline:theeffectsofTMonbothADHDsymptomsandtheEEGareapparentafterthreemonthsofpractice.5

Figure6

THISCRAZYWORLDOFOURS

Youdon’tneedaformaldiagnosisofADHD,however,tolosefocusinaworldthatofferssomanydistractions.Asoneofmyfriendsputsit,“ThesedaysIthinkweallhavealittleADHD.”Theoldadage,“Morehaste,lessspeed,”ispartoftheproblem.Inourattemptsto“multitask,”weoftengetlessdone,notmore.Butinefficiencyinmultitaskingmaybetheleastofourworries.Worsestillisacommontendencytosacrificeessentialswhenwetrytojugglelessimportantthingsatthesametime—likemakingsurethatthetextwearesendingourBFF(bestfriendforever)issufficientlywittywhiledrivingthrougharedlight.Whenyoumultitask,youloseperspective—apotentiallyfatalmistake.Researchshowsthatwethinkwecanmultitaskandstayeffective,butwe’rewrong.Thefragmentaryattentionpaidtoeachtaskmakesitmorelikelythatnotaskgetsdonecorrectly.Andthat’swheretheSuperMindcomesin:Itslowsusdown,makinguslessfranticwhilesharpeningouralertnessandfocus.Theresultisimprovedconcentrationandabilitytoprioritize.

BillStixrudrailsagainstthe“mind-racing,mind-scattering,andmind-numbingeffectsofourextensiveuseoftechnology”thatheseesinhisdailypractice.Headds,“Weneedtobuildinantidotestoconstantstimulation,and

TMisahugelyimportantantidote.”Heknowsthisnotonlyfromclinicalobservationbutfromhisownexperience.Here’showhedescribesit:

AsImeditate,Irememberwhat’simportant.SometimesIthinkIshouldstopmyprogramearlytotakecareofurgentmatters,butthenIrealizethattherewillbetimetotakecareofeverything,andthemostimportantthingisformetofinishmymeditation.AsIdoso,thingssortthemselvesoutinmymindandfallintobetterperspective.Italwayspaysformenottointerruptmymeditation,buttoseeitthroughandreapitsrewards.

Onapersonallevel,Ican’tbelievehownowadaysIcanusuallylocatemycellphoneandotherimportantobjectsthatoncewouldhavegoneastrayinafogofdistraction.Whilemyabilitytoretrievelostobjectsisstillfarfromstellar,somehowIammoreattentiveandlessoftenmislaythem.Also,Ienjoyslowingdownenoughtodothingsproperly.Itfeelslessfrenetic,moresatisfying.Wewillexploretheissueofattentivenessfurtherwhenweaddresstherelationshipbetweentranscendenceandmindfulnessinchapter14.

WORKINGMEMORY

Evenworkingmemory,whichmanyregardasdifficulttoimprove,mayyieldtothepowersofTM,asevidencedinapatientofmine,David,asuccessfulbusinessman.Davidhasalwayspridedhimselfonhisexcellentworkingmemory—afunctionrequired,forexample,torememberatelephonenumberlongenoughtofindapencil(Wheredidthatpencilgo?Iknowitwasherejustaminuteago!)andwritethenumberdown.Davidcametomebecausehewasdepressed,andItreatedhimwithantidepressantsandpsychotherapy.Afterafewmonths,bothheandIconsideredhimfullyrecoveredineveryway—exceptforhisworkingmemory,whichhadpreviouslybeenexcellent.Nowhismemorywasperfectlyadequateforeverydaylife,butwhenitcametorememberinglongstringsofnumbersforshortintervals,herealizedhehadlosthisoldtalent—untilhelearnedTM.Withinthefirstfewweeksofpractice,hismemoryskillcameback,andthetimingofitswelcomereturncoincidedexactlywithhisstartingtomeditate.

REMEMBERINGTHINGSYOUDON’TKNOWYOU’VEFORGOTTEN

MylastexampleofthebeneficialeffectsofTMpracticeonmemoryisquiteunusual.Howoftenhaveyourememberedsomethingthatyoudidn’tknowyouhadforgotten?Thatactuallyhappenedtoafriendofminewho,alongwithherhusband,hadtradedintheiroldcarforanewonetwodaysbeforetheeventI’mabouttodescribe.Bothhighlycompetentprofessionals,theyhadmethodicallysweptthroughtheoldcar(onceathomeandonceatthegarage)andremovedalltrashanddebris,aswellaseverythingtheywantedtokeep—orsotheythought.Twodayslater,whiledoinghermorningTM,myfriendsuddenlyrememberedtheE-ZPassattachedtothewindshield,hiddenbehindtherearviewmirror—andstillinthecar.Itwasajobtoretrieveit,butwellworthwhiletopreventfurtherexpensesfromaccruing.

IfindthisstoryagoodexampleofSuperMindfunctioningbecauseitisasimpleandclearillustrationofhowthingssometimessurfaceduringmeditationthateludeusintheclearlightofday.AstheSuperMinddevelops,suchinsightsoccurmorefrequentlyevenoutsideTMsessions.Thisstoryisagoodbridgetoournextsection,oncreativity,afunctionthatdependsinpartontheunexpectedinsightsandnovelconnectionsthatariseunbiddenandmysteriously,andmaybecriticallyimportanttosolvingproblems.

THESUPERMINDANDCREATIVITY

Creativityisintelligencehavingfun.sourceunknown

Onehighlyprizedaspectofintellectualfunctioningthatmanyofuswouldlovetocultivateiscreativity.AndcertainlymanycreativepeopleseemdrawntoTM—raisingthequestionofhowthispractice,andtheresultingSuperMind,mightcontributetocreativedevelopment.By“creative”Imeanhavingtheabilitytomakeunexpectedconnections,eithertoseecommonplacethingsinnewways—orunusualthingsthatescapetheattentionofothers—andrealizetheirimportance.Thenextphaseinthecreativeprocessistheaudacitytoholdontothisnewrealization—ofteninthefaceofoppositionorridicule—andthenpursueandrealizetheideadespiteobstacles.

IhavehadthegoodfortunetodiscusscreativitywithsomehighlyaccomplishedandcreativeTMpractitioners.Toaperson,theycreditTMwithmakingthemmorecreative—attimesdramaticallyso.Amongothers,I

interviewedthegreatclassicalguitaristandlongtimeTMpractitionerSharonIsbin.ShehadtoldmeexactlythebesttimetomeetinherapartmentonManhattan’sUpperWestSide,overlookingtheHudsonRiver,soastoavoidthebanginganddrillingofconstructionworkersremodelingnearbyapartments.AfterdiscussingthevalueofTMinsofteningherresponsetotheincessantracket,wemovedontoawiderangeoftopics.WhenIaskedwhethershethoughtTMhadenhancedherintelligenceandcreativity,hereiswhatshehadtosay:

Isupposeintelligenceishardtoquantify,butwhetheryou’rewritinganarticle,learningorperformingapieceofmusic,orpreparingaspeech,allthosethingsrequiretremendousfocusandaccesstoyourtalentsandabilitiesatthehighestpossiblelevel.AndIdofeelthatTMhasnotonlymademebetterabletousemyowninnerresourcesbuthasalsomadememorecreative.VeryofteninaTMsession,eitherinthemiddleorattheveryend,IsuddenlyhavetheanswertoaquestionI’vehad.OrIgetanideathatI’veneverthoughtofbefore,andIthinkit’safantasticidea!AndithappensduringTM.SoformethatprovesthatTMisaprocessthatenablesandencouragesandnurturescreativethinking.

Asamusician,Iask,whatiscreativity?It’sacomplexthingtoexplain,butsomehowwhenyou’rewritingorspeaking,yousuddenlythink,“Well,thatwasagoodidea.Ineverconnectedthisthoughtwiththatthoughtbefore.”Andit’sjustflowingandit’shappeningandyou’rekindofamazedyourselfatwhat’scomingoutofyou.Thesamethinghappenswithmusic—I’llbeplayingandsuddenlythereisatwistofaphraseoranuanceandyoujustfeelthatmeltingsenseofbeauty.Itmightbesomethingthatyou’veneverdonebefore,anditjusthappens.That’screativityasaperformer.Asacomposer,creativityisdifferentbecauseyou’reactuallydreamingupthesenotes,asawriterwouldwordsonapage.Soallofthesethings,Ifeel,reflectthepowerofTM.

Creativeworkssometimesadvancebygreatleaps,butmoreoftenbyaseriesofsmalldecisions,eachoneguidedbythecreator’soverarchingvisionofthedesiredoutcome.Thedetailscumulativelyfallintoplacetoachievethecompletedwork.ThatiswhatIlearnedfromtwoTMpractitionerswhoarecreativegiantsintheirrespectivefields:RayDalio,founderofBridgewaterAssociates,andMartinScorsese,agreatAmericanfilmdirector.Bothare

longtimeTMpractitioners,andbothattributetheircreativesuccesstoTM’sinfluence.Daliopointsoutthatinhischosencareer—dealingwiththeworld’sfinancialmarkets—successcomesfrommakinganumberofgooddecisionsovertime.Likewise,Scorsesetalksabouttheimportanceofgettingallthedetailsright—forexample,pickingjusttherightpieceofmusictoaccompanyaspecificscene—inordertomakeagreatmovie.

UNBLOCKINGCREATIVITY

Mypersonalexperienceresonateswiththesestories.Itisimpossibletocountthenumberofinsights,bothsmallandlarge,thathaveoccurredtomewhilemeditatingorshortlythereafter.Here’sanothercuriousobservationalongtheselines.SometimesIsitdowntowritebutthewordsjustwon’tcome.AswriterWilliamStyronputit,“Thesyrupwon’tpour.”Oftenwhenthishappens,IdomyTM,andwhenIreturntomydesk,somethinghascomeunblocked.Mysteriously,thesyruppoursfreely.Overalongertimeframe,withintheeightyearssincestartingtomeditate,myeffortsatwritinghavebecomesteadilysmoother.IamcleareraboutwhatIwanttosay,therightwordsflow,andthewritinggetsdonemoreeasily.AndmanyothersinwidelyvaryingfieldshavetoldmesimilarstoriesabouthowtheyrelyuponTMtounblockthemwhentheyfeelcreativelystuck.

InanimportantcontrolledstudyperformedinTaiwanandpublishedbyDavidOrme-JohnsonandKam-TimSo,threegroupsofadolescentswereassignedtopracticeTMversusacontrolcondition.6Thedetailsofthisimportantsetofstudiesarepresentedmorecompletelylaterinthischapter.Atthispoint,however,itisworthnotingthatoneofthetestsusedtomeasuretheeffectsofthedifferentinterventionswastheTestforCreativeThinking–DrawingProduction,whichisconsideredameasureofwhole-braincreativity.Basedonthethreestudies,theparticipantswhopracticedTMexhibitedafargreaterincreaseincreativitythanthecontrolsoverthecourseofthestudy.

Anobviousquestionis,whatishappeningatthelevelofthebrain?SomecluesmaycomefromtheworkofFredTravisandcolleagues,whomyoumetinchapter5.YoumayrememberthattheseresearchersshowedthattranscendenceduringmeditationdevelopswithinmonthsofstartingTM,alongwiththeassociatedbrain-wavechanges,suchasincreasedalphawavesandincreasedfrontalalphacoherence.Ontheotherhand,TM-associatedbrainchangesthat

showupwhentheeyesareopen—thatis,inthepresenceofdynamicactivity—takelongertodevelop.Thislattergroupofbrainchangesinclude:

EEGcoherenceinthefrontalpartsofthebrain,notonlyinthealphafrequencybutalsointhefasterbetaandgammafrequencies,whichareassociatedwithperformingatask.Increasedalphapower—whichsuggestsinternalstillnessevenwhenpeopleareperformingtasks—akeyfeatureoftheSuperMind.Moreefficientuseofthebrain,asmeasuredbyitselectricalresponsestovarioustypesoftasks(thesearecoveredingreaterdetailinchapter18).

Itisimportanttorealize,however,howmuchwedon’tknowaboutbrainfunctionandhowmuchremainstobediscoveredtoexplaintheamazingcognitiveeffectsofTM.IemphasizeEEGchangesbecausethatiswheremostofthebrain-relatedTMresearchhasfocused.Butitisworthconsideringthepossibleroleofotherbrainsystems—includingsomenotyetdescribed.Take,forexample,therecentlydescribed“glymphaticsystem”—atermcoinedbyDanishbiologistMaikenNedergaard,whohasledtheresearchintothisareaattheUniversityofRochestermedicalschool—whichrapidlydrainswasteproducts,suchasamyloid,fromthebrain.7Studiesinmicehaveshownthatsuchclearanceofthebrain’swasteproductsspeedsupduringsleep,8whichresearchershavehypothesizedmayexplainwhysleepissorestorative.Forallweknow,TMmayexerciseitseffectsviathissystem—and/oramyriadofothers.Butevenwithoutanyunderstandingofitsmechanism,theremarkablecognitiveeffectsofthetechniqueareobvious,asmanyTMpractitionerswillattest.

FIELDINDEPENDENCE

Onequalitythatcreativityrequiresis“fieldindependence”—thecapacitytogenerateideasfromwithin,withoutbeingundulydependentontheinfluenceofothers.ItisthisaspectofbrainfunctioningthathasstruckWalterZimmermanasmostimprovedsincehebeganTM.Adecades-longmeditatorandformerTMteacher,Zimmermansawthiseffectafewyearsintohismeditation,whenhe

scoredhighonatestthatassessestheextenttowhichpeopleareindependentofdistractionintheirvisualfields.

Nowahighlysuccessfulenergiestrader,Zimmermanfindshisfieldindependencetobeaninvaluableasset.Heseesthebullscarriedawaybytheireuphoricbeliefthatstockswillneverstoprising—untilasharpmarketdeclinelandsthemindespair.Heseesthebearssellingtoosoonorinvestingontheshortsidefortoolong,onlytoendupcrestfallenwhenshareskeeprising.FieldindependenceenablesZimmermantowatchthemarketwithbothinterestanddetachment,asemotionsrageonallsides.Hemakeshiscalculationsonparticularbuysandsellsbasedonexperienceandtheever-changingdataashewatcheseventsplayout—atypeofcreativitythatinvolvesinsightintopatterns,numbers,andhumanpsychology.

Asyoumayhavenoticed,fieldindependencesoundsalotliketheSuperMind,wherestillnessentersthepsycheandapersonisunshakenbyexternalfluctuations.ZimmermancompareshimselftothecentralfigureinHermannHesse’sfamousnovelTheGlassBeadGame.Inthisnovel,anelitegroupofintellectualsplayoutagameofenormouscomplexity.SoitisthatZimmermandescribeshisfieldindependence,whichallowshimtoretainavaluablemeasureofcalmdetachmentwhileatthesametimeactivelyandsuccessfullyengaginginhiscomplexprofession.Theparallelbetweenhisworkandhislifewascleartome(asI’msureitistohim).

CREATIVITYANDTHECIQ

Tocloseourexaminationofexpandingconsciousnessandcreativity,letusevaluateourfindingsfromtheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire.Agreatmajority(83percent)ofrespondentsreportedincreasedcreativitysincestartingtomeditate,ofwhom57percentand30percentsaidtheircreativitywasenhancedveryoftenoroften,respectively.Herearesomeoftheirnarrativeresponses,selectedbecausetheyhighlightvariousaspectsofthecreativeprocess,whichtherespondentslinkeddirectlytopracticingTM.

I’vealwayshadalotofideasrunningthroughmyhead,butIcouldnotpinthemdownwhenIneededthem.Everythingwouldgetjumbled,andthenIwouldgetoverwhelmed.NowIfeellikeIhaveafilterorfilingsysteminmyheadthathelps

mesortthroughmyideasandorganizethem.Aftermymeditationmycreativityincreases.I’mmuchmoreproductiveandhavebeguncreativeworksthatIhadonlyimaginedinpreviousyears.Ihadaconceptforonefilmalmosttenyearsago,butonlyaftermeditatingforafewyearswasIabletocompleteit—anditallcameabouteffortlessly.BeforeIstartedmeditating,Iwasamusiccompositionstudentwhohadareallyhardtimecomposing.Shortlyafterlearningtomeditate,thatchanged,andthesedaysthereisverylittledifficultyinanykindofcreativework.Itjustflowsoutallthetime.Igetmoredoneinlesstime—lessprocrastination.Idothingswellthefirsttimesothereislessdo-over.NowI’mdoingthreejobsandwritingabook,andsomehowitallgetsdone.Ialwayswantedtobeanartist.Igraduatedfromhighschoolatsixteen,wenttocollegeatseventeen,andwasn’tpreparedforitatall.Iwasafraidoffailureandafraidofsuccess.Idroppedoutanddidn’tmakeanyartagainuntilIlearnedtomeditate.NowI’manationallyexhibitedsculptorandIhopeonedaytoearnmylivingwithmyart.Sincemeditating,mycreativityhasgrownfromthespewingsofadistressedpersontotheoutpouringsofawealthyimagination.Mycreativityisnolongerneededforpersonalcatharsis.Itcomesinsteadfrominsight,delight,anddeepfeeling.IammoreproductivebecauseIknowwhatdoesn’tmatterandwhatdoes.PsychiatristandNewYorkTimescolumnistRichardFriedmanseesaclearimprovementinthequalityofhiscolumnssincestartingtomeditate.Oneaspectthatdistinguisheshismorerecentcolumnsisthattheyare“moreprovocativeandintriguing,creativeanddaring.I’mlessworriedaboutwhetherothersthinkthey’reinterestingandhaven’tcheckedasmuchwithothers.Ijustdothem.”Onepaintersaid,“Whenanartistmakesamarkonacanvas,hefeelsaresonancewiththatmark—whetheritworksornot,producesthedesiredeffect,pleasesordisturbs.Sincestarting

tomeditate,Ihavefeltagreaterresonanceandconnectionwithmypaintings,whichhasgivenmealotofpleasure.”

LETUS,THEN,COUNTSOMEOFTHEWAYSBYWHICHPEOPLESAYTMHASIMPROVEDTHEIRCREATIVITY:

Ithelpsthemsortoutandorganizeinformation,turningsketchesofideasintofullyformedworksofart.Itgivesrisetonewideas,newconnections,andnewemphases(Wow,thatthoughtismoreimportantthanIrealized!).Ithelpsthecreativepersonfigureoutwheretobegin(theleadingedgeoftheproblem)orwhattodonext.Ithelpspeoplegetstarted(overcomingprocrastination)andcompleteprojects—bothcommonimpedimentstocreativity,whichareoftenrelatedtoanxieties(suchasfearsoffailureorsuccess).Itpromotestheflowofideasandactions(moreonthissubjectcanbefoundinchapter10,“BeingintheZone”).Itshiftstheaxisofmotivationfromfear(ifIdon’tsucceed,somethingbadwillhappen)toenthusiasm(won’titbegreattohavemyfirstshow?).Itgivespeopletheconfidencetotakerisks.Itenhancesthejoyofconnectiontoone’screativeworks.

Clearly,manydifferentbrainfunctionsmustbeinvolvedinexpeditingthesehappyoutcomes.Thecontrolledstudiesdescribedanddiscussedbelowprovidesomeinsightintowhatthesespecificbrainfunctionsmightbe.

*

Anecdotesaside,letusconsidernowtwoofthemostimpressivestudiesthatconnectmeditationtovariousbrainfunctions.Theywereconductedintwocountriesthousandsofmilesapart,TaiwanandtheUnitedStates.Bothsetsofresearcherswereinterestedinthesamebasicquestion:IfonetakesagroupofessentiallynormalyoungpeopleandteacheshalfofthemtopracticeTMwhilethematchedotherhalfreceivesacontroltreatment,whatdifferences,ifany,willyoufindintheirpsychologicalfunctionsixtotwelvemonthslater?Put

differently,canTMnotonlynormalizebrainfunctioninginpeoplewithproblems—ashasbeenshowninnumerousstudies(forexample,inpeoplewithanxiety)9—butalsoenhancebrainfunctioninginhealthyindividuals?Twosetsofstudiesintwodifferentcountriessoughttoanswerthisquestion.

ATRIOOFTAIWANESESTUDIESThreeremarkableexperimentswereconductedbypsychologistDavid

Orme-Johnsonandhisgraduate-studentcollaborator,Kam-TimSo(bothassociatedatthetimewithMaharishiUniversity),whopublishedtheirresultsin2001.10ThesethreestudiesinvolvedthreeseparategroupsofTaiwanesestudents:Twogroupswereinhighschool,whilethethirdattendedatechnicalschooljustabovehighschoollevel.Atotalof362studentswereinvolved.Inallthreestudies,conductedoversixtotwelvemonths,thesamesixstandardizedpsychologicaltestswereused(seetable4,below).

Table4

NAMEOFSCALE FUNCTIONMEASURED

SpielbergerState-TraitAnxietyInventory(STAI)

Anxiety,bothasastate(themoodofthemoment)andatrait(amorestableindex).

CulturalFairIntelligenceTest(CFIT)

Fluidintelligence,whichcorrelateswithexecutivefunctionsmediatedbytheprefrontalcortexandalsowithacademicachievement.

InspectionTime(IT) Speedofinformationprocessingatthestepwhereastimulusistransferredtoshort-termmemory.

ConstructiveThinkingInventory(CTI)

“Practicalintelligence,”whichisthoughttopredictsuccessinlove,work,andsocialrelationships.

GroupEmbeddedFiguresTest(GEFT)

Fieldindependence,whichmeansthetendencytogeneratethoughtsandideasbasedoninternal,asopposedtoexternal,processes.Thistestpredictsacademicachievementifonecontrolsforfluidintelligence.

TestforCreativeThinking–DrawingProduction(TCT–DP)

Saidtomeasurewhole-braincreativity.

Letusconsidereachoftheseexperimentsinturn.Inthefirst,154studentsofaverageage16.5yearsweredividedintothreegroups:ThosewhowereinterestedinparticipatingintheTMstudywererandomlyassignedtoTMpracticeornapping(foranequalamountoftime),andthosewithnointerestinlearningTMconstitutedathirdgroup.AftersixmonthsofTMpractice,thoseintheTMgroupsignificantlyoutperformedthenaptakersonsixoftheseven

measures(rememberthattheSTAIyieldstwomeasuresofanxiety)andtheno-interestgroupineveryrespect—sevenoutofthesevenmeasures.

Inthesecondexperiment,alsoinTaiwan,118slightlyyoungerfemalestudents(averageage14.6years)wererandomlyassignedtothreegroups:TM,contemplationmeditation,andano-treatmentcontrol.Thetwotypesofmeditationweretaughtbytwodifferentteachers,bothofwhompracticedandbelievedintheformofmeditationtheytaught,whichhelpedcontrolforexpectationandplaceboeffects.Aftersixmonths,theTMgroupsignificantlyoutperformedtheno-treatmentcontrolonsixofthesevenmeasures,andprovedsignificantlysuperiortothecontemplationgrouponfiveoutofsevenmeasures(includingstateandtraitanxiety).Thecontemplationgroupoutperformedno-treatmentstudentsontwooutofsevenmeasures.Besidesreplicatingseveralfindingsofthefirstexperiment,thisexperimenttendstoconfirmthatnotalltypesofmeditationproduceequivalentresults.

Inthethirdexperiment,99malevocationalguidancestudents(averageage17.8years),allofthemmajoringintechnicaldrawing,wererandomlyassignedtotwogroups:TMornotreatment.Afteroneyear,theTMgroupsignificantlyoutperformedtheno-treatmentgrouponallsevenmeasures.

Toputtheseresultsinperspective,itishighlyunusualinbehavioralstudiesforaninterventiontooutperformthecontrolconditionacrosstheboard,onmostifnotallmeasures,andinthreeseparatestudies.Inotherwords,thesestronglypositivestudiesessentiallyreplicatedoneanother.Assomeonewhohaslookedatmanybehavioralstudies,Ifindtheseresultsastonishing,bothinthebreadthoftheirfindingsandtheirconsistencyacrossstudies.

InordertoassesstheeffectofTMversuscontrol,theresearcherspooledthedatafromallthreestudies.Youmayrecallthatinbehavioralsciences,aneffectisconsideredtobelargeat0.8unitsormore,mediumat0.5,andsmallat0.2units.11TheeffectofTMversuscontrolsrangedinmagnitudefrom0.77to0.34,asshownbelow,withtheorderofeffectsizebeingfromhighesttolowest:

Creativity(0.77)Practicalintelligence(0.62)Fieldindependence(0.58)Stateanxiety(0.53)Traitanxiety(0.52)Inspectiontime(0.39)Fluidintelligence(0.34)

Overall,then,aftersixtotwelvemonthsofTMpractice,therewasalargeeffectoncreativity;amediumeffectonpracticalintelligence,fieldindependence,andstateandtraitanxiety;andasmall-to-mediumeffectoninspectiontimeandfluidintelligence.

TheresearcherssentthepaperdocumentingtheirfindingstoIntelligence,oneofthetopjournalsinthefield.Myguessisthatthereviewersthoughtthedatalookedtoogoodtobetrue,becausetheytooktwoyearstopublishit!Onevalueofpublishinginahigh-profile,peer-reviewedjournalisthatitenhancesone’sconfidencethatthedataaregenuine.

Besidesthecredentialsoftheauthors,theprestigeofthejournal,andthediligencewithwhichthereviewersscouredthedatabeforeacceptingthemanuscript,thereareotherreasonswhyIfindthesefindingscredible.Overthepastdecade,IhaveseenhundredsofTMpractitioners(myselfincluded)whohaveimproved—sometimesdramatically—increativity,fieldindependence,andpracticalintelligence.Inaddition,whenitcomestointelligence,itisnotonlyimportanthowsmartyouarebutalsohowwellyoudeployyourintelligence.Aswehavealreadydiscussedwithregardtomemory,beingoverstressed,frenetic,ordistractedseriouslyimpairsfunction.Thesameappliestootheraspectsofintelligence—andallcanbenefitfromslowingdownone’sinternalpacewhileretainingalertnessandacuity.

MEDITATINGATAMILITARYACADEMYNorwichUniversity—themilitarycollegeofVermont—istheoldestprivate

militarycollegeintheUnitedStates.YoumightnotexpectittobethesiteofastudyonthepotentialbenefitsofTMonofficertrainees—butitwas.In2011,CaroleBandy,associateprofessorofpsychologyatNorwich,beganarandomizedcontrolledstudybyinquiringwhichenteringcadetsmightbeinterestedinparticipating.Atotalofseventyfreshrecruits,familiarlyknownas“rooks”(shortforrookies),expressedinterest.Ofthese,sixty(aboutthree-quartersofwhomweremen)wereenteredintothestudyandrandomizedeithertoreceiveTMtrainingortoserveascontrols.Bothgroupsreceivedtheirmilitarytrainingandotherstudiesasusual.12

Bywayofbackground,hereishowBandydescribesfreshmantrainingatNorwich:

Itisanincrediblystressfultimeforthestudents,andtheymustundergotrainingthatisveryunfamiliarinourculture.Alotofitispsychologicallyunfamiliaraswell.Theyhavetolookstraightahead,toobeycommands,andtheycan’tlookattheirofficers.Theyhavetowalkandeatincertainways.Andtheydoallofthiswhileatthesametimebeginningtheircollegecourses,whichareconsiderablyharderthanhighschool.

ThoseintheTMgroupweretaughttomeditateintheweekbeforetheystartedtraining,andtheywentontopracticeTMtwiceaday,sevendaysaweek,asagroup.Atbaseline,bothmeditatorsandcontrolstookalargebatteryoftests.Theseincludedquestionnairesandphysiologicaltests,suchasEEGs,eyetracking,andbehavioraltasks.Follow-updatawereobtainedonbothgroupsaftertwoandsixmonthsofTMtraining.Atthesametime,EEGandeye-trackingmeasurementswerealsorepeated.

Afullreplicationstudywascarriedoutinthesecondyearonanewbatchofcadets.

Atthetimeofthiswriting,onlythequestionnairedataareavailablefordiscussion,butitisalreadypossibletosaythattheresultsareremarkable:Inthefirstyear,atthetwo-monthmark,everyinstrumentshowedsignificantchangesinfavoroftheTMgroup.Specifically,therewasasignificantdecreaseinself-reporteddepression(asmeasuredbytheBeckDepressionInventory),13ascomparedwithcontrols—eventhoughthesescoreswerenormalatbaseline.Inotherwords,therewasnoevidencethatthesecadetsweredepressedonarrivalatthecollege.Therewasalsoevidenceofdecreasedstress(asmeasuredbyastressscale),andstateanxiety(asmeasuredbytheState-TraitAnxietyInventory,orSTAI,14whichismentionedabove).AlthoughmostdifferencesbetweenTMpractitionersandcontrolsbecameevidentaftertwomonths,traitanxiety(anotheroutputoftheSTAI)tookalittlelongertoregisteradifference,whichshowedupatthesix-monthmark.

ThewidelyusedProfileofMoodStates(POMS)15showedahighlysignificantdecreaseinoverallmooddisturbancefortheTMgroup.Atthesametime,allpositiveaspectsofpersonalityimproved.

Positiveaffect(feeling)wasassociatedwithincreasedconstructivethinking.Notsurprisingly,cognition(thinking)andaffectwerefoundtobeinterrelated.Therewasevidenceofincreasedemotionalcoping,asmeasuredbytheconstructivethinkinginventoryandincreasedbehavioralcoping.

ThoseintheTMgroupwerealsofoundtohaveincreasedresilienceatthetwo-monthmark,asmeasuredbytheDispositionalResilienceScale(DRS-15),16whichisaverystablescale.Interestingly,atbaselinetheNorwichUniversitystudentsscoredinthesamerangeasUSandScandinaviancollegestudentsonthismeasure.Inotherwords,regularTMpracticeappearstoboostlevelsofresiliencysignificantlyabovelevelsnormallyfoundincollegestudents.

Overall,constructivethinkingaswellasbehavioralandemotionalcoping(asmeasuredbytheConstructiveThinkingInventory)increasedsignificantlyaswell.

AlmostallthechangesintheTMgroupwereapparentattwomonths,andallcontinuedandincreasedasofsixmonths.

Andhereisanamazingfact:allthefindingsobtainedinthefirst-yearstudywerereplicatedinthesecond-yearstudy.

Attheendofthefirstyear,theTMplatoonwasgradednumberoneoutofsixteenplatoons,whichisnotallthatsurprisingwhenyouthinkofthewaysinwhichtheyoutstrippedthecontrols.Itis,however,anicevalidationofthepencil-and-papertests.

*

DavidZobeck,theTMteacherwhotaughtthecadets,waskindenoughtosharesomeoftheexperiencesofthosewhohadbeenassignedtotheTMgroupandarenowprogressingintheirmilitarycareers.Hereareafewtypicalcomments.

Todd,arisingsenior,whosincethestudyhasbecomearegularmeditator,saysthatduringstressfulsituationsandunderduress,heisabletoslowdownhismindandmakemorethoughtfuldecisionsasopposedtobeinginfluencedbyemotions.(Doyoudetectthestrengthenedprefrontalcortexatworkhere?)Healsosaysthathisexamresultsimprovewhenhemeditates,andthatheneedslesssleep.(Zobeckaddsthatthecandidateofficerscangettobedaslateas11:00p.m.,havetobeupby5:00a.m.,andaregenerallysleepdeprived.)ToddconcludesthatTMwillbea“magnificenttoolforactiveduty”whenheentersthenavy.

James,oneofthefirstrookstolearnTM,hassincegraduatedfromhistrainingandcourseofstudy.Hesays:“It’sreallycleartomethere’satremendousenergyboostaftermeditation.TMcontributestomyresiliencyandstamina.Itremovesafogfrommybrain.Itactsasareserveforme;Inevergettired.There’snodoubtinmymindthatTMmakesmeclearerineverythingIdo.”Atthetimeofthiswriting,JamesisintheUSNavyandgettinghismaster’sdegreeonline.Forrest,alieutenant,findsthatTMhelpswithhisphysicaltraining:“WhenImeditatebeforeIdomyphysicalworkoutroutine,Ialwayshavebetterresultsbecauseitremovesstressfromme.TMbringsmeprofoundcalmnessofmind.”Andrew,currentlyasecondlieutenant,reportssimilarimprovementsinfocusandacademicwork,butadds:“ThethingImostnoteisthatTMincreasesmycreativity.Iwritemusic,poems,andstories.WhenImeditatemywriter’sblockdisappearsimmediately,Iammoreorganizedandamabletogetintouchwithmoreexpandedlevelsofmymind.”

AsZobecktalks,extollingonecandidateofficeraftertheother,hisdevotiontohisstudentsisobvious.“Ican’tseparatethem,”hesays.“It’slikelookingatagalaxy—they’reallstars.IfImadefiftymorephonecalls,Icouldgiveyoufiftymoresparklingresults.”

*

Ifinditinterestingthatallthesestudysubjectswerenottroubledpeopletostartwith.TheywerenormalstudentsinTaiwanandofficercandidatesinNorwich,thelattergroupbeingchosenforparticularhardiness(andvalidatedasnormalaccordingtostandardizedtests).Inallthesecases,asimpleconclusionisinescapable:theregularpracticeofTM—andtheresultingdevelopmentoftheSuperMind—canboostpositivepsychologicalqualities(suchaspositivemood,cognitivefunctioning,andresilience)anddecreasenegativeones(suchasdepressionandanxiety).Toabehavioral-scienceresearcher,thesefivedatasets,replicatingoneanotherastheydo,areastonishing.Infact,IwouldsaythatTranscendentalMeditationisoneofthemostpotentinterventionsforenhancing

well-beingandfunctioningthatIhaveencounteredinmorethanthirty-fiveyearsasaresearcherandpracticingpsychiatrist.

Inthechaptersthatfollow,wewillfurtherexplorethegiftsoftheSuperMind.Aswedoso,bearinmindthemanyphysicalandpsychological(brain-related)benefitsofTM,whicharethebasisofthesegifts.

Beforeproceedingfurther,itmaybeusefulforustoreviewsomeofthehighlightsofthischapter:

Basedontwosetsofcontrolledstudies,conductedontwocontinentsandmorethanadecadeapart,TMhasbeenshowntooutperformavarietyofcontrolconditionsinboostingawidearrayofpsychologicalskillsinphysicallyandmentallyhealthyyoungpeople.Thesestudies,performedinTaiwaneseschoolsandataUSmilitaryuniversity,foundthatTMenhancedthefollowingmentalabilities:creativity,practicalintelligence,fieldindependence,stateandtraitanxiety,mood,resilience,andcoping.NumerousanecdotessuggestbeneficialeffectsofTMoncreativityandmemory.

10BEINGINTHEZONE

Insports,youhavetoletthezonecometoyoubybeingaspresentaspossible,andhavingasmuchfocusandconcentrationaspossible—thenallofasudden,you’reinthezone.

BarryZito

Itwasthe2012NationalLeagueChampionshipSeries—thesemifinals.TheSanFranciscoGiantswereupagainsttheSt.LouisCardinals,downthreegamestooneinabest-of-sevencontest.Thiswasgamefive—doordie—andtheGiants’BarryZitowasonthemound.ZitohadbeenarisingstarasayoungpitcherwiththeOaklandA’s,hadbeennamedtotheAmericanLeagueAll-Starteamthreetimes,andwontheprestigiousCyYoungAwardasthebestpitcherintheAmericanLeague(2002).HewasthensignedbytheGiantsinamuch-publicizedmultimillion-dollarcontract.OncewiththeGiants,Zitohadhadhisshareofstruggles,butnowhewasbackontop,andthefateoftheseriesdepended,really,onhowheperformedunderintensepressure.Foranypitcher,thestakescouldnothavebeenhigher.

BarryandIhadbecomefriendsafterthepublicationofTranscendence.Heandhiswife,Amber(thenhisfiancée),hadlearnedTMandweremeditatingregularly.Asaresultofourfriendship,Ibecameinterestedinbaseballforthefirsttime,havinggrownupinSouthAfricawhere,indeferencetopastBritishconnections,cricketwasalltherage.(WhenIarrivedintheStates,myfriendslaughedwhenItalkedaboutwatching“abaseballmatch”onTV.Everybodyknewitwasagame,notamatch—Ihadexposedmyselfasaforeigner.)Butnow,slowly,Ilearnedthesubtletiesofthegame,especiallyfromthepitcher’s

pointofview.Themechanicsofthefastballandcurveball—previouslymerefiguresofspeech—nowbecameintenselyinteresting,andIenjoyedthetrickinessofthechangeup,whichlookslikeafastballbutbamboozlesthehitterbymovingmoreslowly.

NowmyattentionwasrivetedasIwatchedmyfriendunleashtheseweaponsontheenemy,acutelyawarethatthebattlebetweenpitcherandhitterisasmuchamatchofwitsasaphysicalcombat.HereishowBarrydescribesthatfatefulgame:

Weweredownthreegamestoone,playinginSt.Louis,inanunderdogsituation.WithCardinalfansfillingthestadium,theyhadthehomefieldadvantage.Theyhadadominantlineup,atonofplayoffexperience,andhadwontheWorldSeriestheyearbefore.Andso,thatwasthebiggestopportunityI’deverhadasapitcherinmycareer.Insteadofgettingaheadofmyselfandtryingtofigureoutwhatwasgoingtohappeninthegameorafterthegame,mygoalwastobeaspresentaspossiblewitheverypitch,andnottoletonepitchslipbywithoutmythoroughintenttofocusanddomybest.IfIcoulddothat,thenregardlessoftheoutcome,Icouldsleepwellthatnight.

TheopposingpitcherwasLanceLynn,whoaccordingtoBarry,“hadhadacoupleofreallygoodyearswithSt.Louis,andsoIthinkalltheoddsmakershadSt.Louiskickingourbuttsthatday.”

AsIwatchedthegame,Ibecamecompletelylostintheunfoldingdrama.Asthoughbymagic,Barry’spitchesseemedtobegoingexactlywherehewanted.Somechangehadcomeaboutwithinhimthatwasapparentinhispitching.Here’showhedescribeshisinnerexperienceasherecallsitsometwoyearslater:

Ithinkthemostdifficultthingforapitcher—andalsoforpeopleinlife—isstayingreallypresentwiththetaskathand,especiallyifthere’salotofmeaninggiventothattask.Forexample,ifthattaskcouldadvanceordemoteyouinanyway.Alotoftimeswestarttolosefocusinthemomentandhavetoogeneralaperspective.Sointhatgame,myfocuswaslasersharponjusteverythrowImade.Warmingupbeforethegame,warmingupinthebullpen,Iputasmuchfocusaspossibleoneverypitch,everythrow.Andthatcarriedonintothegame.SoIfelt

liketimewasmovingveryslowly.Andinpitchingandinbaseballwetrytoslowthegamedown,becausethegamecanspeeduponyouveryquickly.Itcanfeellikeit’sgoingmuchfasterthanitwouldtosomeonewho’sjustwatchingfromthestands,andwhenthathappens,youhavelesscontrol.

Barrywaskindenoughtoanswersomeofmyquestionsabouthisinnerprocessasapitcherduringthatcriticalgame.Herearemyquestionsandhisanswers:

NR:HOWDIDYOUMAKETHEGAME“SLOWDOWN”FORYOU?BZ:IjuststayedwithmybreathasbestIcould.Iusedamethodicalbreathingpattern,becausewhenthegamespeedsup,youstarttobreathetoofast.SoIbreatherealdeep.AndIthinkthereasonthatthegamewentslowlyformeisnotbecauseItriedtomakeitgoslower,butbecauseIjusthadsomuchintentandpresence,witheverysinglepitch.SoitseemedliketherewasafullminutebetweeneverypitchIthrew,whereinrealityitwasprobablyfifteenortwentyseconds.

NR:DIDYOUFEELASTHOUGHYOUWERE‘INTHEZONE’DURINGTHATGAME?BZ:Ah,yeah,definitely.That’sright.Andthetrickythingaboutthezoneisthatwhenyougetintoit,assoonasyoubecomeconsciousofit,usuallyyou’renotinitanymore.Sopeopleinsportssaythingslike,“Youhavetoletthezonecometoyoubybeingaspresentaspossible,andhavingasmuchfocusandconcentrationaspossible—thenallofasudden,you’reinthezone.

Barry’sobservationaboutthezoneremindedmeoftranscendence,inthatifyou’reaskingyourselfwhetheryou’retranscending,you’renot.Whenhesaid,“Youhavetoletthezonecometoyou,”thatremindedmeoftheeffortlessnessofTMpractice.Barryagreed,saying:“Yeah,inbothsituationsyoucan’tforceitbecauseit’llneverhappenifyoutry.”

NR:ISITENJOYABLEBEINGINTHEZONE?BZ:Yes,butinawaythatIthinkisdifferentthanpeoplemightthink.It’snotlike,“Wow!Thisissofun!”It’senjoyablebecauseyou’rejust

sototallyconnectedtoyourtask.Theenjoyablethingisexecutingthetaskexactlythewayyouwant.

NR:WHATELEMENTSAREINVOLVEDINEXECUTINGTHETASKINTHEZONE?BZ:Specificallyforpitching,youhavetobeverycalm,justcompletelyrelaxed,andletyourmusclememorythatyou’veworkedonforyearstakeover.Youhavetofocusonthetargetandonthepitchyouwanttodeliver.Essentially,itjustbecomesaboutyouandthecatcher’sglove.Everythingelsegoesaway.

NR:IFTHERE’SSOMEPERSONOUTTHEREWHOWANTSYOURADVICEONHOWTOGETINTOTHEZONE,WHATWOULDYOUTELLHIMORHER?BZ:Iwouldsaythatyoucan’tguaranteeyouwillbeinthezone.Allyoucanguaranteearethethingswithinyourowncontrol.Andmoretimesthannot,whenyouexecutethose,you’llfindyou’reinthezone.SoIwouldsaytohaveaslowbreathingpatternthatkeepsyourootedinthepresentmoment—andalsokeepsyourbodyveryrelaxedandloose.Butthebiggestthingistobeawareofyourselfinthepresent.Ifyoufindyourselfjumpingintothefutureorgoingbacktothepast,resetandfocusonwhat’simportantnow.There’sanacronymthatwetalkaboutinbaseball—WIN—What’sImportantNow?Becausewhenyou’reonthatmoundandyouhaveapitchtodeliver,itdoesn’tmatterwhathappenedbefore,anditcertainlydoesn’tmatterwhat’sgoingtohappeninfiveminutes,orevenfiveseconds.Allthat’soutofyourcontrol.Theonlytimethat’sinyourcontrolisnow.

BarryhadbeenpracticingTranscendentalMeditationforabouttwoyearsatthetimeoftheplayoffgameagainsttheCardinals.IaskedhimwhetherhethoughthisTMpracticehadhelpedhimgetintothezoneandsucceedatbaseball.Here’shisresponse:

Yes,absolutely.Masteringyourselfiswhatit’sallaboutwhenyou’reoutthereonthefield,andmanagingallthedistractions—thedifferentvoicesthatcomeup—canthrowyouoffkilter.AndTMformeisareallygreatpracticebecauseitallowsmetobecomefamiliarwithbeingquietinternally,andbeinginthepresentmoment—justwiththemantra—andallowingwhatever’sgoingtohappentojusthappen.Youknow

thatoldadage,“Controlthecontrollables,andletthechipsfallwheretheymay.”It’salotlikeTM,wheretheonlythingyoucontrolisthemantra.Theneverythingelsejusthappensaroundus.

BarryrelatestheeffectsofTMonhisgametoitseffectsonhislife:

IthinkTMisgreat,becauseitgivesustheopportunitytoslowdowninourlivesacoupleoftimesaday.Ifitfeelslikethingsareswirlingaroundus,wecangotothisquietplaceandalloweverythingtocalmdowninside.

Whenyou’redoingTM,alotoftimesyoumayhavehadaroughday.Youmightbethinkingaboutafamilysituationorsomethingatwork,ormaybesomeone’shealthisinjeopardy.Andsothingsareracinginyourmind.Soyougiveyourselfanopportunitytosettledownforthosetwentyminuteswhenyoujustaccessthatmantraandleteverythingelsefallbythewayside.

NR:ANDHOWDOESTMAFFECTYOUINYOUREVERYDAYLIFE?BZ:It’seasiertomaketheadjustmentwhenyoufeelyourselfstartingtospeedup,toengagewithanissuetoomuch,ortofixateonthepast.TMgivesyouatoolset,inasecondary-benefittypeofway,whereyou’reabletoaccessanawarenessthatyounormallywouldn’thaveifyoudidn’ttakethetimeeverydaytoslowdown.

Althoughwedidn’tmentionitbyname,itwasclearthatBarrywastalkingabouttheSuperMind—theinfusionintohisbaseballpracticeandhisdailylifeofthesilenceandstillnessthatunfurlfromhispracticeofTM.Swirlingthoughtsanddistractionssettledown.Thebrainbecomesmorecoherentevenwhentheeyesareopen.Andifyouneedtobeinthezone,itiseasiertogetthere.

Incidentally,BarryandtheGiantsbeattheCardinals5–0andwentontowintheNationalLeagueandthe2012WorldSeries.Barry’sstellarperformanceswerecreditedbyteammates,thepress,andfansalikewithsavingtheseason.Barry’spitchingthatdaywasabrilliantillustrationofthevalueofbeinginthezone.

THEZONE:KEYELEMENTS

AlthoughBarryZito’sdescriptionofbeinginthezoneistypical,letusconsiderafewotherpeopleinsports,aswellintheperformingarts,forwhomthisstateoftranscendenceinmotionplaysacrucialrole.Aswedoso,watchoutforsomeofthesekeyelementsthatBarryhasalreadycapturedinhisdescription:

AstateofcalmalertnessIntensityoffocusBeinginthepresentAstateofconfidentwell-beingPermittingwell-rehearsedautomaticprocessestoholdswaywithoutoverthinkingthemAhighlevelofeffectiveness

Beinginthezoneisimportantforsportsmenandsportswomen,especiallythosefewattheverytopoftheirfields.Competitionisfierce,soeverymoveandeverysecondcounts.Hereareafewfamousdescriptionsbylegendarychampions.

RogerBannister,whofirstbrokethefour-minutemile,writesthefollowingabouthishistoricperformance:

Mylegsseemedtomeetnoresistanceatall,asifpropelledbysomeunknownforce.

Weseemedtobegoingsoslowly!...Iwasrelaxingsomuchthatmymindseemedalmostdetachedfrom

mybody.Therewasnostrain....Ihadamomentofmixedjoyandanguish,whenmymindtookover.

Itracedwellaheadofmybodyanddrewmybodycompellinglyforward.Ifeltthatthemomentofalifetimehadcome.Therewasnopain,onlyagreatunityofmovementandaim.Theworldseemedtostandstill,ordidnotexist....

Ifeltatthatmomentthatitwasmychancetodosomethingsupremelywell....

IknewthatIhaddoneitbeforeIevenheardthetime.1

AnotherexampleofasuperbathleteexplaininghowitfeelstobeinthezonecomesfromtennisgreatBillieJeanKing,whodescribes“theperfectshot”asfollows:

Icanalmostfeelitcoming.Itusuallyhappensononeofthosedayswheneverythingisjustright,whenthecrowdislargeandenthusiasticandmyconcentrationissoperfectitalmostseemsasthoughI’mabletotransportmyselfbeyondtheturmoilonthecourttosomeplaceoftotalpeaceandcalm.Iknowwheretheballisoneveryshotanditalwayslooksasbigandwell-definedasabasketball.JustahugethingthatIcouldn’tmissifIwantedto.I’vegotperfectcontrolofthematch,myrhythmandmovementsareexcellent,andeverything’sjustintotalbalance.2

IamindebtedtoCraigPearson,anexpertinexpandedstatesofconsciousness,forincludingthesepersonaldescriptionsbythesetwogreatathletesinhisbookTheSupremeAwakening.PearsondrawsconnectionsbetweenthestatesofconsciousnessthattheathletesdescribeandourunderstandingofCosmicConsciousness(the24/7SuperMind).

IncommentingonBannister’sdescription,Pearsonwrites,“InCosmicConsciousness,one’sawarenessisgroundedintranscendentalsilence,unshakenevenindynamicactivity,andone’sphysiologyfunctionsinadualmode,restfulevenwhileactive,muchasBannisterdescribes.”3IncommentingonBillieJeanKing,Pearsonagainreferencesher“effortlesssuperiorperformance,theinnerquietude,thetranscendenthappiness,”4whichsuggestglimpsesoftheSuperMind.

NowIhavenoevidencethateitherBannisterorKingeverpracticedTMoranysimilarformofmeditation.Thisseemslikeagoodmoment,therefore,toemphasizethattheSuperMindcandevelopinmanydifferentways—andperhapssuperbathletesinallsportsaremoreinclinedtodevelopsuchpowersasaresultoftheirspecifictraininganddisciplinedpracticetowardagoal.

Letusturnnowtoanotherareaofhumanendeavorwherebeinginthezoneisimportantandhighlyprized—thearts.

THEZONEANDTHEARTS

Aspartofresearchingthisbook,Ispoketoseveralpeopleinthearts,allofwhomarealsosolidandestablishedTMpractitioners,andaskedthemwhethertheirmeditativepracticehashelpedthemstayinthezone.Herearesomeofourexchanges.

*

Iaskedactor,singer,anddancerHughJackmanwhetherhecouldrelatetotheexpression“beinginthezone.”Here’swhathehadtosay:

Itotallyrelatetoit.I’mafrustratedsportsman,really.Andtheabilitytobeatyourpeakinanyendeavoristheabilitytofindmeasure,tobeabletomanageallsortsofdesiresandexpectations,pressuresfromoutside,otherpeople.Pressurescanmotivatetoanextent,butformostpeopletheybecomedebilitating,becauseyoulosethatsenseofrelaxation.Andinmyjob,relaxationandtheabilitytobepresent—whicharetotallystrengthenedbymeditation—arethekeys.Infact,relaxationisthepowerthatiseverything.

IaskedTonyAward–winningactressKatieFinneranwhethergettingintothezoneisanimportantpartofherwork.Here’swhatshehadtosay:

Onemillionpercent.Infact,sometimesifIlosemyselfonstage,I’lldosomethingverysimilartoTMtogetbackintolisteningandbackintothepresentmoment.IknowwhenI’mexhaustedonstageandcan’twaitfortheplaytobeover,thatI’mnotinthezone.AndIknowwhenI’velosttrackoftimeandsuddenlytheplay’salmostover,thatIaminthezone.AndTMhelpsmemorethananything.It’stheonlytoolIcanusethathelpsmegetbackintothemoment—especiallyonfilm,becauseinfilmortelevisionpeoplecanseeeverythingthatyoudo.Soyoudon’twanttodotoomuch,becausethecameraalwayspicksupallofit.IfindthatdoingTMrightbeforeIshootalwayshelpsmemakeanhonestchoice.

FascinatedathowKatieusesTMbeforegoingonstage,Iaskedhertosaymoreaboutit.

Idon’tgoonstageuntilaboutfifteenminutesaftertheshowstarts,soI’llgetmyhairdone,andI’llcomebackoverandI’llmeditate.Andafterthat,it’salmostlikeIdon’thavetobethere.Iknowtheshow,sothatonceIgetintothecharacterandintothezone,everythingseemstakencareof.IfI’mtryingtoohard,thenit’sjustastruggle.It’sexhausting,andIwon’tgetmylaughsorIwon’tgetmymessageacross,andtheshowmightnotgosowell.ButifIcangetintothezone—andTMisahugepartofthat—theoutcomeisalmostnoneofmybusiness.I’vealreadydoneallthework,soIjusthavetobepresent.

WemetclassicalguitaristSharonIsbininthelastchapter,whereshedescribedtheeffectsofTMonhercreativity.Hereshetalksabouthowitpromotesherfeelingsofbeinginthezone:

IfI’mplayingatmyverybest,I’minakindoftrancelikestate.I’mnotthinkingaboutwhatIhadforbreakfast,aboutwhomightbeintheaudience,orevenwhatfingergoeswhere.I’mimmersedintheflowofthemusic.I’matonewithit,andfeelingtheenergyfromtheaudience,fromthemusic—theyallkindofcombineintoone.ThatisaprocessthatIfeelTMhasfacilitatedinmanyways,becausewhenyouaremeditatingandinthatstateofbliss,youareatonewiththeenergyoftheuniverse.Andthat’ssimilartowhatIfeelwhenI’mperformingatmybest.

MeganFairchild,theprincipaldancerwiththeNewYorkCityBalletwhomwemetinthelastchapter,creditsTMwith“helpingtokeepmeoutofmyhead.”SoundingverymuchlikeBarryZito—oranyartistorathletewhodependsonexecutingspontaneousvirtuosity—Megansays,“Thedancejusthappenstoyou.Yourbody’sgotmusclememoryandyourbodyjustgoes.It’smuchmoreenjoyable.”

THEZONEINEVERYDAYLIFEUntilnow,wehaveconsideredthezoneasitaffectspeoplewithspecial

talents.IfIweretoleaveitthere,however,Iwouldbedoingaterribleinjustice,notonlytothetopic,butalsotothelegionsofpeoplewholiveregularlivesandhaveregularjobsbutneverthelessenjoybeinginthezone.Iamacaseinpoint.I

oftenwalkbrisklyaroundmyneighborhood.Myrouteisunvarying,eliminatingtheneedtothinkofwhereI’mgoing.Ifitisnottoohotorcold,especiallyifIamblessedwithagentlebreeze,mymindgoesintoazonethatfitsmanyoftheelementsofthedescriptionswehaveheard—calmalertness,focus(onsomething),confidentwell-being,awell-rehearsedautomaticprocessconductedwithoutoverthinking.Iseemanyfamiliarfaces.Wegreetoneanotherinpassing.Icannotpretendtoknowwhattheyarethinking,butmanyaresmilingblissfully.Couldtheyalsobeinthezone?Iwonder.

Atranscriptionistfriendofmine(whohappenstobeaTMpractitioner)tellsmeabouttheblissshefeelsasherfingersflyeffortlesslyacrossthekeyboard.Wordsmovefromthevoiceontheaudiotapetothegrowingmanuscript.Itisafluid,effortless,exhilaratingprocessthatfeelsverymuchliketranscendence—calmyetfocused,andboundlesswithregardtotimeandspace.Itisanexampleoftranscendenceinthemidstofaction—inotherwords,theSuperMind.Yetclearlysheisalsointhezone—anotherexampleofhowthesetwostatesofmindoverlapwitheachother.

TounderstandthevalueofregularTMpracticeinhelpingpeopletobeinthezone,welookedonceagaintoourCIQresponses.Wefoundthatalargemajority—85percent!—ofmeditatorsreportedthattheyhavefeltmore“inthezone”sincestartingtomeditate,and82percentofthosewhorespondedyesreportedfeelingthiswayeitheroftenorveryoften.Norwasthefeelingconfinedtoextraordinaryactivities.Rather,itwaspartofthesepeople’severydayexperience.Herearesomeexamples:

“Beherenow”isaphrasethatencapsulateshowIfeelwhenIamengagedinmostactivities.Thereispleasureinactivitynomatterhowsimpleandmundane.Oftenduringwork,Imovefromissuetoissuesmoothly,effortlessly.Ifeelveryeffective,liketheworkiseffortless.IfI’moutinthewoodstakingpicturesofbirdsoranimals,I’mcompletelyinvolved.Ifeelmorealive,moreconnectedtomyselfandwhatisaroundme.It’spurepleasure.Iwascuttingvegetablestheotherdayintheflow;I’venevercutvegetableslikethatbefore,butIhopeithappensagain.Doingthedishesismorefunthanitusedtobe.

Theterm“flow”hasbeenpopularizedbyauthorMihalyCsikszentmihalyi,professorofpsychologyandmanagementatClaremontGraduateUniversity,inhisbookbythatname.5Theconcept,however,isveryold,goingbacktoConfuciusandTaoism,perhapsevenearlier.TheancientChinesetermusedtodescribeflowiswuwei,whichmeans“spontaneousvirtuosity”—highlyskilledactionsperformedeffortlesslybecausetheyhavebeenprecededbyyearsofpractice.InVedicteaching,theterm“spontaneousrightaction”hasasimilarconnotation.

THE“INTHEZONE”FACTORYoumayrecallthatwhenweanalyzedtheresponsestoallthequestionsin

theCIQthatmeasuredTM’simpactonaperson’slife,threefactorsemerged:(1)inthezone,(2)internalgrowth,(3)supportofnature.

Fouritemsmadeupthe“inthezone”factor:Besidesthosewehavealreadydealtwithinthelastchapterandthisone,twootheritemsfellintothezoneclusterandareworthconsidering:“improvedworkandendeavors,”and“greatereaseatgettingthingsdone.”Theseitemswerepositivelyendorsedby86percentand85percentofrespondents,respectively,almostallofwhomsaidtheyoccurredoftenorveryoften.

Theirunscriptedanswerswereoftenverysimilartooneanotherandcanbesummarizedasfollows:

EverythingiseasierWorklessandaccomplishmoreBetterfocusBetterorganizationBetterprioritizationLesshamperedbyanxietyMundaneactivitiesarelessboringCanpersevereforlongerEasiertoswitchgearsMoreefficientBetterpeopleskillsmaketheworkenvironmenteasierMoredriveandcommitmenttowork

IfyouthinkofthelastchapterandconsiderhowmanyskillsandbrainfunctionsaresharpenedandexpandedinthosewhopracticeTMovertime,itmakessensethatworkwouldflowmoreeasilyandbemoreproductive.Wewillreturntotheseobservationsinlaterchapters,particularlychapter15,“MeditateandGrowRich.”Fornow,however,let’smovetooursecondCIQ“impactonlife”factor—internalgrowth.

TOSUMMARIZETHEPOINTSINTHISCHAPTER:

Surveydataandanecdotes—includingsomefromhigh-performingindividuals—suggestthatTMhelpspeopleto“stayinthezone.”ThismayrelatetotheautomaticnatureofTMpractice,whichmaybereflectedintheautomaticandeffortlessvirtuosityrequiredinperformance.Todatetherearenocontrolledstudiesthatspeaktothispoint.

11INTERNALGROWTH

ThereweretimeswhenIcouldnotaffordtosacrificethebloomofthepresentmomenttoanywork....Igrewinthoseseasonslikecorninthenight,andtheywerefarbetterthananyworkofthehandswouldhavebeen.

HenryDavidThoreau

Howdowegrow?Whetherweaskthisquestioninrelationtophysicalorpsychologicalchange,theprocessisamystery.Howdoesthatlittlebabywhoturnedtousforeveryneednowleadalifeasanindependentadult?Iknowwefedandclothedthechild,tookhimorhertoschool,pointedoutrightfromwrong,attendedsoccerpracticesandparent-teacherconferences.Butstill—fromtheretohere?Whatamiracle!And,forthatmatter,eachofushasundergoneasimilartransformationfromtotaldependencytoreadingthewordsonthispage.

Andhowdoweknowthatwe’vegrown?Evenonaphysicallevelthechangesareoftensubtle,whichiswhytherearethosemarksonthedoororclosetwithdatesshowingwhentheywerescratched,closetogethertilltheadolescentgrowthspurt(thankheavens!)—andthennomoredates,becausethepersonbeingmarkedlostinterestandmovedontootherthings.Growthismoreeasilyperceivedwhentherehasbeenalongerinterval.Iremembermyparents’friendssayingtome,“Ican’tbelievehowyou’vegrown!ThelasttimeIsawyou,youwerejustthishigh,”withahandheldthreefeetfromtheground.“Itshouldn’tbesuchasurprise,”Iwouldthink.“Afterall,thatwastwentyyearsago.”NowI’mtheonewhofeelsamazedwhenIseemyfriends’childrengrownup(butIdotrytorestrainmyselffrommakingsimilarcomments).

Internalgrowth—whichisthesubjectofourpresentdiscussion—isevenhardertocometogripswiththantheinches.Evenwhenweknowwehavematuredanddeveloped,howdoweseparatetheeffectsoftimefromthoseofsomespecificintervention?Asapsychiatrist,Iamoftenfacedwiththisquestion.Itis,afterall,highlyrelevant.ShouldIcontinuethesameapproachormakesomechange?Youcanneverknowforsure,butoneguidelineIoftenturntoisthetrajectoryofchange.IfIseesuddengrowthafteraparticularintervention,itisreasonabletoinferthatthetwohavesomerelation—especiallyifthepatientbackslideswhentheinterventioniswithdrawn.

Inchapter9,“BuildingaBetterBrain,”IdescribedsomecontrolledstudiesofTM’seffectsonkeypsychologicalvariablesthatareimportantforpersonalchange.Elsewhereinthisbook(includinginthischapter)Imustrelymoreonanecdote,sincestudiesarelacking.Onceagain,wewilllooktotheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaireandsupplementthesedatawithin-personreports.Inallinstances,IwilltrytodissectthepotentialconnectionbetweentheunfoldingSuperMindandaperson’sinternalgrowth.Inthisregard,weshouldbearinmindhowtheregularpracticeofTMimprovestheworkingsofthemind.Memory,mood,cognitiveabilities,andresilienceallflourishbeneathitsgentlebutpowerfulinfluence.Wewillwatchthesequalitiescomeintoplayinthefollowingsections.

RESILIENCE

Itisnotthestrongestofthespeciesthatsurvive,northemostintelligent,buttheonesmostresponsivetochange.

CharlesDarwin

Resilience,thecapacitytoreboundfromunpleasantexperiences,isanareainwhichmanyTMpractitionersnoticethebiggestdifference.InrespondingtotheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire,nolessthan95percentofTMpractitionersreportimprovementinresilience,andalmostallofthemsayithappensoftenorveryoften.Thefollowingcommentsaretypical:

Thingsthatusedto“pushmybuttons”maygivemeabrieftwinge,butthenIletgoofthemandreturntomycalmcenter.

Idon’tholdontoangerasmuch.Thingspassmorequickly,likeaballthatispumpedwithair.Ithitsthegroundandbouncesrightbacktowhereitwasdroppedfrom.Iammuchlessreactivetoeverydaystresses.ItisquiteobviousthatIdonotfeelupsetatthingsthatusedtobotherme,andIrealizethatthisorthatproblemisreallysominorastobealmostfunny,orinsomecasesIcanseeit’snotevenremotelyaboutme.IamapleaserandIhateitwhenpeopleareangryatme.Butsincemeditating,Iamabletoseethattheangerhaslittletodowithme—andit’seasytoshrugoff.

Oftenpeoplefeeltheirnewresiliencephysicallyaswellaspsychologically—likethisman:

Sincestartingtomeditate,Inoticethatnegativeemotionsinmybodydissipatemorequickly.

SomepeoplerealizehowmuchTMhelpedthemtoprocessangryfeelingsonlyaftertheystopregularmeditation—andreturntotheirold,irritableselves.Latermanyofthemstartmeditatingagain,forwhichtheirfamilyandfriendsareoftengrateful.MorethanoneCIQrespondentpointedoutthattheirmoremeasuredresponseshelpthosearoundthemaswell.Asonewomanputit,“Igetlessupsetandhavefewertriggeringmoments(exponentiallyso).AndI’malsoabletoaddressotherpeopleintheirmomentsofstress,tobringcalmandpeacetoasituation.”

*

Youmayrecallthatinexperimentsinwhichpeoplewereexposedtoalarmingnoisesorviolentmovieimages,meditatorsshowedcrispsympathetic-systemresponses(asindicatedbyasharpriseinthegalvanicskinresponse,whichthensettleddownbriskly).Incontrast,nonmeditatorsshowedslowerrecovery,followedbyseveral“falsealarm”blipsintheGSR(seechapter8).Aparalleldistinctionappearstoapplytoemotionalreactions,asthefollowingresponseindicates:

Theabilitytodiscriminatewhentotakesomethingseriouslyandwhento“letitbe”isveryuseful.AlthoughIdostillgetangry,itoftenseemslikeI’mhavingthe“right”emotionandthereisapositiveoutcome.Moreandmore,however,thingsthatusedtobothermeseeminconsequential,andI’mabletoseesituationsinbetterperspective.

SomepeoplehaveusedtheirresponsestobadtrafficasanindexoftheirTMprogress—likethemanwhowrote:

AlthoughIwasinterestedinTMforalongtime,takingthesteptoactuallylearnrequiredadramatic,somewhatridiculousexperiencewithroadrage—whereIwastheragingperson.Inowuseroadsituationsasabarometerofmychange.I’mhappytoreportthatroadrageisneveranissuenow.Ileteverythinggo,andevenwhenthereissomeincidentontheroad,Iactuallyfeelgoodafterward,knowinghowlittleitaffectsme.

IhavetreatedseveralpeoplewithangermanagementproblemsandhavefoundTMtobeextremelyhelpfulaspartoftheirprogram.Thislastexampleillustratesoneobstaclethatanangrypersonhastosurmountinordertoseekhelp:todeveloptheinsightthattheproblemwithangerisinternal.

*

Inworkingwithpeoplewhohavetroublemanagingtheiranger,it’softenabighurdletomovethempastthinkingthattheirrageislegitimate,evenjustified!“Why,anyonewouldreactthatway!Itwasoutrageous!”Theymayknowthattheirreactionswereexaggerated,yetthinktheyweretotallyreasonable—thattheinsultwasintolerableanddemandedastrongreaction.

Partofthegoaloftherapyistohelpthepersonunderstandthatevenwhentheangeritselfisjustified,anexaggeratedresponsecanstillbedisastrous,forthemandothers.Iask(gently)whetherbeingrightisworthatrafficaccidentorapunishingskirmishwithanotherangryperson—nottomentionthechronicwearandtearontheirnerves,bloodvessels,andheart.Infact,accordingtoonereportbyagroupofcardiologists,chronicangercanbeasharmfultotheheartaseatingunhealthyfoodsorsmoking.1Byhelpingpeopledistancethemselvesevenfromlegitimateprovocations,TMandtheresultinginnerstillnesscanprevent

thesepersonalandphysicaladversities.Mellowpeoplearebetterabletochoosetheiractionsandreactions.

Stabilityinsympatheticnervoussystemresponses,asshownbytheGSRstudiesmentionedabove,isanimportantpartoftheSuperMind,andhasitscounterpartingreateremotionalstabilityaswell.ThiswouldbepredictedbasedonobservationsthatgoasfarbackasWilliamJames,whoinhisfamouspaper“WhatIsanEmotion?”emphasizedtheimportantroleofthebodyingeneratingemotions.

Somepeopleactuallyseekoutangerorotherformsofdramainordertostimulatethemselves.Oncethethrillofthedramapasses,theresultingemptinessspursthemtorepeatthecyclebyseekingoutfurtherdrama.Oncethebodyandmindsettledown—akeyelementofSuperMinddevelopment—thisdesiresubsides.AsonewomanwhorespondedtotheCIQputit,“Ifeellessconnectedtootherpeople’sdrama.I’mawareofit,butquitefranklylessinterestedinit.”

Ofcourse,weallenjoyagooddramawhenwegotothemoviesortheater,readamysteryorathriller,orwatchafavoriteteamplayitsfiercestrivals.Werootforthe“goodguys,”andwewanttoseethe“badguys”getbested,busted,or(inthecaseofthrillers)evenkilled!It’sallpartofthefun.Butformanypeople,dramaplaysafarmorecentralpartintheirlives.Theyuseitasawaytofillasenseofemptinessandboredom.Dramacanevenbecomeaddictive,consumingmostofaperson’swakinghours.Thosewhoaresoinclinedcanreadilyfinddrama24/7intheformofonlineshopping,gambling,videogames,fantasyworlds,imaginaryromances,andsexualliaisons.Andthatdoesn’teventakeintoaccounteverydaylife!

Thereisnoneedtostaystuckinthemuck,though.Asthewomanmentionedaboveobserves,sincestartingtomeditateregularly,shehasbecomelessinterestedinotherpeople’sdrama.Presumablyshenowpursuespersonalhappinessandfulfillmentratherthanfeedingontheturbulence,titillation,pain,andsufferingofothers.

ThepeaceandharmonythatenterthepsycheaspartofSuperMinddevelopmentmakedramalessinteresting.Then,aswithmanyotheraddictions,theneedforaquickfixfallsawaynaturally.

Forourlastquoteonresilience,letmesharetheresponseofoneTMteacher,whoparaphrasedafamousmetaphorthatMaharishiusedtodescribethechangeinreactivitythataccompaniesthegrowthofconsciousness:

Activitywasoncelikearockbeingscrapedagainstanotherrock.Itleftadeepimpression,andtherewaslotsoffriction.Thenitbecamelikealinedrawnacrossthesand—verylittlefriction.Theimpressiondidn’tlast,andwaseasilysweptaway.Thendailyactivitybecamelikealinedrawnacrosswater—almostnofriction,andwhateverimpressionwasleft,awarenessimmediatelysettled,barelydisturbedatall.Andnowit’sbecomingmoreandmorelikealinethroughtheair—superfluid,noresistance,noimpression.

LUCIDINECSTASY

Mygreatestwish:toremainlucidinecstasy.AlbertCamus

Manyyearsago,longbeforeIstartedmeditating,IwasinterviewedontheTodayshowforoneofmypreviousbooks.Amedia-savvyfriendbriefedmeoverthephoneasIwasridingthetraintoNewYork.“Remember,”shesaid,“you’renotontillthatcamerastartsrolling.Theycancancelyouforbreakingnewsrightuptotheverylastminute,andyouhavetobereadyforthat.”Manyotherinstructionsandcaveatsfollowed,alongwiththekindreassurancesthatagoodfriendoffers.Theinterviewwentfine.Itwasapparentwhytheastuteandlovelytalk-showhostwassosuccessful,andIunderstoodhowmanyguestsmustfallinlovewithherduringtheirfiveminutesoffame.

Butaftertheshow,whiletravelingbacktoD.C.,mymindwasracing.Millionsofpeoplemusthaveseenthepiece!Whywasn’tmyagentdoingmoretopublicizethebook?Wherewasthepublisherinallofthis?(Theinterviewhadcomeaboutthroughafriend—nothankstomyagentorpublisher!)Iwasfullofrighteousindignation,andwhenIarrivedhome,ampeduponAmtrakcoffee,Icalledmyagentandgavethepoorwomananearful.Afterthatexchange,althoughIapologizedandtriedtomakeamends,thingswereneverthesamebetweenus.

Now,withthebenefitofhindsight,Ithinkbackontheexperiencewithamusement.Howillogicalmybehaviorwas—nottomentionunkind!WhatdidIexpecttheagentorpublishertodo,especiallyontheverydayoftheshow?Asaresultofsleepdeprivationandcaffeine,coupledwiththeself-importancethatcanflourishwhenyouareunderklieglightsandtoomanypeoplearefussing

aboutyou,myphysiologyandsenseofselfweredestabilized.Asaconsequence,mythinkingwasoffandmybehaviorillconsideredandimpulsive.

Noneofthatwouldhappentoday.Experienceandmeditation—especiallythelatter—havesettledmyphysiologyandgivenmeafarbetterperspectiveonmytinyroleonthisverysmallplanetforthisinfinitesimalspaceoftimeinourvastuniverse.

ThereasonIofferthisexampleistoillustratethatgoodthings—aswellasbad—canthreatenourequilibrium.Strangeasitmayseem,winningthelottery,becomingsuddenlyfamous,andotherstrokesofgoodfortunecanbeparadoxicallystressful.AsCamus’squoteattheheadofthissectionsuggests,itcanbehardertoremainlucidinecstasythaninadversity.

AhappymajorityofrespondentstotheCIQ(84percent)reportedthattheyhadnoticedachangeintheirreactionstopleasantorpositiveexperiencessincestartingtomeditate(andofthose,90percentsaidthatthiswasnoticeableoftenorveryoften).Intheirnarrativecomments,prevailingthemesweregreaterequilibrium,moregratitude,andmorepositivefeelings,whichtheyexperiencednotonlyasareactiontofavorableeventsbutascomingfromwithin.HerearesomeexamplesthatillustratethetemperingeffectsofTMonpositiveexperiences:

Ienjoypositiveexperiences,butIknowthattheycomeandgojustlikeunpleasantones.Iammoreatpeaceandquietduringcomplimentsorpositiveexperiences.Iamfarmorereceptivetothegoodandhardlyaffectedbythebad.Mylifenolongerhasextremepeaksofupsanddowns.Istillverymuchenjoysuccess,pleasure,etc.,butthedifferencenowisthatIdon’tfindmyselfhyperventilating(sotospeak)oversuchthingsevenwhentheyareprodigious.Irarelybecome“overecstatic”aboutthingsanylonger.Iamconvincedthisisagoodthing,asI’mnolongercarriedawaybyoverwhelmingemotions,eitherpositiveornegative.Ontheotherhand,Iamabletoenjoysimple,pleasantthingsinadeeper,somewhatslowerway.I’mnolongeronaroller-coasterride.

YoumayrecallfromthelastchapterthatintheTaiwanesecontrolledstudies,TMenhancedresiliency(asmeasuredbystandardizedtests)toagreaterdegreethancontrolconditions.

WHOAREYOUREALLY?THEQUESTFORAUTHENTICITY

Beyourself;everybodyelseisalreadytaken.sourceunknown

Thisaboveall:tothineownselfbetrue.WilliamShakespeare

Thecallcamealittlelate,andIrealizedIhadturnedoffmycellphone,whichregisteredamissedcall.Thenthelandlinerang.IaskedifitwasHugh,andaman’svoicewithafamiliarAustralianaccentsaid,“Yeah,man,I’msorryaboutthat.IhadawrongnumberandsomeladyansweredthephoneandthenIgotyourvoicemail.”Thefriendlytonewasthesortonemightexpectfromaneighborinvitingyouovertoabarbecue—notaworld-famousmoviestar,whichitwas.HughJackmanisoneofthemostrespectedactors,singers,andmoviestarsworkingtoday.Yetfrombeginningtoendoftheinterview,hismannerstayedthesame—friendly,candid,down-to-earth,andauthentic.

HUGHJACKMAN:STRIPPINGAWAYTHEMASKS

HughofferedtobeinterviewedforthisbookbecauseofthepowerfulinfluenceTMhashadonhislifeandhisdesiretoletothersknowaboutthepractice.Atthetimewetalked,hehadbeenpracticingTMfortwenty-twoyears.Hereisthetranscriptofourconversation,lightlyeditedforflowandclarity.

NR:HOWHASTMCHANGEDYOURLIFE?HJ:Iwouldsaypossiblyequaltomarriageandkids—Iwouldputitrightupthere,intermsofthingsthathaveaffectedmylife.Iwasalwaysverycuriousandverymuchasearcher,butsoonafterIstartedmeditating,IfeltIgainedatrueunderstandingofmyselfandwasnolongerjustbeingreactivetoeventsthatcamemyway.Ifeltasenseofcalm,asenseofpurpose,offinerenergyinthingsIdid.IthinkIhadbeenquiteanexternalperson,

livingverymuchoutsideofmyself,eitherforvalidationorjustfromstimulation,untilthroughmeditationIstartedtofindwhatIcallhome,orasenseofmytruenatureortrueself.SoTMisoneofthegreatestgiftsIcouldhave,andIcontinuetopracticeit.

NR:ITSOUNDSLIKEYOU’REDESCRIBINGACHANGEINYOURCONSCIOUSNESS.ISTHATAFAIRDESCRIPTION?HJ:Iwoulddescribeitmoreasarevealingofconsciousness—thatthroughmeditationonadailybasis,Igettostripawaythemasksthatwebuild—thatIbuildformyself,smallandlarge—toreachmoreafeelingofmytrueself:Oh,thisiswhoIreallyam.ThisishowIcanexperiencelife.Oh,Isee.It’sjustsomethingsimpler,finer,andmorepowerful.Sothemomentyousay,“changeinconsciousness,”Isensetherehasbeenachange,butthechangebroughtmebackmoretomytruenatureasopposedtoanacquirednature.

NR:I’VESEENYOUMENTIONELSEWHEREAFEELINGOFAUTHENTICITYTHATIMPRESSEDMEASAPOWERFULELEMENTINTHECHANGE.HJ:Yeah,andlet’snotforgetI’manactor,soalotofmylifeisputtingonothermasksandotherpersonalitiesandlookingintothem.But,ofcourse,fortheactortherealpowerisfindingauthenticitynomatterwhatcharacteryou’replaying—andbeing.Youcannotreallymoveforwardasanactoruntilyouunderstandwhoyouareasaperson,andunderstandyourself—thatthatisthemostpowerfulbookinthelibrary,sotospeak.Andthenyoubranchouttounderstandothers.Soauthenticityissomethingthatactorsinparticular—butIthinkanyoneinacreativefield—wouldcalltheholygrail.AndcertainlyIfindthat,throughmeditation,[mypersonalauthenticity]hasincreasedforsure.

NR:IT’SINTERESTINGTHATYOU’RETHATMUCHMOREINTOUCHWITHWHOYOUREALLYARE—ANDTHENTHEREAREALLTHESECHARACTERSYOUPLAY,WHOAREPROBABLYVERYDIFFERENTFROMYOU.YETTMHASHELPEDYOUACCESSTHEM.ITSEEMSABITPARADOXICAL.HJ:Itotallyagree.It’soneofthegreatironies,mysteries,andformeavery,verypowerfulexampleofhownottogetcaughtupintheillusionofthings.Anditisparadoxical,becauseIbelieve—andthismaythroughmeditationhavebecomeclearertome—therearemorethingswehaveincommonthanseparateus.EventhoughIdoplaycharacters,Istudyhumannatureandthedifferencesinpersonalities,traits,ornaturesofdifferentpeople.Butthe

moreIdothisjobandthemoreImeditate,themoreIseetheunifiersthatconnectusall.Andwhenyoustartfromthatbasis,thenthereisgreatjoyinplayingdifferentcharacters,greatjoyinthevariety.

RightnowI’mthinkingoftheexampleofcooking.Idolovetocook.Inonesenseit’sallfood,andifit’snourishing,it’ssomethingwonderfulthatcanconnectpeople.AndyetIliketomakedifferentdishes!Weliketoenjoydifferentthings.SothemoreIunderstandthethingsthatuniteus,themoreIseemtounderstandthevariety.

NR:COOKINGSEEMSTOBEAVERYGROUNDINGACTIVITY.HASTMHELPEDYOUDEALWITHFAME,WHICHINMYOBSERVATIONCANBEVERYTRICKYTOHANDLESOMETIMES?HJ:IstartedmeditatingbeforeIwasfamous—probablyfouryearsbeforeIhadanyleveloffame.SoTMwasfairlywellrootedinmeasapractice,andalthoughthisisasimplisticwaytodescribeit,TMhadgivenmetheideathatwefindourrealexistencebeneaththesurface,oramorepowerful,deeper,moremeaningfulexistencethanwhateverisgoingoninourlife.Whetherthatbefame,health,illness,oranyotherkindofexperience,thatisnotthetrueessenceoflife.So,yes,therearetrickypartsoffame.Andtherearewonderfulparts.ButthroughmeditationI’vefoundthatfromthemomentfamehappenedtome,Icouldkindofseeitforwhatitis—anexperiencethatwillgoawayatsomepoint,andalsothatitisnotreal.SoI’mgladthatIhadmeditationfirst,andthatIdidn’tgetfamousuntilIwasinmylatetwenties,becausemaybeIhadadeeperunderstanding.I’mnotsure,ifIwaseighteenandfamewasthrustuponme,thatI’dhavebeenabletohandleitsowell.

HughJackmanisbynomeansaloneinobservingthatTMhelpsonedevelopasenseofauthenticity.InresponsetoaquestionontheCIQ,“Sincestartingtomeditate,doyoufeelmoreempoweredtobeyourauthenticself?”90percentofrespondentssaidyes.Ofthosewhorespondedintheaffirmative,90percentsaidtheyhadobservedthequalityinthemselvesoftenorveryoften.Herearesometypicalresponses:

Ifeelmorecomfortableinmyownskin.Iamnotasafraidofwhatpeoplethinkofme,evenclosefriendsandrelatives.

IamwhoIam.Idon’tworryanymoreifIamgoingtoupsetsomeoneorsaysomething“wrong.”IfIsaysomethingIdon’tendupagreeingwithlater,Iapologize.I’vestartedowningwhoIamandbeingproudofwhoIammuchmoresincestartingtomeditate—imperfectionsandall.WhileIsometimessuccumbtosocialpressuresandmyownneedtoplease,Iammuchmoreawareoftheperfectlylegitimatechoicetosimplybemyselfinmostsituations.Whilethismaysoundunremarkable,thisawarenessofchoiceforthe“naturalway”hasbeenincrediblyempoweringforme.And,yes,Ihavestartedtoexercisethatoptionmoreandmorefrequently.Myguidingprinciplehasbecomebeingtruetomyself.Iusedtohavelotsofrules...Nomore.

Asonemightexpect,somepeoplepointedoutthatotherlifeinfluences—suchasgrowingolderorpsychotherapy—havealsohelpedthembecomemoreauthentic.Soitisimportanttorecognizethatnousefulpractice,TMincluded,operatesinavacuum.Rather,thesepracticesworkcollaborativelywithotherconstructiveforcesinaperson’slife.

ANDWHODOYOUWANTTOBECOME?AlthoughtheSuperMindhelpspeopleremovetheirmasks,TM’seffectsare

actuallyevenmorefarreaching:Expandingconsciousnesscanalsohelpyoutrulychange—todevelopintothepersonyouwanttobecome.Allofusareawareofthingsaboutourselvesthatwewouldliketochange.Yetchangeisdifficult,oftenrequiringspecialmethodsortechniques.TMisapowerfultechniqueforchange,notonlyasadirectresultofthestressreliefthatfollowseachsession,butalsoviathesustainedexpansionofconsciousnessovertime.

Letuspursuethisquestion(becomingadifferentperson)alittlefurtherwithHughJackmanandLindseyAdelman,whomyouwillmeetshortly.HughJackmantalkedwithmeabouthowTMhadproducedapersonaltransformationinhisownlife.Ithenraisedsomethinghehadsaidinanotherinterview—thatpeopleoftenusetheword“stress”whentheymeanfear—andaskedhimwhetherTMhadmadehimlessafraid.Here’swhathehadtosay:

IthinkwhatTMmademedowasbecomeawareofmyfear.Iwasaveryanxiouskidinmanyways.Ihadalotoffears.Iwasafraidofheights;Iwasafraidofthedark;Iwasafraidofwhatpeoplethought—andIhatedtheprisonofthatfear.Ihatedbeingstopped.Iwantedtobeabletodoeverything.SoIhatednotbeingabletojumpoffacliffwithmymate’causeIwasscaredofheights,andIhateditwhentheymadefunofme’causeIcouldn’tdorockclimbing.IhatedthatIdidn’twanttodorollercoasters.IhatedthatIwasafraidtogocampingonmyowninthebushatnight.AllthesethingsIsawaslimiting.SoIhadafearofthefear.

Ifoundthatwithmeditation,myanxietylevelsdroppedconsiderably.Itseemstomethatthemindisfueltothefireoffear.Themindcanmakeusworryaboutthingsbeyondtheirmeasure.Andthegreatthingaboutmeditationisthattwiceaday,Ihavethissenseorfeelingthatthemonkeymindjustcalmsdown.

SoIhavelessfear;there’sakindofcaptoit.Atthesametime,I’veseenthatbecauseI’mafraidoffear,Isometimesdenyitandsaytomyself,“Oh,I’mnotafraidofthis,I’mfine,”asawayofhopingthat’llmakeitgoaway.Meditationmakesyouseeveryclearlywhatgoesoninyourmind,itsmachinations.SoinsomewaysIseemoreofit—thelow-levelanxiety—becauseI’mmoreaware.Andthehigh-levelanxietyjustcalmsdown.

Here,then,weseetheeffectsofcalmnessenteringthedailyconsciousnessofsomeonewhousedtohavealotoffearsbuthasnowmasteredthemtotheextentthathe’scomfortablesteppingoutontoaworldstage.Likeseveralotherperformingartistswehaveencountered,HughJackmanfrequentlymeditatesbeforestressfulperformancesandmajorevents—likegoingonsetorhostingtheOscars.ButevenwithoutthatTM-fueledextraboostofconfidence,heremainssomeonewhohandleshimselfwithgraceandease,regardlessofwhetherheisonascreeninfrontofmillions,grantinganinterview,orcookingdinnerforfamilyandfriends.

LINDSEYADELMAN:SUBTLEBUTPROFOUNDLetusturnnowtoLindseyAdelman,aManhattan-baseddesignerwho

specializesincreatingartisticchandeliers,hasbeendoingTMforyears,and

creditsherpracticewithallowinghertogrowbothpersonallyandprofessionally.Hereiswhatshehastosayaboutthechangesshehasexperienced,havingmeditatedforsevenyearsatthetimeofourconversation:

IwoulddescribetheoveralleffectofTMasbeingbothsubtleandverypracticalatthesametime.It’sveryprofoundandgivesmeacompletelydifferentperspectiveonlife.Practically,it’sallowedmetomanagethingswithmoreease,soIdon’treallygetknockedoffmytasks.Idon’tfeeloverwhelmedbyworkandsurprisesinlifeasmuchasIusedto.

Andonamuchbiggerlevel,ithasallowedmetofeelfullerallthetime,fullerinawayIneverreallyknewwaspossible.It’sbeenlikefindinganendlesswellofdeepbliss.Before,IusedtoreallythriveonthehighsIwouldget,whateverthathighmeant,soIwouldjustplanthehighs.Itcouldbejustaboutanything,really.Somylifehadarhythmofgoingdownfromthesepeaks,andthenwaitingforthenextpeaktofeelgoodagain.NowitfeelsmuchmorelikeIlovenormal.I’msoenthusiasticaboutthemostnormaldayintheworld.

Lindseymarvelsathowsomethingthatsomeonemighthavesaidtohercould“potentiallysendmeintothemostfoulmood.”Onoccasion,whenshecheckedtofindoutwhatthepersonreallysaid,shefoundthattheoffendingcommentwaseitherinnocuousorevencomplimentary—andshouldhavehadanopposite,positive,effectonhermood.Itstillmystifiesher“tothinkthatahumanbeingcouldbesothrownoffbywhatanotherpersonsays—orwhatyouthinktheysaid.Thatalmostdoesn’thappenanymorewhenI’mpracticingTMeveryday.Ifeelsolikemyself,atagenerallevelbetweenmediumandhighallthetime.”

“Andwhatwasyourgenerallevelbeforestartingtomeditate?”Iasked.

Intheextremes,fromvery,verylowtovery,veryhigh.Nowitismoresteady.Ontheupperendofthepositivescale,Igetthisfeelingofoptimism,belief,andtrust.Idon’texpectthatpeoplewilltakeadvantageofme,andI’mnotreallyworriedaboutpeoplegettingsoreatmeforsomereasonorother.

Oftennowadays,whenpeoplesaysomethingnegativetome,Irealizethey’reprettybentoutofshape.It’seasierformetodistancemyselfandrealizethismightnotbecompletelyaboutme—butIalso

askwhatmypartinitmighthavebeen.Thatlevelofcomplexitywasn’taccessibletomebefore.ItaddsalotofcontentmenttolifethatIamabletoseparateoutmycontributionfromtheotherperson’s,tohaveempathyfortheotherpersonwithouttakingitpersonally.

Besidesgivingherabetterperspectiveonlife,TMhasallowedLindseytobeherbestself.Shehasbecomemoreoutgoingandopenwithothers,includingherstaff.Assheputsit:

ThisisnotthekindofpersonI’vealwaysbeen.MostofmylifeItendedtobeprivateandreserved,keepingmycreativesidetomyselfbecauseIwascomfortablethatway.TMhasenabledmenottobeafraidtoletmytalentsshine—andthatencouragesotherstodothesame!Italsohelpsmehirepeoplewhoarecomfortablewiththeirtalent,becausetheyseetheywon’thavetoplayitdownorup.Icangivethemanythingandallowthemtomakesomethingspectacularwiththeirownhandsbecauseweallknowtheyarecapableofthat—justasIcanjustputtheenergyofsomethingI’mgoodatoutonthetable.

I’malsomorecomfortablewithmyweaknesses.I’mwellawareofwhatI’mnotversedoraccomplishedin—andwhatI’mnoteventryingtogetbetterat.Weworkasateam.TMhashelpedmeconnectthedots,getpeopletocollaborate,describethedirectionIwantthemtotakeandletthemgo.Myworklifeisnotanegotripatall.It’smuchmoreexciting.

Althoughworkinginatotallydifferentfield,Lindsey,likeHughJackman,emphasizestheimportanceofauthenticity.“Whenyoucoverupwhatyou’renotgoodat,itcancreateapersonalitythatisfullofshame,insecurity,andfakingit.”Byallowinghertoshinewhileacknowledginghershortcomingswithoutapology,TMhashelpedLindseybecomemoreauthenticandmoreconsistentlyhappy.

*

Internalgrowth,thesecondmajorfactortoemergefromtheanalysisoftheCIQ,issuchalargeareathatitstendrilsstretchthroughoutmanychaptersofthis

book.Fornow,however,let’sconcludebyreturningtoHenryDavidThoreauwhoisquotedinbriefatthebeginningofthischapter.Hereisthefullquote,inwhichthispioneeroftranscendenceattributeshisinternalgrowthtoallowingtranscendentsilencetoenterhisdailylifeatWalden:

ThereweretimeswhenIcouldnotaffordtosacrificethebloomofthepresentmomenttoanywork,whetheroftheheadorhands....Isatinmysunnydoorwayfromsunrisetillnoon,raptinarevery,amidstthepinesandhickoriesandsumachs,inundisturbedsolitudeandstillness,whilethebirdssangaroundorflittednoiselessthroughthehouse,untilbythesunfallinginatmywestwindow,orthenoiseofsometraveller’swagononthedistanthighway,Iwasremindedofthelapseoftime.Igrewinthoseseasonslikecorninthenight,andtheywerefarbetterthananyworkofthehandswouldhavebeen.2

TOSUMMARIZETHEELEMENTSOFTHISLASTCHAPTERBEFOREPROCEEDING:

InternalgrowthisoneofthefactorsthatemergedfromtheanalysisoftheCIQ’sImpactonLifescale.ItisabroadconceptbecauseastheSuperMinddevelops,sodomanyspecificpositivetraits,someofwhicharehighlightedinthischapter.Inreviewingoursurveydataandanecdotes,weseeevidencethatTMenhancesresilienceandauthenticity.

12ENGAGEMENTANDDETACHMENT:ADELICATE

DANCE

Youhavecontroloveractionalone,neveroveritsfruits.Livenotforthefruitsofaction,norattachyourselftoinaction.

BhagavadGita1

Nottootightandnottooloose.AttributedtotheBuddha

Ihavetwinsistersor,Ishouldsay,Ihadtwinsisters—twoyearsyoungerthanme.Onediedrecently;onesurvives.MysisterJennylivedinSouthAfricaforsixty-twoyears,untilshedevelopedararetypeofcancer.Shortlyafterdiagnosis,thedoctorsthoughtthecancerhadbeencompletelyremoved,andthattheprognosisshouldbeexcellent.Buttheywerewrong.Onemorning,justweekslater,Iwoketofindane-mailfrommybrother-in-lawinSouthAfrica,addressedtomeandmysisterSusan.TheCTscanreportwasattachedandcouldnothavebeenworse.Thecancerhadspreadthroughoutherbody.

Everyoneconcerneddideverythingtheycould.Susanrushedtobeathertwin’sside.Jenny’sfamilyinSouthAfricaralliedaround.Thedoctorstriedtheirbest.IscouredtheInternetforthelatestinformationonthisdreadedmalignancy.IspoketoJennyeverydayforaslongasshewasabletocometothephone.Manyinhersituationwouldhavefoundreasontobebitter(shehadbeen

lookingforwardtoenjoyingretirement,grandchildren,travelingwithherhusband).Nowthisfuturewaslookinglesslikely.Yetshewasstoical.“Whatishappeninghereisjustbadluck,”shesaid.“Doyouwantmetocome?”Iasked.“No,”shesaid.“I’lltellyouwhenIwantyoutocome.”

Iwrotetoaworldexpertonherkindoftumor,askinghisadvice.Herepliedwithkindnessandsuchinformationaswasavailable.Evenatthetime,however,Idiscernedapessimistictonetohisletter,whichturnedouttobefullywarranted.Iwasonalate-nightphonecallwhenIsawJenny’snumberpopuponthecallerID.Icalculatedthatitmustbe4:00a.m.inJohannesburg.Thecallcouldmeanonlyonething.

Susanwasontheline.“I’mafraidtotellyou,”shesaid,“butwe’vejustlostourdarlingsister.”

Griefhitmelikeapunchtothegut.IfeltwailswrenchedoutofmylungsandscreamedinwaysIcouldnothaveimaginedpossible.Thebodydidwhatitneededtodo.

Athousanddetailsfollowed.Peoplewereincrediblykindandsupportive.Iflewhome.Whatevermygriefwas,Susan’swasworse—byawholedifferentorderofmagnitude.AlongwithJenny’shusband,shehadnursedhersisterthroughthelastfewterribledays.ButJennyhadlefther—andus—withafinalgift.“Whateverhappens,”shesaid,“Ihavehadawonderfullife.Ihavenoregrets.”

IwalkedaroundJenny’shouseandgarden,withitscottagewheremymotherhadlived.Ienteredthecottageandtriedtorecaptureallthememoriesitcontained.“YoucanstillsmellMomthere,”Susanhadsaid.Icouldn’t,butIsawhereverywhere—andtheflowersJennyhadplantedtogivehersomethinglovelytolookat.Africanbirdsflewbyandswoopeddowntogrubaroundinthegrass—thelong-beakedibisnamedforitssquawk,“Ha–dee-da!”andthecrestedgreygo-awaybirds,namedfortheirshriek,“Goaway!Goaway!”Familyandfriendscameandwent.Wetriedtocomfortoneanother.Prayerswereheld;ritualsobserved.Thenitwastimetoreturn.

AndreturnIdid.Somethingirreplaceablehadbeenlost.Ifeltiteveryday.Jennyhadbeensovibrant—funny,largerthanlife,shefilledaroom—andnowshewasgone.Itwashardtobelieve.Atthesametime,Ihadmuchtoreturnto—mylifehereintheUnitedStates:lovedones,patients—andthisbookaboutasubjectsomeaningfultome.Mylossandmyliferequiredmetoattachanddetachatthesametime:toholdontoJenny,yetlittlebylittletoletgoof...I’mnotsurewhat.Butsomethingthatwouldmakethepainbetter.

Irecallseeingadocumentaryaboutamotherelephantwhohadlosthercalfayearearlier,onthewaytofindingwater.Returningalongthesamepaththefollowingyear,whenshepassedherdaughter’sskeleton,sheburiedhertrunkinthecrevicesoftheskullasthoughtryingtorelivetheirbrokenbond.Therestoftheherdstoodbyrespectfullyuntilshewasdonewithherreminiscences.Then,slowly,theyallmovedon.Liferequiredthemotherelephanttonegotiatethebalancebetweenattachmentandlettinggo.Andsoitwasforme.MyTMpracticeandthechangesindailyconsciousnessthatflowfromithavehelpedmetomanage(moreorless)thedelicatedancebetweenengagementanddetachment,betweenlovingandacceptingthenecessityofloss,betweencaringintenselyandretreatingfromtheabyssintowhichemotioncanengulfus.

“Livenotforthefruitsofaction,”theBhagavadGitaurgesus(asquotedearlier).WealldidwhatwecouldtosaveJenny.Weshouldnotpunishourselvesforfailing.“Norattachyourselftoinaction,”thegreattextgoesontoadvise.Weacted.Wewere—andare—allactorsonavaststage,playingourpartstothelimitsofourabilities.Sometimeswesucceed,sometimesnot,butactwemust.

Itisthisdelicatedancethatisthesubjectofourpresentconversation.Letusconsideranotherstory,lesstragicthanthelossofalovedonebut

importantnonetheless—andcommon.Itinvolvesthetrickybalancebetweenengagementanddetachment,playedouteverydayinmillionsofromanticrelationships.

*

Afriendandcolleagueofmine,aphysicianinhismidfifties,decidedtolearnTMintheaftermathofhisdivorce.Datingagainforthefirsttimeindecadeswasacuriousexperienceforhim—inequalpartsexcitinganddaunting—ashepursuedthedualgoalsofhavingfunandsearchingforanewpartner.Afterseveraldateswithonepromisingcandidate,hebecameawarethatshewouldrepeatedlybecomecloseandintimatewithhim,thenwithdrawemotionally.Sincehelikedheragooddealbutdislikedfeelingjerkedaround,hegentlyquestionedherabouthisobservations.Sheacknowledgedthatshehadpreviouslybeendatinganotherman.Shewasclearthatshewantedtoendthepriorrelationship,butfelttherewasunfinishedbusinessbetweenthem.Andthatwasinterferingwithherabilitytoengagewithanewboyfriendasfullyasshewouldlike.

Inthepast,myfriendsays,hewouldhaveregardedherwithdrawalasachallengeandtriedtoforcethings,hopingthathecouldmakethemworkout(toomuchengagement).Alternatively,hemighthaveblamedhimselffortherepeatedsetbacksanddroppedtherelationshipwithoutdiscussion(toomuchdetachment).Nowhesawthingsdifferently,andhecreditsTMwithgivinghim“awisemind,”whichenabledhimtoreachanunderstandingofthesituationasitwasyettoleaveroomforawaytogoforward.Hetoldhisfriendthathelikedher,butthatitwouldbebestifshecouldcompletetheunfinishedbusinesswithherpreviousboyfriend.Thenshecouldfeelfreetocirclebacktohimifshewasstillinterested.

Weseeherethedelicatedanceofengagementanddetachmentatwork.Essentially,hewasabletoremainengagedemotionallywithhisladyfriend,keepingthedooropentofurtherdevelopmentoftherelationship.Atthesametime,herealizedthatthingscouldnotmoveforwardwhileshewasstillholdingacandlefortheotherguy—allhecoulddowasmaintainahealthydetachment.Inthepast,hewouldhavebeentooanxioustositwiththeambiguity,tooinsecuretoseeclearlythatthelady’smixedsignalsdidnotnecessarilyhaveanythingtodowithhim,andtooneedytoletthisattractivewomangowithout“puttingupafight”fortherelationship.His“wisemind”—whichwemightcallhisSuperMind—allowedhimtonegotiatetheseemotionalcurrentswithagraceandequanimitythatwouldformerlyhavebeenunthinkable.

Iwillclosethissectionwithonefinalstory.ItconcernsJulian,anarchitectinhismidthirties,marriedwithfourchildren.HehasbeenpracticingTMnowsteadilyforfouryearsandhasnoticedchangesinbothengagementanddetachment—indifferentspheres.

Here’showheputsit:

Oneresultofmeditationformeisbeingabletogetupaftertwentyminutesandfeelmoreconnectedtotheworld,moreavailabletopeople—especiallymywifeandchildren,beinginthemomentwiththem—andmuchmoreapartofeverything,insteadofbeingkindofstuckinJulian’sland.I’mmoreintunewithwhat’sgoingonwithmywife—notonlymoreavailabletoherbutmoreconnectedemotionallytoherandeverythingthat’sgoingonaroundme.

AtthesametimeasJulianhasbeenmoreconnectedwithhisfamilyandtheworld,hehasrecentlybecomelessattachedtomaterialthings,whichhe

describesasfollows:

Iwouldconstantlyneedtobebuyingthingssuchasnewshoes,goingofftothemalltobuysomething—Idon’tknowwhat,italmostdidn’tmatter.Wealwayshadtroublemanagingmoney,mywifeandI,becausewewerebothshopaholics.Forme,Ithinkwantingsomethingnewwaspartofaneedtofeelhappy,andattachingthathappinesstowhateverIwasgoingtobuy.Ofcourseitdidn’twork.I’dfeelabithappierforashortwhile,untilthenexttriptothemall.AndIdon’tspendmoneylikethatanymore,really.Imean,Ibuymycoffeeinthemorningandmylunch,butIdon’teverfeeltheneedtogobuysomethinginthewayIusedto.Isensemyattachmenttomaterialitydissolving.Eventoday,asIwasdrivingintotheparkinglot(IdriveaJettawagon),IsawalltheseBMWsandothernicecarsandthoughttomyself,“Icoulddrivethiscarfortherestofmylife.IthinkI’mgoingtostickwiththisoneaslongasitruns.”

JulianandIhavetalkedaboutthesechangesoften.Hehasaclearunderstandingofexpandedstatesofconsciousness—astillnessthathasenteredhisdailyactivities,aseparatetypeofconsciousnessthatoperatesalongsidehissharpfocusonhisworkandpersonallife.Hecreditsthisnewtypeofconsciousnesswithhelpinghimloseinterestinthemomentarythrillofanewpurchaseorothertypeof“fix.”Inplaceoftransienthighs,heisenjoyingever-increasingsuccessinhisprofessionandasolidsatisfactioninhismarriageandfamily.

Inthenextsectionofthebook,Iwillexplainindetailhowthetranscendencethatoccursduringregularmeditationbeginstoinfiltrateyourdailylife,therebyaccountingformanyoftheamazingeffectsthatIamdescribinginthissection.

*

AtthetimewhenIwastrainingtobecomeapsychiatrist,engagementandattachmentwerealwaysemphasized.Toloveandtowork,thosewerethetwogreatpsychologicalgoalsemphasizedbyFreud.“Onlyconnect,”isthefamousquotebynovelistE.M.Forster,carvedinstoneonamonumenttothegreatwriter.InWesternculture,asinmytraining,connecting,loving,andattaching

havebeenseenassignsofhealth.Bycontrast,theword“detachment”hashadafaintlypathologicalodor.Ifyouwere“detached,”youwereunfeelinganduncaring,apartfromhumanity.ThatwasthegreatcrimeoftheprotagonistinAlbertCamus’sTheStranger:helackedfeelings.

AsIgatheredexperience,however,bothasapsychiatristandinlife,Irealizedhowcommonaproblemitistobeoverlyattached,andotherswerearrivingatthesameinsight.WomenWhoLoveTooMuch2becameanumberoneNewYorkTimesbestsellerin1990,raisingawarenessoftheprevalenceofobsessiverelationshipsandthepaintheycausebothwomenandmen.

Andjustastwelve-stepprogramsdevelopedtohelppeopledetachfromsubstancestowhichtheyareoverattached,sotherearesimilarprogramsforthoseaddictedtobehaviorssuchasgorgingonsugaryfoods(aswesawinchapter8),sex,gambling,andbasicallyanythingthatcanoverstimulatetheneurotransmittersofthebrain’srewardcircuitry.Chemicalssuchasdopamine,endorphins,andanandamidehaveallevolvedtofeedtherewardcentersandencouragebeneficialbehaviors.Itiseasythereforetoseehowmood-alteringsubstancesthatmimictheseendogenouschemicals—suchascocaine,opiates,andmarijuana,respectively—andmood-alteringbehaviorscansoeasilybecomeaddictive.

Itisnowwidelyrecognizedthatoverattachmenttorelationshipsandaddictivebehaviorscanbejustasunhealthyasaddictionstosubstances.Tocombatsuchaddictivebehaviors,detachmentisoftennecessary,thoughdifficult.MembersofAl-Anon,forexample,whocometomeetingsforhelpindealingwiththeiralcoholicrelatives,areencouragedto“detachwithlove.”Theyaretaughthowtonegotiateadelicatebalance:engagingwiththepeopletheylovebutwithoutcontributingtotheiraddictivebehaviors(asbygivingthemmoney)andthedisastersthatoftenfollow.

IntheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire,weincludedtwoseparatequestionsthataskedpeoplewhether,sincestartingtomeditate,theyhadbecome(1)morepresentandengaged,and(2)lessoverlyattached.Surprisingly,while91percentsaidtheyweremorefullypresentandengaged,88percentsaidtheywerelessoverlyattached.Apparently,theynowfindthatlovingengagementdoesnotrequireoverattachment.

Inrespondingtothequestionaboutengagement,manypeoplereferredtobeingpresentand“inthemoment,”asubjectwewillpickupagaininchapter14,“TranscendenceandMindfulness.”Herearesomeoftheirresponses:

I’mbringinganintensitytothemoment.Thereisa“quickening,”aclarity,an“unveiling”toeachsituationasmyattentionfallsonit.Thereispleasureinthemomentnow.IenjoywhatI’mdoingwhenI’mdoingit,andfindthatIamsomuchbetteratdoingthosethingstoo!Ihaveasenseofthesacrednessofthemoment,andtheexperienceoflivingandbreathing.Veryclear,notintellectually,butintermsofexperience.AndtothinkIwas“sleepwalking”mywaythroughlifebefore.Iusedtodreadthe“chores”onehastotakecareoftoliveinthisworld.NowIenjoywhateverthereistodo.Laundry.Cooking.Cleaning.“Well...IstillhatevacuumingbutI’velearnedtodoitreallyfastandgetitoverwith.”

Asfarasnotbeingoverlyattachedisconcerned,anumberofpeopledescribedhoweasilytheycanjettison“stuff,”whichtheyhadformerlycherished.Herearetwoexamples:

Itwasquiteeasytothrowoutorgiveaway90percentofmystuffwhenIlastmoved.Thisincludedgivingtofamilymemberssomehighlytreasuredheirloomswithgreatsentimentalvaluetome.Iwouldn’thavebeenabletodothattwentyyearsago.IwasinthefilmPulpFiction—asmallpart.Iusedtobeattachedtothatfactasifitwassoimportantandapartofmyidentity...LOL.NowIjokeaboutmyfunlittlepartandevenpawnedmycastjackettotheshowPawnStars,whereasbeforethatjacketwasapartofme,andsomeofmyfriendssaidIwascrazytogiveitaway.

Nowadaystheproblemofhoardinghasenteredthepubliceye.Werealizehowverymanypeopleareliterallyunabletopartwiththingsthattheimpartialobserverwouldclassifyasjunk.Yettothehoardertheserelicsoftimesgoneby—forexample,boxesofoldnewspapers—areseenastreasures.AlthoughrealityTVhasturnedtheproblemintoasortofcomicspectacle,hoardingcaninfactbetragic.

Howniceitwouldbeifthestillnessthatentersthelivesofregularmeditatorscouldbringsomepeacetothosepeopleafflictedwithhoarding(nottomentiontheirbeleagueredfamily)andhelpthemtoletgooftheirstuff.HereisacommentfromoneCIQrespondentsuggestingthatsuchahappyoutcomemaybepossible:

Itsoundsself-contradictorybutIsimultaneouslyenjoythingsmoreandfeellessdependentonthingsforhappiness.IamsimplifyingmylifebecauseIknowexcesspossessionsarejustaburden.

Somepeoplementionedashiftofattachmentfromwealthandmaterialobjectstofamilyandvaluedactivities.Otherspointedoutthattheyarenowmorediscriminatingintheirattachments,choosingtoletcertainpeoplegowhileremainingconnectedtoothers.

Intryingtoexplainjusthowhenowexperiencesdetachment,onemansaid,“Thefeelingofnonattachmentisreallyobvious.Itisnotcognitive;Idon’tdecidetobenonattached.Itjusthappens.”

ForsomepeoplewhorespondedtotheCIQ,detachmentwaspartoftheirgrowingresilience,helpingthemanticipateandavoidsituationslikelytocreateturmoil.Onewoman,forexample,observed,“I’mbetterabletodiscernwhenIamattachedtosomethingthatisnoneofmybusinessorwillcreateinnerturmoilthatisunnecessaryorunproductive.”Anothersaid,“IusedtogetdisappointedeasilybecauseIputtoomuchweightonevents.”Anotherwomanechoedthesentiment:“IusedtobecomeupsetwheneverIlost,damaged,orbrokesomethingofvalue.Iwouldstayupsetforalongtime.Nowthechagrinismuchlessintense,anditsoonfadesaway.Ihaveastrongersensethanbefore,boththattheseunfortunateincidentsarepartoflifeandthatinmylifeIhavehadmorethanmyfairshareofgoodluck.”

Somepeoplespecificallypointedoutthattheyhaveexperienceddetachmentwithregardtocontrolissues—inthemselvesorothers.Forexample,onewomanwrote,“Iwasinarelationshipwithsomeonewhopossessedcontrollingtendenciesfortwomonthsuntilonedaysomethingclicked,andItookmyselfoutofthesituationwithoutanyregrets.”Foranotherwoman,itwaslettinggoofherownneedtocontrolthatwasimportant.Assheputit:

Istillhavemyopinionsbutviewthemasjustthat——myopinions,andIdon’tfeelcompelledtopushthemonothersunlessasked.ThenI

simplystatemyviewwithoutalotofemotion.PeopleusedtosayIwasveryoutspokenandforceful,butlatelyI’vereceivedcommentstothereverse.

Anotherwomanstateditverysimply:“Iamlesslikelytotrytocontroloutcomes,andmorelikelytotakeitasitcomes.”

Onemantriedtoreconcilethecombinationofengagementandnonattachmenthehasexperiencedsincestartingtomeditate:“Idesirelessandless,andfindsatisfactioninthesimplepleasureofdailyliving.Iamenjoyingmyretirementandyettherearestillconflictsthatoccasionallyarise.Whenthesehappen,Idon’tseemtogetemotionallyoverinvolved.Iampleasedathowquicklyconflictsseemtoresolvethemselves.”

Althoughinallofthesepeople,onehasthesenseoftheSuperMindatwork,insomeinstancesitissobeautifullyexpressedastobealmostpalpable.Hereareafewexamples:

IrealizemorethatI’mnotajob,salary,degree,oraname.Iampartofsomethinggreater.Itisanicedetachment,notadetachmentwhereyoutunethingsout,butonethatallowsyoutobeyourself(BeyourSelf)whileenjoyingtheworldaroundyou.Ihaveagreatloveandappreciationforthingsaroundme,butIalsoseemtobequietlydetachedfromthings.Iseetheworldasflow.Emotionsarestilltherebutdon’tovershadowtheessentialme.Lovehasbecomerealandtangible.Itisnotsomuchanemotionasthegluethatholdsthecosmostogether.Thingscomeandgo.Consciousnessisthereality.Istillhavedesiresandenjoythings,butiftheyhappenordonothappen,itisjustfine.

InalltheseinstancesweseethebalancethatissuchawelcomeaspectofSuperMinddevelopment.Ouremotionstendtoknockusaboutaswenavigatethroughlife.ThedevelopmentoftheSuperMindsteadiesusliketheballastinaship.Westillfeeljoyandpain,getexcited,pursuegoalsanddreams,butalongsidethoseforcesthatshoveusabout,acalmnessdevelopsthatallowsusthecriticalbalmofdetachment.

DEALINGWITHDEATH

Everybodyhasgottodie,butIalwaysbelievedanexceptionwouldbemadeinmycase.

WilliamSaroyan

Toliveathoughtfulliferequirescomingtotermswithdeath—includingtheprospectofourowninevitabledemise.Somepeople,however,prefertosidestepthetask.Afriendofmine,forexample,amiddle-agedwoman,frequentlyvisitedhermotherwhowasinthefinalstagesofheartfailure.Ononeofhervisits,thedaughter,Freda,askedhermother,“Doyouthinkweshouldtalkaboutdying?”Themotherthoughtforamomentandsaid,“Doyouknowanythingaboutdying,Freda?”

“Notreally,”Fredareplied.“Well,neitherdoI,”saidthemother.“Sowhat’stheretotalkabout?”Attheotherendofthespectrumarethosewhoremindthemselvesofdying

everyday(ornight)evenwhentheyareingoodhealth.TwofamouscasesarethepoetJohnDonneandtheactressSarahBernhardt.Theformerisreportedtohavesleptinhisowncoffinandwornhisownshroud—extremebehaviorevenforthetimebutunderstandablefromthemanwhowrote“Death,BeNotProud.”Bernhardt,whoalsofrequentlysleptinacoffin,claimedthatithelpedherbetterunderstandhertragicroles.3

Thesetwomethodsoffacingdeath(denialversusregularlyclimbingintoacoffin)areextremeformsofauniversaldynamic:Wefeardeath.Fromanevolutionarypointofview,thisfearisagoodthing.Ithelpsusstayvigilantandthustosurviveand,intheprocess,tobemoresuccessfulinpassingonourgenes.Fromapsychologicalpointofview,however,thefearofdeathcanhauntpeople,interferingwithourabilitytomakethemostofourlives.

Whiletheprocessofdyingpresentsachallengetoourabilitytoengageparipassuwithlettinggo,itisthefearofdeaththatconcernsushere.CantheSuperMindhelpsoftenthisdynamic,whichforsomepeoplecanbecomeapainfulpreoccupation?

IfirstthoughtabouttheeffectsofTMonhowwedealwithdeathwhentalkingwithmyfriendRichardFriedman,thepsychiatristandNewYorkTimessciencecolumnistyoumetearlierinthebook.Hehadseveralsalientobservations.SincestartingtopracticeTM,hesaid,hehadbecomelessafraidofdying.Hehasalsobecomelessworriedaboutimmortalityintheformofhis

legacy.Finally,whenhelearnedthatafriendwasmakingafeaturefilmaboutlifeafterdeath,herealizedtohissurprisethatdespitebeingahard-nosedscientist,hehadbecomemoreopentothispossibility.AllthesechangesinrelationtohisthoughtsondeathhavedevelopedsincehebegantopracticeTM.

LenaDunham,thehugelysuccessfulyoungactress,writer,andcreatoroftheTVcomedyGirls,isalongtimeTMpractitionerwhosaysthatTMhashelpedhercometotermswithherfearofdeath.Sheexplainsitasfollows:

Ithinkthatmeditationconnectedmetoapartofmyselfthatfelteternalandwholeandnotaffectedby...changes...becauseit’sverydeepandinstinctual,butthat’sbeensomethingthat’sprovidedmealotofcomfort.Inolongerwakeupeverydaythinking,“IstodaythedayI’mgoingtodie?”It’spartofmyconsciousness,whichIthinkandbelieveishealthy,butit’snotasfear-basedasitoncewas,andthat’sdefinitelybeenaproductofmeditating.

IndevelopingtheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire,ItookobservationssuchasRichardFriedman’sandLenaDunham’sintoaccountinformulatingthefollowingquestions:

Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyoubeenlessafraidofdeath?Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyourideasaboutthepossibilityoflifeafter

deathchangedinanyway?

*

Letusseewhatpeoplesaidinresponse.

FEAROFDEATHOfthosewhoansweredtheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire,most

(72percent)wrotethatsincestartingtomeditate,theyhadfeltlessafraidofdying.

Thosepeoplewhofollowedupwithnarrativeresponsesfellintothefollowingself-reportedbasiccategories:

1.Complexafter-deaththeories,religiousorotherwise,thatprotectedthemagainstafearofdeath.

2.Decreasedfear,attributedtovariousexperiences.3.Decreasedfear,attributeddirectlytoTM.Ofthisgroup,Ifoundmostinterestingthosepeopleforwhomtheiranswertothequestionwasahappysurprise.

Letussetasidefornowcategories1and2andfocusonthelastcategory.HerearesomeremarksbyotherswhoreportfeelingbetterabouttheunpleasantmatterofdyingsincelearningTM:

Ihavenofearofdeath.ThroughmeditationIhavelostafearofanumberofthings.OnedayIsimplynoticedthatthefearhasjustgone.Deathisneitherdesirednorfeared.IwouldevensayI’mnotconcernedaboutdying.Thereisstillthenaturalself-preservationimpulse,buttheconceptofdeathdoesn’tbotherme.Iwashavingsevereanxietyaboutaging,sickness,anddeath.Itwasregularanddebilitating.Mydoctorwantedtoprescribemedicineforit.Butwithinafewmonthsofmeditating,itwas80percentgone.Afterayear,completelygone.Yes,althoughIhaven’tthoughtofthatquestionuntilitwasaskedhere.Icanansweryestothiseasily,butwewillseewhatactuallytranspireswhenIamreallyfacedwithasituation.Withcancerremindingmeoftheimportanceoflife,themeditationhashelpedmeverymuchtoputdeathonabackburner.Iammarkedlylessfearfulofseveralthings,includingdeath,sinceIstartedmeditating.Oneofthemostdramaticformeisflying.WhenIwasyoung,Iabsolutelylovedflying.LaterIdevelopedgreatanxietyaboutitanddidn’tflyformostofmyadultlife.Sincemeditating,thatfearhascompletelydissipated.IamsothankfulandhappyaboutthatasIhaveanadventurousspiritandthatfearwasahugeroadblockforme.

Tobefair,hereistheonecontrarianresponse.

Iamnowmoreafraidofdeath.Idon’tknowifthisisrelatedtomeditationormyincreasingage.

WoodyAllenfamouslywrote,“It’snotthatI’mafraidtodie.Ijustdon’twanttobetherewhenithappens.”Ithoughtofhisquoteinreadingthequestionnaireresponsesofthosewhodistinguishedbetweenfearofsufferingandfearofdeath.Hereareafewexamples:

Itisjustapassagethroughadoor;Iamafraidofsuffering,notdeath.Death?Ha!Anoldfriend,justshufflingoffanotherlayer.PainisthegentIdespise.Yes!!!!ThisisoneofthefirstdeeplyemotionalthingsInoticedwhenIstartedpracticingTM!!!!VerysoonafterstartingTM,Ilostthefearofdeath.I’mstill,ofcourse,afraidofsuffering,butnotofdeath.

Afewpeoplesuggestedthattherepeatedtranscendingthatoccurswhenonemeditatesregularlymayhabituatethemindtotheconceptoflettinggoofwakingconsciousnessinsuchawayastomaketheprospectofdeathlessfrightening.Hereisoneexample:

Irealizedsomethingafterexperiencingtherapturoustranscendentalstatesomanytimesinthelastthirtyyears:It’salmostasifI“diedaily”...IexperiencethisdeepsenseofpeaceandblissduringmeditationsoI’veconcludedthatdeathislikemeditation....Deathdoesn’tseemtomatteranylongerthen.

Maharishihimselfsuggestedthisconnection,noting:

Whenlifeleavesthebody,itisthebreathleaving,liketranscending.Foronewhohasbeenaccustomedtothisexperienceformanyyears,thetransitioniseasy,painlessandblissful,notcatastrophic.Droppingthebodyislikelettingabirdoutofitscage.4

Acuriousexampleofsomeonewhodiscoveredtheabilitytotranscendbyrepeatinghisownnamesilentlytohimself—andwhomadetheassociationbetweentheexperienceoftranscendenceanddecreasedconcernaboutdeath—isthepoetAlfredLordTennyson.Hereisafirsthandreportofthisexperience,excerptedfromaletterthatfounditswayintoWilliamJames’sVarietiesofReligiousExperience.

Akindofwakingtrance—thisforlackofabetterword—Ihavefrequentlyhad,quiteupfromboyhood,whenIhavebeenallalone....Allatonce,asitwereoutoftheintensityoftheconsciousnessofindividuality,theindividualityitselfseemedtodissolveandfadeawayintoboundlessbeing,andthisnotaconfusedstatebuttheclearest,thesurestofthesurest...utterlybeyondwords—wheredeathwasanalmostlaughableimpossibility,thelossofpersonality(ifsoitwere)seemingnoextinction,buttheonlytruelife....Iamashamedofmyfeebledescription.HaveInotsaidthestateisutterlybeyondwords?...Thereisnodelusioninthematter!Itisnonebulousecstasy,butastateoftranscendentwonder,associatedwithabsoluteclearnessofmind.5

Ifindthisaccountfascinatingforreasonsasidefromthepoeticwords:First,itshowshowinunusualcircumstancessomeonecanstumbleuponaword—inthiscaseone’sownname—anduseittoenterwhatsoundsverymuchlikeastateoftranscendence.Second,itisaluciddescriptionofhowitispossibletobeintenselyengaged(inthisinstancewiththestateoftranscendence)andatthesametimedetachedfromone’sownmortalitytothepointthatdeathis“analmostlaughableimpossibility.”

*

Takentogether,ourquestionnairedataandpersonalaccountsindicatethatTMbothfacilitatesdetachmentandenhancesengagement,whichisoneoflife’sgreatjoys.Theseattributesofexpandedconsciousnessextendeventoacceptingtheprospectofdeath.Aplausiblemechanismforsuchacceptanceisthattheregularpracticeoftranscendenceallowsthemeditatortodetachfromthefearofloss—eventhelossofone’sownlife.Suchdetachmentcanhelpapersonletgoofone’slastremainingtreasure—lifeitself—whileremainingengagedintheprocessoflivingaslongasbodyandmindpermit.

TOSUMMARIZETHISCHAPTER’SFINDINGS:

Oneoflife’schallengesistobalancetheemotionalrequirementstobeengagedinlifeanditspursuitswhile,atthesametime,avoidingoverattachment—torelationships,ideas,courseofaction,orlifeitself.Basedonoursurveyresponsesandanecdotes,TMappearstopromotethedelicatebalancebetweentheseapparentlyopposingneeds.

13SUPPORTOFNATURE

Maytheroadriseuptomeetyou.Maythewindbeeveratyourback.Maythesunshinewarmuponyourfaceandtherainfallsoftlyonyourfields.And,untilwemeetagain,mayGodholdyouinthepalmofHishand.

traditionalIrishblessing

Aswemovethroughlife,mostofushavethesensethatnomatterhowhardwetry,therewillalwaysbeelementswecan’tfullycontrol,suchasourlooks,intelligence,health,andamyriadofotherfactors.Hopefully,soonerorlaterwecometotermswiththehandwe’redealt.Butthesweepstakesdon’tstopthere.Westillhavetodealwithanotherhugevariable,onethatcantrumpallotherplayingcards—luck.LadyLuck,theluckofthedraw,theluckoftheIrisharejustafewofthemanyimagesthatluckconjuresup.Mymotherusedtosay,“Youshouldonlyhaveluck,”anacknowledgmentoftheimportanceofthisoverwhelminginfluenceonthetrajectoryofaperson’slife.Ihavelittledoubtthateveryculturemusthaveitstraditionsforattractinggoodluck(ahorseshoe,aladybug,awishbone),fornotlosinggoodluck(knockonwood),orforavertingbadluck.Mygrandmotherandhersistersrecommendedattachingaconcealedredribbontoababy’sdiapertoavertanyevileyethatanenviousonlookermightcastintheinfant’sdirection.

IfirstsawtheIrishblessinginthischapter’sepigraphhangingonafriend’skitchenwall.Youcanimaginethelayout:plainwoodenframe,whitemat,Gothiccalligraphy,adornedbyalargefour-leafedclover,perhapswitha

leprechaunstaringfrombehind.Butthetextcapturedtheessenceofthematter:luckinthesensethatsometimeseverythingseemstogoyourway,whileatothertimesnothingseemstogoright.

InanalyzingtheresultsoftheCIQsurvey,wefoundthatalmostthree-quartersofrespondents(72percent)saidtheyfelttheyhadbeenluckiersincestartingtomeditate.Thatwasoneoftheitemsthatmadeupthe“supportofnature”factor.Otheritemsgroupedunderthatfactorincludedchangesinrelationshipsandfinances—predominantlyfavorable(89percentand55percent,respectively);theitem“othersnoticedthepositivechanges”in72percentoftherespondents.Yetoneitemendorsedbythelargemajority(85percent)ofCIQrespondentsmayexplain,atleastinpart,therestoftheseitems—healthierchoices.

Thatleadstothequestion,“Doesluckreallyenterintoitatallordowemakeourownluck?”Inotherwords,we’reallsubjecttotheforcesactinguponus,butperhapsourstateofmind(orSuperMind)influencesourattitude,judgment,andactions,whichinturninfluenceourluck.

What,ifanything,canwedotoinfluenceourluck?AndwhatdoesTMhavetodowithit?Therearenocontrolledstudiesthatspeaktothesupportofnature,sowewillneedtodependhereonanecdotes,fortifiedbysurveydatafromtheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire.AssumingthatsupportofnatureisacommonexperienceamongTMpractitioners(asitseemstobe),IwillconsiderwhatfactorsmightplayaroleinthishappyphenomenonandhowtheelementsoftheSuperMindwithwhichwearealreadyquitefamiliarmightcontributetothosefactors.

*

ThecuriousphenomenonofsupportofnatureinthecontextofTMcametomyattentionwhenIinterviewedAnna,aScottishlitigator,foranearlierbook,WinterBlues.1AnnahadlearnedTMspecificallytohelpwithhersymptomsofseasonalaffectivedisorder(SAD)andhadfoundittobehighlybeneficial.Despitestronginitialskepticismaboutthepractice,attherecommendationofacrediblefriendwhohad“ravedaboutTM,”Annatoldme,“Iwassostressedoutwithacaseatthattime,youcouldhavescrapedmeofftheceiling.Ithought,‘WhatdoIhavetolosebydoingTMotherthanthemoney?’”

ToAnna’ssurprise,TMhelpednotonlywithherwinterdepression,butalsowithhertemperamentingeneral.Ihaveexcerptedthefollowingparagraphs

fromWinterBlues:

“Istilldon’tunderstandthelogicofit,butthetechniqueworksforme.EventhoughIstilldislikethewinter,Icancopewithit....?Iusedtospendawholelotofenergygettingmyknickersinatwist.NowI’mnotasuptightaboutlittlethings,andifIstartalongthatpath,Istopmyselfmorequickly.EventhoughI’mnotwalkingonair,lifehasimprovedacrosstheboard.”Includingherluck:Readon!

Althoughothersdon’tknowthesecretofAnna’stransformation,theyhavecertainlynoticedit.AccordingtoAnna,“Myopponentinatrialsaid,‘You’renotyourusualjanglyself,’andmyclerkaskedmeifIwasonmedicationbecauseIwasdoingsomuchbetter.IfImissmyTMforawhile,peoplecantellthedifference,evenoverthephone.Iammuchquickertorile,angrier,andjangly.”Ontheotherhand,whenAnnadoesherTMregularly,shesays:

Everythingseemstofallintoplace.PeoplearenicertomebecauseIamnicertothem.Igetmoretheluckofthedraw.Forexample,shopattendantsaremorelikelytobehelpfultome.Recently,whenItraveledtoasmalltownandwastryingtofindthecourt,Isawtwoparkingwardens,andthoughtheyarenotmyfavoritepeople—delightingastheydoinissuingtickets—Iaskedthemfordirections.Notonlydidtheyshowmewherethecourtwas,buttheywenttolookforaparkingspaceformewhereIneedn’tpayandwalkedaheadofmycar,showingmetheway.Whohaseverheardofaparkingwardendoingthat?

IwasremindedofAnnawhenIwasabouttoboardanairplanesometimeago,severalyearsafterIhadbeguntopracticeTMconsistently.Luggageregulationsallowedforonecarry-onandone“personalitem.”Therewerealsostrictsizerestrictions.AlthoughIdidn’tknowexactlywhattheywere,IknewthemtobevariablyenforcedandasIviewedthetwolargishitemsIwasholding,Icouldonlyhopeforleniency.AsIapproachedthecheckpoint,Isawastingy-lookingmetalframeintowhichmycarry-onmustfitinordernottobechecked.Alarge,vigilant,andangry-lookingwomanoppositethemetalframebroughttomindCerberus,standingguardatthegateofHades.ReflexivelyIcrouched,tomakemyselfandeverythingIcarriedlooksmaller.InthisregardIfailed.“It’stoobig!”shebarkedatme.“Checkit!”

“WhatifItakesomestuffoutofthere”—Ipointedatthecarry-on—“andputitinthere?”Ipointedatthepersonalitem.

“Thatwon’tworkeither!”Ilookedatherandsawsomeoneobviouslyunderstress,probablyhavingto

argueandfightwithpeoplealldaylong.Isaid,“Doyouthinkthereissomewaythatwecanworkthisouttogether?”

Shelookedatme,astonished,andwasquietforalongmoment.Thenherfacesoftened,andshesaid,“Sure,honey.We’llfindaway.”Andwedid.IthankedherandasIwentonmyway,Ioverheardhersaytosomeone,“Didyouhearthat?It’sthefirstkindwordanybodyhassaidtomeinsixmonths.”

That’swhenIthoughtofAnnaandhowsuccinctlyshehadputherchangeoffortune:“PeoplearenicertomebecauseIamnicertothem.Igetmoretheluckofthedraw.”IknowthatIamamuchnicerpersonsinceIhavebeenmeditatingregularly—andpeoplehaveindeedbeennicertomeandIhavefeltluckier.

FrenchwriterAnaïsNiniscreditedwithfirstsaying,“Wedon’tseethingsastheyare,weseethemasweare.”Ifwearestressed,depressed,orangry,otherswilloftenseeusasrude,withholding,orthreatening—andwilltreatusaccordingly.Ifwearecalm,happy,andopen,othersaremorelikelytofeelgoodinourpresenceandwelldisposedtowardus.Thereisnoguaranteethattheywill,ofcourse,buttheyaremorelikelyto.AstheAmericanwriterDamonRunyonsaid,riffingoffEcclesiastes,“Theraceisnotalwaystotheswift,northebattletothestrong,butthat’sthewaytobet.”

Ihavetreatedmanypeoplewithdepressionandanxiety,angermanagementproblems,andotherformsofdistress.Generally,theyexperiencetheirworldasunfriendlyorhostile,butinvariably,oncetheyfeelbetter,theyperceiveothersasbeingnicer—whichtheyprobablyare.Sothereisadynamicinterplaybetweenhowweseetheworldandhowtheworldseesus.Afterwehavebeenmeditatingforawhileandfeellessstressed,afterastillnesssettlesintoourdailyconsciousness,wearemoreapttoviewtheworldinamorekindlylightandviceversa.Whenthishappensoverandoveragain,ittrulyfeelsasthoughthereisaconfederacyofpeoplewishinguswellandsupportingusinvariousways.

*

Anotherwayinwhichsupportofnaturemayappearisinsituationsofconflict.ConsiderAnita,forexample,afledglingdesignerwhosecuredajobwithaManhattancompany.Withinmonthsofherarrivalthere,shewasassignedto

taketheleadonadesignprojectforNewYorkCity—ahigh-leveljob,consideringherjuniorstatus.Luckily,Anitahadrecentlystartedtomeditate,andthatmadeallthedifference.Themeditationhelpedherhandlethestressesofthework,andsomehowsolutionstoproblemsseemedtofallintoplacemoreeasily.Insteadofworryingaboutthewholeprojectinallitsdetail,Anitafounditeasytotakethingsoneatatime.Here’showshedescribesherearlyTMexperiencesandtheireffectsonher:

Onmyfourthdayofmeditation,Ispontaneouslyweptfromadeepplacewithinme.Therewasnoparticularsubjectrelatedtoit.WhatwasmostmemorablewashowsafeIfeltduringtheexperience,andhowrelaxedIfeltafter.Theworldfeltsoftertome.Itfeltsimilartothetendernessofaplantpushingitsfirstsproutsthroughtheground.Beginninganewwayoflife.

Anita’sprojectwiththecitywaschallenging,particularlybecauseofseveraldifficultpeoplewhostoodinthepathofprogress.Asshecontinuedtomeditate,thetenderplantfoundthatanunexpectedtoughsidewasdevelopingaswell.Shebecameincreasinglyassertivebothinmeetingsandine-mails,thoughalwaysinaveryprofessionalandcourteousmanner.Thisshiftseemedtohappenorganically.Shedidn’ttellherselftobemoreassertive;shejustbecameso.Andsomehowpeoplerespondedinapositiveway.Nevertheless,theprojecteventuallyreachedastalematebecauseofonepersonwhowaspreventingAnitafromcollectingtheoutstandingreceivables(thecityhadbeenslowtopay).Successseemedimpossible.

*

Anitakeptmeditating,however,takingthingsoneatatimeinacalmway.Then,tohersurprise,withoutanyspecificinterventiononherpart,thedifficultpersonwassuddenlyreplacedandthenewcommitteeheadwasfareasiertodealwith.Anitacouldhardlybelievehergoodfortune,asshefeltahugeburdenslipaway—andafterthatthingscontinuedtofallintoplace.ItremindedherofavideoshehadseencalledCreatingYourOwnReality.Throughtheprocessofmeditation,Anitafeltherselfchanging,andasshechanged,theworldaroundherseemedtochangeaswell.

*

Anitaremindsmeofafriendofmine,MirelaSula,atherapistoriginallyfromAlbania,whoiscurrentlylivinginLondon,England.Althoughthesecountriesareseventeenhundredmilesapart,thatdistancehardlydoesjusticetothevastchasmbetweenthesetwoworlds.HereishowMireladescribesherlifeinAlbaniainherbook,Don’tLetYourMindGo.2

AttheageoftwentyIlivedinaremotevillageinthenorthernpartofAlbania.IwasabrideinabigfamilywithcustomsandtraditionsthatIhadtoabideby.ItwasexpectedthatIbakethebread,cleanthehouse—aswellasthebackyard—andwaitforthegoatstocomeinfromthepasture.Thiswasmylife.Iwasisolatedinthemiddleofthemountainswherethenearesthousewastenminutesaway....TheonethingthatsticksinmymindthatIcannotforgetistherequirementthatawomanhadtowashherfather’sandhusband’sfeet.Yes,toomanytimesIhavewashedmystepfather’sfeet.Thiswasanecessarycriterionforafemaletobeagoodwomanatthattime....Thisappearedtometobemyluckinlife.However,IactuallyneveracceptedthisasapartofmylifeandIknewthatthiswouldnotbemyfuture.

Somehow,asifbyamiracle,MirelamanagedtoworkherwayfromruralAlbaniatoLondon.Sheattributesthisinparttoextensivereading,butparticularlytolearningTM.Despiteherruralsetting,Mirelasucceededingraduatingasapsychotherapistandstartedamagazine.Nevertheless,sheurgentlywantedtochangeherlifebutcouldn’tseehow.Inhercultureitwasunacceptabletogetadivorce“onlybecauseyouwantsomethingbetter.”Tocomplicatematters,bythenshehadathirteen-year-oldson.

Asyoucanimagine,Mirelaencounteredobstacleafterobstacle,butoverherhusband’sprotestations,sheleftforLondon.Shekeptmeditating,andintimehersonjoinedherinLondon,atfirstforvisitsandlatertostay.Thedivorce,however,wasthefinalobstacle.AccordingtoAlbanianlaw,herhusbandhadtoconsent,whichhedeclinedtodo.Hetoldher,“Noway,nochance.Don’tevendreamaboutit.”Theyhadalotofargumentsaboutit.Thenoneday,duringmeditation,sherecalls,“Avoicecametomethatsaid,‘Whydoyoucontinuetoarguewithhim?Youdon’tneedtofocusyourenergyandattentiononhim.Focusonwhatyouwant.’”

Fromthenonshefocusedonherdesiretobefreeandchoosethosepeopleshewantedasherfriendsandassociates.Sheletherhusbandknowthatfromherpointofviewthemarriagewasover.Hecoulddowhathewanted.Andshekeptmeditating.Thenonedayhecalledandtoldherhewouldstartthedivorceproceedingsfromhisend.Shedidn’tbelievehimandwonderedifthiswassomegamehewasplaying—untilthedivorcepapersarrived.LaterheallowedhersontojoinherinLondon,wheretheynowlivetogether.

Thestoryhasahappyending.Mirelaandherex-husbandhavebeenabletoputasidetheirdifferencesinordertoco-parenttheirson,whospeakstohisfatherdaily.Ononethingtheyagree:theirsonneedstwoparents.PresumablyasMirelabecamecalmerbutremainedresolute,herhusbandsettleddowntooandwasabletoshifthisperspective—areasonableexplanation.ButtoMirelaitfeltlikeshewasbeingsupportedbyunseenforces,thanksinpartofTM.

*

IhavelinkedAnitaandMirelatogetherinthissectionbecauseinbothcasesotherpeoplefellintolinewithwhattheywantedandthoughtwasright.Inbothcases,however,itwasonlypossibleduetothemoderatingeffectsofTM,whichallowedthemtobeclearintheirvisionandfirmintheirresolve.Soweseeanotherwayinwhichthesupportofnaturemanifestsitself.

GOODPARKINGSPOTSANDOTHERLUCKYBREAKSLetusturnnowtotheCIQ,toseewhatitcantellusaboutthesupportof

natureamongTMpractitioners.Ofparticularinterestweretheanswerstothequestion,“Sincestartingtomeditate,doyoufeelyouhavebeenluckierorthatthingshavegoneyourwaymorethanbeforewithoutyourhavingtoputanyextraeffortintothem?”Ofallresponders,aboutthree-quartersansweredyes,andofthose,yetagainthree-quarterssaidthishappenedfrequentlyorveryfrequently.

WhenIlookedatthenarrativeresponses,Iwasparticularlyinterestedbythenumberofpeoplewhocommentedonhowmucheasieritwastofindgoodparkingspotssincestartingtomeditate.Hereareafewspecificexamples:

Inormallyknowexactlywheremyparkingspotisgoingtobe,evenifthelotiscrowded.Ifindparkingplaceseasily.Trafficopensupforme.Etc.andetc.Manyetcs.

Responsessuchasthese(andthereweremany)suggestthattherespondersbelievethattheirluckhasinfactchanged—thattheuniverseisbeingkinder—andoftentheyprovideotherinstancesof“goodluck.”

Hereisanespeciallyimpressiveexample:

IusedtoalwaysfeelthatIwasadaylateforeverything.WhateverIwanted,itfeltlikeInevergottoitorthoughtofitintime.Someoneelsewouldbeatmetoit.Butnowitfeelstheopposite.LatelyIhavebeenintherightplaceattherighttime.IhavefoundthepeopleIneededtoconnectwith.I’vebeenabletogetthingsIwanted,notnecessarilymaterialthings—butimportantones.

OtherTMpractitioners,suchasthosequotedbelow,alsorecognizethatlifeseemstogotheirwaymoreoften,butfavoramorescientificexplanation:

IthinkIamsimplymoreawareofhowmuchgoodactuallyhappens.SoIdon’tknowifthingshavechangedorifmyawarenesshaschanged.Turnsout“luck”isdeterminedinlargepartbyreceptivitytochange,circumstances,andunexpectedhappenings.Ienjoybeingopentonewexperiences,thereforeeverythingofferssomepointofinterest.Joybegetsluck.Idefineluckaswhenpreparationmeetsopportunity.Ibelieveincontinuallypreparingandhoningmyskills,sothatwhenopportunityarrives,Icanstepintoitwithoutfear.Youmaycallitluck,butIbelieveit’sdiligenceandfaith.

Tobefair,therewereafewcontrarianresponses,suchasthese:

Tobehonest,I’vealwaysbeenprettylucky(knockonwood),

and

Thingshavegottenworse.

BobRothpointsoutthattheexperienceofbeingsupportedbynaturedoesnotcomeexclusivelytothosewhomeditate,andisoftenattributabletohowapersonfeelsonanygivenday.Asheputsit:

Thesecommonexperiencesoftenhavesimpleexplanations(evenifyouarenotameditator).Ifyousleeppoorlyforafewdays,youfeel“off,”andnothingseemstogoyourway.Youmissaparkingspace,arelateforaphonecall,andlosethings.Yousayyouhada“bad”day.Ontheotherhand,getagoodnight’ssleep,exercise,eatwell,feelstrong,andyouseemtobeautomaticallyinthe“flow.”Thingsgoyourwaymoreoftenthannot.Yousayyouhada“good”day.Thatissimilartowhathappenswhenyoumeditate.Thingsjustseemtogoyourwaymoreoftenthannot.Youhavemoregooddaysthanbad.

HOWMIGHTNATURESUPPORTUS?LETUSCOUNTTHEWAYS

AsIseeit,herearesomewaystocategorizethesesupportofnatureexperiences.(Perhapsyoumayhavesomeadditionalexplanations.)

1.Youarenicertoothers,sotheybecomenicertoyou.2.Youaremorelikelytoseethegoodaroundyouthanyouwerebefore.

3.Youareclearerinyourselfandsetfirmerboundaries.Youarethereforelesslikelytobemistreatedandmorelikelytobetakenseriously.

4.Youtakeadvantageoffortuitoushappenstances.(AsLouisPasteurfamouslyremarked,“Chancefavorsthepreparedmind.”)

5.Youreadothersandtheworldmoreaccurately—muchasasailorwhohasabetterfeelforthewindsandthecurrentscannavigate

moreskillfully.Youtakeownershipandresponsibilityforreadingyourenvironmentcorrectlyandrespondingappropriately.

Whatevertheexplanation,thereisgeneralagreementthatafterbeginningtopracticeTM,astheSuperMinddevelops,lifebecomeseasierandtheworldseemslikeamorecooperativeandembracingplace.Itfeelsasthoughnatureissupportingyourefforts,dreams,andaspirations.

TOSUMMARIZETHEHIGHLIGHTSOFTHISCHAPTER:

Afterstartingtomeditate,manyTMpractitionersobservethatthingsseemtogotheirwaymorefrequentlythanbefore—asthoughtheworldissupportingtheiractionsandwell-being.Severalexamplesofsuchapparentgoodluckwerepresented,andanumberofpotentialexplanationswereprovidedtoexplainthisphenomenon.

14TRANSCENDENCEANDMINDFULNESS

Themostimportanttimeisnow.Thepresentistheonlytimeoverwhichwehavepower.

LeoTolstoy

Weareall,allofus,pilgrimswhostrugglealongdifferentpathstowardthesamedestination.

AntoinedeSaint-Exupéry

It’ssurprisinghowoftenIfindmyselftalkingwithstrangersaboutmeditation.Itmightbewithacabdriverwhoseesmewithmyeyesclosedorthepersonnexttomeontheplane.Onethingiscleartome:ThefascinationwithmeditationintheUnitedStatesisonagrowthcurve.Aswetalk,however,itbecomesapparentinmostinstancesthatpeoplethinkallformsofmeditationarethesame.WhenIstartexplainingtothemthatdifferentformsofmeditationcomefromdifferenttraditions,askdifferentthingsofthemeditator,andhavedifferenteffectsonthebrain,theireyesbegintoglazeoverandtheymakegenericstatementsthatsuggestthatthesearedistinctionswithoutadifference—abstrusemattersthatconcernonlythespecialist.Meditationisgood,andthat’salltheywanttoknow.

Thischapterisintendedforthosepeoplewhowouldliketounderstand,atleasttosomedegree,thedifferencebetweentwoformsofmeditationthatarisefromtwogreattraditions:mindfulnessfromtheBuddhisttradition,andTranscendentalMeditationfromtheVedictradition.Andthereareindeeddifferences,asIhopetoilluminate.Letmehastentoadd,though,whatthischapterisnot.First,Iamnotattemptingtoreviewtheextensiveliteratureon

mindfulness.AnAmazonsearchfor“mindfulness”(asofthedayofthiswriting)revealsmorethanthirty-fivethousandbooktitles,suggestingthatyetonemorebookonthesubject(especiallyfromsomeonewhoisbynomeansanexpertinthefield)isthelastthingthereaderneeds.Thereisalsoanextensivescientificliterature,withhundredsofpapersfindingbenefitsofmindfulnessforvariousphysicalandemotionalconditions.Ifyouwishtolearnmoreaboutthese,you’llfindsomereviewarticlesinthenotes,alongwithonecriticalcommentary.1

Second,thiscomparisonisnotacompetitionbetweentwopractices.Inanationwheremillionsofdevotedfanswatchteamscompetingfuriouslyagainstoneanotherweekafterweek,itmayseemnaturaltoask,“So,whichoneisbetter?Whichmeditationteamwins?”Althougheachschoolhasmillionsoffollowers,manyofwhomferventlyrecommendoneabovetheother,asofthetimeofthiswritingthereisnottomyknowledgeevenonepublishedhead-to-headcomparisonbetweentheeffectsofmindfulnessandTM,eitherwithregardtophysicalorpsychologicalmeasures.Soanystatementaboutthesuperiorityofoneversustheotherisatthistimewithoutscientificbasis.Nevertheless,thedatainfavorofoneversustheotherformofmeditationmaybestrongerincertainareasthaninothers,whichmaysimplyreflectthefocusofresearchersworkinginthesedifferentfields.Forexample,theextensivedatasupportingcardiovascularbenefitsofTM(seechapter8)arenottomyknowledgeavailableforstudiesofmindfulness.Thus,theAmericanHeartAssociationhasendorsedonlytheuseofTMasacomplementarytreatmentforhighbloodpressure—notmeditationingeneral—asofthetimeofthiswriting.2Perhapstherearedatasupportingadvantagesformindfulness,butnotTM,ofwhichIamunaware.

AlthoughIstriveheretopresentabalancedpicture,Icannotclaimtobeaneutralobserver.AlthoughIseektobemindfulinmydailylife,Idon’tpracticemindfulnessinaformalway,noramIsteepedinthesubject.Ontheotherhand,IpracticeTMtwiceadaywithoutfailandhavespentthousandsofhoursthinking,reading,andwritingaboutthesubject.Also,theanecdotalreportstowhichIhaveaccesscomepredominantlyfromTMpractitioners.Awareofthesedisparities,Iwilldomybesttopresentthisimportantcomparisoninanevenhandedmanner.

WHATISMINDFULNESS?Foralovelydescriptionofeatinganapplemindfully,takealookatthe

poem“Mystic”byD.H.Lawrence(seechapter19).Foramoreprofessional

descriptionofmindfulnessineverydaylife,allowmetoquotemyfriendandcolleagueRezvanAmeli,apsychologistworkingattheNationalInstituteofMentalHealthandauthorof25LessonsinMindfulness,3whohasbeenteachingmindfulnessfortenyears.

Youmayaskyourselfwhenwasthelasttimeyouchewedveryslowlyandreallytastedandsensedthefragranceofasinglegrape,acherry,orabitefromanapplewithyourcompleteattention?Howoftenhaveyoutakenthetimetonoticethesensationoftheclothfromyourclothingonyourskin?Haveyoubeenconsciousofthefeltsensationofwool,cotton,orsilk?Haveyoueverbroughtyourfullattentiontoasinglebreathandcloselyfolloweditfromthebeginningtotheend?Howdothebottomsofyourfeetfeel?Haveyounoticedthewayinwhichyoubalanceyourweightonthefourcornersofyourfeet?Doyoupayattentiontothecomponentsofasinglestep?Howdoyoulift,move,andplaceyourfootasyoustepforward?Doyoueverbringyourfullattention,curiosity,andopenattitudetoapainexperience,orratherquicklyandautomaticallydecidetoreachforthebottleofibuprofenorsomeotherremedy?Attentiontoandacceptanceoftheseeverydayexperienceshelptoincreasetheawarenessofthepresentmoment.Theideaisnottojudgeorevaluatetheseexperiences,rathersimplytonoticethem.Bydoingso,wewilldwelllessinthepastorthefutureandadjustandrelinquishourexpectationsabouthowthingsshouldbe.Rather,weacceptandallowwhatis.Assuch,wegreatlydiminishstress,unhappiness,andsuffering.4

AccordingtoAmeli,“Mindfulnesshasthreeindispensiblecomponents.Onepieceisintention,oneisattention,andoneiscompassion.”Sheelaboratesthedefinitionbysayingthat“Iwoulddefinemindfulnessaspayingattentioninafocusedway,withacertainattitude,whichbasicallyisdefinedastheattitudeofopenness,friendliness,acceptance,youknow,oflove.Imeanlovesumsitup.”AmelipointsoutthatThichNhatHanh,theVietnameseBuddhistmonkwhomsheregardsas“thelivingembodimentofmindfulness,”definesitas“beingintouchwithyourfeltexperienceineachmoment.”5JonKabat-Zinn,emeritusprofessorofmedicineattheUniversityofMassachusettsMedicalSchoolandapioneerindevelopingmindfulnessasitiswidelyused,definesthepracticeas

“payingattention,onpurpose,inthepresent,andnon-judgmentally,totheunfoldingofexperiencemomentbymoment.”6

Mindfulnessencompassestwodifferenttypesofmeditation,accordingtotheclassificationofFredTravisandJonathanShear:7openmonitoring,whichincludesbeingmindfulofinternalstates,suchasbreathing,one’sownsensations,thoughts,orfeelings;andfocusedattention,inwhichattentionisselectivelydirectedtowardanimage,idea,feeling,orotherspecifictarget.

Althoughmindfulnesscanbeappliedtomanydifferentactivities,suchasbreathing,walking,andeating,tonamejustafew,thepracticerequirestrainingifitistobedoneproperly.Traininginonepopularformofmindfulness,MindfulnessBasedStressReduction(MBSR),forexample,typicallyrequireseightsessionslasting2.5to3hourspersessionwithaone-dayretreatlasting6to8hours—foratotalofabout30hoursonaverage.

EventheshortsynopsisthatIhaveprovidedsofarshouldmakeitclearthatmindfulnessandTMareverydifferentpractices.Inmindfulness,themeditatorissystematicallytrainedtointentionallyfocusattentiononsomethinginparticular,whereasinTranscendentalMeditationemphasisisplacedontheautomaticeasewithwhichamantraisaccessed.ThataccountsforitsallocationtoathirdcategoryintheTravisandShearclassification:“automaticself-transcending.”

TorefreshyourunderstandingofsomeofthekeydifferencesbetweenmindfulnessandTM,Irecommendyoulookagainatfigure1.

ThereisanotherimportantdistinctionbetweenmindfulnessasproperlytaughtandTM:Mindfulnessisdifficult;TMiseasy.Thefirststatementisnotmyopinionalone,butthatofnolessanexpertthanBhanteHenepolaGunaratana,authoroftheclassicworkMindfulnessinPlainEnglish,whichJonKabat-Zinnhascalledamasterpiece.Here’swhatGunaratanahastosayonthematteratthebeginningofchapter1ofhisbook:

Meditationisnoteasy.Ittakestimeandittakesenergy.Italsotakesgrit,determination,anddiscipline.Itrequiresahostofpersonalqualitiesthatweoftenregardasunpleasantandliketoavoidwheneverpossible.WecansumupallofthesequalitiesintheAmericanwordgumption.Meditationtakesgumption.8

Ihavetoadmirethehonestyoftheseopeningremarks.Anyonewhogoesontoreadtherestofthebookevidencestough-mindednessfornotbeingdeterred

bythiswarning.Alas,Iwasnotoneofthem.PerhapsIlackgumption.OrperhapsitwassimplybecauseIhadpersonallyfoundTMtobesimpleandeasy,asadvertised.Here,forexample,ishowtheTMtechniqueisdescribedontheofficialTMwebsite9inastatementattributedtotheMayoClinic.

TranscendentalMeditationisasimple,naturaltechnique....Thisformofmeditationallowsyourbodytosettleintoastateofprofoundrestandrelaxationandyourmindtoachieveastateofinnerpeace,withoutneedingtouseconcentrationoreffort.

ThisdescriptionconformsentirelytomyownexperiencewithTM,andthatofdozensoffriendsandpatientswhomIhavereferredforTMtrainingandfollowedoveryears.Forexample,oneofmypatients,ayoungman,recentlysummeduphisexperiencewithTMasfollows:“It’smind-bogglinglysimplebutunbelievablypowerful.”

CONSCIOUSNESS:STATEANDCONTENTEarlyinthisbookImadeadistinctionbetweenthestateorqualityof

consciousnessanditscontents.WhenpeoplepracticeTM,theyexperienceachangeintheirstateofconsciousness,whichisknownastranscendenceor,accordingtoVedictradition,thefourthstateofconsciousness.Aftermeditatingforawhile,peoplefindthistranscendentstateenteringtheirdailylives,anearlysignoftheSuperMind.InnowayisanycontentintroducedorencouragedaspartofTMtraining.Nevertheless,theshiftsinconsciousnessprecede(andalmostcertainlyinduce)majorchangesinhowthebodyandbrainwork,aswellasinthecontentsofconsciousness.Forexample,seasonedTMpractitionersoftenfeelmorecompassionfortheirfellowhumanbeings,eventhoughthisshiftinattitudehasnotbeendirectlysuggested.

Incontrast,mindfulnesspracticesdonotclaimoraspiretoinducealterationsinstatesofconsciousness,whereastheydodirectlyencouragealterationsinthecontentsofconsciousness.Thus,asAmeliputsit,“Wecultivateourattentionwithanopen,accepting,andfriendlyattitude.Thereareseveralspecificcompassiontrainingpracticessuchaslovingkindness,givingandreceiving,andforgiveness.”

ChrisGermer,afriendandcolleague,andauthorofTheMindfulPathtoSelf-Compassion,practicesloving-kindnesscompassionashiscoreformof

meditation.WhenIinterviewedhimforthisbook,Iaskedhimwhatkindofmeditationhehaddoneonthatparticularday.HesaidhehadstartedwithTM,thenmovedontoloving-kindnesscompassion.Here’showourconversationwent:

NR:WHATDIDYOURMINDFULNESSPRACTICECONSISTOFTODAY?CG:WhoevercametomindIreflectedonandthought,“Mayhehavepeace.Mayhebefree,”or“Mayshehavepeace.Mayshebefree.”

NR:ANDWHOCAMETOMIND,FOREXAMPLE?CG:Itcouldbeanyone—afriend,familymember,orsomeoneImetthatday.Orevenadogorotheranimal.

NR:ANDWHATWOULDYOUTHINKIFKIMJONG-UNCAMETOMIND?(THENORTHKOREANDICTATORHADBEENPARTICULARLYBELLICOSEINTHEWEEKSLEADINGUPTOMYINTERVIEWWITHCHRIS.)CG:Iwouldthink,“Mayhehavepeace.Mayhebefree.”Whichwouldbeaverygoodthing.Ifhehadpeaceandwerefree,alotofpeoplewouldbealothappier.

Irespectandadmiresuchcultivationofpositivethoughtsandfeelings,whichareintegraltomindfulnesspractices.Inaddition,itisself-evidentthatsuchpracticeswouldinculcatecongruentstatesofmindinthosewhoperformthemonaregularbasis.Howcouldtheybutwishtomaketheworldabetterplace?Inaverydifferentway,thereisevidencethattheregularpracticeofTM,whichfosterstranscendenceandthedevelopmentofconsciousness,isalsolikelytopromotekindnessandharmony—andperhapsgreaterpeaceamongpeople.Inthisregard,thetwopracticeshaveelementsincommon.

WHYNOTDOBOTH?IfTMandmindfulnessarebothhelpfulindifferentways(asIbelievethey

are),whynotsimplydoboth?Oneobviousreasonistime.Itishardenoughtomaintainevenoneregularmeditationpracticeinthebusyliveswelead,letalonetwo.Anotheristhatdifferentformsofmeditationmightsuitdifferentpeople.Itwouldbeinterestingtoresearchwhethercertaintypesofpeoplepreferoneformofmeditationoveranother—andnotsurprisingifthisturnsouttobethecase.In

thissection,however,Iwouldliketointroducetoyoutwopeoplewhodopracticebothforms,andfindthateachyieldsitsownparticularbenefits.

CHUCKBLIZIOTIS:THEYEACHSERVEUNIQUEPURPOSES

EntertainmentmarketingconsultantChuckBliziotiswrites:

IpracticebothTMandmindfulnessmeditation—theyeachserveuniquepurposes.IbeginandendeachdaywithTM.WithitI’mabletostillmymind,de-stress,andstartthedayopenandrelaxed.Myprofessionisentertainmentmarketing—aremarkableaspectofTMisthatsomeofmybestideascomerightafterpractice,whilesittingquietandcalm,allowingmymindtodrift.ItisinthisdriftthatI’mabletoseetheconnectivityofwhatI’mworkingonandpossiblesolutionsoroutcomes—it’sstillexcitingeachtimeithappens.IendeachdaywithTMpractice:ithelpstoletthedaywashout,lettinggo,driftingofftoadeepersleepandmorerestedmorning.IbelievethatTMisdirectlyresponsibleforsharpeningmyvisualandintellectualmemory,recall,andcreativity.Itispartofmyfoundation.

Mindfulnessworkstofacilitateclarity,focus,compassion,andtruth.Ashumanswehavethetendencytocreatenarratives(Imorethanmost),andmindfulnessallowsmetoexamineclearlyexactlywhatisgoingon,whatisbeingsaid,andnoticemyreactiontoit—alldonebybreathingslowly,rhythmically,andbeingawareofwhatishappeninginside.Thispracticeallowsmetotakea“stepback,”listentowhatisbeingsaid,andrespondwithcompassionthatgoestotheheartoftheissueathand.Itisdifficultattimesnottogetcaughtupintheheatofthemoment,aswellastofacewhatwetrulyfear.Mindfulnesstakescouragetolookattheworldasitis.

LAURA:TWOTOOLSWITHDIFFERENTPURPOSES

Lauraisanartist,writer,andteacherwhomIhavebeenseeinginmypracticeforsometime.ShelearnedmindfulnessinamultiweekformaltrainingcoursetaughtatJohnsHopkinsUniversityabouttenyearsbeforethisinterview.SixyearslatershelearnedTMinthehopethatitwouldhelphermanageher

winterdepressions.Shepracticesbothregularly,andhasthistosayaboutwhatshehasgainedfromthetwotechniques:

Mindfulness

Theongoingimpactmindfulnesstraininghashadonmeisinhowtoquiettheemotionsandquietthemind,andappreciatelifeasit’spassingrightinfrontofyou.Oneofthethingsyoulearntodoissimplyacknowledgehowyou’refeelinginthepresentmoment.Andacknowledgingthatandsayingtoyourself,IamhappytodayandI’menjoyingthesuntoday.I’mfeelingalotofconfusedemotionstoday.Somehowit’sverycalmingtothemind.Ican’texplainthemechanism,butinsomewaysyou’renotfightingyourinternalmonologue.

You’reacknowledgingit,bringingitupintothelight,andyou’resortoflettingitgo.OtherthingsIreallyenjoyarejustseeingthepresentmoment,avisual.OneofthethingsIhappentodoasadailymeditationissweepthefloor.Ihappenedtogetbrand-newwoodenfloorsinmyhouseatthetimethiscoursetookplace.Andsweepingthebeautifulwoodfloorwasanenormouspleasure.Thenewfloorwassobeautiful,andtheoldcarpetsougly,itwasagreattransformationofmyhouse.Butitkeptmefocusedonmyactionsinthepresentmoment—notgoingbackandnotgoingforwardandprojecting.AndthatwasthebiggestthingthatI’vetakenfrommindfulness.

Ipracticemindfulnesseverydayaspartofmydailyorientationforlife.AlotofthedayandespeciallywhenI’mfeelingsortofupsetemotionalstates,Iturntomindfulnessandacknowledgemyfeelings,andItrytolistenandlook,andbeinthepresentmoment.

IwishIcouldsayitwastransformational,butIhaven’texperiencedthat.ButIwouldsayitcertainlyincreasedmyqualityoflifetoagreatdegree.Andit’scertainlyhelpedmemanagemyfluctuatingmoodswingseveryday.

Mindfulnessispartofatoolkitthatanypersoncantakewiththem.Somepeoplegoontoinsightmeditation.Theylinkthetwo.Ihaveneverhadparticularinsightsfrommindfulness.Iuseittoregulatemoodsandmanagedailylife.Ihavejustnotpracticeditinawaythathasledtodeeperinsights.

TranscendentalMeditation

TMhasadifferent,Iwouldhavetosaymagical,impactonlybecauseIhavenoideawhyitworks(laughs).Icannot,Icannotfigureitout.TMhastheabilitytoremovepain,actually.It’ssomesortofmiraclething.I’vegonethroughpainfulmedicalprocedures,practicedTMduringthem,andnotfeltthediscomfortonewouldexpect.Icannotexplainthat,exceptthatithappenedforme.IfindthatwhenIpracticeTM,Ihaveagreaterflowofcreativeideasthathelpmeorganizemydayandbeproductive.IalsofindthatI’mmuchlessreactive.I’manirritableperson.Imayhideitwell,butI’mprettyirritable.AndwhenI’mpracticingTM,I’mmuchmoreabletostepasidefromwhateveritisandbecalm.

IaskedLauratotellmemoreabouttheeffectsofTMonhercreativity.Here’showshereplied:

MostrecentlyI’vehadsomelossesinmyfamilyandI’vehadalotoftroublegettingbacktomyartwork.Andrecently,withinthepasttwoorthreeweeks,IhavestartedtopracticeTMtwiceadayregularly(previouslyithadbeenonceortwiceaday).AndasaresultofthatIhavesuddenlyturnedoutawholeseriesofprints.I’manartistandaprintmaker.AndI’vecreatedawholeseriesofprintsthatI’mcontinuingtoproducerightnow.Isuddenlywasabletoputasidethedistractednessandlossofconcentrationandjustgetdowntowork.AndIactuallydidn’tusethosewordsinmymind(“getbacktowork”).Isaid,well,let’sjustsitdownandplaywiththisandseewhathappens.Andasaresultofsayingthatinmymind,Iturnedoutalltheseprints,whicharejustexploringtheprocessofwhitelineprinting,andI’mcontinuingtodoitrightnow.Iseemtohavegottenoverabarrierthatwasstandinginmyway.Somostrecentlythat’sanexample.

TMsomehowencouragesproductiverisktaking.Ithasallowedmetosketchinpublic,andtakeonsomepublicrolesthatImightnotnormallydo.AndIreallycan’texplainwhyitwouldhavethateffect,butIjusthavestartedtodothesemorepublicthingssinceI’vestartedmeditatingtwiceaday.

IaskedLauraifTMhadhelpedherself-actualize—tobeherbestself(atopicIwilldiscussfurtherinchapter16).Shereplied:

Yes.Ido,andI’mthinkingnotonlyaboutmyprints,mypaintings,andmywritings,butevenabouthowI’vebeenacommunityactivistoverthepasttwoyears.I’vedonepublicspeakingandinterviewsontelevision,andwrittenspeeches,andbecomealocalcommunityleader.AndI’mreallysurprisedbythatrole.It’snotaroleIwouldhavepickedformyself.AndyetI’vedoneitandenjoyedit,andmaybeit’saroleIwillcontinueiftheopportunitypresentsitself.

Also,inthepasteightmonths,sincestartingtomeditateregularlytwiceaday,I’vewrittenabookproposal,I’vestartedtomarketit,andIhopetosellit.I’mgoingtopickupthatprocessalso.It’sallreadytogo;it’ssetout.Andit’scertainlynotsomethingIcontemplatedorproducedbeforesixtoeightmonthsago.Thereweremanyyearswhere—I’manexcellentwriterbut—Ireallyhadn’tproducedanythingthatwouldbesold.I’msureTMhasaroleinchangingthat.Asyouspeakofself-actualizing,I’msurethatwritingispartofthattoo,tryingtobreakthatblock.Ideliberatelysteppedawayfromwriting,andIwasluckyenoughtobeabletopaint.Sothat’swhatI’vedone.Iamapersonwhoneedstotakemorerisksandputmyselfouttheremore,andIhaven’tdonesoforavarietyofreasons.AndIcanseethatsinceI’vestartedTM,thesethingshavehappened.Ican’texplainitbutit’sclear.I’msittingheresurroundedbytheresults.

Itisdifficulttomakemeaningfulgeneralizationsfromjusttwopeople.Nevertheless,aswelookatChuckandLaura,certainthemesemerge.

Mindfulness,asadvertised,hashelpedbothpeopletobepresentinthemomentandexperienceitfully.InChuck’scase,thepayoffforthishasbeen“totakea‘stepback,’listentowhatisbeingsaid,andtorespondwithcompassionthatgoestotheheartoftheissueathand...[totakethe]couragetolookattheworldasitis.”InLaura’scase,mindfulnesshasbeencalming,hasincreasedthequalityofherlifetoagreatdegree,andhelpedherregulatehermoods.

TMhashelpedbothpeopletostilltheirminds,apropertythattheycarryforwardintotheday.InChuck’scase,thisallowshimtostarthisdayopenandrelaxed.InLaura’scase,thestillnesshasreducedherirritability.Assheputsit,“Ondays,especiallywhenIdoTMtwice,Ihavetheabilitytostepawayfrom

situations.Ifeeltheaccelerationtowardirritation,andthenIjustfeelitfallaway.”ItisthissortofstillnessinthepresenceofactivitythatsuggeststheearlystagesoftheSuperMind.

InLaura’scase,shedescribesapowerfuleffectofTMinpreventingpainduringmedicalprocedures.ThistypeofeffectonthebodyiscommonlyseeninpeoplewhopracticeTMandmayalsomanifestasimprovedbloodpressureandcardiovascularfunction,andinotherways.OneexampleyoumayrecallistheballerinaMeganFairchild,whosefaintingspellsdisappearedaftershestartedTM.

OnebenefitofTMthatbothpeopledescribedindetailisitseffectoncognitivefunctioning,creativity,and,inLaura’scase,creativerisktaking.Sucheffects,whichcarryoverfrommeditationintotheactiveday,arecommonlyseeninthosepracticingTM.Ifyouwanttorefreshyourmemoryaboutthem,lookbacktochapter9,“BuildingaBetterBrain.”ThisisoneoftheprimereasonswhyTM—andthestateoftheSuperMindthatitinduces—isofparticularinteresttothoseseekingtoperformattheirhighestpotential.

OnepossibledifferencebetweenthetwotechniquesmayrelatetotheeasewithwhichTMpractitionersenter“thezone”—astatethatisimportantforathletesandartists,amongothers.Suchpeople—likeMeganFairchildandBarryZito,featuredinthisbook—haveparticularlysingledoutTMasvaluableinthisregard.Beinginthezonerequiresone’sactivethinkingmind—suchastheprefrontalcortex—togooff-lineandallowlong-practicedskillstoproceedwithautomaticease.Inthisregard,mindfulness,whichstressesactiveattentivenesstospecificaspectsofawarenessmightbelessuseful—orevendetrimental—thoughsoliddataonthispointarecurrentlylacking.

*

InChuckandLaura,wehavetwopeoplewhopracticebothformsofmeditation,eachreportingsufficientbenefittokeepdoingbothonaregularbasis.Thebenefitsaredifferentand,forChuckandLaura,complementary.AsLauraputsit,“IusethemasI’dusetoolsinthekitchen.Theyhavedifferentpurposes.Bothaspoonandaknifeareusefulbutdifferent.”

MarioOrsatti,alongtimeTMteacher,whomyouwillmeetagaininthenextchapter,hasexperienceswhichsupportChuck’sandLaura’sobservations.HehastaughtTMtoagroupofNewYorktherapistswhoworkwithteenagersandadultsinrecovery.Allofthesetherapistshadpreviouslybeenformallytrainedin

mindfulnessmeditation,whichallowedthemtocomparetheirexperiencesofthetwotypesofmeditation.Allconcludedthateachtypeledtotwodifferentsetsofbenefits.MostfoundthatitworkedbettertodoTMfirst(corroboratingChuck’sexperience)andfeltthattheirmindfulnessworkwassharpenedandenhancedwhendoneinthisway.Inmyexperience,TMputsoneinabetterframeofmindforundertakinganyactivity,includingworkrequiringfocusandconcentration,suchasmindfulness.

ISTHE“WANDERINGMIND”ANUNHAPPYONE?Doyouhaveawanderingmind?Andifso,isitanunhappyone?Ina

celebratedstudypublishedintheprestigiousjournalScience,MatthewKillingsworthandDanielGilbertofHarvardUniversityconclude,asthetitleofthearticlereflects,that“AWanderingMindIsanUnhappyMind.”10

Inthisstudy,theauthorsdevelopedawebapplicationfortheiPhonethatallowedthemtocontactparticipantsatrandommomentsduringtheirwakinghourstoassesswhattheyweredoingandhowtheywerefeelingatthatverymoment.Theprogramfurtherexploredwhethertheywerethinkingaboutsomethingotherthanwhattheywerecurrentlydoingand,ifso,whetherthethoughtswerepleasant,unpleasant,orneutral.Theresearchersreportedresultsfrom2,250adults.

Whattheyfoundwasthatmindwanderingiscommon,occurringinalmosthalfthesamplesandatleast30percentofsamplestakenduringeveryactivityexceptlovemaking.Itisatributetotheparticipants’dedicationthattheywouldbewillingtoanswerthecalloftheappwhilemakinglove.Iwonder,however,whetherpeoplemighthavebeenreluctanttoacknowledgewhilemakinglovethattheirmindswereelsewhere...butIdigress.

Inanyevent,theresearchersfoundthatpeoplewereequallyhappywhentheirmindswereontaskorwanderingtopleasanttopics.Ontheotherhand,theywerelesshappywhentheirmindswerewanderingtoneutraltopics,andleasthappywhenwanderingtounpleasanttopics.Inaddition,bymeansoftime-sequenceanalysis,theresearcherswereabletoshowthattheirsubjects’mindwanderingpreceded—ratherthanfollowed—theirunhappiness.

Thisisindeedafascinatingfinding,butwhatareitsimplicationsforourpresentexploration?Mindfulnessisgearedtowardfocusingthemindonthetaskathand,anditappearstosucceedinthatregard.Ifthemindthatdoesn’twanderisahappymind,thenmindfulnessmightbeexpectedtomakepeoplehappier.

TranscendentalMeditation,ontheotherhand,doesnotinvolvefocusingonthepresentaspartofitstechnique.Themantraisaccessedinanautomaticfashion,whichallowsthemindtotranscend.Couldtranscendencebeconstruedasatypeofmindwandering?Andifso,mightitmakepeoplelesshappy?

Thelatterseemsunlikely,asbothsurveysandanecdotalevidencesuggestthatTMhelpspeoplefeelhappier(aswewillseeinchapter16).Theformerquestion,whethertranscendenceisatypeofmentalwandering,isperhapsmoreinteresting.AstranscendenceentersthewakingstateandtheSuperMindstartstodevelop,doesthewakingmindstarttowanderand,ifso,howdoesthataffecttheindividual?WhenIgoforawalk,asIoftendo,mymindwanders.IthinkaboutmywritingandwhereIwanttogonextwithit,friends,ideas—anything,really.Ipassbyfamiliarhouses,trees,andplantings,whichofferapleasantbackdroptomymusings.Thensuddenlysomethinggrabsmyattention,rivetsmyeyes,anddelightsmyimagination.Forexample,tuftsofgrasspushingupthroughcracksintheasphalt,greenasemeralds—andmymindisoffandrunning.IrememberPeppermintCrisp,achildhoodcandyinwhichstripsofgreen,mintedsugarwereembeddedinbrownchocolate;MalvinaReynoldssinging“Godblessthegrassthatgrowsthroughthecrack”;or,yearsearlier,TolstoyinResurrectionnotingthatnotevenconcretecouldholdbacktheexuberanceofspring.

Onamorepracticalnoteperhaps,asIsitwithmyclients,Ilistentowhattheysayandhowtheysayit.ItrytounderstanditasbestIcan.Iaskquestionsandlistentotheanswers.Butthenmymindgoesdartinglikeagrasshopperacrossalilypond.IthinkofotherpeopleIhaveseenwithsimilarproblems,andwhathasbeenhelpfultothem;Idipintomybasketofexperiencetotryandpulloutsomethingusefulthatwillofferadifferentangle,suggestaremedy,orassuageapain.IwouldsayIhaveawanderingmind,butnotanunhappyone.Alsoitseemstomethatthewanderingispartofthecreativeprocess,whichinvolvesscanningthemindindifferentwaystohelpaddressanissueorsolvetheproblemathand.

ThepaperofKillingsworthandGilbertiscompelling.Icanimaginethatmanypeoplemightbeunhappywhentheirmindswander.Iaskmyselfwhatpromptsthemindtowander.Perhapssomeunresolvedmatterpokesitsheadupintotheconsciousmindandexclaims,“Don’tforgetaboutme!Youhaven’tsolvedmeyet.”Sothemindnoodlesawayontheunsolvedproblemandtheambiguityandlackofresolutionmaymakeapersonunhappy—especiallyinthosepeoplewhoareuncomfortablewiththeuncertaintyinherentinsomuchof

life.IamremindedofthewordsoftheGermanpoetRainerMariaRilke,whowrote,“Bepatienttowardallthatisunsolvedinyourheartandtrytolovethequestionsthemselves.”Thatseemslikegoodadvicetomebecausesomuchmindspaceisfullofunansweredquestions.

Intheirpaper,KillingsworthandGilbertacknowledgethat“humanbeingsspendalotoftimethinkingaboutwhatisnotgoingonaroundthem,contemplatingeventsthathappenedinthepast,mighthappeninthefuture,orwillneverhappenatall.Indeed,‘stimulus-independentthought’or‘mindwandering’appearstobethebrain’sdefaultmodeofoperation.”11Theauthorsgoontopointoutthat“althoughthisabilityisaremarkableevolutionaryachievementthatallowspeopletolearn,reason,andplan,itmayhaveanemotionalcost.”Thatcost,whichtheauthorsgoontoillustrateintheirstudy,istheunhappinessassociatedwithawanderingmind.

Now,theevolutionaryadvantagesofbeingabletoaccesspastandfuture,andintegratethemwiththepresent,shouldnotbeunderestimated.Essentially,theycansaveyourlifeandthelivesofothers.“Don’teatthatfruit.Thelastpersonwhodiddroppeddead,”isjustoneofamyriadofexamples.Ontheotherhand,asapsychiatrist,Iamalltoofamiliarwithpeoplewhospendtoomuchtimefrettingaboutlow-likelihoodevents.Somehowahealthymindneedstointegratetheindubitablebenefitsofbeinginthemomentwiththeneedtorememberandplan.EckhartTollehascoinedtheterms“clocktime,”forwhenitisusefultothinkofpastandfuture,and“psychologicaltime,”forwhenitisnotbecauseittakesyououtofthepresentmoment.12

PerhapsIcanaddtothisexcellentschemaanewterm,“cosmictime”(oneaspectoftheSuperMind),todenoteastateinwhichpast,present,andfutureallcomfortablycoexist.In“cosmictime”themindmovestowhereitneedstobe—present,past,orfuture—inaneasyandseamlessway.Ambiguityandunresolvedproblemsareunderstoodtobepartofthewaytheworldworks,andasenseofsecuritythatcomesfromdippingrepeatedlyintotranscendenceimbuesyouincreasinglywiththissteadinessasyoumoveaboutyourdailylife.Perhapsitisthisamalgamofmindwandering,wakingtranscendence,problemsolving,andtoleranceofambiguityandevenconflictthatisresponsibleforthecreativeboostreportedbymanyTMpractitioners.

Ishouldpointoutthatreferencetothe“defaultmode”mentionedaboveisbasedinsolidscience.Anextensivenetworkofnervecircuitsinthefrontalandotherportionsofthebrain—theso-calleddefaultmodenetwork(DMN)—becomeslessactivewhenpeopleundertakeavarietyoftasks,withgreater

decreasesofactivityoccurringthemorecognitiveeffortthetasksrequire.Conversely,theDMNbecomesmoreactivewhenthebrainwanderstoaperson’sownthoughtsandmemories,envisionsthefuture,considersotherpeople’spointsofview,orattendstostoriescontainingeitherfirst-orthird-personpronouns.13

Nowitmaycomeasnosurprisetoyou,givenwhatyoualreadyknowaboutmindfulnessandtranscendence,thatmindfulness(whichisassociatedwithfocusandconcentration)isaccompaniedbydecreasedDMNactivity14whereasTM(whichisnotassociatedwithfocusandconcentration)isaccompaniedbyincreasedDMNactivity.15Thesedifferencesprovidefurtherevidencethatmindfulnessandtranscendenceworkviadifferentneuralcircuits—whichishardlysurprising,consideringthedifferenteffectsreportedbytheirrespectivepractitioners.Asourknowledgeofneurosciencegrows,thesetwodifferentpracticesmayprovidevaluableinsightsintotheworkingsofthehumanbrainandhowbesttodevelopitscapacities.

DOESTMPRODUCEMINDFULNESS?IndiscussingtherelationshipbetweenmindfulnessandTMwithafriend

whohadbeenpracticingTMfordecades,heobserved,“ThelongerIpracticeTM,themoremindfulIbecome.”Basedonobservationssuchasthisone,IaskedaboutthisassociationintheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire.Specifically,thequestionasked:“Sincestartingtomeditate,doyoufeelyouhavebecomemoremindfulofyourowninnerexperiencesoroftheworldaroundyou?”

Thevastmajority(94percent)respondedthattheyhad,andofthese,90percentsaidthatitoccurredfrequentlyorveryfrequently.Herearesomeofthenarrativecommentsthataccompaniedtheirresponses:

Imovefromonethingtothenext.Iammoreinteractivewithpeople,andlifeiswhatitis.Justhappening,withmeexperiencingandinteracting.Imovemuchmoreinconsciousnessandawarenessofmyself,others,andmysurroundings.IammoremindfuloftheblessingsofthepresentandIfindmyselffocusingonthatwithouteffort.

Thereisanever-increasingamountofcalmalertness.Ifeelveryintouchwithmyinnerself,muchmorethantentotwentyyearsago.Earlierinlife,Ihadmanyoccasionstofeelbored.Iamneverboredanymore.EvenifIamsittingdoingnothingatall,Iamcontent.Again,Ifeelthecalmandsoothinggapoftranscendencebetweenthoughts,andifIsitlongenoughthethoughtsstopandthegapgetsbiggerandIrealizethatIamtranscendingevenwithoutintentionallymeditating.Icarrythisfeelingwithmethroughouttheday,anditmakestheexperiencesIhavewiththeworldaroundmesomuchbetterandthereisaharmoniousinteractionwiththeenvironmentinsteadofadissonantone.AsI’vebecomemoremindfulofinnerawarenessIalsohavebecomemoreawareandappreciativeoftheouterworld.IfeellikeI’mmorebalancednowbetweenthetwo[insideversusoutside].I’mnotconstantlyinmyheadlikebefore,andI’mmoreperceptiveofwhat’sgoingonaroundmeintheworld.Icannowpinpointemotionswithouttakingthempersonally.Forexample,recentlywhilecommutingfromwork,adrivercutmeoffinanaggressiveanddeliberateway,thensmirkedafteralmostcrashingintome.InthepastIwouldhavebeeninfuriated.Thistime,althoughInoticedangerflaringup,Isawitasseparatefrommyself.Itseemedasthoughtheemotionwassimplytakingplace.Withthisrealization,theemotionactuallydissolvedwithinafewseconds.Thewholeincidentfeltquiteimpersonal.IfeellessseparatefromtheworldaroundmeandmoremindfulofthepositiveeffectIcanhaveonmyenvironment.Ifpainfuloranxiousthoughtsarise,IcanlookatthemobjectivelyandchoosehowIwanttorespondtothem.IfindmyselfsocompletelyawareofwhatishappeningaroundmeandtomethatIcanpassthroughexperiencesmuchmoreeasilyandquicklythanbefore.Thoughmydevotiontomindfulnesshasbeenwithmeforalongtime,ithasdeepenedtremendouslywithTM.Icannow

seethroughthesurfaceofpeople,things,andactionstowhatisreallygoingonbehindthem.IfeelasthoughIammoreawareofmythoughts.Iamanobserverattimes.Beingabletoobservemythoughtshashelpedalleviateagreatdealofanxiety.IthinkofitlikesomeonehidingbehindthedoorandwaitingtojumpoutasIwalkby—onlyIknowthatsomeoneisthere,soIampreparedandnotfrightened.

Whereasinearlierchapters,Ihavechosenquotesthataredistinctfromoneanother,hereIhavedeliberatelyincludedquoteswithoverlappingfeatures;mygoalistoconveythesenseofcommonelementsinwhatrespondentstotheCIQregardasmindfulness.Certainlysomeofthesecommentsreflectmindfulnessasthewordiscommonlyused,butothersrefertointernalstatesthatsoundmoreliketranscendence.Insomeinstances—includingthepersonwithalonghistoryofmindfulnesspractice,whonowalsopracticesTM—elementsofmindfulnessandtranscendenceintermingle.Givenwhatweknowaboutstimulithatactivatethedefaultmodenetwork—suchasintrospectionandcomparisonofyourownthoughtswiththosearoundyou—someofthesecommentswouldsuggestthatTMmightbeassociatedwithactivationoftheDMN—asonestudyhasindeedfound.16YetnoneofthecommentsbyTMpractitionersinoursurveysoundedunhappy.Suchevidencereinforcesmypersonalexperiencethatawanderingmindisnotnecessarilyanunhappyone.

AFEWFINALTHOUGHTSWhatIhaveattemptedtodohereistoshowthatinmindfulnessandTMwe

havetwodistincttypesofmeditationpractices.Eachhasanenormous,worldwidefollowingandissupportedbysubstantialdatatotheeffectthattheybenefitpeoplebothphysicallyandemotionally.AsImentionedearlier,therearenotatpresentanyhead-to-headstudiesthatspeaktothesuperiorityofonetechniqueovertheother.Thatsaid,therearedifferencesbetweenthepractices—inthetasksbeingsetforthebrain,statedgoals,subjectiveexperiencesreportedbytheirpractitioners,anddifferentialeffectsonthedefaultmodenetwork.Asidefromtimeconstraints,thereisnoreasonwhypeopleshouldnotpracticebothtechniques,andIhavedescribedsomewhoreportanongoingbenefitfromboth.

Aswithmostactivities,differentpeoplehavedistinctpreferences—though,insomeinstances,prejudicemayplayaroleinthisregard.ItismyhopethatIhavehighlightedcommonelements,clarifieddifferences,andhelpedpeopledecidehowtoproceedwiththeirmeditativelives.

TOSUMMARIZETHEHIGHLIGHTSOFTHISCHAPTER:

TMandmindfulnessaretwoquitedifferentformsofmeditationthatinvolvedifferenttechniquesandgoals,andproducemarkedlydifferentoutcomes.MindfulnessisgenerallymoredifficulttopracticethanTM.Otherkeydifferencesareoutlined.Asofthistime,therearenohead-to-headstudiescomparingtheefficacyofthesetwoformsofmeditationforanyspecificindication.Eachformofmeditationhasextensiveliterature,whichisnotreviewedhere.Afewinstancesofpeoplewhohavedonebothformsofmeditationhavebeendescribedanddiscussed.Therelationshipbetweenthetwotypesofmeditation,the“wanderingmind,”andthedefaultmodenetworkwerealsodiscussed.

15MEDITATEANDGROWRICH

Earningcapacityisgoingtoincrease...there’snodoubtaboutit.

MaharishiMaheshYogi1

Whoisrich?Theonewhoappreciateswhathehas.

Talmud,Avot4:1

“Willmeditatingmakeyourich?”ThatwasthequestionposedtomebymyfriendJanetAttwood,aspartofan

interviewthatsheandhercoauthor,ChrisAttwood,wereconductingfortheirbookYourHiddenRiches.2Icouldtellthatshewantedmetosayyes(shehadalreadyaskedthequestioninotherways),butsomethinginmebalked.

Perhapsittriggeredinmesomeancienttabooagainstprayingtobecomerich—asopposedtoprayingforsickpeopletobecomewellorhungrypeopletobefed.IrationalizedthatIknewmanymeditatorswhodidnotappeartohavemuchmoney,thoughtheyseemedhappyanyway.Asacounterpoint,Iknewmanypeoplewhowererichandmiserable.Andsomythinkingcrankedaway,frustratingmypoorfriendinherquesttogetasimplequestionanswered.

WereJanettoaskmethatsamequestiontoday,Iwouldhavenotroubleansweringit.Toreconcilemynewpositionwithmypreviousrefusaltoanswer,Inowrealizethatthewisepersondoesnotmeditate,pray,orworkexclusivelyformaterialgain.Manyarethemythsandstoriesthatadmonishustobecarefulwhatwewishfor.RememberpooroldKingMidaswhowishedthateverything

hetouchedwouldturntogold?Hiswishwasgranted,buttroubleensuedashebegantoturneverythingintogold—suchashisfood—andfinally,tohishorror,evenhisbeloveddaughter.

ThetruthembodiedintheMidasmythisthatpeoplewhodrawtheirsatisfactionexclusivelyfrommaterialthingsareboundtobedisappointed.Increasingly,however,wealthypeoplewhoareintelligentandthoughtfulunderstandthis.Theyworkhardtoachievebalancesothatmaterialwealthisjustoneelementinahappylife.Theyrecognizethevalueofphilanthropy,ofwarmrelationshipswithothers,ofphysicalandemotionalwell-being,andofaspiritualdimensiontotheirlives,whichmayincludemeditation.Oftentheirresourcesmakeiteasiertoaccomplishtheseothergoals.Andwithgrowingfrequency,wefindpeoplebecomingrichbydoingwhattheylovetodoanyway.

Sowiththesethoughtsinmind,letmefinallyanswerJanet’squestion:Yes,TMcancertainlyhelpyougrowrich.Letmecounttheways.

AndasIdo,bearinmindwhatIsharedwithyouinthechapters“ConnectingBodyandMind”and“BuildingaBetterBrain.”ManyofthewaysinwhichTMcanhelpyougrowrichinvolvethegrowthanddevelopmentofphysicalandemotionalqualitiesconducivetosuccessbothfinanciallyandinotherways—suchashavingmoreenergyandbeinglessstressed,moreresilient,morecreative,and,inmanyrespects,smarter.

MANAGINGOTHERPEOPLE’SMONEYKENGUNSBERGER:REACHINGOUTTOAFRIEND

Iwasimpressedbythevideo,whichshowedawell-dressed,youthful-looking,middle-agedmantalkingabouthisbusiness,hislife,andhowTMhadhelpedhim.ThemanspokewithsuchobviouscandorthatIknewImusttalkwithhiminperson,andhappilyheagreedtobeinterviewed.Thesettingforourconversationcouldhardlyhavebeennicer—aterraceonManhattan’sUpperEastSide,withaviewoftheEastRiver,fromwhichagentlebreezeaddedthefinishingtouchtoaperfectspringday.

ThefirstthingthatimpressedmeaboutKenGunsbergerwasthatheknewhehadaproblem;second,thathesoughthelpforit—successfully.Butmostofall,Iwasimpressedthathewaswillingtosharehisknowledgewithothers—onYouTube,noless.Hereishowhetoldhisstorytome,ninemonthsafterstartingtopracticeTMregularly:

I’mafinancialadvisor,I’mahusband,andI’mafather.Iwasn’tasmotivated,efficient,orhappyasIcouldbe.IfIwereamachine,IwouldsayIwasworkingwaybelowmypotentialinmanyfacetsoflife.Iwasdoingveryhighqualitywork,butthesizeofthebusinesswasnotasbigasitshouldhavebeen.Now,whyisthat?Well,inlifeyouhavetomakethingshappensometimes—evenmostofthetime.What’sthedifferencebetweensomebodywhostartsabusinessandmakesithappenandsomebodywhowantstostartabusinessanddoesn’t?Oneideamaybejustasgoodastheother.Youhavetoaskyourselfwhy?WhatisitthatwillstoppersonAfrommakingaphonecall,whilepersonBmakesthecall?Idon’tknowwhatitis.Youmightknow,becauseyou’rethedoctor.ButIwilltellyouthatTMallowedmetoconquerwhateverthatmentalblockis.Whateverthatspeedbump,whateverthathurdlemightbe,wasremoved.

WhenIaskedKenhowTMhadimprovedhisperformance,andhowthathadaffectedhisbusiness,here’swhatheanswered:

Nomoreprocrastination.Highlyefficient.Muchbettermomentum.Aftermeditating,Ifeelcalm,likeI’mreadytomakedecisionswithoutanythingholdingmeback.Maybetherearedifferentthingsthatholddifferentpeopleback.Ifindthatmeditationremovespsychologicalbarriers.

Mycommunicationskillshavegottenwaybetter.Theyweregoodtobeginwith.Butwhenyou’reinteractingwithpeopleinlife,itdoesn’tmatterwhatsomethingis;itmatterswhatpeoplethinkitis.

IfeellikeIwasdrivingaFerrariinfirstgear.AndnowI’mshiftedup,andIwillcontinue.I’mveryconfidentthatthelongerImeditate,thehigherthegearwillbe.TMhashelpedmesizesituationsupveryquickly—likeMalcolmGladwelldescribesinBlink.3SoI’mabletoprocessthingsmuchquicker.Insteadofjustbasingdecisionsonthefirstorderofthought[bywhichKenmeanstheimmediateconsequenceoftheaction],Iamabletobasethemonthesecond,third,fourth,andfifthinlesstimethanittakesmanypeopletomakeitonlyonthefirst.

IcanseewhenI’minameetingwithpeoplewhodon’tmeditatehowmuchbettermydecisionmakingandthethingsthatIsayarebycomparison.It’snotarrogance.It’sjustafact.Mywifeworksat

GoldmanSachs,andwhattheytellherisifyoureallywanttobesuccessfulyouhavetothinkstrategic.Youcantellwhensomebody’sthinkingstrategicandwhensomebody’sthinkingsmallandgettingboggeddown.It’slikeWarrenBuffettoncetoldme,therearealotofthingstoknowaboutaninvestment—andmostofthemareirrelevant.Doyouwanttogetboggeddowninirrelevance?Ordoyouwanttofocusonthethingsthatreallymatter?TMhashelpedmedothelatter.

HereIsWhatKenSaysTMHasDoneforHimandHisBusiness:Asyoureadthroughthelist,considerwhatwealreadyknowabouttheSuper

Mindandseeifyoucandiscernitselementsatwork.

Improvedhisabilitytoseparatethingsthatmatterfromirrelevancies.Increasedhisefficiencyinmakingdecisionsandacting.Helpedhim“worksmarter,notjustharder”andimprovedhiscreativity.Madehimlessemotionallyreactive.Thisabilityisimportantforeveryone,butespeciallyforpeoplewhoseworkinvolvesinvestmentsthatcanswingwidelyupordown,leadingtoeuphoriaorpanic,bothofwhichcantriggerbadjudgments.ThedecreasedreactivitythatcomeswithTMbufferspeopleagainstmakingsuchmistakes.Hasgivenhimmoreenergy,leadingtoabetterabilitytomakehealthychoices(suchasgoingtothegymandcookinghealthyfoodforthefamily)thatmakehimfeelyounger.Significantlyincreasedhisvolumeofbusiness.

Asaconsequence,thispastyearhasbeenthebestKenhashadinhistwenty-fiveyearsofpractice.

“WhenDoYouGettheTimetoMeditate?”Ihavehighlightedthisquestion,whichIputtoKenbecausesomanypeople

tellmethattheycan’tfindtimetomeditate.YetsomeofthebusiestpeopleIknowseemtomanage.Infact,theyinsistthattheynevermissaTMsessioniftheycanpossiblyhelpit(andIfallintothatcategory).There’sarunningjoke

aboutabusyexecutivewhosaid,“Onaregularday,Imeditateonce,butonareallybusyday,Imeditatetwice.”Here’swhatKenhastosayonthematter.

Mostpeoplewastemostoftheirtime.Whenyoulookattheaveragedayofanaverageperson,they’rewastingalotoftime.Anyonewhosaystheydon’thavetimetomeditate,theydon’thavetimetoworkout,theydon’thavetimetodothisorthat—it’sliketryingtogooutwithafriend,orsomebody,andtheyjustdon’tseemtohavetime.Peoplemaketimeforthethingsthattheywanttodo.There’salwaystime!Itjustneedstobeallocatedproperly.There’snoconsciousdecisiontoallocatetimeproperlyafterdoingTM.Itjusthappens.Certainthingsjusthappenwhenyoumeditate.IaccomplishmorenowthanIdidbeforeImeditated.

BobJones,formerlyaportfoliomanagerforatop-tierfinancialservicesfirmonWallStreetfortwentyyears,andalongtimeTMpractitioner,echoesKen’sobservations:

Thereasonpeoplegetstressedisthattheyhavetoomanythingsgoingon.Well,notallthosethingsareimportant.Ithinkmeditationhelpsyousortitout—thesearethethingsIneedtodo,whilethesearelessimportantandI’llgettothemifIhavetime.IactuallyendupwithmorefreetimethanIwouldwithoutmeditation.

Inthevideo,Kenhadmentionedhowhisrelationshipwithhistwelve-year-olddaughterhadimprovedsincehestartedtomeditate.Nowhetoldme:

She’sseenamaterialchangeinme.Ratherthanbeingtooquickaboutthingsoransweringrightaway,no!Howmanyparentsoutthere,whenthekidswanttodosomething,immediatelysayno?Mostofthetime.Well,Idon’tsaynoanymore.[Whatdoyousayinstead?Iasked.]Isay,wewanttofindawaytosayyes.Wedon’twanttotellyouno.Whatwewanttodoisfigureoutawaytosayyes.Andweneedyoutohelpusfigurethatwayout,becauseifwecan’tfindawaytosayyes,thentheanswerisgoingtobeno.Howaboutthat?Anditdoesn’tneedtotakeforever.

Whilethisconversationwasgoingon,Ken’scellphonerang—itwashisdaughter.Afterestablishingthattherewasnourgentmatterathand(shewascallingtotellhimshe’djustbeentoherfirstsoftballpractice),heproceededtoexplaintoherinakindvoicethathewasbusybutwaslookingforwardtotalkingtoherassoonashehadabreakinhisschedule.

*

IaskedKenwhatitwasabouttheparticularfriendhehadmentionedinthevideothatpromptedKentoseekhisadvice.Hetoldmethathehadseenhisfriend’sbusinessflourishinginrecentyears,adding:“Hewasabletomultitaskinmanyaspectsofhislife—work,home,extracurricularactivities—andallthatwithenergy.AndIwasworkinghardbutbelowmypotential.SoIsaid,‘Whatareyoudoingthat’smadesuchadifference?’AndhetoldmeitwasTM.”

HisfriendMarkhadputKenonnoticethatwithTM,“likeanythingelse,you’reonlygoingtogetoutofitwhatyouputintoit.”Kenturnedtomeandsaid,“Youcantellmethatbetterthananyone.Youstartedandstopped.”KenhadreadmybookTranscendence,inwhichIsharedwiththereaderthatIhadstartedTMinmedicalschoolandletitdrop,thenpickeditupmuchlater.WhenevermypatientsreporttomeinaguiltytonethattheirTMpracticehaslapsed,ItellthemthatIcanrelate.Iletminelapseforthirty-fiveyears.Thatinvariablyhelpsthemfeelbetterand(Ihope)sometimeshelpsthemstartmeditatingagain.Kenquotedhisfriend—withwhomhenowclearlyagreesthatwhenitcomestoTM:“Ifyou’reallin,it’llwork.Youcan’taffordnottobeallin.Youcanwastealotoftimeifyoudon’tdosomethinglikethisproperly.”

*

Ilikethestory.Aguyseeshe’sintrouble,realizesheneedshelp,thenlooksaroundtoseewhobestmightprovideit.Hespotsafriendwho’sturnedthingsaroundinhislife,reachesout,getsthehelpheneeds,andturnshisownlifearound.Nowhe’ssharingthesecretofhissuccesswithme—andIamsharingitwithyou.

MARKAXELOWITZ:AFRIENDINNEED

WhenMarkAxelowitzheardthatIwasinterviewinghisfriendKen,tomydelighthevolunteeredtoletmeinterviewhimaswell.WemetathisclubonthetopofRockefellerCenter,whichboastscommandingviewsofManhattanonallsides.ItwasApril15,ourtaxeswerein,andtherewasnothingtocomplainabout.

Afterwemeditatedtogetherandhadbreakfast,MarkwentontotellmeabouthisexperienceswithTM.AtthetimeMarkhadbeenmeditatingforthreeyearsandfourmonths.Eventhoughhehadbeensatisfiedwithhislifebeforestartingtomeditate,hehasalwaysbeenthesortofpersonwho“wantstodomoreandbetter,andexperiencedifferentthings.”Headds,“Idon’tthinkthat’severgoingtochangewithme—hopefully.Ijustwanttoalwaysgotothenextlevelanddodifferentthings,someditationwassomethingthatIthoughtwouldbedifferent.”

Mark,ahigh-energyperson,describeshimselfasfollows:

Ilookatmyselfasafatherofthree,asaphilanthropist(I’minvolvedinalotofdifferentnot-for-profits),asafinancialadvisor,andahusband.SoIweaveallthatintoeighteenhoursaday,andIenjoyitall.Also,IactandIhaveanentertainmentcompany.

IaskedhimhowhecouldfithisTMpracticeintosuchapackedschedule.Hesmiledandsaid:

MyinitialconcernwasthattheonlywayI’mgoingtogetthemorningsessionistogetupearlier.AndIwasconcernedbecauseIonlysleepsixhoursanight.ButwhatIwastaught,andwhatactuallyhappened,isthatevenifIhavetogetuptwentyminutesearlier,thosetwentyminutesofmeditationarebetterthantwentyminutesofsleep.It’ssortofadeeperrelaxation;it’sbetterforme.Sothelostsleephasn’taffectedmeatall.

IaskedMarkwhetherthetwentyminutestwiceadayrepaysitself.“Absolutely!”hesaid.

“How?”Iwondered.“Becauseit’snotreallythetwentyminutesofmeditationtwiceadaythat

makesthedifference(muchasIenjoyit).Rather,itseffectslingeralldaylong.Itgivesyouenergy.”

Markwentontodescribethevalueofhistwice-dailypractice:

Ithastotallypaidoff.Ithinkthepastthreeyearshavebeenthebestprofessionalyearsofmylife—andpersonallyalso.InthepastthreeyearsI’vehadthemostsuccessofmyentirecareer.I’mafinancialadvisorforverywealthyindividuals,andIhavetocomeupwithinvestmentideasthathavemadethereturnstomyclientsthebesttheyeverhavebeen.Andthey’vebeenthebestformepersonallybecauseIeatmyowncooking.SowhateverIrecommendformyclients,thosearetheinvestmentsIdoformyselfandmyfamily.

IaskedMarkforanexampleoftheincreasedcreativitythatTMhadinspiredinhim,andhewaskindenoughtogivemeone.Itwascomplicated,involvingunderstandingmarketsindifferentcountries,siftingoutafewgenuinenuggetsfromaheapoffool’sgold,andcomingupwithaninnovativeinvestmentthatcarriesahighrisk-rewardratio.

WhenIaskedMarkwhetherhethoughtTMcouldhelpsomeonemakemoremoney,hereplied:

IthinkitwillbecauseIthinkTMhelpsingeneral,nomatterwhatyouwanttodo,whetherit’smanagemoney,teach,beadoctor.Ifyouthinkclearerinlife,you’regoingtomakebetterdecisions.Whenyou’restressedoutandemotional,you’renotgoingtomaketheproperdecisions.Infact,oneofthegreatestmoneymanagersofalltime,workingintheeightiesandnineties,wasPeterLynchfromFidelity.Hehadasaying:Tomasterinvestingyouneedtomasteryouremotions.Youcannotgetemotionalinmakinginvestmentdecisions.Andthesameappliesinlifeeveryday,withregardtoallkindsofdecisions:ShouldIcrossthestreetrightnow?ShouldIrunacrossthestreetbecauseI’mlateforanappointment?Ifyoumakeanemotionaldecisionbecauseyou’relateandyourunacrossthestreetwhenthelightisred,youcangetkilled.SoIthinkTMhelpsyouthinkandseeclearer,andcertainlywithinvestments.

IaskedMarkwhetherhethoughtthataperson’simproveddemeanorafterstartingTMmightalsoinfluencethatperson’ssuccess.Hisreplywasappropriatelynumerical,givenhisprofession.

Ahundredpercent!Youknow,theysayinbusinesstheclientsreflectyou.SoifI’mcalmer,ifI’mmorethoughtful,I’mgoingtoattractpeoplelikethat,thesortofpeopleIwantasmyclients.Iwouldn’ttakeonaclientwhoisverystressedout.Infact,peopleaskwhat’smyminimum—andIdohaveadollarminimum—butmyrealminimumisworkingwithgoodpeople.AndIhavegreatclients,butI’vealsorecommendedmeditationtomyclients.Infact,someofthemalreadymeditate.

Asahobby,Markhasbeenactingforthepasttenyears,appearinginaThreeStoogesmovieandonTV.Hisgoals,hesays,areto“workhard,playhard,givehard.”HecreditsthatmaximtoacolleaguePaulTudorJones,whofoundedtheRobinHoodFoundation.

Markisanupbeatperson,whosummarizeshisworldviewasfollows:

Mypersonalviewisthatifnothingbadhappenstomeinaday,I’vehadagoodday,andifsomethinggoodhappenstomeinaday,thenI’vehadagreatday.SoI’vealwaysbeen.Ilivethatway,butI’dsaymymeditationhasmademeappreciatethingsmuchmore.

Well,IcertainlyappreciatedthetimebothMarkandKenhadgivenme,andthecandoroftheirresponses.IleftRockefellerCenterwithmuchtoreflecton—andonefinalimpression:howkindMarkhadbeentothewaitstaffathisclubandeveryonewhohadhelpedusmakethevisitmemorable.IthoughtagainofhowkindKenhadbeenonthephonewithhisdaughter.AndIrealizedthatthesetwomenweresuccessful,notonlyfinancially,butaspeopleaswell—andthatTMhadhelpedtheminallaspectsoftheirlives.

MARCIALORENTE:NOTONEOFTHEBOYS

Afterinterviewingseveralhigh-levelmeninthecorporateworld,afairlyobviousquestioncrossedmymind:wherearethewomen?Andindeed,itwasdifficulttofindfemalecounterpartstothemenIhadinterviewed.Tomydelight,however,IwasreferredtoMarciaLorente,adirectorofthecreativedepartmentinanadvertisingagencyinNewYorkCity.

Manyofyoumightbefamiliarwiththeworldofsuchadagencies(asIam)fromtheblockbusterTVseriesMadMen.AccordingtoMarcia,there-creation

ofthatworldinMadMenisaccurateinmanyways.ShereportsthattheNewYorkCitybusinessworldis“averytough,aggressivetypeofculture,andadvertisingisevenworse.MadisonAvenueisparticularlyaggressive,verycutthroat.”ItwasoneyearaftershearrivedinNewYorkCitythatMarciarecognizedsheneeded“somesortofpracticethatwouldcenterme.That’swhenIfoundTM,anditwasfantastic.It’stotallychangedmylife.”Atthetimeofourconversation,shehadbeenmeditatingforabouttwoyears.

MarciawasborninMadridtoaSpanishfatherandanAmericanmother.ShebeganhercareerinMadridbeforemovingtoChicago,whereshewastransferredtoabigagency.Later,sheworkedinSanFranciscoandfoundtheatmosphereontheWestCoastmorerelaxed.ShewasunpreparedfortheMadMenatmosphereofNewYorkCity.IntellingmehowTMhadhelpedherinsomanyways,Marciasorteditsbenefitsintothefollowingcategories:

ReliefofStressThiswasMarcia’sprimarygoalinseekingoutTM,andithasworked.

Here’showshedescribesherdailypractice:

ThefirstthingIdowhenIgetupisImeditate;Idoarun.AndthenIgotowork.AndIcanfeelthetremendousdifferencethatTMhasmadeinthemorning.IalsomeditatewhenIgethomefromwork.Ithelpsmeshed,forgetabouttheday.Notforget,ratheracknowledgetheday—andletitgo.Ifit’saparticularlyroughday,Iwillsometimessneakoutatlunchtime,gotoaparkorachurch,meditate,andthengobacktowork.Butnormallyit’smorningandearlyevening.

Andit’sjusthelpedtremendouslyintermsofforgettingaboutthebadthingsorthetensionsandconflicts.There’salotofconflictinmyjob.It’showthecreativeprocesshappens.It’saboutconfronting,andpeoplecangetprettyaggressive.Soit’sbeenreallygreattobeabletoacknowledgethatconflict—toletgoofthat,nottakeitpersonally.Iguessit’sespeciallyhelpfulforme—I’msureit’sdifferentforeverybodyelse—butI’maverysensitiveperson.AndnowIfeellikeI’mnottakingthingspersonally,whichisgreat.

BeingaWomaninaMan’sWorldReflectingonmydifficultyinfindingasuitablehigh-levelbusinesswoman

tointerviewforthischapter,IaskedMarciaaboutthemale-femaleratiointhe

upperranksinherorganization.Sheresponded:

There’sabitofanequaldistribution,butwhenitcomestothecreativedepartment,whichI’mtechnicallypartof,andwhenitcomestouppermanagement,it’smostlymale.ThisisatopicdeartomyheartbecauseI’mactuallyquitegoodatwhatIdo,andduringmycareerIhitthatglassceiling,astheycallit,andIfoundmyselfinaroomwithjustmen—Iwasinmyearlythirties(I’mforty-fournow)—andIhadtomakeadecisionastowhetherIwasgoingtotrytobeoneoftheboysandblendin,orifIwasjustgoingtobeme.AndIchosetobeme.AndI’vedoneokaycareerwise,soI’mreallygladImadethatchoice.

ForMarcia,oneaspectofbeingherself,andawoman,isbeingcomfortablelookingandbehavinginatraditionallyfeminineway—wearinglipstickandadressandfeelinggoodaboutit.Assheputsit,“PerhapsbecauseIwasbornandraisedinSpain,I’vereallyheldontomyfemininetraits.Earlyoninmycareer,Isawalotofsuccessfulwomenwhobecameverymanlyandaggressive—andthat’sjustnotme.Idon’tthinkit’sfeminine,butIthinkthere’salotofpowerinthefemininetoo.”

Intalkingaboutfeminineandmasculinetraits,Marciaalsoobservesthedifferencesinemotionalstyleandbehaviorbetweenmenandwomen,andhowthesedifferencesaffectoneanother.Indiscussingthesethemes,asMarciadoesbelow,referencestoMadMenproveirresistible.

Ifyou’veseenMadMen,youhavewitnessedtheconflict.Iworkwith“creative,”sowhenMadMencameoutitwasgreatbecauseIcouldjustexplaintomyparentswhatitisthatIdid.I’mPeggy,basically.I’mawomanbutI’minthecreativedepartment,whichconsistsmostlyofmen.Iactuallyhavearoleinbetweenthecreativedepartmentandoutsideofit,butIbasicallygivedirectiontocreative,andinthatsensetellcreativewhatwehavetodo.Andthewaycreativepeoplework—andthewayIwork—isbytrialanderror.SoalotoftimesI’mwrong.AndIwillencounterpeoplewhoarejustunhappyorinsecure,oraretryingtofindwaystosortoutaproblem,andtheywilljustblowuponme.

I’mnotverygoodatdealingwithverbalorphysicalaggression,andthat’shappenedtome.IthinktherewasasceneinMadMenwhere

DonaldDraperthrowssomepapersatPeggyandtellshertoleavetheoffice.That’sthetypeofaggressionI’veencounteredwithcoworkers.Menmaysay,“Ican’ttalktoyourightnow.Getoutofhere!”Andit’sbehaviorthatinotherindustriesmightbeconsideredunprofessional.Inadvertisingit’sallowedbecauseit’spartofhowwework.There’ssomechaosinthecreativeprocess.Iwasreadingabouthowinthecreativeprocessyouthinkaboutsomething.Youcomeupwithideasandatsomepointyouthinkit’sallbad.It’sallawful.AndI’mworthless;I’museless;I’mnevergoingtobeabletocrackthis.Andthenatanotherpointyouhitbottom.Youcomeoutofthatandrealizethatsomeofthethoughtsyouhadweregood.TMhashelpedmedealwithmyownemotionsregardingthisprocess.

Butwe’restilldependentononeanother’sopinion.Imaythinksomethingisagreatidea,andthisiswhatweshoulddo,andthisiswhatweshouldsay.ButhowdoIknowifit’sanygood?I’mreallydependentonfeedbackfrommycolleaguesbecauseweworkinaverycollaborativefashion—orthat’showitshouldbewhenthingsareworkingproperly.Atsomepoint,weneedtoholdhandsandsaythisistheway,butthere’sastressinfeelingjudgedallthetime.Anditdoesn’tmatterhowmanyawardsandhowmanytitlesyou’vewon.Itdoesn’tmatter.There’salotofstoriesofcreativesintheindustryhavingwashedupandlosttheirmagic.We’realwaysfearfulofthat,andyoucansensethatfear.SoIguessthatTMhasreallyhelpedmenavigatethat.

Ithinkwomenreactdifferentlyfrommenwhenitcomestoconflict.Wedon’tthrowourarmsintheairandyellorhaveoutbursts.Wehavebeentrainedtonotdothat.We’vebeentrainedtoholdemotionback.Whenmenexperiencefrustrations,theyjustletthemoutlikeaflashinthepan.It’slikethunderstrikesandthenit’sgone.Andit’strulygone.Andit’sokay.Whereasforwomen,Ifindthat’snotallowed.Whenawomanlosesit,menfreakout.Theyjustlookatyoulike,whatthehellhappened?Andbecausewealsodon’tdoitasoften,Ifeelthere’ssomesortofmusclethatwehaven’texercised,whichmakesithardtousethengobacktoneutral.Sowhenwomenloseit,weactuallydoloseit.Andthat’snotgood.

IthinkTMhasreallyhelpedmeclaimmypoweratwork—it’shelpedmeto“dustitoff.”Whenthingsdon’tgorightorImakea

mistake,bigorsmall,Idon’tgetstuckanymore.Icanmoveon.It’slikewhenyoumeditateandyouacknowledgeathoughtandletitgo.

Ithinkmenhaveiteasierinthatregard.They’retaughttooverrideemotionwhentheyfail.Toacknowledgeit.Dowhatever.Crackajoke.Kickawall.Haveafull-blownexplosionoffury.Letitout.Learnsomething.Ornot.Andmoveon.Itisalsosomewhatmanlytosay“whoops.”Messup.Breakstuff.Igrewupwithboys.Theybrokealotofmytoys.

Womenareexpectedtobeperfect.Takecareofothers.Begentle.Ironically,the“weaker”sexisexpectedtobestronger.Also,aswomenwearetaughttofeel.It’sharderforustochangegears.Feelingsareimportant.Wemustdwellinthem,understandthem,talkaboutthem,eventhoughsometimesthat’saperfectwasteoftime,especiallyatwork.Butevenwhenstrongfeelingsareappropriate,don’tyoudareshowemotion.Don’tyoudareshedatear.That’sunprofessional.

SinceIstartedmeditating,I’mshowingmytruecolorsatworkmore.IfI’mhavingabadday,I’llsayit.IfIscrewedup,I’lladmitit.Ifyougivemegreatnews,I’llaskifIcanhugyou.Sorry,I’mahugger.Yes,itwasabitscaryatfirst,butit’sgreatnow.I’monewiththeboysbutintherightway.TheyknowI’mdifferent.I’mstillagirl.ButI’mincontrolofmyon-offemotionalswitch.

ImprovedCreativityandSuccessatWorkMarciahaslittledoubtthatsincestartingTM,shehasbeenmorecreative

andsuccessful.Peoplehaverespondedmorefavorablybothtoherandtoherwork,andshehasreceivedpromotionsmorerapidlythanbeforeshebegantomeditate.ShehasnodoubtthatTMhasboostedthetrajectoryofhercareer.Hereareafewofherthoughtsonthematter.

CreativityiswhatIdoforaliving.Ibasicallysellwhatcomesoutofmyhead.Iworkinafear-riddenenvironment—andthereisafearinsideofme—andTMhashelpedmegrapplewiththatfear.Onceyou’veletgoofthefear,youcanactuallyletcreativityhappen.Fearistheoppositeofcreativity.Creativityishavingnofearoffailure,justtryingthingsout,justhavingfun.Itcomesfromanalmostchildishplace.Youhavetobeabletogothereandnotworryabouttheoutcome,notworryabouttheconsequences.Andthemomentthefearlevelinmylifecamedown—

afterIstartedTM,itplummeted—allofasuddenmycreativitybloomed.AndI’malsohavingalotoffunatwork.Itbecomesavirtuouscycle,becauseI’mbetteratmyjobtoo,whichleadstolessconflict.

PeoplehavenoticedthatI’mrelaxedandhappy.Again,inaverycompetitiveenvironmentliketheoneIworkinpeopledon’topenupandsay,“Oh,you’reawesome.You’regreat.Iloveyou.”Buttheydonoticethatsomethinghasshifted.They’llbe,like,“Oh,wow!That’sgreat.Wheredidthatcomefrom?”

Particularlyforwomenintheworkplace,IthinkTMcouldmakeacrucialdifference.Ithinkwe’remuchmoredrivenbyemotion,andTMhelpsyousettlethatdownandunderstandit.Inmyindustryatleast—andthisisbeingheavilypublicized—inthecreativeandupperranksit’smostlymen.SoIthinkit’scrucialforwomentohavethisvitaltool.Ijusthonestlydon’tknowhowI’dbefunctioningwithoutit.

HowDoYouFindtheTime?Ihadaskedtheguysthisquestion,andwascurioustoseehowMarcia’s

responseresembledordifferedfromtheirs.Howdidshefindthetimeandjustifytakingtwentyminutestwiceadayoutofherbusyschedule?

Marciaidentifiedanimportantdistinctionbetweentheearlyphaseduringwhichshewasestablishingaregularmeditationroutineandalaterphase,whenthebenefitskickedin.Heresheexplainsthedistinction:

Ithinkinthebeginning,thefirstcouplemonths,you’restilltryingtofindaroutine.You’restilltryingtofigureitout;youstillhaven’tquitegottenthefullbenefitsofthemeditationinyourlife.InmycaseIstartedtofeelbetterimmediately.Andjustfeelingphysicallybetterisfantastic.ButIthinkinthebeginningit’strue—you’relookingfortime.WhatIdid,honestly,Ijuststoleitfrommysleep.Ithought,I’lljustsleeptwentyminutesless.Iactuallysleepalot.Igetupatseven.Igotosleepatten.Iwasgoingtosleepateleven,andIwasgettingupatsixthirtyinordertoputinthatmeditation.Andtherealityisifyoushavealittleoffhereandthere—it’snotthatbigofadeal.AndhowIrationalizedit—becauseI’msureyouknowbynowI’maveryrationalperson—Iactuallythought,well,whenImeditateIwastoldthisislikerestfulsleepbutbetter.I’mawake;I’malert;I’mmindful.Butmybodyand

myhead,mybrain,areresting.SoI’dgladlygiveupalittlebitofmytimeofsleep,duringwhich,bytheway,Imaynotbesleeping(Imaybetossingandturningandtryingtofallasleeporsortofwakingup).I’llgivethatupforanotherformofsleeping,iswhatItoldmyself.

AndIdidn’tfeelanyconsequencesfromthelossofsleep,whichwasverysurprisingtome.Ithinkthat’sbecauseimmediatelyIdidget—andIknoweveryoneisdifferent—thephysicalbenefitsofTM,whichwereveryevidenttomerightaway.Somybodyimmediatelyfeltbetterandmorerested,andalthoughtechnicallyIwasgettingalittlelesssleep,thenetresultwasIwasjustfine.

NowthatmyTMpracticeisestablished,Ihaveextratime.Imaywanttosignupfordancelessons.NowadaysI’mtryingtothinkwhattodowiththisfreetime.

AndWhatAbouttheEmotionalBenefits?IaskedMarcia,“Doyoufeeldifferentwithinyourself?”Herresponse:

Ohyes!Ohyes!Ijustfeelcalmer,happier.I’mahypersensitiveperson,anintrovert.TMhascalmedmedownandallowedmetobemoreopentostrangersandtopeopleingeneral.Mysensesareheightened:thecolorsarebrighter,thesmellsricher,everythingaroundmeismorevivid.Butnotlouder,justbrighterandcalmer.I’mjusthavingalotoffun.Lifehasbecomeamuchmorepleasantplacetobein.Whereasbeforeeverythingseemedtobeloudandaggressive,andIhadtoalwaysfindtimetobeonmyown.NowIdon’thavetorunawayfromtheworld,becausetheworld’sbecomeamuchbetterplace.

TMINCORPORATEAMERICAWhenyouthinkoftheeffectsTMhashadonthelivesofKen,Mark,and

Marcia,justthreeamongthemultitudeofcorporateprofessionalsintheUnitedStatesalone,canyouimaginetheimpactofteachinghundredsorthousandstimesthatnumber?Well,thatuncontrolledexperimentiscurrentlybeingconductedbytheDavidLynchFoundationinconjunctionwiththe“TMBusiness”outreachofthenonprofitTMorganization,withveteranTMteachersMarioOrsattiandLindaMainquist,ahusband-and-wifeteamspearheadingthe

NewYorkpartoftheendeavor.SofartheyhavetaughtapproximatelyathousandexecutivesintheNewYorkCityfinancialworldtomeditate.

Linda,whohasgivenspecialfocustobringingTMtowomenexecutives,endorsesmanyofMarcia’sobservations,andfindsthatTMhelpsthesewomeninseveralways:First,itempowerswomentostandupforthemselvesinamale-dominatedarena.Second,ithelpsthemmoveoutsidetheircomfortzonesandtakerisks,perhapsbecausetheyfeelthattheyalwayshavetranscendentconsciousnesstocomehometo.Third,ithelpswithwork-lifebalance,whichisoftenharderforwomenbecausetheyareexpectedtoshouldermoreresponsibilitiesathome.Finally,TMhelpspeopletobetheirauthenticselvesandbesuccessful—tofeelasthoughtheydon’thavetochoose.Inotherwords,withdevelopmentofconsciousness,womenfeeltheycanoperateondifferentlevels.Theycanretaintheirfemininityandatthesametimedowhatisnecessarytosucceedinthebusinesssetting.

MariosummarizesthevaluethatheandLindafindwhenbusinessexecutives—regardlessofgender—practiceTMregularly.Thesectionsbelowrepresentasummaryofhisthoughts:

LISTENING

Toapsychiatrist,thepoweroflisteningshouldcomeasnosurprise.Yetsometimesitdoes.Notlongagoafriendcalledme,distressedaboutsomethinggoingoninherpersonallife.Iknowhertobeanintelligentandthoughtfulperson,anditwasclearthatshehadconsideredmanyaspectsoftheproblem—whattheotherpersonhaddone,herfeelingsaboutit,andheroptionsastowhatshecoulddonext.Shewasnotaskingmyopinionsonthesubject,nordidIofferthem.Anhourpassed,shesoundedbetter,andwesaidgood-bye.Iwasgladtobethereforafriend,butdidn’tcomeawaywiththeimpressionthatIhaddonemuchgood.

ApparentlyIwasmistaken.Aweeklater,shecalledmeandthankedmeformyhelp.IaskedwhatIhaddonethatshehadfoundhelpful.“Youwereverywise,”shesaid.“Youjustlistened.Inthepastyouwouldhavebeen‘theexpert,’givingmesuggestions,pointingmeindifferentdirections.Byjustlisteningyouweremuchmorehelpful.”

Marioechoesthevalueoflisteninginthebusinessworld:

Thecapacitytolistenisvitalinbusiness.Wecantakeahundredcoursesthataresocommonlyofferedinbusinessprograms,whichhelpusunderstandthatlisteningisanessentialpartofcommunication.Weknowthat.Sowhyisitanissue?Becauseweoftenlackthecapacitytolisten—whichispainfullydifficultwhenourmindsarenoisy.Andsomanypeoplefindmeetingsincreasinglyroughbecauseoftheirinternalstresslevel.Theyfindthemselveseasilydistracted.Ioftenaskpeople,“Howmanyofyouareinmeetingsregularly?”Almosteveryonesaysyes.Iaskthem,“Howmanyofyoufeelthatmostofthepeopleinthemeetingsarehavingaconstantimpulsetochecktheire-mailsortextmessagesratherthanlistentowhat’sgoingon?”Everyonelaughsandsays,“Yeah.Sure.”

ThenIask,“Don’tyouthinkitdiminishesthecapacityofthemeetingtoaccomplishitsgoals?Imean,whyhaveameetingifsomeone’snotreallyinterestedorcapableoflistening?Ormaybethey’reinterestedbutjustnotcapable.Andtheyallsayyes.Itellthem,“You’reallinevitablygoingtonoticethatasaresultofpracticingTM,you’regoingtobemorepresentinyourconversations,andinmeetings,inone-to-oneoringroupsettings.Yourmind’sgoingtobequieter,simpler,andmoreabletohearwhatpeoplearesayingandwhythey’resayingit.Youwon’tbejusthearingwordsbutreallylistening.Andpeopleinevitablysayduringourfollow-upmeetingsthatthat’soneofthebigchangestheynotice.Thisisreallyoneofthemajorfactorsthathelpstodevelopleadership:thatqualitythatwhenyou’recommunicatingwithsomeone,youarereallypresentandlistening.

Leadersneedtobeengaged,fully,withwhomeverthey’respeakingto,notdistracted.SobecomingabetterlistenerisoneoftherewardsofTMthatmanyofourstudentsreport.

SETTINGPRIORITIES

AnotherverycommonbenefitthatpeoplereportafterstartingtopracticeTMisthatprioritiesjustseemtofallintoplacewhileyouaremeditating.Inoticethispersonallyallthetime.Itisverystrangetositdownwithnoconsciousagendatosortoutsomeproblem,thenhaveitsomehowgetorganizedduringthesession.Oftenweareconfrontedwiththequestionofwheretobegin,

whattodofirst.WithregularTMpractice,answerstendtocomemorereadily.HereareMario’sthoughtsabouthowthisdevelopmenthelpsbusinesspeople:

Intoday’sbusinessworld,theabilitytodealwithprioritiesismoreimportantthanever.Formostpeopletherearen’tenoughhoursintheday.Youcouldworktwenty-fourstraighthoursandyou’dstillhavethingstodo.Sothequestiontoaskisnot,“HowdoIdomore?”Instead,weshouldbeasking,“HowdoIfocusonfirstthingsfirst?”

Thisisn’tjustmyopinion.InStephenCovey’sbookThe7HabitsofHighlyEffectivePeople,4whichwasratedbyForbesasoneofthetoptwentymanagementbooksever,5Coveymentionssevenstrategies,ofwhichdoingfirstthingsfirstisthemostimportant.Howdoyoumaintainfocuswhenyou’reconstantlydealingwithmultipleinputs,constante-mails,textmessages,andphonecalls?Andwhatabouteveryoneelse’semergenciesthatcometoyou?Howdoyoumaintainthevisiontostickwithdoingimportantthingsfirst,notmakingeverybodyelse’semergencynecessarilyyouremergency?

Prioritizingisaqualitythatcomeswiththedevelopmentofwhatyou’rewritingabout—superconsciousness.Itresultsfromaninnerstabilitythatcomesfromthebrainhavingaregularexperienceofthatleastexcitedstateofconsciousness.

MANAGERIALAWARENESS

Mariobroughttomyattentionabusinesstermthathassomestrikingsimilaritiestosuperconsciousness(anaspectoftheSuperMind).It’scalled“managerialawareness.”Here’showMarioexplainsthesimilaritybetweenthesetwoideas:

Managerialawarenessmeansthecapacitytomaintainawarenessofmanythings,evenwhilefocusingsharplyononething.It’stheessenceofknowingwhattodonext,whilealsounderstandingthelargerpicture.Ifyouhavepeopleinyourorganizationwhodonothavemanagerialawareness,yougivethemataskandletthemjustworkonthattask.Butyouasthemanagerhavetomaintainbroadcomprehensionofallthedifferenttasks—whattheprioritiesare,whoneedstoimplementthem,andinwhatsequence.

Asyoucansee,thetwo-channelaspectoftheSuperMindhasitsanaloginmanagerialawareness.AccordingtoMario,aspeoplemeditateregularlyanddevelopexpandedconsciousness,managerialawarenessbecomesoneofthemanywaysinwhichitmanifests,thusimprovingtheireffectivenessandperformance.

DECREASEDREACTIVITY:DEVELOPINGINTERNALSPACE

AcommonbenefitofregularTMpracticeisreducedreactivity(seechapter8),whichpaysoffinmanysituations,andbusinessisnoexception.Loseyourtemperwithyouremployeesandguesswhat?Theywon’tworkaswell.Instead,they’llspendtimegossipingaboutyouandspeculatingabouttheproblemsthatcauseyoutoloseitsooften.Worseyet,theymayactuallysabotageyourgoals.Loseyourtemperwithyourbossand...It’snothardtoguesshowthatcancomebacktobiteyou.

Reactivitycomesinmanyformsbesideshotheadedness—noneofthemgood:hastydecisionmaking,frequentlychangingone’smindwitheveryshiftofperspective,moodsthatyo-youpanddowndependingonthemoment.Thelistgoesonandon.AsyoudeveloptheSuperMind,however,thingschangeinawaythatmayseemsmallbutisactuallyhuge—inbusinessasinlife.Timeandspaceenterthepsyche.Themindseemstoslowdownandexpandatthesametime.Thingsthatseemedurgentbeforeseemlessso.

AsentrepreneurJoshZabarputsit:

TMhasenabledmetocreateaspacebetweenmythoughtsandmyactions....It’swild.SobeforeIstartedmeditating,ImayhavebeeninasituationwhereIreactedharshlyandabruptlyduetosomethingthatIfeltwasaffectingmenegatively.Now,ifthatsamesituationhappens,thereisacalmspace,asereneenvironmentthatlastsmaybeafewmillisecondsbutfeelslikeaneternitybeforeIactwhereIcanactually“choose”thereactionthatIwanttohave.Nowthat’struepower.6

Zabar’scommentremindsmeofthefamousquotebyneurologist,Holocaustsurvivor,andtheauthoroftheclassicworkMan’sSearchforMeaning,ViktorFrankl:

Betweenstimulusandresponsethereisaspace.Inthatspaceisourpowertochooseourresponse.Inourresponseliesourgrowthandourfreedom.7

TheSuperMindenablesustogrowthatspace.

*

Developingsuchaspacehasseveraladvantages.First,itactsasabufferagainstimpulsivewordsoractions.Theprefrontalcortexcanusethoseextrafewsecondstodecidehowbesttorespondratherthantoreactreflexively.Second,itfeelsgoodtobecalmer,tofeelasthoughyoucandealwithwhatevercomesyourway.Third,thatshifthasasoothingeffectonotherpeople.Whenwearenervous,wemakeothersnervous.Finally,developingaspaceenablesempathytoenterone’sconsciousness.Howistheotherpersonfeeling?Howismyresponsegoingtoaffecttheotherperson?Andwhatdownstreamconsequences(thesecond-ordereffect)mightthoseresponsescause?Manypeoplereportedfeelinggreaterempathyandconcernforotherssincestartingtomeditate.Suchalteredresponsesmaybemediatedbyso-calledmirrorneurons,whichresideinthecerebralcortexofmanyanimalsstudiedtodate.

Mirrorneuronsaresonamedbecausetheyappeartoberesponsibleforthecommonlyobservedpropensityofmanyanimalstomimicactions.8Forexample,whenmacaquemonkeyscopythemanipulationofanobject(washingpotatoes,forinstance),certainspecificneuronscanbeobservedtofire.Itisaspeculativeleap—thoughinmyopinionaplausibleone—tohypothesizethatmirrorneuronsmayalsooperatewhenitcomestoemotions,suchasempathy.Inprimates,mirrorneuronsarelocatedintheprefrontalcortex(aswellasothercorticalareas)—andinsofarasTMisbelievedtostrengthenPFCfunctioning,itistemptingtowonderwhetherthereportedeffectsofTMonempathymightbemediatedbymirrorneurons.

Suchspeculationaside,thecontagiousnatureofemotionsisacommonplaceobservation.Acalmdemeanorreassuresbothclientsandcolleagues,whereasareactive,impulsive,oredgymannerisboundtohavethereverseeffect.

OPENNESSANDNONATTACHMENT

Inchapter12Idiscussedthevalueofbeingabletodetachfromsomethingswhileremainingengagedwithothers—acombinationoftraitsthatarepartoftheSuperMind.Itisself-evidentthatsuccessinbusinessismorelikelytooccurwhenpeoplearepassionatelyengagedinwhattheyaredoing.Butwheredoesnonattachmentfitin?IwillquoteJoshZabar’sblogonceagain:

I’vegainedacceptanceofotherswhomI’veoftenbegrudged,andI’vebecomefarmorelikeabletoanumberofpeoplewhowereirritatedbythe“mywayorthehighway”attitudeIoncehelddearandwasproudof.Myegohasdiedalittle,whichisprobablythebestthingthat’severhappenedtome,becausethemoretheegodies,themoreonereallybeginstolive.

Inbusiness,asinlife,itpaystobeopentothebestideasoutthere—evenifthoseideashappennottobeyours.RayDalio(whomwehavealreadyencounteredhere,andwillmeetagainsoon)writesinhisfamous“Principles”:

Ilearnedthatthereisnothingtofearfromtruth.Whilesometruthscanbescary—forexample,findingoutthatyouhaveadeadlydisease—knowingthemallowsustodealwiththembetter.Beingtruthful,andlettingothersbecompletelytruthful,allowsmeandotherstofullyexploreourthoughtsandexposesustothefeedbackthatisessentialforourlearning.9

Sometimestruthcanbescarybecauseithitsusonasensitivespot—likedealingablowtotheegoorchallengingadearlyheldbelief.Beingopentothetruthrequiresnotbeingoverattachedtoyouropinions.Inthatstate,youcanallowotherpeoples’ideastoenteryourmindandmixwithyours,topromotethemostsuccessfuloutcome.Youcanletgoattachmentto“beingright,”valuinginsteadthesuccessfuloutcomeoftheprojectathand.

InZabar’swordsquotedabove,TMhasallowedhimtobeopentootherpeople’sopinions.Bybecominglessattachedtohisego,hislifehasexpanded.Certainlymanypeopleinleadershippositionshaveheftyegos,butIwouldarguethatthosewhoaremostsuccessfullistentodataandtotheopinionsofothers.Notbeingabletodosocanbecostly.Besidesmissingoutonpotentiallyimportantideasandopinions,notlisteningtootherssquashescreativity.AsMarioOrsattiputsit,“Ultimatelythatisahugestumblingblockformany

leaders,inboththeirprofessionalandfamilylives,becauseifyou’rethatwaywithyourchildren(biologicalorprofessional),you’renotgoingtogetthatfar.Inthetwenty-firstcentury—unlikecenturiespast—youcan’tbeadictatorandsucceed.Youhavetoallowpeopletoenjoytheirwork,expresstheirideas—andactuallylistentothem.Thedevelopmentofconsciousness,byprovidinginnersecurity,helpspeoplebecomelessattachedtotheirideasandtheiregos.”

COMPOUNDINTEREST

SeveralofthebusinesspeopleIinterviewedpointedouttherelationshipbetweenthedevelopmentofconsciousnessandcompoundinterest:bothgrowgeometricallyovertime.GrowthoftheSuperMindbegetsmoregrowth.Andthisisnotanidleimpression.Whenwesurveyedoversixhundredmeditatorsandaskedthem,“Sincestartingtomeditate,ifyouhavenoticedpositivechangesinyourselforyourlife,havethesechangescontinuedtogrowovertime?”wefoundthat82percentsaidyes.

RAYDALIO:LIKEANINJA

Itwasafineeveninginlatesummer,andIwastravelingfromManhattantoConnecticuttovisitmyfriendsRayandBarbaraDalio.WhenIarrived,Barbaragreetedme;Raywasstillworking.SheandIchattedasshearrangedtheflowersIhadbroughtandpresentlyRayarrived,talkinganimatedlyintohiscellphone.Helookedlikehehadbeengoingstrongsincedawn,andwhenheturnedthecellphoneoff,aftergreetingme,said,“Haveyouguysmeditatedyet?”Webothsaidwehad.WhenIsawhislookofdisappointment,Isuggestedthatmaybewecouldmeditateagain—whichwedid.Ihadnevermeditatedtwiceinarowbefore,butIfeltwonderfulwhenIemerged—asenseofrenewal—andthejoyfulqualityoftheeveningsuggestedthattheothersperhapsfeltthatwaytoo.

AsIhavealludedtoRayDalioseveraltimesalready,itseemslikeagoodtimetotellyousomethingofhisstory,particularlyasitintersectswithTMandtheSuperMind.WhenIinterviewedhimforthisbook,hesimplifiedmattersformebysayingthatheendorseseverythinghehadtoldmepreviously,whichIwroteaboutinTranscendence.Ihavereproducedtheearlierdescriptionherewithminorchanges.Sincethattime,Ray’sstatusasalegendaryentrepreneurandadvisortoworldleadershasgrown,andIwillpickupRay’sstorylatertobridgethegapbetweentheearlierbookandthisone.

“MeditationHasBeentheBiggestSingleInfluenceonMyLife”RayDalioisthefounderandpresidentofBridgewaterAssociates,ahedge

fundthathestartedin1975inthesparebedroomofatwo-bedroomapartment.Bridgewatercurrentlyhasmorethanfourteenhundredemployees,iswidelypraisedforitsinnovativeinvestmentstrategies,andisoneofthelargesthedgefundsintheworld.

Nowinhismidsixties,RayhasbeenpracticingTranscendentalMeditationforforty-sixyears,sincehewasacollegestudent.Hehasthoughtlongandhardaboutmeditation,andheandBarbarahavecontributedgenerouslytohelpinghugenumbersofdisadvantagedpeopletomeditate,suchasschoolchildren,veteranswithPTSD,andthehomeless.

Asyoucanimagine,hehasagreatdealtosayaboutTM.First,heemphasizestheimportanceofpersevering,especiallyintheearlyphases:

Originallywhenyoustartmeditating,alotofideasgothroughyourmindatthesametimeasthemantra—thatwastrueforme—soyoudon’ttranscend.Youjustgobackandforthbetweenthemantraandyourideas.Soittookmeawhile,probablymonths,togettothepointwhereIwasabletoclearmymindofthoughtsandstarttranscending.WhenIdidthat,itwasgreat.

Here’showRaydescribestranscendence:

Itisacombinationofrelaxationandaveryblissfulexperience.Thatsoundsmorelikeanorgasmthanitreallyis,butitisblissfulinthesensethatIjustfeelreallygoodandrelaxedandingoodshape.Yougointoadifferentstate—neitherconsciousnorunconscious.Whenyou’remeditating,you’rejustnotaware.Everythingdisappears,inasense.Butunlikewhenyou’resleeping,ifapindropsallofasudden,itcanreverberatethroughyou;it’sshocking.

Hereishowmeditationhashelpedhim:

Itproducedagreatdealofrelaxation,sothatalittlebitofmeditationwouldgoalongway,evenmakingupforsleep.ThenIdiscoveredthatitchangedthewayIwasthinking,intwoways:Itmadememorecentered,andalsomorecreative.Withamorecentered,moreopenstate

ofmind,everythinggotbetter.Mygradeswentup.Everythingbecameeasier.

Meditationhelpedmycreativity.Ifindthatcreativityisnotoneofthosethingsyousortofmuscleinoninyourconsciousstate.Instead,it’slikewhenyou’reveryrelaxed,likewhenyoutakeahotshower,andreallycoolideaspassthroughyourbrainandyoujustwanttograbthem.That’sverymuchlikeameditativestate.Oneofthechallengesformeisthatasmeditationgotbetterandbetter,sodidthesethoughts.Ididn’twanttoputthemaway!Iwantedtohaveapadandpennexttometowritethemdown.(ButifIstoppedtowritethemdown,I’dstopmeditating.)Itwasalmostlikethewayit’shardtoholdontoadream.SoTMhadabeneficialeffectonmycreativity,andeverythinggoteasierasIbecamemoresettledandcentered—anditwaseasytocontinuemeditatingdespitehavingtoallocatetimeforit.

IaskedRaywhathemeantbybeing“centered,”awordheusedseveraltimes.

Itmeanswhenthingscomeatyou—challenges,stresses,disruptiveevents—youcanbecalmandanalyticalandapproachthemalmost,Iimagine,likeaninjaseesthingscomingathiminslowmotion,sothathe’sobviouslyincontrol.Being“centered”isthatstateinwhichyouremotionsarenothijackingyou.Theabilitytothinkclearly,putthingsintheirrightplace,andhaveperspective:That’swhatImeanby“centered.”

Wellreadintheareaofpopularneuroscience,Raytalksfreelyoftheamygdala,thebraincenterthatgeneratespowerfulalarmsignals,andtheprefrontalcortex,whichgovernsexecutivefunctions.Inbecomingcentered,hebelievesthat“thebalanceofpowershiftsfromtheamygdalatotheprefrontalcortex,sothatyougovernyouremotionsratherthantheotherwayaround.”Iagree!

Askedwhetherhecouldthinkofanyspecificcreativeideasthatcametohimduringmeditationandthatwentontobecomewinners,Raydemurred.Hehadn’tmeantsingleblockbusterideas,itturnsout:

Ithinkthateverysingledaytherearemanydecisionsthatpeoplemake,andtheyallhaveconsequences.Andyourlifeessentiallydependsonthecumulativequalityofthedecisionsyoumake.I’vemadeawholebunchofdecisions,andtheyhavegenerallyspeakingworkedoutforme.Ilovemarkets;that’smything,butthewayI’vemademybusinessistotallydifferentfrommostotherinvestmentmanagementfirms.It’stotallyuniquebut,ontheotherhand,totallyright,meaningthatotherfirmsarenowstartingtobuildtheirbusinessesinthesameway.Ithink[oursuccess]wastheresultofclarityofthoughtinvariouswaysthathavehadacumulativeeffect.

WhenIlookbackatmylife,Iamhappytohavehadwhatmostpeoplewouldconsiderasuccessfullife,notonlyintermsofbusiness,butinmyrelationshipsandinlotsofways.Morethananythingelse,Iattributeittomeditation—partiallybecauseofthecreativity,partlybecauseofthecenteredness.TMhasgivenmeanabilitytoputthingsinperspective,whichhashelpedalot.Ithinkmeditationhasbeenthesinglebiggestinfluenceonmylife.

Ray’sdescriptionoffeelinglikeaninjaduringhisnegotiationsoffersanexcellentrepresentationoftheSuperMind—asenseofbeingatthesametimecalm(“centered”asRayputsit),acutelyawareofone’ssurroundings,andreadyatamoment’snoticetorespondwithlaserfocustowhatevermightcomeatyou.

TranscendentalMeditationrelaxeshim,improveshisclarityandcreativity,helpskeephisemotionsinperspective,and,throughhissenseof“centeredness,”contributestothequalityofhisday-to-daydecisions.Despitehishecticschedule,Rayhasweighedthecostsandbenefitsoftwice-dailymeditationsessionsandhasconcludedthatthetimecommitmentmorethanpaysforitself.

SUBSIDIZINGTMFOREMPLOYEESPracticingTMisbecomingincreasinglypopularintheUSbusinessworld.

Insomeinstances,CEOswhohavelearnedandenjoyedtheirTMpracticebecomeawareofitspotentialbenefitstotheiremployees.Manychoosetosubsidize(inpartorinfull)thelearningofTMbothasaperkandasamethodforimprovingwell-being,productivity,andmorale.ThestoriesbelowillustratehowthishasworkedforsomeUScompanies,bothlargeandsmall.

RayDaliowasanearlyadopterinbringingTMtoBridgewaterAssociates.Hesubsidizesanyemployeewhowantstolearn,andwhenIlastchecked,about40percentofthestaffhadtakenhimupontheoffer.Severalothercorporationshavenowfollowedsuit.

SmallbusinesseshavealsobeenenthusiasticaboutTMfortheirworkers,usuallyaftertheCEOlearnsandrealizeshowmuchvaluethereistothepractice.LindseyAdelman,whomyoumetearlierinthebook,isacaseinpoint.Asyoumayrecall,AdelmanistheCEOofaManhattanbusinessthatmanufacturesandsellsdesignerlightingfixtures—adescriptionthatdoesn’tdojusticetotheworksofartthathercompanyproduces.WhenIaskedherwhethershethoughtthatsubsidizingheremployeestolearnTMhadplayedanypartinherbusinesssuccess,sheresponded:

Probably100percent.Ithasmadeadifferencewiththesuccessforbig-picturereasonsthatarequitespecific,likeemployeeretention—whichisveryhigh.Ithinkthathasalottodowithoursuccessasacompany,becausethere’snobodycominginandstartingfresh,whichmakesthewholethingstop,nordowehavetoreplacepeopleandtrainthem.Ithinkalotofoursuccessstemsfromthiscontinuity,plusthefactthateveryone’sskillsareevolvingeveryyear.Everyone’stakingondifferentresponsibilities;everyone’sredefiningtheirjobs;everyonehasadeeperunderstandingofmyvisionforthefuture.IthinkthathassomuchtodowithTM.AndI’mreallyproudofourinterpersonalrelationships.IthinkthatalsohasalottodowithpeoplepracticingTM.

ItalsohelpswhentheCEOmeditates,asAdelmanpointsout:

Whenitwastimeformyemployeestoevaluateme,theysaidthatIhaveaconsistentpositiveenergyandpositivemannerofcommunicating.TMhasdefinitelyhelpedwiththat.Anditisgenuine.Idon’teverfeellikeIjusthavetoputonahappyface.Ithinkwhenthingsarerough,Icanbeprettyhonestaboutit.TMhasalsohelpedmereallylistenandacknowledgewhatthey’redoingwell.Ispendalotofenergyandtimeonthat.

IwouldsaythatmaybethemostimportantthingTMhastaughtmeishowtoenjoylife,toreallyhavefunwithit—tofollowthefun,nottobeafraidoffeelingtoogood.ItsoundsstrangebutIthinkthere’salotof

fearaboutfeelingamazingandmakingsomeoneelsefeelamazing.Perhapsit’snotthemostnaturalhumanendeavor.ButTMhashelpedmeenormouslynottobeafraidofpassingalongacomplimentorreinforcingthatsomeone’sdoinganawesomejob.

TempleSt.Clair,theCEOofadesignerjewelrycompanyinNewYorkCity,sharesAdelman’senthusiasmforTMbothforherselfandherstaff.Assheputsit:

Ifindthatwherethisworldisgoing,we’rejugglingandmultitaskingsomuch.AndTMkeepsmesteady,andithelpsmetothinkbeforeIspeak,makesmelessreactive.I’mpassionateaboutmywork,aperfectionist,andhavehighexpectationsforthepeopleworkingwithandaroundme.IfindthatTMkeepstheboatsteadyandhelpsmebemorecompassionate.Ithelpsmeunderstandpeople’sstrengthsandweaknessesmore,andbepatientaboutbringingthemalong.

St.Clairhasbeensopleasedwiththebenefitsshehasseenthatshetoohasofferedtosubsidizeherstaff,andisalreadyappreciatingthebenefitssheseesintherelationshipsbetweenstaffmembers.

JeffreyAbramson,amanagingpartneroftheMaryland-basedrealestatedevelopmentbusinessTowerCompanies,isalongtimeTMpractitionerwhohasbeenofferingTMtohisemployeessince1999.“Peopleneedtoolstostayyoung,vibrant,andcompetitive,”heobserves.“WhenIlookedatmystaffovertime,IrealizedthatIneededatooltoinvestintheirexcellenceandkeepthemthewaytheywerewhenwehiredthem.Timewearspeopleout—andbusinessespaythepriceforhavingthemlosetheirbrilliance,youth,andvibrancy.Butafterthey’vestartedtomeditate,peopletellme,‘IamwhoIwas.’”

AbramsonoffersyetanotherreasonforprovidingTMtopersonnel.

Besidesitsotheradvantages,TMisatechniqueforprevention[seechapter8].Businessesinheritpeople’svulnerabilities—forexample,tostrokeorheartattack—butiftheillnessdoesn’thappen,youneverknowwhatyouprevented.Yeteveryonebenefitsfrompreventingtheseillnesses.

Abramsonhasalsoseenhisworkersbecomemoreflexibleandinterestedinchanging,workingasagroupandaccomplishingthings.Here’showoneofhisworkersexpressedhisgratitudeforhavingTMtrainingsubsidized.

AlldaylongIworkforotherpeople,suchasourclientsandmyfamily.Youhavegivenmetwentyminutesformyself.

Abramsonhasaspecialmeditationroominhisoffices,asdosomeothercompaniesthatpromotethepractice.ElsewhereincorporateAmerica,thereisoftennoplacetohide.Floorplansareopen,wallsaretransparent,phonesringconstantly,andpeopleareinclinedtobargein.Sohowdoesonemeditateinsuchanenvironment,especiallywhentheactivityhasnotbeengenerallyaccepted,letaloneendorsed?Oneofmycorporateclientsfindsrefugeinthechapel.Afewlessfortunateoneswithoutsuchafacilityhavesoughtrefugeinabathroomstall—apparentlytheoneplaceinthebuildingwhereyoucanbereasonablyconfidentthatnobodywillbotheryou.

StephenCoveycalledthelastofhissevenhabits“sharpeningthesaw,”10referringtothewayasawgetsbluntandlesseffectivewithuseuntilyousharpenit.That’snotabadanalogyforhowwefeelwhenwe’vebeenworkingtoohardandneedrenewal.MyhopeisthatthepotentialvalueofTMwillbecomemorewidelyrecognizedashelpful,notonlytobusinessleaders,butalsototheiremployees,whoarelikelytofeelbetterabouttheirworkandthereforetoperformbetter.IpersonallyfindtherenewalIexperiencefrommytwice-dailymeditationtobecrucialformycontinuedcreativityandproductivity.Asyoucanreadfromthesmallsampleofpeoplelistedhere,othersagree.

EXECUTIVEFUNCTIONINGANDTHEEXECUTIVEYounowhaveencounteredreferencestotheprefrontalcortexofthebrain—

thatregionjustbehindtheforehead—severaltimesinthisbook(andverylikelyelsewheretoo).ThePFChasbeencalledtheCEOofthebrain,forgoodreason.Itisthatpartofthebrainresponsibleforweighingprosandcons,assessingsituations,makingdecisions,andissuinginstructionstotherestofthebrain.Peoplewhosustaininjuriestothatpartofthebrainmaysufferimpairedexecutivefunctionsandbecomeintemperate,exercisepoorjudgment,andmakebaddecisions.

ThereisevidencethatthepracticeofTMinvolvesphysicalchangesinthePFC,includingincreasedbloodflow,11greaterconcentrationofsoothingalphawaves,andgreateralpha-wavecoherence(astateinwhichthewavelengthsindifferentregionsaremorecloselycorrelated).12WeknowthatregularpracticeofTM,whichinvolvesrepeatedtranscendence,leadstothemindsettlingdownthroughoutthedayandeventhenight—sothesephysicalchangesintheprefrontallobemaybecomemoreestablishedevenoutsideofmeditation.13

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Thedecreasedreactivitythataccompaniesthestillnessseeninregularmeditatorsisconsistentwiththeirimprovedjudgmentanddemeanor.Theyarelesslikelytoreactreflexivelyandmorelikelytorespondthoughtfullytostimulibothgoodandbad—andthereforelesslikelytomakethatimpulsepurchase,blurtoutaninappropriateremark,orlosetheirtemper.InthiswaytheregularpracticeofTMinfluencesthequalityofourdailyconsciousnessandmakesusmoresuccessfulinourexecutivefunctioning.

Itisoftenusefultoconsidertheamygdala—adeep-seatedbrainstructurethatservesanalarmfunction—inconjunctionwith,andasacounterpointto,thePFC.Inresponsetoadangeroussignal—likeatigerinthegrass—theamygdalashoutsouttotherestofthebraintogetoutoftheway.Overthecourseofevolution,wehavelearnedtolistentotheamygdalainsuchcircumstances,andthosewhohavefailedtodosomaynotlivelongenoughtopassalongtheirgenes.

Extendingthemetaphorofthebrainasacorporation,ifthePFCistheCEO,theamygdalaissurelythefiremarshal.Whenthereisafire,thefiremarshalisincharge.Hesoundsthealarmandbangsondoorsandeverybodyhastolisten—includingtheCEO.Butwhenthereisnofire,thefiremarshalneedstostayoutofthewayandlettheCEOruntheshow.Apersonwithananxietydisorderislikeacorporationwherethefiremarshalisincharge.Whetherornotthereisafire,hekeepsbangingonthedoor,andthepoorCEOhasahardtimegettinganyworkdoneorknowingwhenthewarningsignalisappropriateandwhenitisafalsealarm.ThereisextensiveevidencethatregularTMhelpspeoplefeellessanxious—thatispartoftheSuperMind—providingfurtherevidencethatthepracticesettlesdownthebrain’salarmsystemsandstrengthensthePFC.

CONCLUDINGTHOUGHTSWhenIaskedMark—themultitalentedwealthmanagerwhointroducedKen

toTM—whetherTMcanhelpyoubecomerich,heanswered:“IthinkitwillbecauseIthinkTMhelpsingeneral,nomatterwhatyouwanttodo,whetherit’smanagemoney,teach,beadoctor.”Thatsumsupmyviewaswell.Withcreativity,energy,clarityofthought,andabilitytosustainfocusovertime—allbenefitsoftheSuperMind—youaremorelikelytoaccomplishanythingyousetouttodo.

NapoleonHillinhisclassicbestsellerThinkandGrowRich14setoutthirteenprinciplesforattainingwealth.Theveryfirstprincipleis“desire.”Ifyouwishtobecomerich,youaremostlikelytosucceedbybeingclearinyourdesireforthatgoal.Withthatinmind,letmerefinemyanswertothequestionposedatthebeginningofthischapter:“Willmeditatingmakeyourich?”Myanswer:yes,youwillbemorelikelytobecomerichifthatisyourdesireandyoumeditate.

Toclose,letusconsideranotherdefinitionofbeingrich,theoneencapsulatedinthequotefromtheTalmudmentionedattheheadofthechapter:“Whoisrich?Theonewhoappreciateswhathehas.”Inthenextchapterwewillconsideranothertypeofwealth,onethatconsistsinbeinghappyandgratefulforwhatyouhave.

TOSUMMARIZESOMEOFTHEKEYPOINTSINTHISCHAPTER:

Ifyoudesiretobecomewealthy,TMislikelytohelpyoubecauseitenhancesmanyoftheskillsthisgoal(andmanyothergoals)requires.Theseincludehealthandenergy,interpersonalskills,amultitudeofcognitivefunctions,creativity,openness,andfieldindependence—toofferjustapartiallist.Severalanecdotes,buttressedbytheexperienceofTMteacherswhohavetaughtTMtohundredsofmenandwomeninbusiness,supporttheabovecontention.Thepointhasalsobeenmadethatafeelingofbeingrichinvolvesasenseofsatisfactionasmuchasanyhardnumber—andevidenceshowsthatTMenhanceshappinessandwell-being(seenextchapter).

16MEDITATEANDBEHAPPY

Happinessisthemeaningandpurposeoflife,thewholeaimandendofhumanexistence.

Aristotle

Ibelievethattheverypurposeofourlifeistoseekhappiness.

DalaiLama

ThepersonwhogotmemeditatingagainwasPaul,awriterandfilmmaker,whohadconsultedmefortreatmentofhisbipolardisorder.Oneday,afterhisvertiginousmaniasandthunderousdepressionshadbeenstabilized,Paulexplainedtomethatalthoughmymedicineshadhelpedlevelouthismoods,hedidnotbelievetheywerethesourceofhishappiness.

HewentontotellmeaboutanotherbipolarmanwhomhehadmetinSanFrancisco.ThatmanhadbeenpracticingTMfortwentyyears,andhesaidthatithadmadehimfeelreallyhappy90percentofthetime.TheencounterhadinspiredPaul,whohadlearnedTMafewyearsbefore,tomeditatemoreregularly,astheothermanhaddone—withhighlyfavorableresults.Here’showhedescribedthem:

Eversincethen,thingsgotbetterovertime.Thepositiveeffectstookacoupleofmonthstosetinnoticeably.Whentheydid,theycamegradually,progressively,stronger,andmoreprofoundastimepassed.ItisnowfouryearssinceIhavebeenmeditatingregularlyandI’mbetter

thanI’veeverbeen.JustlikethemanImetthatdayinSanFrancisco,I’mnotjusthappy—I’mreallyhappy90percentofthetime.

ItoldPaulthatIhadlearnedtomeditateinSouthAfricabuthadletitslipoffmyagendathirty-fiveyearsbefore.Heurgedmetopickupthepracticeagain,introducedmetoBobRoth,naggedme,andcheckeduponmeregularly(asIhadsurelydoneinurginghimtokeeptakinghismedicines)—andtherestofthestoryfillsthepagesofthisbook.

OnethingthatstruckmeaboutwhatPaulsaidwashisemphasisthathehadbeen“reallyhappy.”Ofcourse,Ihaveseenmanypeopleinthefoothillsofmaniasaythattheyare“reallyhappy”—manyofwhomareactuallytoohappy—butPaulwasnotintheleastmanicwhenhesaidit.Hewasdeadcalm.Itwasclearlyimportantforhimtocommunicatethemessagetomeseriously.Itisnotcommonformetohearapatienttellmeinsuchameasuredwaythathehasbeenreallyhappy—letalone90percentofthetime.Ihadtowonder—mightTMhaveasimilareffectonotherpeopleaswell?Wewillconsiderthatquestioninthischapter,butfirstlet’slookathappinessalittlemoreclosely.

WHATMAKESPEOPLEHAPPY?

Studiesoftwinshavebeenreportedtoshowthatabout50percentofhappinessisgenetic,1thoughmorerecentestimatessuggestthatitiscloserto36percent.2Itfollowsthatasfaraswhatwecandotobecomehappier,we’replayingwiththeother50–64percent—whichisreallyquitealot,whenyoucometothinkofit.

AlthoughWilliamJameswroteabouttheimportanceofhappinessatthebeginningofthetwentiethcentury,andahandfulofscientistshaveworkedinthefieldsincethen,itisonlyinthelastdecadeortwothatthescienceof“positivepsychology”hastakenoff.Untilthen,mostpsychologicalresearchfocusedonnegativeemotionalstates,suchasanxietyanddepression.Nevertheless,thereisalreadysomescientificevidencethatcertainattitudesandactionscan,infact,increaseyourhappiness—andtheyarelistedintable6(below),assummarizedbyhappinessexpertDavid,professorofpsychologyatHopeCollege.3

Table6:Research-BasedSuggestionsforImprovingMoodandIncreasingSatisfactionwithLife

1.Understandthathavingmoremoneymaynotleadtolastinghappiness.

2.Takecontrolofyourtime.3.Smile.Evidenceshowsthatactinghappycanmakeyouso.4.Findworkandactivitiesthatyou’regoodatandthataremeaningfultoyou.

5.Investinsharedexperiences(suchasvacations)ratherthanthings.6.Stayactive.Exerciseboostsmood.7.Getenoughsleep.8.Cultivateandnurturecloserelationships.9.Dogood.Itmakesyoufeelgood.10.Embracegratitude—bothinyourthoughtsandactions.Keepagratitudejournalandexpressgratitudewhenyoufeelit.

11.Nurturethespiritualsideofyourself.

Asyoucansee,meditationwouldfitintothelastcategory,whichalsoincludespeoplewhoobservetheirfaithorreligiononaregularbasis.Oneproblemwithpinpointingwhatisresponsibleformakingpeopleofanyfaithorspiritualpracticehappyisthattheyalsotendtohaveotherassetsandhabitsthatoftenliftthespirits—suchasstrongcommunitybonds,friendswithwhomtheysharetheirtradition,andbetterself-carepractices.

Inordertodetermineifmeditationitselfleadstohappiness,onewouldhavetoconductacontrolledstudywithallthenecessaryelements,suchasrandomassignment.SeveralcontrolledstudiesofTMhavebeendone,butbecausepositivepsychologyhascomeintofocusonlyrecently,thesestudiesdidnotincludemeasuresofhappiness.

PerhapstheTMstudythatcomesclosesttolookingatthehappinessquestionisthatofthefreshmanrecruits(alsoknownasrooks)atNorwichUniversity,whichIdescribedinchapter9.Inthatstudy,sixtyfreshmanofficertraineeswererandomlyassignedtoTMversuscontrolsonawaitinglist,andavarietyofpersonalitymeasuresweretakenatbaselineandaftertwoandsixmonths.

Atthetwo-monthmark,theyoungmeditatorsshowedasignificantincreaseinresilience,asmeasuredbytheDispositionalResilienceScale(DRS-15),4an

increasethatremainedsignificantatthesix-monthtesting.Inaddition,overallconstructivethinkingaswellasbehavioralandemotionalcoping,allmeasuredbytheConstructiveThinkingInventory,5increasedsignificantlyaswell.Globalconstructivethinkingincreasedatbothtwoandsixmonths(comparedtobaseline)asdidbehavioralcoping.6

Allthesefindingswerereplicatedinasimilarstudyofrooksconductedthefollowingyear.

Iincludethestudyresultsherebecausequalitiessuchasresilience,constructivethinking,andgoodbehavioralcopingmightbeexpectedtogoalongwithhappiness,butthisisadmittedlyanindirectmeasure.Ianticipatethatfuturestudieswillincludemeasuresthatspeakmoredirectlytothequestionofhappiness.

WHATDOESTHECIQTELLUSABOUTTM,WELL-BEING,ANDCONTENTMENT?

Althoughsurveysarenotasdefinitiveascontrolledstudies—whichspeaktocausationasopposedtomerecorrelation—itislegitimatetominesurveydatainthequestforinsight.InthisregardtheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaireappearstobesomethingofagoldmine,astwoitemsinquireintostatesofmindthatbeardirectlyonhappiness:well-beingandcontentment(items11and19intheCIQ—seechapter7andappendix2).

Weanalyzedthesetwoitemswithregardtothebackgroundvariablesobtainedaspartofthesurvey:first,accordingtowhetherpeoplerespondedyesorno;and,second,accordingtohowoftenthosewhorespondedyesactuallyhadtheexperience.

Whenaskedwhetherlevelsofwell-beingandcontentmenthadincreasedsincetheystartedtomeditate,94percentand90percentoftheTMpractitionerssaidyes,respectively.

Whenweanalyzedthedataaccordingtohowfrequentlypeopleexperiencedwell-being,threebackgroundvariablesemergedassignificantcorrelatesofwell-being:(1)durationand(2)frequencyofpractice(thosepracticingformorethanfouryears—themedianduration—andatleasttwiceaday)reportedhigherlevelsofwell-being;and(3)countryofresidence(Americansexpressedhigherlevelsofwell-beingthanSouthAfricans).Resultsweresimilarwithregardtocontentment.

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Absentcontrolledstudiesandasidefromourquestionnairedata,inseekingacausallinkbetweenTMandhappiness,wemustresorttoanecdotes—butcompellinganecdotesareausefulstartingpoint.

BeforeIgoontosharesomeofthese,however,Ishouldaddressonepointthatyoumightthinkisincorrectintable6(Research-BasedSuggestionsforImprovingMoodandIncreasingSatisfactionwithLife):money.Doesn’tmoremoneymeanmorehappiness?Certainly,ifyouaskpeoplewhattheythinkwillmakethemhappier,mostsaymoremoney(73percentina2006Galluppolland82percentofstudentsenteringUScolleges).7Yettheideaisnotborneout,atleastinmoreaffluentcountries.Inpoorcountries,wheremanypeopleareunabletoaffordbasicneedssuchasfood,shelter,andmedicalcare,anincomeincreaseofathousanddollarscanmakeasignificantdifferenceinoverallhappiness.Notsoinmoreaffluentpartsoftheworld.

Onehumantraitthatpreventsasuddenwindfallfrombringingenduringhappinessissomethingcalledthe“happinesssetpoint.”8Forexample,winningthelotteryorgettingtenureatauniversity(togivejustafewexamples)maymakeyouhappierforashortwhile,butintimeyourlevelofhappinesswilldriftbackdowntowhereitwasbefore—thatis,toyourhappinesssetpoint.Thegoodnewsaboutthesetpoint,however,isthatitworksjustaswellinreverse.Whenbadthingshappen,peoplefeellesshappy,butthisreactiontendstopassmorequicklythanexpected.Despitedeficitsthatmightresult—physical,personal,orfinancial—youcangenerallydependuponyoursetpointtohoistyoubackuptoyourusuallevelofcheer.

ABSOLUTELY!100PERCENT!

Inmyinterviewsforthisbookmylastquestionwasusually:“HaveyoubeenhappiersincestartingtopracticeTM?”EventhoughIhavegenerallyinterviewedpeopleIbelievehaverespondedwelltoTM,theiranswerstothislastquestionwerequalitativelydifferentfromtheirotheranswers—morewholehearted,lessambivalent.Ofteninaloudervoice,andhigherinpitch,theirinitialresponseswereringinglysimple—“Absolutely!”or“100percent!”Hereareresponsesfromsomeofthepeopleyouhavealreadymettothequestion,“HasTMmadeyouhappier?”

KATIEFINNERAN,ACTRESS

Oh,ahundredpercent,yes.Somuchhappier.Mynumberonepriorityislivingahappy,positivelife.AndIconsiderTMpartofmyeducationatbecomingahappierperson.

WhenIaskedKatiewhetherTMhadhelpedherbecomeabetteractress,sheresponded:“IthinkthatI’vereallybeenpreparingandstudyingforthissinceIwasachild.Idon’tthinkit’sbecauseofTMthatI’msuccessful.”

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Ispecificallyincludethesecondsetofresponsestoillustratethatdiscriminatingpeople(suchasKatie)donotreflexivelyattributeeverypositiveexperiencetoTM—andintheinterestofobtainingaccurateinformation,Ihavesoughtoutdiscriminatingpeople.Withregardtohappiness,mostTMpractitionersgivesubstantialcredittotheirmeditationpractice.

SHARONISBIN,CLASSICALGUITARIST

Hereisaqualifiedanswertomyquestionfromthislongtimemeditator:

Afterlookingatyourbookagain,Irealized,yes,TMhasplayedaroleinhelpingmefeelhappier.Now,tobehonest,ofcourse,partofmyhappinessasapersonisthefactthatIhavemanagedtoaccomplishmosteverythingI’veeverwantedto.AndIlookforwardtoaccomplishingmanymorethings,toconstantlystayingactiveandbringingnewworkstolight,andtonurturingnewcreativeprojects.Thereisasenseoffulfillmentthatallthethingsthatweredearesttome,thatImostbelievedin,Ihavesucceededindoing.Sopartofmysenseofhappinesscomesfromthatfulfillment.

ButthereisalsoasenseofappreciatingwhatI’vedone,andnotfeelingthatIwon’tbehappyunlessIalsodothisorthat.Andthatiswonderfulandbeautiful,anditgivesmethefreedomtoenjoyalltheotherthingsinlifethatIalsobelievein,thatdon’thaveanythingtodowithmycareer—andthatiswhereTMhasplayedasignificantrole.

HUGHJACKMAN,ACTOR

Hugh’scommentsonhappinesswerecomplexbut,inallfairness,Iapproachedthequestionindirectly.Heretheyare:

PriortolearningTM,mylifewasaseriesofactivities,whichcouldbeanythingfrompersonalrelationships,tothejob,tolearning—whatever.Andbecauseeachofthoseactivitiesfeltlikethecenterofmylife,myhappinesswaspredicatedonhowtheyturnedout.Soitcouldhavebeenarelationship,ajob,aninterview,apartynextSaturday—whatever.Iwaslivingthisroller-coasterrideofalifethatdependedonsomethinggoingwell.Butokay,evenifitdid,thenthere’sthenextevent.Orsayitdidn’tgowell,thenI’mdown.I’vegottopickmyselfupforthenextevent,etc.

Sincestartingtomeditate,IhavethefreedomoffindingwhatRumicalled“thefieldbeyond.”AndwhatIthinkhemeantbyit—thatItotallyrelateto—isaduality:ontheonehand,therearehealth,disease,poverty—allthosethingswemeasureourlifewith—butthereisactuallyafieldbeyondthat.Thatfieldisfarricher,happier,moreblissful,andeffectiveineveryway,andIwouldsayonlymeditationcangetyoutothatfieldbeyond.Youcanhaveagreatrelationship—andDebandIhaveanincrediblemarriage—andwemeditatetogether.Butfallinginloveorthisorthat—whateveritis—thatdoesn’tkeepyouinthefieldbeyond.Whatkeepsyouthereisthisabilitytotapintothisdeepersenseofwhoweare,thisdeeperexistence.Tomethekeytothatfieldbeyondismeditation.Andithascompletelychangedmylife.

LINDSEYADELMAN,LIGHTINGDESIGNER

BeforeTM,Ifeltextremevariationsinmood—fromvery,verylowtovery,veryhigh.SincepracticingTMeveryday,Ilovenormal.I’msoenthusiasticaboutthemostnormaldayintheworld!Ifeellikemygeneralmoodlevelisbetweenmediumandhighallthetime.Igetthisfeelingofoptimismandhope,andbelief,andtrust,andmymindalwaysgravitatestowardthoseareas.Andingeneral,TMbringsahappierlife.

TEMPLEST.CLAIR,JEWELRYDESIGNER

IdefinitelyfeelhappiersincestartingTM.There’ssortofalightnessofbeingthatcomesalongwithit.Butnotinasillyorfrivolousway.Ijustfeellighter.

MEGANFAIRCHILD,DANCER

IsaidtoMeganthatsheseemedhappiersincestartingtomeditate,andaskedifIwascorrect.Hereisherresponse:

Youaresupercorrect.WhenIpracticeTM,Ifindacalmnessandpeacefulnessthatbring

mebacktomymostneutralself,andwhenIgetthereIdiscoverjoy.I’mnotsurewhyorhowitworks,butifIamstruggling,Icanmeditate,andgetoutofadepressionorfrustratingtime.Andthefeelingisn’tforcedjoyorhappiness—itcomesinacompletelysubtleandeasyway.Itjustappears,likesomethingIlostbeneathapileofpapersorclothes,andIunveiledit.ThatissomethingIreallybenefitfrom.

HAPPINESSINUNEXPECTEDPLACES:ONEPERSON’SSTORY

Beforeclosingofftheanecdotesabouthappiness,letmeanticipateandaddressthelegitimateobservationthatIhavechosenagroupofhighlysuccessfulpeople.Icanalmosthearsomereadersasking,“Whyshouldn’ttheybehappy?”

Well,thefactisthatnotallsuccessfulpeoplearehappy—andstudieshaveshownthatmoneyandfamedonotinandofthemselvesbringhappiness.Inaddition,astheaboveresponsesindicate,allthesepeoplehavefoundgreaterhappinesssincemeditating.Inthepast,Ihaveinterviewedpeoplewhohadbeendrugaddicts,prisoners,orhomeless,andeventheyhavereportedgreaterhappinessafterlearningtomeditate.YoucanreadsomeoftheirstoriesinTranscendence,abookdedicatedmoretopeoplewithproblemstheywereseekingtosolve,asopposedtopeoplewhoarealreadyhighlyfunctionalbutarelookingtoturnuptheirgameanotch.Letmeclose,however,withthestoryofonemanwhowasnotincludedinTranscendence,butwhoexemplifiesTM’sabilitytohelpeventhosereducedtolife’smostpitifulcircumstances.

Johnhadspentyearsinapenitentiary,fordealingdrugs,andhadbeenaddictedhimself.Afterbeingreleased,hewashomelessforalongtime,untilhewasluckyenoughtolandupinashelterthatgaveitsresidentsworktodo,paidthemasmallwage,andhadTMasoneofitsprograms.HerehedescribestheeffectsofTMonhisdailylife:

There’stimeswhenmylunchbreakwindsupbeingclosetoCentralPark,andI’vegonethereandmeditatedupontheslopes.AndIsitdownandIlisten—Ihearthebirdsinthebackground,thewindinthetrees,youknow,whileI’msittingthere.AndImeditate.Itactuallymakesmefeelgreat.Andithelpsmethroughmydayatwork.I’malwaystellingpeople,“Goodafternoon,”“Goodmorning.”Itfeelssogoodtogetfeedbackfrompeopleonthestreet.

HAPPINESSINTHEMIDSTOFSORROW

DebbiedecidedtolearnTMwhenanadfortheprogrampoppeduponhercomputerscreen.Itfeaturedthepictureofa“beautifultreeinblueandwhite—asignofhope,”orsoitfelttoDebbie.Andhopewaswhatshesorelyneeded.Twomonthsbefore,hernineteen-year-oldson,arecreationaldruguser,haddiedofanoverdose.Anewandverypowerfulopiatehadarrivedonthestreetand,perhapsnotrealizingitspotency,manyyoungpeoplehadsuccumbedtoit.

Afterthisdevastatingshock,Debbiewasleftgrieving,alongwithherhusbandanddaughter.Observingsomeofthesymptomsofhergrief—insomnia,flashbacks(tohearingtheterriblenews),andasenseofunreality(thisreallycan’tbehappening)—Debbielikenedhergrieftopost-traumaticstressdisorder.Shedecidedshehadtodosomething,takesomespecialstepstofeelbetter.Hersonhadbeenabouttotakeacourseofstudy,andthecollegewasgoodenoughtoreturnhisfee.ItwouldcoverherTMtraining,Debbiethought.Whatbetterwaytouseit?

WhenDebbiearrivedattheTMcenter,shewaswearinganecklacebearingherson’sname—agiftfromafriend.AccordingtoherTMteacher,herfaceandposturewereheavywithgrief.YetshelearnedTM,practicedregularly,andwentaboutherlife.Overthenextfewmonths,Debbie’steachernoticedthatherstepseemedlighter,hergrieflessoverwhelming—andshestoppedwearingthenecklace.Afteroneoftheeveningsessions,Debbie’steachertoldthegathering

thatIwaslookingforanyexperiencesthatrelatedTMtohappiness.Debbiewasgoodenoughtorespond.Here’swhatshewrote:

Manywouldsaythelossofachildisthecompleteoppositeofbeing“happy.”However,throughmylearningTMtwomonthsafterthelossofmyson,Ifeelthatpracticingiskeepingmebalancedandhelpingmefindnewanddifferenttypesof“happiness.”Nothingwillmakeupforthelossofmychild.Iamstillgrievingandlifewillneverbethesame.ButTMhastrulyhelpedmecopewiththesecrazyemotions,helpedmefindaninnercalmnessandpeacesothatIcanappreciatebeing“happy”again.HappinessformenowisthegratitudeIhavewhenexperiencingunexpectedserenityandmomentsofjoyinday-to-dayliving.Takingnothingforgranted,livinginthemoment,andtryingtoappreciateeverything:thatismynew“happy.”

Debbie’sobservationisechoedbyseveralCIQresponders,whonoticedthatTMhelpedthemretainasenseofequilibriumandevenfindjoyinthemidstofadversity.Hereareafewoftheirresponses:

Evenifsomethingisupsetting,Ihavethisfeelingofwell-beingunderneaththefrustration.It’salmostasifthisunderlyingwell-beinggivesmethefreedomtoexperienceupsanddownswithoutanylastingnegativeeffects.

Ifeel“ontop”ofeverything,eventhoughtherearemyriadchallengesinmyhomeliferightnow...newhouse,agedhusbandwithmemorylossandconfusion.Iseemabletorollwithitandenjoyallthatlifehastooffer.

EvenaftersurgeriesIfeelunexpectedwell-being.IwenttoafiftiethhighschoolreunionandmanyclassmatesremarkedonhowhappyIappearedandaskedhowImaintainedmyfeelingsofwell-beingaftermyhealthissues.

Ofcourse,happinessflowsmorereadilywithoutseriousadversity.AgreatmajorityofCIQresponders(94percent)reportedincreasedwell-beingsincestartingTM.Iwillleaveyouwithjustoneoftheirquotes:

Nothinghaschanged,yeteverythinghaschanged.It’sthepowerofperspective.Betterlifechoicesgohandinhandwithabetterperspective,leadingtoapersonalenvironmentwhereanythingisbeginningtoseempossible—thoughwithoutpressureofanykind.

SELF-ACTUALIZATION:BEINGYOURBESTSELFTheterm“self-actualization”wascoinedbypsychologistAbrahamMaslow,

famousfordescribingwhathecalleda“hierarchyofneeds.”Thisimportantconceptisoftendiagramedasahorizontallystripedequilateraltriangle,withitsbasebelowanditsapexabove.TorepresentMaslow’sschema,theloweststripeofthetrianglerepresentsbasicneedssuchasfoodandshelter,nexthighestcomeslove,andhigheryettheesteemofothers.Rightattheapex,onceallotherneedsaremet,sitsMaslow’sfinalneed—self-actualization.9Maslowwrote,“Musiciansmustmakemusic,artistsmustpaint,poetsmustwriteiftheyaretobeultimatelyatpeacewiththemselves.Whathumanbeingscanbe,theymustbe.Theymustbetruetotheirownnature.Thisneedwemaycallself-actualization.”

Maslowwaseloquentonthesubject,butthediagramisoftendrawnwithonlyasmallareaforself-actualization—atinytrianglerightatthetopofavastmawofneeds.Tome,thatseemsinadequatetodepicttheimportanceofthisfinalneed.Iamremindedofadiagramwehadtomemorizeinmedicalschool,indicatingthesurfaceareaofthelimbsandotherbodyparts.Weneededtoknowitinordertocalculatethepercentageofskininvolvedinburns:36percentfortheback,18percentforeachleg,andsoon,allthewaydowntojust1percentforthepubicregion.“Onepercent!”Iwouldthink,smilingtomyself.“Onepercent!Yetconsidertheamountofthoughtdevotedtoit—thenovels,movies,tabloids,andrealityshowsthat1percenthasspawned—nottomentionallthetroubleitcauses!”

Soitiswiththatlittletriangleofself-actualization.Whycan’twebehappyiftherestofthetriangleisfull?youmayask.Butthefactis,wejustaren’t.Milton,inhisfamoussonnetonhisblindness,grievedfor“thatoneTalentwhichisdeathtohide”—hisabilitytowrite,whichhisblindnessimpeded.Theworldisfullofpeoplewhofeelitwouldbeasortofdeathnottobeabletoexpresstheirfullpotential.Andthisfeelingmayapplynotonlytoaperson’scareerbutalsotohisorherpersonallife.

InMilton’scase,theimpedimenttofullself-actualizationwasphysical,butformanypeople,theobstaclesarelessapparent.Emotionalsufferingandlearningdisabilitiesareexamplesofobstaclesthatareinvisibleyetalltooreal.Inaddition,manypeoplewhohavealreadyaccomplishedagreatdealbutcontinuetostrivemaycauseotherstowonder:“Whydotheystruggleso?Aren’ttheyself-actualizedenough?”Yetthesestriversknowdeepdownthattheyhavemoretogive—perhapstheirmostimportantcontribution.Tofeelblocked,unabletoachievethisultimategoal,canbedishearteningandstifling;toreleaseandexpressit,agreatsourceofjoy.Consider,forexample,SharonIsbin’scommentsonherdelightathavingbeenabletoaccomplishsomanyofherdreams,alongwithhappyanticipationofotherdreamsyettobefulfilled.

Inmythirty-sixyearsasapsychiatrist,Ihaveseenfewifanytechniquessopowerfulathelpingpeoplefreeuptheirdesiretoself-actualizeasTranscendentalMeditation.Ifyouarewonderinghowsuchatransformationispossible,justflipbacktochapter9onbuildingabetterbrain.Youwillreadonceagainabouttheimprovedcreativity,memory,independentthinking,intelligence,resilience,andpositiveattitudeassociatedwithTM.Orlookbackatchapter10onbeinginthezonetoseehowTMenablespeopletobefullypresentinthemoment,lettingthemexecutelong-practicedskillswithspontaneousvirtuosity.Ortrychapter11oninternalgrowth,whichtellshowTMhelpspeoplebecomecomfortablewithwhotheyreallyare—andwhotheywishtobecome.

Whenyouthinkbacktothemanytalentedanddistinguishedpeopleprofiledinthisbook,theroleofTMintheirself-actualizationisevident.Forexample,recallthecrucialNationalLeagueChampionshipSeriesgameinwhichpitcherBarryZitoheldofftheCardinalsfrombeatinghisteam,theGiants.HecreditsTMashavinghadapivotalroleinhelpinghimmakehisastonishingcomeback.

RayDalioandHughJackmancreditTMwithmuchoftheirlegendarysuccess.Inbothinstances,theirdrivetoself-actualizecontinuestoflourish.

Intheworldofassetmanagement,considerKenGunsbergerandMarkAxelowitz,bothofwhomhavehadtheirbestyearseversincestartingtomeditate.Yetbothalsocontinuetostrivetobetheirbestselvesinotherwaysaswell.Ken,forexample,isenjoyinggrowinghisrelationshipwithhisdaughterinnewandexcitingways.Markisexcitedabouthisworkasanactorandphilanthropist,wherehisgoalistogiveawayabilliondollars.

AlthoughIhavecitedasexamplesofself-actualizationpeoplewithoutstandingtalents,it’simportanttorealizethattheneedtoself-actualizeisuniversal—tobeallthatyoucanbe,astheslogangoes.Ifyoujustthinkof

yourselfandyourownaspirations,I’llwagerthereissomethingforwhichyouarestriving,maybesomethingyouhaven’ttoldanybodyorevenadmittedtoyourself.Ifso,IhopethatyouwillconsidertheimportanceofaddressingMaslow’suppermostneed—tofulfillallyourpotential.PerhapsTMcouldhelpyourealizethatgoal.

RESEARCHONSELF-ACTUALIZATION

Anecdotesaside,thereisalsosolidresearchindicatingthatTMcanpromoteself-actualization.Researchershavedevelopedavarietyofscalestomeasureself-actualization,themostwidelyandbestvalidatedofwhichisthePersonalOrientationInventory(POI).10

ThePOIwasdevelopedwiththehelpofpsychotherapists,whoweighedinastowhattheyconsideredmentallyhealthy.Theiropinionswereusedtocreate150two-choicestatements,whichpresentoppositepointsofviewonaparticularissue.Forexample:doyoufeelobligatedtodo—orfreenottodo—whatothersexpectofyou?Or:doyouthinkitisagoodidea—orconceited—tothinkaboutyourgreatestabilities?

ThePOIhasbeenusedinfourteen(outofeighteen)studiesevaluatingtheeffectsofTMonself-actualization,whichdistinguishedTMresearcherCharlesAlexanderandcolleagues11usedinameta-analysis(anoverviewachievedbypoolingdatafromseveralwell-conductedseparatepiecesofresearch).OveralltheyfoundahighlysignificanteffectofTMonself-actualization—abeneficialeffectthatincreasesovertime.

Alexander’steamthenwentontocomparetheeffectsofTM(ineighteenstudies)tootherformsofmeditation(eighteenstudies)andvariousrelaxationtechniques(sixstudies).Overall,theeffectsizeforTMwasonaverageabout0.8(consideredlarge),whereasforothermethodstheeffectsizewasabout0.2(consideredsmall).Inotherwords,TM’seffectonself-actualization,asmeasuredbypencil-and-papertests,wasaboutfourtimesasgreatasthatforothermeditationandrelaxationtechniquescomparedsofar.

FROMSTRESSRELIEFTOSUPERMINDINDANCEANDSONG

IhavesharedwithyoumanystoriesofpeoplewhocreditTMwithhelpingthemself-actualizeinvariousways,aswellasabodyofresearchonthesubject.Letmeconcludethissectionwithonelaststory,whichillustratesTMinaction

asitexercisesitseffectsonthisultimatehumanneed,aboutwhichAbrahamMaslowwrote,“Whathumanbeingscanbe,theymustbe.”Youhavealreadymetthepersoninquestion—principalballerinafortheNewYorkBallet,MeganFairchild.

Asyoumayrecall,MeganlearnedTMtoforestallthefaintingspellsthatwerebedevilingherandthreateninghercareer.Thestrategywassuccessful,andshehashadnofaintingspellsintheeighteenmonthssincestartingtomeditate.MeganalsoreportsthatTMhelpsherstayinthezoneand“outofmyhead”whileshedances,sothathermanyhoursofpracticecantakeoverandfreeheruptodancewiththefluidbrillianceexpectedfromaprimaballerina.

IfallTMhadprovidedforMeganwerereliefofstressandstabilizationofherphysiology,thatwouldhavebeenhuge.Butthereweremoregoodthingstocome.Aswehavenowseen,itisthenatureoftheSuperMind,aslongasyoucontinuetomeditateregularly,todevelopandexpandinthedirectionofself-actualization.AndsoitwasforMegan.

WordgotaroundthatanewBroadwayrevivalofOntheTownwaslookingforaballerinawhocouldalsoactandsingwellenoughtohandlealeadrole.OthersintheNewYorkCityBallethadalreadyauditionedforthepartwhen,atthelastminute,Meganwasaskedtoauditionaswell.Althoughflattered,Meganknewthatshewasafraidofspeakinginpublic,nottomentionsinging.Infact,onapreviousoccasion,whenshehadbeenrequiredtotalkaboutasmallpieceshewasabouttodance,shedescribesitas“myworstnightmare—totalkandbehuman,thendance.”Inearliertimes,givensuchpowerfulfears,auditioningforBroadwaywouldhavebeenunthinkable.Buthereshewas,planningtoaudition—“jumpingoffacliff.”ShecreditsTMwithenablinghertodoso.HowmightTMhavemadesuchaplungepossible?

AllherlifeMeganhadbeenaperfectionist.Evenasachild,shewouldplanoutherdayinminutedetail.OnasheetofHelloKittypaper,whichhermotherhassavedfromherchildhood,theyoungMeganhadwritten:“8o’clockwakeup,8:15godownstairseatbreakfast,8:20readabook.”Hermotherrecallsherthrowingajack-in-the-boxacrosstheroomifitdidn’tpopupwhenshethoughtitwould.Herworldhadtobe,aboveall,predictable.Ifshecoloredoutsidethelines,shewouldthrowthewholepaperawayandsayshewantedtostartherwholelifeover.AlthoughMegan’sperfectionismwasidealforacareerinballet,itwasnotconducivetotakingrisksorexperimentingwithnewartforms.

*

TMchangedallthat.Thingsnolongerneededtobeperfect.Riskswereopportunities—asweretheinevitablesmall“failures”thatoccuralongtheway.Here’showsheputsit:

TMmademeawarethattheopportunitytoauditionwasaonce-in-a-lifetimething.Insteadofthinking,“OhIcan’tdothat,”andjustmissingit—whichIknowIwouldhavedonebeforeTM—IseizedthedayinawaythatIhadneverdonebefore.Anditledtoanunbelievableexperience.

IapproachedauditioningforBroadwayasanexerciseinbeingoutofmycomfortzone.Ittakesgutstodothat.Youhavetobeinanopenplace—andnotafraid,eventhoughitfeltlikeIwasjumpingofftheedgeofacliff.IworkedwithanactingcoachtoputthescenetogetherandwithaBroadwayactresswho’sagreatsingertohelpmewiththesong.Ididtheauditionandgotthepartrightthereintheroom,whichisnotatallcommon.Itwasprettycool.

WhenIaskedMeganhowshefeltabouttheriskofventuringintosuchadifferentcareerdirection,shereplied:

Ihaveneverthoughtofmyselfasarisktaker.AndIdon’tevenseewhatI’vedoneashavingtakenarisk.TMhascompletelychangedthewayIlookatthesethings.AndbecauseIdon’tseethemasrisks—Ionlyseethemasamazingopportunities,like“whathaveyougottolose?”opportunities—Icaneasilythinkofthemwithoutmuchanxiety.Soiftheydon’tgowell,theexerciseoftryingthatnewthingwasworthitinandofitself.

Ireallybelievethatpeoplewhosucceedinanythingarethosewhoareokaywithnotalwaysbeingperfect—thosewhohavefailuresalongtheway,thenpickthemselvesupandtryagain.AndTMisperfectforthatbecauseeverydayyou’repracticingjustacceptingyourself.Yougobackintoyourmeditation—andbacktoyourcore.Whateverhappenedispast,andyoufeelfreshtostartagain.

Andit’sbeencrazybeinginthisBroadwayworldandhavingapartyeverynight.IlookatmyBroadwayyearasthetimeofmylife.It’sbeenlikedessert,likethecherryontop.

AsIwritethis,Meganisrehearsingforherenthusiasticreturntotheballet.HergreattalentwasacknowledgedbyoneBroadwayreviewer,whowrotethatwhenshedanced,shelookedlikeagoddess.Notonlyweretheshowandherperformanceasuccess,buttheyalsoexpandedMegan’sworld,introducinghertoanewartformandanewsetoffriends.WhatotheropportunitieslieaheadforMegan?Whocansaywhatthisamazinglytalentedyoungwomanwilldo?Self-actualizationandtheSuperMindjustkeepongrowinginunpredictableways,andIknowofnobettermethodthanTMtofosterthisgrowth.

CLOSINGTHOUGHTSAristotle,asquotedattheheadofthischapter,regardedhappinessasthe

ultimategoal.Afterall,hereasoned,peoplestriveforallothergoals—suchasmoney,power,orstatus—inthehopeofbecominghappy.Butnobodystrivesforhappinessasameanstoanyotherend:itisanendinitself.

AsIthinkbackoverthediversepeoplefeaturedinthischapter,aswellasthedatafromtheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire,itseemstomethatTMcanclearlyhelppeoplebecomehappier.Paul,theyoungmanwhochallengedmetoreturntoTM,wascorrectinthatregard.Andevenifone-thirdtohalfofourhappinessisgeneticallydetermined,asresearchsuggests,perhapsTMwillprovetobeagoodwaytogrowtheotherhalftotwo-thirds.

Andasforme,whenIaskmyselfwhetherIhavebeenhappiersincelearningtomeditate,theanswerisanunequivocalyes—notperhaps“reallyhappy90percentofthetime,”asPaulreports—butmovingslowlyinthatdirection.

TOSUMMARIZETHEESSENTIALPOINTSOFTHISCHAPTER:

Twinstudiessuggestthatapproximatelyone-thirdtohalfofourhappinessishereditary,sotoboosthappiness,weneedtolooktohowwecangrowtheotherhalftotwo-thirds.Numerousanecdotes,supportedbyquestionnaireresponses,stronglysuggestthatTMisavaluablemethodforenhancinghappinessandasenseofwell-being.Onekeytohappinessisself-actualization.Severalcontrolledstudies,usingastandardizedscaleforself-actualization,

suggestthatTMissuperiortoavarietyofcontrolconditionsforachievingthisgoal.

PARTIII

BEYONDTHESUPERMIND

17THESUPERMINDINACTION

Inmybeliefthatalargeacquaintancewithparticularsoftenmakesuswiserthanthepossessionofabstractformulas,howeverdeep,Ihaveloadedthelectureswithconcreteexamples.

WilliamJames1

TheunfoldmentofCosmicConsciousnessstartsfromthebeginning.

MaharishiMaheshYogi2

WeknowfromtheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnairethatthereisasignificantcorrelationbetweenlengthofpracticeinyearsandfavorableoutcomes.IemphasizethesefactsupfrontsothatwhenIdescribetherapidanddramatictransformationsthatsomepeopleexperience,yourealizethatthesearetheexceptions,nottherule.Regardlessofwhichgroupbestdescribesyou,IhavefoundthattherewardsofTMpracticearedependableandcumulative.Butyoucan’tforcetherateofchange—sosimplyenjoytheride.

*

Inthischapter,wewillencountersomepeoplewhoexhibitearlydramaticevidenceofSuperMinddevelopmentandotherswhosedevelopmentinthis

regardismoresubtlebutoftenjustasprofoundovertime.Ihopeyouenjoymeetingthem.

EARLYSIGNSOFTHESUPERMIND:TWOEXPERIENCEDTMTEACHERSTALK

IsatdownwithDavidandRhodaOrme-Johnson,twohighlyexperiencedTMscholarsandteachers,afterlunchonthecampusofMaharishiUniversityofManagement.Iaskedthemhowconsciousnessgrowsand,tomysurprise,theybeganbytellingmehowsoonafterthefirstTMsessionyoucanseesignsofshiftsinconsciousnessandimprovementinthequalityoflife.

HereDavidrelatesashortvignetteaboutacommonmalady—resentmentofhousework:

Oneladywetaughtcouldn’tbringherselftounloadthedishwasher.Andthen,abouttheseconddayafterlearningTM,itwasnolongeraproblemforher.Shejuststarteddoingit—andsingingwhileshedidit.

Davidexplainssuchchangesasfollows:

Oneofthequalitiesofexpandingconsciousnessisfreedomfromtheeffectsofyourconditioning,fromabehavioristpointofview.You’renotbeingjerkedaround.

Thefeelingofemotionalattachment—“Ican’tdothat”—thatsortofthingstartsfallingawayimmediately.Werealizethatbeforestartingtomeditate,peopleoftenspintheirwheelsunnecessarily,orgetintoargumentsthatcouldbeavoided.Thesebehaviorsmayresultfromfearsthatcausethemtorunawayfromthingsthatmaybebeneficial,orpursueattractionstothingsthatmaybebadforthem(likeabadrelationship).Aftertheystartmeditating,theseaversionsorattractionsbecomelesspowerful.Lifemovesmoresmoothlyandpeoplefeelmoreincontroloftheirdestiny.

RhodaoffersadifferentexampleofearlychangeafterlearningTM:

Yearsago,oneofourTMstudentshadfoughtinVietnam,wherehehadlostalegandconsequentlybecameveryangryandbitter.Whenhe

returnedtohavehismeditationchecked,hetoldmethatashewasdrivingupthehilltohishome,heburstoutlaughing,thenkeptonlaughing.Isaid,“Ohwell,that’sgood,”towhichhereplied,“No,youdon’tgetit—Ihaven’tlaughedinseveralyears.”

Rhodapointedoutthatthechangesthatcomewithmeditationarenotalwaysapparenttothepersonwhoischanging—thoughtheshiftmaybeglaringlyobvioustoaspouseorpartner.

Ioncetaughtacouplewherethehusbandseemedtobeenjoyinghismeditation.Thewifehadonlycomplaints,suchas:“It’snotworking.”“I’mnotgettinganythingoutofit.”“Idon’tfeelit.”“There’snothinghappeningforme.”WhenImetwiththehusband,however,hethankedmeforthedramaticchangeshe’dseeninhiswife.

“Whyhaven’tyousaidanythingaboutthatinthegroup?”Iasked.“Icouldn’tfigureoutanicewaytosaythatshewaslessofabitch,”

heresponded.Igavehimsomealternativewordingthatdidthejob.

OHMYGOD!THISISADIFFERENTPERSON

ThemostdramaticstoryDavidandRhodahadtotell—andtheirmostpersonalone—theyleftforlast.Here’showDavidrecountstheevent:

Iwouldsay,asageneralstatement,whathappensduringTMdependsontheconditionofyourphysiologyatthetimeyoulearn.Quiteacommonfindingisthatpeoplewhoarehighlystressedoftenfindabig,dramaticchangewithTMrightaway.AndpeoplewhoareverymellowmayreallylikeTMbutnotfeelsuchabigcontrast.

Moiwasahighlystressedperson.AndpartofthatstresswasaparanoiathatcameonwhenIwasateenager.IfIwaswalkinginNewYork—orwhereverIwas—Iwouldvisualizeasniperaimingatmethroughsomewindow.Itwasanirrationalfear.Ifpressed,IwouldhavesaidthatIdidn’treallythinkthatanyonewasthere,butIalwaysfeltuncomfortableinpublicplaces.Iwasalsoveryshytotalktopeople.

IdecidedtolearnTMaftermybestfriendfromhighschoollearnedandIsawafundamentalchangeinhim.Hewaslesspretentious,more

himself,andmoreproductive—morelikehisauthenticselfthaneverbefore.

Onmyfirstdayoflearning,wewenttotheparkwithourson,andsowewerestandinginanopenarea—andI’mfeelingcompletelyinthemoment.I’mnottheleastworriedaboutsomeoneinoneofthewindowsoverthere,aimingarifleatme.Rhodasaid,“OhmyGod,thisisadifferentperson!”

ThatdaywhenDavidfirstfeltcomfortableinanopenspacewassodramaticthatRhodaremembersitclearlyforty-fouryearslater.Therewasaradicaldifferenceinhowhefelt.ThisshiftwastocontinueasDavidbecameincreasinglyateasearoundotherpeopleinopenspaces—andeverywhere.HewentontobecomeaforemostTMresearcherandcontinuestobealeadingfigureinthefield.

Althoughintheunusualinstance,impressivechangesmayoccurearlyduringmeditation,profoundchangesmoreoftenhappengraduallyandbysmalldegrees,andmayfeelsonaturalthatpeopledon’tevennotice—forawhile.Here’sagoodexamplefromDavid’sownexperience:

AfterI’dbeenmeditatingforafewmonthsIwaslookinginmymedicinecabinetandnoticedattheback—ithaddriftedtotheback—alargebottleofaspirins,coveredindust.Thenithitme:“OhmyGod!Ihaven’thadaheadacheinthreemonths,sincestartingTM.”ThepainhadjustgoneawayandIdidn’tevennotice.

SLOWBUTPROFOUNDGROWTHOFTHESUPERMINDLetusexaminenowthesubtlebutpowerfulwaysinwhichdeveloping

consciousnessperfusespeople’slivesovertimeinsuchawayastotransformhowtheyexperienceanddealwiththeworld.AlthoughIcouldhavechosenmanyexamples,Ihaveselectedjusttwo,largelybecausebothpeopleareespeciallyarticulate.IspecificallychoserelativelynewTMpractitioners(eachhadbeenmeditatingforlessthanthreeyears)toillustratehowevenwhenchangeisnotovernight,itoftenoccursquitesoonandprogressessteadilyinwaysthatcanbepowerfulandultimatelytransformational.ThesetwoindividualsarerepresentativeofmanypeopleImighthavechosen.Itelltheir

storiesinsomedetailtoillustratehowthedevelopmentofconsciousnessinteractswithotherthingsthataregoingoninaperson’slife.

MeetElaineandRoger.

ELAINE:TUNINGINTOTHENOISEOFTHEUNIVERSE

Elaineisachildhoodfriendofmine,datingallthewaybacktosecondgradeinJohannesburg.Likeme,sheimmigratedtotheUnitedStateswithherfamily.ShenowworksasauniversitypsychologistinalargeUScity.Wehavestayedintouchovertheyears,andwealwayscalltowisheachotherhappybirthday.AfterreadingTranscendence,Elainedecidedtolearntomeditate.

WhenIinterviewedher,Elainewassixty-fouryearsoldandhadbeenmeditatingfortwoyearsandeightmonths,abouttentimesaweekfortwenty-fiveminutespersession.Hereishowshedescribesherexperienceofmeditation:

WhenIsitdowntomeditate,Istarttohearthesilenceunderneaththesoundsofeverydaylife.It’salmostlikehearingstatic—butnotannoyingstatic—rather,it’slikewhatastronomerstalkaboutwhentheydescribepickingupthebackgroundnoiseoftheuniverse.TherehavebeentimeswhenIhavebeensoupsetthatIhaven’tbeenabletohearitandhavebeenunabletostartmeditating,endingupjustsittingthere,thinking.Usually,however,Iamableto“tunein”tothisbackgroundsilence.ThenIseemtomeltintoit,usingmymantratogentlycomebackwhenIstarthavingthoughts—whichwasfairlyoftenatfirst.Then,afterafewiterationsofcomingbackvoluntarily,Istarttoexperienceanenergyrunningthroughme,almostlikeacellphonebeingcharged.

WhileI’mawareofwhatisgoingonaroundme,Ifeelcalmanddetached,whichwasanewandliberatingexperiencewhenIstartedmeditating.Ibecomeawareofbodilysensationsofpainordiscomfort,knowingthattheywillmeltaway,andbytheendofthemeditationtheyhavemostlygone.ThereisquiteoftentimethatI“lose,”becomingawareofreturningtomyself,refreshedandcalm,yetfeelingtheenergypulsingthroughme.Notwantingtheexperiencetoend,I’llsometimesgobackinforafewminutesbeforeopeningmyeyes.Whenthishappens,I’msurprisedthatitistimetostopandevenmoresurprised

thatI’vecomeback,usuallywithinthespaceoftimeIhadintendedtomeditate.

IaskedElainehowlongittookbeforeshefeltasthoughsometranscendentexperienceswereenteringherdailylife.Here’swhatshehadtosay:

Iwassurprisedathowquicklytherewasaneffect.Aftertwoorthreedays,whileIwasstilllearningthetechnique,Ihadanamazingexperience.Atsomepointonthethirdday,IwasjustworkingwhenIfeltaverystrangesensationinmystomach.Youknowhowitiswhenthey’veturnedthewatermainoff,thenturnitbackon.There’sagushofairbubblesbeforeitresumesafullflow.Well,Ifeltsomethinglikethat.Allofasuddenmybodywassuffusedwiththisverywarmenergythattookmetotallybysurprise.Ihadbeenfeelingveryemptyandunhappyforanumberofmonths,whichiswhyIlookedintomeditation.AndthenIhadthiswonderfulexperience—itsurprisedmethatithappenedsoquickly.Andithasnotabatedoverallthistime.Obviouslyforafewdaysitwaswonderfulbecauseitwasverynew,different,andpowerful.Nowit’snotthatunusualforme.ButTMcertainlyunblockedsomekindofenergyinme,anditremainsunblocked.

Incidentally,Ihavefrequentlyencounteredsuchreportsofpleasantphysicalsensations,accompaniedbyinfusionsofenergy.HereElainedescribestheseexperiencesfurther:

Thekeyareainvolvedisbelowmyribs—Iwouldsayinmystomach—anareathatIfeeltensingupwhenIamunhappy.It’sclearlyanareaassociatedwithemotion.Thepleasantsensationfeelslikewarmwaterflowingthroughme,withadefinitecurrenttoit,andIexperienceitasbeinggolden.

AtthetimeIwasunderalotofstressandhadbeenforalongwhile—verydrainedofenergy.LifefeltlikedrudgeryandIwasoftenonthevergeoftears.AfterIgotthisenergyback,nothingmuchchangedinmyexternalcircumstances,butnowIhadtheenergytonotbedrainedbythem.Thatsurgeofenergydoesn’tmakemewanttogooutandclimbmountainsordootheramazingthings.Itjustmakesmefeelsomuchbetter.

Elainehasnoticedothersurprisingchangesinherlife—forexample,agrowingdetachment:thelastthingthatthisdevotedwifeandmotheranddiligentprofessionalwouldoncehaveseenasavirtue.Here’showshedescribesit:

I’mnotapersontobedetached.Inthepast,Ifoundithardtoletgoofcertainthoughtsthatwereholdingmeback—andthatcontinuedduringmysessions.SoIwentbacktomyTMteacher,whoreviewedelementsofmytechniqueandgavemeseveralpointersthatturnedouttobejustwhatIneeded.ThesepointersallowedmetojustletgoofwhateverIwasthinkingabout.AsenseofdetachmentissomethingthatIhavebeenabletogetfrommeditationthatIneverhadbefore.Ihavefoundittobeincrediblyliberating.

Asyoumayrecall,Idiscussedthedelicatebalancebetweenengagementanddetachmentinchapter12.Idiscussedthefearofdying,wheredetachmentcanofferawelcomereprieve.ItturnsoutthatthishasbeenanimportantissueforElaine.Here’showshedescribesit:

Ihadn’tthoughtaboutanychangesthatmighthaveoccurredwithregardtomyfearofdeath,butwhenyouaskedmethequestiondirectly,Ithought,yes,myfeelingshavechanged—surprisinglyso.Ihavealwaysbeenterrifiedbydeath,havinghadextremephobicresponsestodeadanimals,andbeingveryeasilydisturbedbythinkingoflosinglovedonestodeath.Myowndeathhasnowbecomemoreimaginableandlesslikebeingrippedsavagelyfromlife.Experiencingdetachmentduringmeditatinghasbeenahugenewexperienceforme,whopreviouslycouldn’tignorearingingphoneoraboilingteakettle.NowIcan,andit’snotamatterofwhite-knucklingit,justaninnercalmordisconnection.It’slikegettinginformationwithoutfeelingcompelledtorespond.Inasimilarway,Icannowunderstand“leavinglife,”likemeltingintomymeditation,ratherthanbeingrippedfromit.TherearesomepreviousfunthingsthatIhavelostinterestin,andIseepeopleagingandbecomingdisconnectedfromthingsthatwereonceveryimportantforthem—andthatdoesn’tseemsoterribleanymore.SoIcannowenvisiontakingleaveoflife,althoughI’mnotinanyhurry.ButI’mdefinitelylessafraidofdeath.

AlthoughElainehasexperiencedtheabilitytodetachmoreeasilyasarelief,paradoxicallyshevaluesanoppositeeffectevenmorehighly.

ThethingthatmeditationhasdoneformethatIappreciatethemostishavingasenseofbeingfullyengagedagain.AsIsaid,Ihadfeltdrained,soeverythingfeltlikeaburden.Evennicethingsfeltlikeaduty.Nowthingsfeelmorereal,moresolid,like“thisismylife—everythingaboutit.”Itfeelsasthoughmyspiritandthephysicalworldaremoreconnected.Ialwaysfeltthatwayasachild.Soitwasdistressingtomeasanadulttofeeltired,stressed,empty,anddrained—liketherewasnojuice.NowthejuiceisbackandIfeelconnected.

Inaway,itsoundslikeI’msayingtwooppositethings,butwhenImeditateandI’mdetached,that’spleasant.Andtherestofthetime,whenI’mnotmeditating,Ifeelverypresentintheworld.

ElaineexperiencesmanyotherbenefitsfromTM,bothwhenshetranscendsandinherdailylife,onaregularbasis.Someofthesehavebeenquitemomentous.Forexample,shewasturneddownforapromotioninfavorofanothercandidate,butshehandledthemattersowellthatshenotonlyreceivedasubstantialraisebutalsothepersonwhowashiredbecameaclosecollaborator.Shehasclearlyscoredpointsforacceptingthenewstatusquosograciouslyandapplyingherselftoherworkwithsuchrenewedenergythatshehasbeenrewardedprofessionallyonallfronts.

Otherchangesaremoresubtle,butmeaningfulnonetheless.Shereportsfeelingperiodsofinnerstillnessevenduringactivityand“adeepsenseoftheworldunfoldingasitshould.”Assheputsit:

Thosemomentshappenunbidden,usuallywhenI’vebeenparticularlyengagedinsomething,usuallywithsomeonetowhomIfeelarealconnection.Onetime,IrememberIwasjustathome,sittingnexttothefire,whenIwasovercomebythiswonderfulcertaintythateverythingwasjustthewayitwassupposedtobe,andthatIneedneverworry.Sincethen,evenwhenIdon’tlikehowthingsareturningout,Iremindmyselfofhavingexperiencedthatsenseofthingsunfoldingexactlyastheyshould.AndevenifIdon’tfeelitatthatmoment,Itrustit.Then,atsomeothertimeIsensethatfeelingagain,oftenwhenIammovedbysomething—likethefire.ItmaybewhenI’moutsidelookingatthestars

orjustgoingforawalk,seeingthebacklittrees—anythingthatstirssomepartofme.Andthereisthatsenseofcertaintyandcalmness—sortoflikeyourmomsayingsomethingwillbeokay.She’snotjustsayingit.Itwillbeokay.

AsElainetalked,itwasclearthatsheisengagedinanevolvingprocess.AstheSuperMinddevelops,manypeople,Elaineincluded,oftenexperiencetheworldasmorevivid.Downtheroad,thegrowingchangesinoneself,alongwithexperiencingtheworldinmorefine-graineddetailandvibrancy,maybeaccompaniedbyasenseofperceivingagreaterunity.HereisElaineonthatsubject:

Iregularly(althoughnotcontinuously)feelasenseofmeaningfulnesspervademyeverydaylife,andI’llperceiveconnectionsamongdetailsthatbrieflyrevealabiggerpictureatwork.I’mnotabletoexamineorholdontothatbiggerpictureforlong,butitfeelsokay.

Howwondrousandintriguingitisformetowitnessmychildhoodfriendonherrichspiritualjourney—andtothinkofallthechangesinherlifethathaveunfoldedinlessthanthreeyears.Cosmicindeed!

ROGER:DEVELOPINGCONSCIOUSNESSASANAGENTOFTRANSFORMATION

Rogerisaseventy-three-year-oldphysicistandformerCEO,amanwhosedistinguishedandsuccessfulcareerinbothgovernmentandtheprivatesectorenabledhimtoretireinhismidfiftiesandspendhistimetravelingwithhiswifeandenjoyinghislife.Hehasalwaysbeenaseeker,andatthetimeIfirstmethimhadbeenpracticingTMforalmosttwoyears.Roger’sexperiencesoftranscendingduringTMsessionsarequiteunusual.Here’showhedescribesthem:

Inthefirstfewweeksandmonthsofmymeditation,whenIfeltIwastranscendingitwouldfeelasthoughIwasgoingdownatunnel—deeperanddeeperanddeeper.Mymindwasquieting.Thoughtsdidn’tcapturemyattentionormyawareness.Theywouldjustpassby.Ultimately,afterafewmonths,Ihadoneexperience,whichI’mhavingfrequentlynow,whereIfeltlikeIwasgoingdownatunnelthatwasconicalin

shape,whenallofasuddenIburstouttheothersideintoanotherconical-shapedtunnelthatwasvastandhuge.

Typically,whenIfeellikeI’minastateofhigherconsciousness,itisapeacefulthingwhereIfeellikeI’mfloatingininfinitespaceandmymindisveryquiet.Thatismymorecommonformofmeditation,whichI’llcall“personalmeditation.”Itisusuallyrelatedtoreplenishingmyenergy,orathoughtorinsightwillbubbleoutthatIendupworkingon.

Thesecondkindofmeditation,whichoccurredabout20percentofthetimeduringmyfirstyearofmeditating,Iwillcall“highenergy.”Duringthisformofmeditation,itfeltasthoughthisenergyflowwasenteringmyhead,flowingthroughmybodyandoveritssurface.Itfeltverypeacefulandgood.WhenImeditatedatMachuPicchulastsummer,theenergyenteringmyheaddidnotfeellikeafaucetwithaslowtrickle—whichishowitusuallyfeels—butlikeahugefirehosepouringenergythroughmybodyandoutthesolesofmyfeet.Ihadneverfeltsogrounded,soconnectedtotheearth,asIdidthere.Butitwasn’taverypersonalmeditation,bywhichImeanitdidn’tresultinaninsightthatIneededtothinkaboutorworkon.

Rogerbelievesthathispersonalmeditationhasledtoimportantinsightsandchangesinbothhisperceptionoftheworldandhisreactions.Herearesomeexamples:

Inoticedindrivingthatwhenpeoplecutmeoff,Ididn’tgetasangryaboutit,soIfelttherewasachangegoingon.Iwasbecomingmorepeacefulandnotasupsetaboutthingshappeninginanormal,everydaysituation.Ididn’tunderstandwhatwashappeninguntilaverysimplelittleincidentoccurredthatclarifiedtheentirething.MywifeandIliketowalk,soonemorningIsuggestedwegoforanhour’swalk.Andshesaid,“No,Idon’twanttowalk.”AndItookthattomeanshewasupsetwithmeforsomereasonanddidn’twanttowalkwithme.ThenIrealized,Wow!There’sanexampleofleapingtoaconclusion!

Well,Ididn’tknowwhyshedidn’twanttowalk,soIaskedher.Shesaid,“Myknee’sbeenbotheringmesinceyesterday,soIdon’twanttowalkforacoupleofdays.”AndthereIhadbeenintheprocessofconcludingthatshewasupsetwithmeandsoon,allthebaggagethatgoesalongwiththatkindofthinking.

Thiswasanewwayofthinkingforme,whichoccurreddirectlyasaresultofmymeditation.Intheweeksthatfollowed,Irealizedthatalmosteveryoneattimesleapstoconclusionsthatareprobablywrongin80percentofcases.Thatrealizationhasmodifiedmyinteractionswithpeople,becausenowIrealizethatcommunicatingandunderstandingclearlywhat’sgoingoninasituationisvery,veryimportant.Itallowsyoutoliveinaharmoniousmannerwithoutcarryingalotofdumbbaggage.

Rogerrecognizestheinfusionoftranscendenceintohisdailylife:

AsImeditatedmoreandmore,Irealizedthetranscendencereallydoesn’tend.It’sthereallthetime.I’mjustnotalwaysawarethatmyconsciousnessisstillexpandedwhenI’mintherealworld.ButwhenIsitdownandclosemyeyes,Irealizethatmyconsciousnessisstillexpanded.Ifeelveryclearheadedandpeaceful,incompleteconcertwiththelawsofnature,ifyouwill—withthewaytheuniverseoperates.Itfeelslikemyinsightsaresharperandclearer,sothatI’mmoreawareofwhat’sgoingonintherealworld.

Rogerbelievesthatwhenhetranscends—whetherduringmeditationorduringawakingstate—importantinsightsarise.

Duringthesestatesoftranscendence,yourmindissoquietandyou’revery,veryopentoanythoughtthatbubblesup.Andsoifthere’ssomethinginyourbeliefsystem,yourmakeup,oryourinteractionswithotherpeoplethat’snotincompleteharmonywiththelawsofnature,thenatsomepointitwillbubbleupandyouwillhavethechoiceofdealingwithitornot.

Here’sasignificantexamplefrommyownlife.Myseventeen-year-oldgrandsonendedupbeingaddictedtoecstasy—abadsituation.Wegothimintoarehabprogramthatdidnotallowhimtocommunicatewiththeoutsideworld,exceptbye-mailifhehadsomeurgentquestionthatrequiredananswer.MywifeandIreceivedane-mailfromourgrandson,thegistofwhichwas:“IthinkI’mgayandhowdoyoufeelaboutthat?”Andoh,bytheway,wehadtwenty-fourhourstoanswerit.Now,here’sakidwhogrewupinBrooklyn(me),seventy-threeyears

old,nothomophobic,butalwayswithanattitudeofstandoffishnesstowardgays—youdon’tbotherme;Idon’tbotheryou.Ididn’twantgayfriends,didn’thavegayfriends.

Now,mygrandsonknewmyattitudetowardgays.Hefeltit,soitwasimportantforhimtoknowhowIwasgoingtoreacttothisnews.AndIdidn’tknowhowIwasgoingtoreact.Itreallyhitmehardinthebeginning.Afterreceivingthee-mail,Ididmyafternoonmeditation—averygood,deepmeditation.Andwithinsecondsofgoingintoastateoftranscendence,theanswercamelikeaboltoflightning.Itdidn’tmatterwhetherhewasgayornot,becauseIlovedhim.Hewasmygrandson.AndIlovehimtodayasmuchasIdidyesterdayorlastyear.SoIsenthimane-mailandIsaid,here’showIfeelaboutit:itdoesn’tmatter.

OverthenexttwomeditationsIrealizedhowI’dbeencarryingthisbaggagearoundaboutgaypeopleforseventy-threeyearsandallofasuddenIrealizedIneededtoresolvethattoo.AndIknewtheanswer—todealwithgaysaswithanybodyelse,accordingtowhethertheyweregoodpeople,howtheytreatedothers,andwhethertheycontributedtosociety.Irealizedthatgaypeoplewerenothreattome,thatitwasokaytohavegayfriends.Soasaresultofasetofmeditationsovertwoorthreedays,Iresolvedanissuethathadbeenburieddeepinmymindallmylife.Andasaresult,myattitudetowardgaypeoplechangedentirely.Andthat’sjustoneexampleofhowIhavebecomemoretolerantandwillingtoacceptanother’spointofview—moreopen-minded.

Rogerwentontotalkaboutpersonalitychangeshehadnoticedinhimselfsincestartingtomeditate.

Iwasthisaggressive,hyper,typeA,butIammuchmorepatientthesedays.I’vebecomemorecreativeandamfindingthatwhenotherstalktomeabouttheirproblemsorissues,I’moftenabletocontributeanideathatresultsinacreativesolution.Ihaveoftenthought,IwishI’dpickedupthistechniqueyearsago,becauseIcouldhavesolvedproblemsatworksomuchbetter,quicker,easier,andmoreinsightfully.

Asaclinician,IwasintriguedbyRoger’sdiscoverythathewasjumpingtoconclusionswhenhetookitpersonallythathiswiferefusedtojoinhimonawalk.Nowhewasabletoaskherthereason,andtheanswercomfortedhim.

Likewise,deeperproblemsbegantoberesolved—likehowtodealwithhisgrandson’sannouncementor,inalargerpicture,hisneedtoreassesshisattitudetowardgays.Ihavecertainlyseenthesetypesofchangesoccurringasaresultofhardworkintherapy,buttoseethemunfoldingsoquicklyandsimplyasaresultofmeditation,especiallyintheeighthdecadeofaperson’slife,wasamazing.

ThatconcludedmyfirstvisitwithRoger,andasatokenofmyappreciation,Igavehimacopyofmypreviousbook,TheGiftofAdversity.3

*

InextmetwithRogerabouttwomonthslater,justbeforethesecondanniversaryofhislearningtomeditate.Hesaidthathisconsciousnesshadcontinuedtoexpand,nowintothenighttime.Whereaspreviouslyhisperiodsoftranscendencehadalwaysbeenbracketedbywakefulness,nowthiswaschanging.Itwasnotunusualforhimtomoveintoatranscendentstatebeforefallingasleep,andthenagainduringthenightitself—expandedconsciousnessinterspersed,asitwere,withsleep—andfinallybetweensleepandwakefulnessattheendofthenight.Rogerexperiencedtranscendenceasstayingwithhiminoneformoranotheralongsidebothwakingandsleeping.Inotherwords,hehadbeguntoexperience“witnessing,”whichIdiscussedinchapter7andwhichwewillrevisitinthenextchapter.

AsRoger’sconsciousnessexpanded,hestartedtoprobehisdifficultchildhood,whichhehadnotpreviouslymentionedtome.Here’showhedescribesit:

WhenIwasakidmyfatherhadTB.HeprobablycontracteditwhenIwasabouttwoorthreeyearsold,andhelivedinasanitariumforallbutaboutaweekthatIrememberwhenIwasyoung.HediedwhenIwaseight,leavingmymotherasingleparent.Mymotherworkedatabakeryforlonghours,fivedaysaweek,includingalwaysonweekends.SowhenIgotoutofschool,she’dbeworkingthreedaysoutoffive.I’dwalktenblocksfromgrammarschooltomygrandmother’shouseandshe’dtakecareofme.SometimesI’dstaythenightatmygrandmother’shouse—andalmostalwaysonweekends—becausemymotherworkedfrom6:00a.m.to6:00p.m.Mymotherhadalotofbehavioralissues,

andwouldoftenbeveryupsetwithmewhenIwasyoung,andIhadnocluewhy.

OneFridaywhenIwassixyearsold,insecondgrade,Iwenttomygrandmother’shouseafterschool.Itwasmaybe8:00p.m.whenmymothercamebyafterwork,andshestartedscreamingandcarryingon.Sheyelledatmetogetintobedandoutofhersight.SoIranintothebedroom,jumpedintobed,andtriedtocovermyselfup.Prettysoonshecamerunningin,rippedthecoversoffme,andshrieked,“Ihateyou!IwishI’dneverhadyou!Youruinedmywholegoddamnlife!Ihateyou!Doyouunderstandme?”shakingmeasshescreamed.Thiswentonoverandoveragainforaboutanhour,untilfinallymygrandmothercameinandgotherout.

Butshereturnedandsaid,“I’mgoingtosendyoutoanorphanage—I’msofedupwithyou.”Atthatpointmygrandmothermadehergohome.Iwassobbinguncontrollably,anddidn’tknowwhatwasgoingon.Mygrandmothercamebackin—shewasthebestthingthateverhappenedtome,apartfrommywifeandfamily.ShecalmedmedownasIkeptbeggingher,“Pleasedon’tlethersendmetoanorphanage.Pleasedon’tlethersendmetoanorphanage.”Shesaid,“Youcanlivewithme,”whichIdid.Shebasicallyraisedme,mostofthetime.MymotherremarriedwhenIwasabouttenyearsold,andIwenttolivewithherandhersecondhusbandatthattime.

Anyway,lotsoftimesinmyearlylifeandmyteenageyearsIwouldplaythismovieoverandoverinmyhead,anditwasveryterrifying,untilIgrewup.BythetimeIwasfifteen,Iwassixfoot,twohundredpounds,andstrong.Iworkedoutwithweightsandthrewtheshotputanddiscusinhighschool.SoIgotphysicallyfitandmentallyconfident,butthestuffwithmymotherneverwentaway.ThereweretimeswhenIhatedher.AlthoughIfinallyforgaveher,Ikepttryingtofindwaystodealwithit.AsanadultIthoughtIhadhandleditwell,butallIwasdoingwasburyingitandcoveringitover.ThankGodforTMbecauseitjustkeptpullingthatmemoryupoverthelastmonth,lettingmeknowthatsomethingwasnotresolved.I’dtriedtoreburyitbutitkeptpoppingup.

Finally,Idecided—okay,I’mnotburyingitanymore.Iwasreadingyourbookatthesametime,TheGiftofAdversity.IgottothechapteraboutManet’sboat[Rogerwasreferringheretousinganimaging

techniquetohelpletgoofpainfulmemories],4andIsaid,okay,I’mgoingtoputthismemoryintheboatandsenditdowntheriver.AndasIwaswalkingdowntothedocktoputitintheboat,Ithought,no,that’snotit.Thisisnotgoingtowork.Ineedsomethingelse.ButIdidn’tknowwhat.

Well,Ikeptmeditatingoverthenextthreeorfourdays,andkeptexperiencingnicetranscendentfeelingsatnight.ThenfinallyIgottothechapterthatmentionsthe“silverlining”exercise[atechniqueforhelpingpeopleextractsomebenefitfrompastadversitythattheycanthenusegoingforward].5Thatwasaboltoflightning,man.Allthatpain?Couldithaveasilverlining?Well,itdid.Itcametomerightawaythatmymotherhadplantedaseedinthissix-year-oldmind,whichgrewasIbecameanadult:Thatmemorywouldneverletmetreatanybodyelselikethat.Itmademewantalwaystolovemyfamily—mywifeandchildren—inawaythatwouldallowthemtofeelsecureinthatlove,sotheywouldneverfeelthreatenedthatIwouldn’tbethereforthem.AndIsaid,Wow!Sixty-sevenyearsandtherewasasilverliningIdidn’tknowabout.Wow!WithinminutesIsaid,letmetrytheboatdealagain.SoIrewoundthefilm—youremember,intheolddayswehadfilmincanisters—andafterrewindingit,Iputthecanisterinitscan,putthetopon,andscrewedittight.Iwalkeddowntothedock,threwitintheboat,undidtheanchor,andshovedtheboathard.Itwentoutonthewater,andthecurrenttooktheboatdowntheriver,throughtheestuary,andouttotheocean.Thecurrentsandwindtookitoverthehorizon.It’sgone.It’sgone.Wow.

Andyou’llneverbelievewhat’shappened.ThisisnowsixdaysandI’vebeensohappy.I’vehadthisdeephappiness,allday,allnight,forsixdays.It’sunbelievable.Sothismeditationisspillingoverintomylife.

Inadditiontothisremarkabledevelopment,Roger’slifewascontinuingtounfoldinallsortsofways.Hewasbeginningtounderstandthathismotherprobablysufferedfromamentalillness.(Theweekaftertheincidentdescribedabove,shehadbehavedasthoughnothinghadhappened.)Tohiswife’samazement,Rogerwasbecomingmorespontaneous.Althoughhehadalwaysbeenahighlyprogrammedperson,nowhewaswillingtoembracenovelopportunitiesandexperiences.Forexample,hepulledsomeunconventional

shirtsthathiswifehadgivenhimyearsbeforeoutoftheirplasticbagsandstartedwearingthemaroundthehouse.Hewashavingfun.Heremainedengagedwithhisgrandson,whocontinuedtobattleinhisrecoveryfromdrugs.Rogerbegantoseegayseverywhere—reallyseethem—andfeltverypositivelytowardthem(whereaspreviouslyhemighthavethoughtsomethinglike,“Ohdamn,wegotagaywaiter”).

IhavepresentedRoger’sstoryingreatdetailbecauseitprovidesavividexampleofhowtheSuperMindexpands—andkeepsexpanding.Andhowitenablespeopletousetoolsandresourcesthatwereformerlyinaccessibletothem(likeaself-helpbook).HadIlefthimafterthefirstinterview,Iwouldneverhavelearnedabouthisterriblechildhoodtraumaandhowhehadresolvedit.Ihesitatedtointerviewhimyetagain,however,suspectingthathiscontinuedgrowthwouldrunovermywordcountlimits!Nevertheless,wehavestayedintouch,andhisbriefe-mailsconfirmmysuspicionstobecorrect.AlthoughRogerwasseventy-fiveyearsoldwhenwelastcommunicated,hisconsciousnesswascontinuingtoexpand,andhispersonalitytogrowandripen.

*

AllthestoriesinthischapterbearoutthequotebyMaharishishownabove,“TheunfoldmentofCosmicConsciousnessstartsfromthebeginning.”Itstartswiththefirstmeditationandgrowsfromthere.Attimesthechangeissudden,attimesgradual.Often,however,aswewillseeinthenextchapter,changesaregradual—almostimperceptibleatfirst—thendramatic.

Ithinkitislikelythatthisformofgrowthiscommontootherlifetransformationsaswell—aswhenachickhatchesfromanegg—butalsointherealmofpsychologyandbehavior.IbelievethatWilliamJameswouldagree.InhisclassicworkTheVarietiesofReligiousExperience,heexpressesthisgeneralphenomenonbeautifully,describingitinconnectionwithreligiousconversion.JamesquotesthefollowingobservationfromEdwinDillerStarbuck’sThePsychologyofReligion.6AsStarbuckputit:

Anathlete...sometimesawakenssuddenlytoanunderstandingofthefinepointsofthegameandtoarealenjoymentofit,justastheconvertawakenstoanappreciationofreligion.Ifhekeepsonengaginginthesport,theremaycomeadaywhenallatoncethegameplaysitselfthroughhim—whenheloseshimselfinsomegreatcontest.Inthesame

way,amusicianmaysuddenlyreachapointatwhichpleasureinthetechniqueoftheartentirelyfallsaway,andinsomemomentofinspirationhebecomestheinstrumentthroughwhichmusicflows.Thewriterhaschancedtoheartwodifferentmarriedpersons,bothofwhoseweddedliveshadbeenbeautifulfromthebeginning,relatethatnotuntilayearormoreaftermarriagedidtheyawaketothefullblessednessofmarriedlife.Soitiswiththesereligiouspersonswearestudying.

Andsoitis,Imightadd,whenitcomestoCosmicConsciousness,thefullyrealizedstageofSuperMinddevelopment.Inthenextchapterwewillconsidertwopeoplewhohavereachedthisstageoffull-blownCosmicConsciousness.

TOSUMMARIZETHECENTRALPOINTSINTHISCHAPTER:

SomepeopleexperiencedramaticaspectsoftheSuperMindsoonafterlearningTM,andformostthereissomeevidenceofSuperMindactivityearlyon.Forothers,thedevelopmentoftheSuperMindisslowandincrementalbut,asElaineandRogerdescribedinthischapter,overtimeitcanbetransformative.Thisisimportanttorealizesoasnottobedisappointedifchangedoesnotoccurrightaway.EventhosewhoexperienceearlychangeswillneedtokeepmeditatingiftheywishtoenjoycontinueddevelopmentoftheSuperMind.

18COSMICCONSCIOUSNESS:SUPERMINDROUND

THECLOCK

Asisthehumanmind,soisthecosmicmind.Ayurveda

“HowdoesCosmicConsciousnessevolve?”IaskedFredTravis.“SomeoneonceaskedMaharishithatquestion,”Travisanswered.“‘Isits

appearancegradualorsudden?’themanasked.Maharishiresponded,‘It’sgradual,gradual,gradual,gradual—andthenit’ssudden.’”

“Andthat’swhatweseeintheEEG,”Travissaid.“There’sacontinuouschangeintheintegrationofbrainpatternsduringTM,aprocessthattakesplaceoverdays,weeks,andmonths.Butit’sonlywhenthisintegrationreachesacertainlevelofcomplexitythatthefullexperienceofCosmicConsciousnessdawns.Sothisiswhatpeoplewillprobablynotice—notanall-or-nonething,butagradual,continuouschangeaftertheystartmeditating.Andthentherewillbesomeinstancewhentheycanmaintaininnertranscendenceinthemidstofwhateverelseisgoingon.Theymayexperiencethatasasuddenshift,butit’snot.ThesubjectiveexperienceofCosmicConsciousnessislikeashapethatisbeingformedbyaseriesofgraydots,andit’sonlywhenthenumberofdotscrossesacertainthresholdthatthepersonperceivestheimage.”

AsyoucanseefromTravis’sdescription,CosmicConsciousnessrepresentsabenchmarkinthegrowthoftheSuperMind—apointatwhichtranscendenceisexperiencedcontinuouslyalongsidebothwakingandsleepingstates.Afewpointsworthnotingaboutthisfifthstateofconsciousness(asclassifiedintheVedictradition)arethat(1)itisnotcommonevenamongexperiencedmeditators,and(2)itispossibletoenjoymanybenefitsofdevelopingCosmic

Consciousness(theSuperMind)evenatmuchearlierstagesofconsciousnessdevelopment.

Suchbenefitscomeaboutwhentheexpandedconsciousnessfromyourmeditationsessionsbeginstoinfuseyourdailyactivities.Itisasifinsteadofoperatingononechannel,younowhavetwo:onethathandleswhateveryouneedtodo,whiletheotherfillsyouwithacalmawarenessthatfeedsbackintochannelone—thusmakingyourdailyactivitiesgosmoothly.Tome,itseemsasiftheeventsofthedayarebacklitinawaythatimbuesthemwithaparticularcharmandradiance.ItisthecoexistenceofthesetwochannelsthatIamcallingtheSuperMind.

Aswehaveseen,thedevelopmentofconsciousnessisaprocessofunfolding,andasconsciousnessexpands,lifeseemstobroadeninimportantways.ConsiderRoger,theretiredphysicistwhoinjustafewyearsofmeditationshedalong-standingprejudice,becamemoreflexibleandspontaneous,andcametotermswithseriousearlyrejectionbyhismother—allwithoutanytypeoftherapy.Hee-mailsmefromtimetotimeand,notsurprisingly,heexperiencescontinueddevelopmentofconsciousnessanditsattendantrewards.Amazingashisstoryistome,itwouldbelesssotomoreexperiencedTMpractitioners.Itturnsoutthatconsciousnesscanjustkeepongrowing.Nobodyhasclearlydefinedanendpointtotheprocess.

WhenIthinkofCosmicConsciousness,I’mremindedofagiantcactusthatgrewinmygrandmother’sgardenwhenIwasachild.Thiscactuswouldbloomonlyonceayear,andtoalittleboyitlookedtenfeettall.Fromadistanceyoucouldseeitsbud,rightatthetop,abovealltheprickles.Itwouldbetightlycoiledatfirst,thengraduallyloosenasityieldedtothetemptationsoftheSouthAfricansun.Finally,thegreatdaycameandthegardenerwouldrushinandtellmygrandmothertohurryupandcome!Thecactusflowerwasinfullbloom!—aglowingwhitetrumpetatopitspricklygreentrunk.That’showCosmicConsciousnessarrivesforsome,asaflowerthatburstsfullblownuponthescene.Onlyinretrospectdoesthelong,slow,progressivegrowththatsupportedthisgloriouseventbecomeapparent.

Othershaveuseddifferentimagestodescribethisthresholdevent—suchasFredTravis’sdescriptionofaccumulatinggraydots.Inthemostfamousimage,however,Maharishicomparesthedevelopmentofconsciousnesstothedyeingofcloth.Initiallywhenclothisdyedandleftoutinthesun,itlosessomeofitscolor.Sotheprocessisrepeated,andeachtimethesunlightbleachesthecoloruntilfinallythecolorholdsfast.Butwhateverimageyouusetodescribethe

process,thefinaldawningofCosmicConsciousness(thefullyrealizedSuperMind)—thoughundetectabletotheoutsider—isunmistakabletotheindividualundergoingthisexperience.

WITNESSINGOnefeaturethatMaharishiflaggedasthesinequanonofCosmic

Consciousnessisthepresenceof“witnessing,”inwhichexpandedconsciousnesspersistsevenwhileapersonisasleepanddreaming.

Weknowafairamountaboutsleepitself.ItcanbemeasuredviaEEGelectrodesappliedtothescalp.Sleepgenerallyprogressesthroughacycleofstages,movingfromstages1and2(themoreshallowlevels)to3and4,thedeeperlevels.ThesedifferentstagesareidentifiedbydifferentwavelengthsontheEEG.ThenthereisusuallyaperiodofREM(rapideyemovement)sleep,duringwhichtheeyesdartfromsidetoside.Thatiswhendreamsgenerallyoccur.

Intryingtounderstandwhatwitnessingis,Ihavefounditusefultorecognizewhatitisnot.Witnessingdoesnotmeanshallowsleep,duringwhichwecanregisteroutsideevents.Forexample,wemaysuddenlybecomeawareofawarmfurrycreatureinourbed,evenbeforewewakeuptofindthatthedogorcatisblissfullysnoozingbesideus,baskinginthewarmthofourbodies.Ormaybeourattentionisrousedbyanewsound(asachild’sfootstepoutsidethedoor)ortheabsenceofone,aswhenapartnerquietlyleavesthebedroominthemiddleofthenight.Wedidn’thearhimorhergetupandleave,yettheabsenceoftheotherperson’sregularbreathingisregisteredandwakesus.Thesefamiliarexamplesindicatealevelofexternalawarenessthatcanoccurduringshallowsleep—yetnoneoftheaboveisanexampleofwitnessing.

Instead,hereisaclassicexampleofhowonemeditatordescribedwitnessing:

Theflurryofwakingactivitycomesandgoes;theinertiaofsleepcomesandgoes.Yetthroughoutthesechangingvaluesofwakingandsleeping,thereisasilentunboundedcontinuumofawarenessthatisme;Iamneverlosttomyself.1

NotehowthisexperienceoftheSuperMindpersiststhroughoutthetwenty-four-hourday.The“silentunboundedcontinuumofawareness”abides

throughoutbothsleepingandwaking.Inotherwords,thetwo-channelanalogyappliesnotonlyduringthedaybutalsoduringsleep.

PerhapsthebestwaytounderstandCosmicConsciousness,includingwitnessing,istolistentothewordsoftwopeoplewhohaveexperiencedthesestatesfirsthand.You’llnoticeherethatCosmicConsciousness—likeallformsofconsciousness—containselementsuniquetotheindividual,alongwithotherscommontoallhumanity.

JOANNE:THEENDOFOBLIVIONJoanneisaTMteacherlivingonthewestcoastofCanada.Shewassixty-

fivewhenIinterviewedherandhadbeenmeditatingforforty-twoyears.Sheenjoyedherpracticefromthestart,andsheisconvincedthatithelpedheruniversitystudiesandhergradesbyenhancingtheclarityofherthinking.

BesideslearningthebasicTMtechnique,Joannealsostudiedvariouscoursesandadvancedtechniques,whichhelpeddeepenherstateofconsciousness.Theseadvancedtechniquesarediscussedlaterinthischapterandalsoinappendix1,inwhichIinterviewleadingTMteacherBobRoth.

*

Thepivotalchange—theopeningofthecactusflower,ifyoulike—happenedforJoanneonlyfouryearsbeforeourinterview(thirty-eightyearsintohermeditationpractice).Atthatpoint,thecumulativeeffectsofhergraduallyshiftingconsciousnessbecameapparentnotonlytoherbutalsotoherhusband.Onedayshestartedcomplainingtohim,“Ididn’tsleepawinkallnight.”Hereplied,“Youmusthave,becauseyousnoredallnight.”Joanne,however,feltasthoughshecouldaccountforeveryminuteofthenight.Howcouldshereconcilethatwithherhusband’sobservations?Hereishowshedescribeswhatshediscovered:

Thatpiquedmyinterest,andIbegantonoticethatmyfeelingofbeingawareneverwentaway.Itwasnotspecificallyanawarenessofanythinginparticularbutratheraninnerawareness,asenseofnotbeingdeadtomyself.Itsimplyneverwentaway.Itdidn’tchangeindreaming,duringtheday,orduringsleep.Ihadhadthisexperiencebefore—ofbeing

awareevenduringsleep—butithadneverlasted.Nowitwasheretostay.

WhenIaskedJoannetodescribetheexperienceofwitnessing,shegentlycorrectedme.

Well,inawayit’snotanexperience.Anexperiencemeansthatthereisanexperiencerandanobjectoftheexperience,whereasthisisawayofbeingthathasnoexperiencer.It’sjustbeing—knowingitself.ThereisnoJoanneasawitnessoranexperiencer.Itismorelikeanight-lightthat’sonallnight—there’sawareness,butnotawarenessofthefactthatI’maware,norawarenessofanythinginparticular.

HadIheardJoanne’swordsasayoungman—sayamedicalstudentoryoungdoctor—Iwouldhavebeenclosedtothislineofthinking.Iamashamedtosayit,butIlikelywouldhavethought,“Thissoundslikemumbojumbo.Ofcourseeveryexperiencemustinvolvetheexperiencerandtheobjectofexperience!—evenifthatobjectissomeaspectoftheself.”SuchwasthearroganceofmyyoungselfthatIcouldnotacceptaspotentiallyvalidsomethingsofaroutsidemyownexperience.Theconceptofnondualityinwhichtheexperiencer,theobjectoftheexperience,andtheexperienceitselfmergeintounitywouldhavebeenforeigntomyWesternupbringing.What’smore,evenhadsomeonepersuadedmethatsuchathingwaspossible,Istillwouldhavequestionedwhatvalue,ifany,itmightconfer.Imighthavedenigrated(smuglyandtomyprivateself)thenicetiesofthedistinctionsinvolvedinthistypeofthinkingas“debatinghowmanyangelscandanceontheheadofapin.”

SincereturningtoTM,however,experiencehastaughtmethattranscendenceisinfactastateofnondualityinwhichthinker,thought,andobjectofthethoughtlosetheirboundariesandmergeintopureawareness.Thisstateisnotonlyhighlypleasurablebutdoesindeedconferbenefits—mostimmediately,asenseofcalmalertnessinwhichyourviewpointshifts,enablingyoutoacquireanewperspectiveofboththeworldandyourself.Itopensupnewcreativepossibilities.Andasthestateoftranscendencehasbeguntoinfusemyeverydayactivities—thoughnot,asyet,thenight—itisnowcleartomehownondualitycarriedthroughintosleepmightwellextendthesebenefits.YearsofpracticingTMhaveopenedmymind,notonlytonewformsofawarenessthat

arebynowfamiliartome,butalsotothepossibilityandpotentialimportanceoffurtherstatesthatIhavenotyetpersonallyenjoyed.

AsIprobedJoanneaboutherwitnessing,furtherinsightscametumblingout.

Idohaveasortoflightinmyheadsometimes—likeanactualphysicallight.ButthisismoreafeelingthatI’mnotasleep,I’mnotdead,I’mnotunconscious.ForawhilewhenIhadit—you’regoingtolaugh—Ididn’tlikeitbecauseIwasusedtooblivionforpartofthenight,andImissedit.SoIthoughtmaybesomerum—ahotrumtoddy—woulddoit.Butitdidn’t.Nothingwoulddoit—soIjustletitbe.

Here’sanotherinterestingthing.Ibrokemywristabouttwoyearsagoandhadtohavesurgerytohaveaplateputin.SoIthought,“Well,thisisgoingtobeinterestingtoseewhathappenswhenI’mknockedoutwithananesthetic.”Butonceagain,itdidn’tfeellikeoblivion—asthoughIhadlostmyself,orgonedeadorintoblacknessornon-me.Itfeltthesameasitdoesduringdeepsleep.Therewasstillawarenessofawareness,thoughnoawarenessofthedoctorortheoperation.Andjustasitisforanybodytowakeup—includingme—Isawmyselfcomingupintoawareness,almostlikesurfacingfromthebottomoftheocean.Iwasawareofdifferentlevelsofwakefulness.ThenIheardnoisesandIwasbackinmyroomagain,inawakefulstate.Whatwasinterestingtomewasthatinmanywaysemergingfromtheanestheticfeltnodifferentthanemergingfromsleep.

IaskedJoannewhatotherchanges,ifany,hadkickedinmorefullyalongwithwitnessing.Shepinpointedafew.

ASENSEOFBEINGPRESENTORINTHENOW

Lifehasbecomesimple,verysimple.OftenIhavenothoughtsaboutwhatisgoingon,whereasbeforeIwasalwaysanalyzingthings:ShouldIdothis?ShouldIdothat?Itwasveryexhausting!Andthat’sjustgone.Lifeiswhatitis,andIdon’tthinkaboutit.Thoughtsmaycomeandgo,buttheydon’tseemlikemythoughts.SomeoneonceaskedMaharishi

whatitwasliketobeenlightened.Hesaid,“It’sveryrelaxing.”Healsosaid,“Enlightenmentisbeingfullyawakewithintheself.Noshadows.”

Joanne’sdescriptionbringstomindEckhartTolle’sThePowerofNow,2ahugelysuccessfulbook,inwhichheemphasizesthevalueoflivinginthepresentinawaythatsoundsverymuchlikeCosmicConsciousness.JoanneactuallymentionedTolle’sbook,whichsheregardshighly,butpointedoutthatTolle’sowntransformationoccurredspontaneously.Afteralongdepression,heawokeonenightandbegantothinkinanentirelynewway,onethatfocusedonthehereandnow.Thatshift,accordingtoTolle,wasthepivotalmomentatwhichhemovedfromlivinginastateoflong-standinganxietyanddepressionintoanexplorationthathaspermanentlychangedhisconsciousness—andhasalsoinspiredmillions(wewillrevisitTolleinchapter19).Joannedoubts,however,whethersuchaspontaneoustransformationispossibleformostpeople.Mostofusneedaspecificmethod,andasalongtimeTMpractitionerandTMteacher,sheseesTMasoneviable,well-developed,widelyavailablewaytodoso—andIagreewithher.

OVERALLCONTENTMENTWITHLIFE

Inthelastfouryears,sinceshefirstenteredCosmicConsciousness,Joannehasalsofeltadeeperoverallsenseofcontentmentwithherlife.WhenIaskedaboutspecifics,shementionedthatsheiswritingabookaboutherhappychildhood,growingupinCanada.Sheisparticularlydelightedtohavethrownofftheyokeofbeingraisedasagirlinthe1950s.

InthelastfouryearsIfeellikeI’vecomehome.Whatfellawayatthattimewasremorseandguilt.Whatliberation!Itwashuge,becausebeingawomaninthisworld,Iwasacculturatedtobeapleaser—likesomanyotherwomen,Ithoughtitwasmyresponsibilitytokeepeverybodyhappy,nomatterwhat.Iwouldalwayssaytomyself,oh,Ishouldhavedonethis,orwhydidn’tIdothat?Andnowhe’smad,andsomethingdidn’thappenthatshouldhavehappened.Ishouldhavebeentheretomakesurethatitdid.

Gosh,justthatchangealoneishuge.Butthen,aboutfouryearsago,IbegantonoticethatsomethingwouldhappenthatInormallywouldfeelguiltyabout—butIdidn’t.Andsincethen,theguiltjustseemsto

havedisappeared.Istillsayalltherightthings:sosorryIdidn’tshowup,orthisdidn’thappen,orIforgotyourbook,orwhatever.IsaythesethingsbecauseitisthepolitethingtodoandIdon’twanttohurtanyone’sfeelings.Butbasically(laughing)Ijustdon’tfeelit,andafterawhileIrealizedthatthehorribleguiltyfeelingisnevergoingtocomeback.Never,ever.Whatahugegiftthathasbeen!

DAVE:LIKEGRADUALLYTURNINGONALIGHTDaveisaretiredsalesexecutivewhonowhasasecondcareer,teaching

middleschoolinFairfield,Iowa,hometoMaharishiUniversityofManagement(MUM).HelearnedTMatagetwenty-eightandimmediatelyenjoyedtheexperience,bothoftranscendingitselfandthetypicalpsychologicalbenefitsthatflowfromit.Overtheyearshebecameawareof“anexpansionoftheheart.”Asheputit:

Inoticedthatmywholeexperienceoflovechanged—andIdon’tjustmeanloveinrelationshipsbutloveingeneral.Ibecamemuchmoreattunedtotheleveloftheheartandmuchmoreappreciativeofeverything.Therewasmoretenderness,moresoftness,patience,andbalanceinme.Everythingbecamemoreprecioustome.Itwasagreatjoy.

Foryears,lifecontinuedthiswayforDave,whowouldmeditatewithseveralhundredMUMstudents,faculty,andstaffinthemorningandevening,inaspacious,dome-likestructure.Onemorningafterfinishinghismeditation,anewdevelopmentoccurred.Here’showhedescribesit:

Irealizedthatsomethingverysubtlebutpowerfulhadchanged.EvenasIwalkedoutofthedome,IcontinuedtoexperiencethattranscendentpureconsciousnessthatusuallyhappenedonlywhenIsatdowntomeditate.Thatunboundedawarenesswasstillwithme!Ithoughtitwouldfade—asithadbefore—butitdidn’t.NomatterwhatIdoorwhereIgo,ithasn’tleft!

IhavetosaythatIdidn’tseeitcoming.Therewasnorealprecursor—nothingthatsaid,“Wow!Abreakthroughisabouttohappen.”Nothingpreparedmeforit.Itjusthappened.Itwasaverysubtlething

andmyphysiologywasreadytoexperienceit,sothereitwas.Andinasenseitchangedeverything—thewholeballgame.

Onceagainweseethephenomenon:gradually,gradually,gradually—thensuddenlythecactusflower.HereisDave’sownanalogytodescribethenewdevelopment.

It’slikeyou’reinaroomthat’sdarkenedandlittlebylittlesomeonestartsincreasingthebrightnessofthelight,sograduallythatyoudon’tevennoticeatfirstbecauseyou’relivingintheroom,andthechangeissubtle.Butthenonedayyousay,“Inevernoticedthatbefore.Ididn’tseethatfeature.”Andyoudon’tthinkit’sbecauseyourlightisbrighter,thatyouhavemoreawareness.Youthink,“Ohwell,that’sinteresting.”It’snotuntilthechangesbecomecompelling,whichiswhathappensinCosmicConsciousness,thatyoucan’thelpbutnoticeit.

“Hasanybodyelsenoticedthechangeinyou?”Iasked.Heresponded:

Nobodynotices—inawaybecausethereisnothingtonotice.Iamthesameperson.IhavethesamesenseofhumorandthesamerelationshipswithmyfamilythatI’vealwayshad.Ontheleveloftheindividualpersona,whichisDave,Ilookthesame.Butbehindthatlevel,theoperatingfeatureofthatpersonahaschangedcompletely,soitwouldbelikeyou’rewatchingamovieandtheychangeprojectorstoanewerandmorepowerfulone.Astheaudience,youseethesamemovie.Butifyouweretheprojector,theinternalexperiencewouldbeentirelydifferent.

What,then,werethechangesthatDaveperceived?Besideschangesinhisperception,whichIwilldiscusspresently,DavedescribeswhatwenowknowasCosmicConsciousness—asenseofround-the-clockunboundedawareness.Youwillnoticethattheword“unbounded”comesuprepeatedlyaspeopledescribetheseadvancedstatesofconsciousness,andhowtheyfeelunlikeordinaryawareness,whichgenerallyfeelsmorelimitedinscope.

*

HereishowDavedescribesCosmicConsciousness:

It’sneverovershadowed.Itnevergoesaway.Infact,itgrowsstrongerandmorepowerful,moredominant.Sleeping,waking,dreaming,asIusedtoliveandencounterthem,aregone.What’sleftisaconstantstorehouseofpureawarenessthatgoeswithmewhereverIam.AndeveryoneandeverythingIseehasbecomeimbuedandsaturatedwiththatsamepureawareness.Andallotherthings,allthehardedgesofrealityhavebecomesoftened.

Davestrugglestofindwordstodescribehow“pureawareness”fillshismind.“It’spurebeing.It’sis-ness,puream-ness.Itistheessentialnatureofexistence,theveryprincipleofawareness.IcouldnothaveimagineditorknownIwouldevergothere.Itneveroccurredtomethatmymindcouldbewithoutthoughts,thatIwouldbecomeathought-freeperson.”

*

IaskedDavehowhecouldconcentrateonthedemandsofteachingmiddleschoolifhismindwasbathedinawareness.ButIalreadyknewtheanswer.Tousemypreviousanalogy,peopleinastateofCosmicConsciousnessoperateontwochannelssimultaneously—onethathandlesordinarydailyfunctions,andonethatissuffusedwith“pureunboundedawareness.”

THESCIENCEOFCOSMICCONSCIOUSNESSSofarwehaveconsideredonlythesubjectiveaspectsofCosmic

Consciousness.Whatthencanbesaidaboutthephysiologyassociatedwiththisstate?

Aswiththescienceoftranscendence,muchofwhatweknowcomesfromEEGs.SinceCosmicConsciousnessusuallydevelopsoveraperiodofyears,however,unliketranscendence,whichcanbemeasuredinminutes,itisfarmoredifficulttostudy—especiallyusingaprospectivelongitudinalapproach.Nevertheless,byusingcross-sectionalcomparisons(thatis,comparingpeoplewhohavebeenmeditatingfordifferentlengthsoftime),afewingeniousEEGstudieshaveaddressedbothCosmicConsciousnessandwitnessing.

THEBRAINDURINGCOSMICCONSCIOUSNESS

LetusreturnforamomenttoFredTravis’slaboratory,wherehisassistanttookEEGreadoutswhileIperformedamedleyoftasks(restingwitheyesclosedforfiveminutes,aTMsessionfortenminutes,andacomputer-administeredtaskthatassessesreactiontime)andanalyzedthedata.Well,TravisandcolleagueshaveusedsimilarmethodstostudytheEEGpatternsassociatedwithCosmicConsciousness.

Justtorecap,wehavealreadyconsideredtheEEGpatternsassociatedwithtranscendence(seechapter5),whichoccurswhilepeopleareactuallymeditating,andrecognizedtwoEEGsignaturesassociatedwiththisstate.Bothofthesefindingsareseenpredominantlyinthefrontalpartofthebrain,theso-calledCEOofthebrain,whichisresponsibleforexecutivefunctioning.Thereadoutsshow:(1)increasedalphapower(thedensityofalphawaves),and(2)increasedalphafrontalcoherence(correlationsbetweenalphawavelengthsacrossdifferentregionsofthefrontallobe).Bydefinition,thesemeasuresweretakenwhilesubjectsweremeditatingwiththeireyesclosed—asinthesecondphaseofFredTravis’sresearchprotocolmentionedearlier.

Whathappens,however,intheEEGwhenlongtimemeditatorsmovebeyondtheirmeditatingstatesandintotheiractivelives?Specifically,whataretheEEGhallmarksofCosmicConsciousness,anddothesephysicalchangesshedlightonthesubjectiveexperiencesdescribedbyexperiencedmeditators,suchasJoanneandDave?

Beforeweaddressthatquestiondirectly,letuslookatastudythatdealswithEEGchangesobservedinpeopleovertheirfirstyearofmeditation.Eventhoughnoneoftheseshort-termmeditatorsattainedCosmicConsciousness,thisstudyisofparticularinterestbecauseitaddressestheunderlyingbrainphysiologythatcorrespondstothedevelopingSuperMind.ThestudyexaminestheEEGsofpeopleduringmeditation,eyes-closedrest,andwhiletakingpartinactivetasks—likemewhenIvisitedTravis’slaboratory.Inthisstudy,TravisandAlarikArenander,directoroftheBrainResearchInstituteinIowaCity,measuredtheEEGsoffourteenpeople(ninemenandfivewomen,theaverageagebeingtwenty-sevenyears),firstatbaseline(beforestartingTM),andthenatthreefurthertimepointsoverthecourseofayear.3Afterbaselinemeasurementsweretaken,thesubjectsweretaughtTMandthenmeditatedregularlytwiceadayforthenextyear.EEGmeasurementswererepeatedaftertwomonths,sixmonths,andayear.Ateachpoint,subjectsunderwentEEGmeasurementsduringthesamethreeconditions(resting,TM,anddoingtaskswitheyesopen).

Theresearchersfoundasignificantincreaseinfrontalbroadbandcoherenceduringallthreeoftheseconditions.Interestingly,however,duringthemeditationcondition,broadbandfrontalcoherenceincreasedfrombaselinetotwomonths,butthereafternofurtherincreaseoccurred.Inotherwords,beyondtwomonths,thereisnoevidenceoffurtherchangeintheEEGsofpeoplepracticingTM.Thatissurprising,sinceyoumightexpectbrainchangestoimproveorbecomemoremarkedwithpractice.Toexplainit,Travispointsoutthattranscendence—likesleep—isanaturalfunctionofthebrain.Onceyougetthehangofit,therefore,yourEEGduringTMislikelytolookthesameregardlessofwhetheryouhavebeenmeditatingforthreemonthsorthirtyyears.

Adifferentpictureemergedfortheothertwoconditions(eyes-closedrestandeyes-opentasks).Ayearlongsteadyincreaseinbroadbandfrontalcoherencewasseeninboththesetwoconditions,suggestingthatpeoplewhomeditateregularlydograduallydevelopEEGchangesconsistentwithgraduallyexpandingconsciousness—earlyevidenceoftheemergingSuperMind.SoweseethatfromtheverybeginningofTMpractice,expandedlevelsofconsciousnessbegintounfold—justasMaharishisaid.

TravisandcolleaguesthenwentontoinvestigatetheEEGunderpinningsofCosmicConsciousnessduringbothwakefulnessandsleep.Inthelatterstudy,LynnMason(thenassociatedwithMaharishiUniversityofManagement)wastheleadauthor.

Inthedaytimestudy,Travisandcolleaguesrecruitedseventeenlong-termmeditators(averagedurationofmeditationwas24.5years),whoreportedhavingfrequenttranscendentexperiencesduringthedayaswellaswitnessing,whichwasanecessarycriterionfortheirinclusion.Theresearcherselicitedthisinformationbymeansofaninterview,thesemistructuredPeakExperiencesQuestionnaire,andtwostandardizedscales.4

Theresearchersthenrecruitedtwocontrolgroupsofseventeenpeopleeach,matchedforageandgender.ThefirstcontrolgroupconsistedofTMpractitionerswithahistoryoffew,ifany,transcendentexperiencesduringwakingorsleepingstates.AsecondgroupconsistedofpeoplewhointendedtolearnTMbuthadnotyetdoneso.Allthreegroupswereputthroughaone-timeprotocolsimilartotheoneIdidwhenIvisitedFred’slab(resting,TM,anddoingtaskswitheyesopen).

Asyoumightexpect,thegroupwithmoretranscendentexperienceshadbeenmeditatingforlonger(onaverage24.5yearsversus7.8years).Ofthecontrolgroups,thosewhohadnotyetbeentaughtTM,whenaskedtodescribe

themselves,reportedmostlytheirquotidianthoughts,feelings,andactions.Incontrast,thelong-termmeditatorswhohadexperiencedwitnessingreportedhavingacontinuoussenseofselfthatwasseparatefromtheupsanddownsoftheirdailylives.AlthoughtheselongtimeTMpractitionerswereawareoftimeconstraintsinorganizingtheirdailyactivities,whenitcametothinkingaboutthemselves,theirpredominantsensewasthattheyhadacontinuousexistenceoutsidetimeconstraintssuchasschedules,clocks,ordeadlines.Asyoumightexpect,theintermediategroup(whohadmeditatedforfeweryearsthantheadvancedgroup)hadresponsesthatfellsomewherebetweenthegroupsatthetwoextremes.Allreporteddifferenceswerestatisticallysignificant.

TheresearchersranthedatafromtheEEGsthroughanappropriatestatisticalbattery,andthefollowingthreeelementsemergedassignificantdiscriminatorsamongthethreegroupsintheexpecteddirection.

EEGcoherenceinthefrontalpartsofthebrain,seenacrossabroadbandofwavelengths—notonlyalpha,butalsobetaandgamma.Thatmakessense,sincethesubjectsweredoingtasksthataregenerallyaccompaniedbyhigherfrequencywavelengths,particularlybetaandgamma(seetable3,inchapter5).Anincreaseinalphapowerdespitethefactthatpeopleweredoingtasks,suggestinginternalstillnessinthepresenceofdynamicactivity,whichisanessentialelementofhigherstatesofconsciousness.Abettermatchbetweencomputertaskrequirementsandbrainresponse,whichhasbeencalledcontingentnegativevariation.

AllthesefindingsareconsistentwiththementalstatechangesdescribedinCosmicConsciousness,aswellasthebenefitsthataccruefromthisdevelopment.Greaterbroadbandcoherence(thatis,notjustinthealpharangewhilesubjectswereatrest)wouldpredictgreatereffectivenessasdifferentbrainareascollaboratemoreefficiently,evenduringtasks.TheassociationbetweenbroadbandcoherenceandeffectivenessissupportedbyNorwegianstudiesofathletesandbusinessmenandbusinesswomen.Inthesestudies,higherlevelsofbraincoherencehavebeensignificantlyassociatedwithhigherlevelsofperformanceandaccomplishment.5Increasedstillnessinthepresenceofactivityenablesapersontooperateasifontwoparallelchannels(asmentionedabove),

oneintenselyengagedwiththetaskathand,theotherdeeplygroundedinanabidingsenseofself.Finally,itisself-evidentthatimprovedbrainresponsetodemands,asevidencedbyEEGresponses,wouldbeconducivetobetterperformance.

Statisticalanalyseswereperformedonvarioustraitsasmeasuredbystandardizedpersonalitytestsadministeredtothethreegroupsofsubjects:inner/outerorientation,6moralreasoning(GibbsSociomoralReflectionMeasure—ShortForm),7anxietylevel(STAI),8andpersonality(InternationalPersonalityItemPool).9Significantresultsemergedinthepredicteddirection(longest-termmeditatorsperformedbetterthanshorter-termmeditators,whoperformedbetterthannonmeditators)forinner/outerorientation,moralreasoning,stateandtraitanxiety,andemotionalstability.10Manyofthesepersonalityfeaturesoverlapwithdescriptionsofexpandedstatesofconsciousnessthatyouhavealreadyread.

Todate,theEEGdatasummarizedabovearethestrongest“signaturesofCosmicConsciousness”foundduringwakefulness.Surprisingly,however,therealsoappeartobesignaturesofCosmicConsciousnessduringsleep,asIwilldescribeinthenextsection.

BRAINSIGNATURESOFCOSMICCONSCIOUSNESSDURINGSLEEP

Aspreviouslydiscussed,onehallmarkofCosmicConsciousnessiswitnessing—transcendingduringsleep.Thisphenomenonisalsodetectableinbrain-wavestudies.

In1996,LynnMasonandcolleaguesatMaharishiUniversityofManagementransleepstudiesonthreegroups,matchedforcertainvariablessuchasgenderandleftorrighthandedness,butwithdifferentTMhistories:11along-termgroup(elevenpeoplewhoseaveragedurationofmeditationwaseighteenyears),ashort-termgroup(elevenpeoplewhoseaveragedurationofmeditationwas1.4years),andanonmeditatingcontrolgroupofelevenpeople.Masonandhercolleaguesfoundthatthelong-termmeditatorsrevealedahighlydistinctandunusualEEGpatternduringdeepsleep(stages3and4).Besidesshowingtheslow-wave(delta)rhythmsthattypicallyoccurindeepsleep,thelong-termmeditatorssimultaneouslyexhibitedtwootherrhythms—theta2(6–8Hz)andalpha1(8–10Hz),apatternnotseenatallinthenonmeditating

controls.Anintermediatetrendinthesemeasureswasseenintheshort-termcontrols.12

Thecoexistenceofalpha1rhythms(associatedwiththetranscendentstate)anddeltarhythms(associatedwithdeepsleep)isconsistentwiththesubjectivereportsofwitnessing—namelythattranscendenceandthepureawarenessitinvolves,whichisassociatedwithalphawavesduringTMsessions,persiststhroughoutthenight.ThenormalEEGshowsnoalpharhythmsindeepsleep.ThisfindingsupportsaphysiologicalbasisforwhatJoanne,Dave,andotherssay—thattheirawarenessnevergoesaway,asleeporawake.Whilealphawaveshavebeenreportedsuperimposedondeltawavesincertainpathologicalconditions,notablyfibromyalgia(inwhichsleepistypicallydisturbed),thesubjectsinthestudywereallhealthy.

FredTravis,acoauthoronMason’ssleepstudy,foundtheresultsinspiring:“Dr.Mason’sfindingssetmethinkingabouthowenlightenmentgrows—thatit’sreallydaybyday.Anditgrowsonalllevelsoftheindividual.WelookatbrainwavesbecauseEEGsarethebesttoolwehave,butI’msurethatenlightenmentisalsogrowinginotherways—inbiochemistryandtheautonomicsystem.Ofcourse,it’salsogrowinginsubjectiveexperience.SofarwehavefoundnoEEGeventthatcorrespondstothesuddensubjectivechangethatheraldsCosmicConsciousness—[thatcactusflowerexperience]—suchasweseeinwitnessing.”

Sinceexpandedstatesofconsciousnessaresoclearlyimportant(atleastinmyopinion)andthescienceonthetopicsopromising(suchasspecificsleepchanges,andtranscendent-typeEEGchangesduringactivity),itoccurstomethatifsomeyoungresearcheroutthereiseagertomakeacontribution,thedevelopmentofconsciousnessisafieldripeforharvesting.

TOSUMMARIZESOMEOFTHEKEYPOINTSINTHISCHAPTER:

IncertainTMpractitioners—usuallyonlyaftermanyyearsofpractice—theSuperMindgrowstotheextentthatitispresentthroughoutthedayandevenatnight.ThisstatehasbeencalledCosmicConsciousness,andthenighttimecomponentofawarenesshasbeencalled“witnessing.”Inthechapterweheardfromtwopeoplewhoreportreachingthisstage.

AdaytimeEEGstudyofTMpractitionersatdifferentlevelsofconsciousness,andwhohadbeenmeditatingfordifferentdurations,werecompared,alongwithanonmeditatingcontrol.Keydifferenceswerefound,whichweresummarizedinthechapter.AsimilarEEGsleepstudyalsorevealeddifferencesbetweengroups:long-termmeditatorsshowedahighlydistinctandunusualEEGpatternduringdeepsleep,wherebytheEEGrhythmassociatedwithdeepsleep(delta)wasoverlaidwiththeEEGrhythmtypicaloftranscendentstates(alpha1).

19TRANSCENDENTSURPRISESANDTHEGROWTH

OFCONSCIOUSNESS

Mysticalstates,strictlyso-called,arenevermerelyinterruptive.Somememoryoftheircontentalwaysremains,andaprofoundsenseoftheirimportance.

WilliamJames1

Sofarwehaveconsideredthegrowthofconsciousnessasamoreorlessorderlyincrementalseriesofdevelopmentsthatinsomepeoplemayleadtoastable,establishedstate.ThiswascertainlythecaseforJoanneandDave,profiledinchapter18.

WhenIshowedanearlydraftoftheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnairetoVickiBroome,theTMteacherwhofirsttaughtmethetechniqueinJohannesburgandhasremainedafriend,herresponse,whichfollows,tookmebysurprise:

Mostofyourquestionsareaboutpervasivestatesthataregraduallybecomingmoreestablished—whichisgreat—sothatasCosmicConsciousnessgrows,wehavemoreandmoreoftheseexperiences.Youmightliketoaddaquestionaboutaflashyfull-blownCosmicConsciousnessexperience,whichmaynotnecessarilylastbutyoucan’tmissbecauseitcanblowyouaway.

THEPOINTSIWOULDMAKEABOUTSUCHEXPERIENCESARE:

1.Onceyouhavethisglimpseoffull-blownenlightenment,youareneverthesameagain.Justoneglimpseisenough.

2.Itcancomeatanymoment—notonlyinapeacefulorrelaxedormeditativeenvironment.Itiscompletelyunexpected.

VickiagreeswithotherTMexpertsthattheincrementalprogressionofconsciousness,fosteredbyrepeatedexperiencesoftranscendenceduringmeditation,isessentialtoexpandingconsciousness—liketheclothinMaharishi’simagethatgraduallytakesonpermanentcolorbybeingdippedrepeatedlyintodye.Nevertheless,itisheropinionthat“peakexperiences,”suchasshehasobservedbothinherselfandinothers,needtobeunderstoodasanotherwayinwhichconsciousnesscanprogress—inquantumleaps.Assheputsit:

Iwouldnotswapthesetypesofexperiencesforanything.Theyhavebeenthebestmomentsofmylife,andtheymakesenseofeverythingelse!TheyarelikeGod’sgrace:justtoexperiencethis—withoutdrugs,whichdamage—andknowthetruthofthings.Whatablessing!

MYSTICALEXPERIENCES

Theycallallexperiencesofthesensesmystic,whentheexperienceisconsidered.

SoanapplebecomesmysticwhenItasteinitthesummerandthesnows,thewildwelterofearthandtheinsistenceofthesun.

AllofwhichthingsIcansurelytasteinagoodapple.Thoughsomeapplestastepreponderantlyofwater,wetandsourandsomeoftoomuchsun,brackish,sweetlikelagoonwater,thathasbeentoomuchsunned

ifIsayItastethesethingsinanapple,Iamcalledmystic,whichmeansaliar.

D.H.Lawrence2

IhavestartedthissectionwithD.H.Lawrence’spoem“Mystic,”notonlyforitsgorgeoussensoryimagery,butalsofortheimportantpointthatheismaking.Howcanwebelievethesensoryexperiencesofanotherperson—orrather,whyshouldwedisbelievethem?Inthissection,Ihavechosenthreefamousexamplesoffantasticalexperiencesoftranscendencereportedbypeopleoutsidethecontextofmeditation.AccordingtoVickiBroome,however,whohastaughtTMtothousandsofpeople,shehasencounteredtranscendentexperiencesthatarise“outoftheblue”inmeditatorsaswell.

FAMOUSEXAMPLESOFTRANSCENDENTFLASHESANDTHEGROWTHOFCONSCIOUSNESS

Letusturnnowtoafewwell-documentedstoriesofwhatIamcalling“transcendentflashes.”Mychiefinteresthere—asidefromtheinherentfascinationofthestoriesthemselves—ishowsuchexperiencescontributetothegrowthofconsciousness.Fromamultitudeofpossibilities,Ihavechosenjustafewexamples.

RICHARDBUCKE

RichardBuckewasaprominentCanadianpsychiatristinthelatterpartofthenineteenthcentury.HeisbestknownforhisbookCosmicConsciousness,publishedoriginallyin1901.ThebookisthefruitofBucke’sdecades-longquesttounderstandhowconsciousnessdevelopsamongcertaingiftedpeople.Thelongquestandresultingbookdemonstrate,asVickiBroomemightsay,“Howasingletranscendenteventcancomeoutofnowhereandblowyourmind.”

HereisBucke’sdescriptionofhisexperience:

Ihadspenttheeveninginagreatcity,withtwofriends,readinganddiscussingpoetryandphilosophy.Wepartedatmidnight.Ihadalongdriveinahansomtomylodging.Mymind,deeplyundertheinfluenceoftheideas,images,andemotionscalledupbythereadingandthetalk,wascalmandpeaceful.Iwasinastateofquiet,almostpassiveenjoyment,notactuallythinking,butlettingideas,images,andemotionsflowofthemselves,asitwerethroughmymind.Allatonce,without

warningofanykind,Ifoundmyselfwrappedinaflame-coloredcloud.ForaninstantIthoughtoffire,animmenseconflagrationsomewhereclosebyinthatgreatcity;thenext,Iknewthatthefirewaswithinmyself.Directlyafterwardtherecameuponmeasenseofexultation,ofimmensejoyousness,accompaniedorimmediatelyfollowedbyanintellectualilluminationimpossibletodescribe.Amongotherthings,Ididnotmerelycometobelieve,butIsawthattheuniverseisnotcomposedofdeadmatter,butis,onthecontrary,alivingPresence;Ibecameconsciousinmyselfofeternallife.ItwasnotaconvictionthatIwouldhaveeternallife,butaconsciousnessthatIpossessedeternallifethen;Isawthatallmenareimmortal;thatthecosmicorderissuchthatwithoutanyperadventureallthingsworktogetherforthegoodofeachandall;thatthefoundationprincipleoftheworld,ofalltheworlds,iswhatwecalllove,andthatthehappinessofeachandallisinthelongrunabsolutelycertain.Thevisionlastedafewsecondsandwasgonebutthememoryofitandthesenseofrealityofwhatittaughthasremainedduringthequarterofacenturythathassinceelapsed.Iknewthatwhatthevisionshowedwastrue.Ihadattainedtoapoint-of-viewfromwhichIsawthatitmustbetrue.Thatview,thatconviction,Imaysaythatconsciousness,hasnever,evenduringperiodsofthedeepestdepression,beenlost.3

AsweseefromDr.Bucke’saccountofhispivotalexperience,hissubsequentfascinationwithconsciousness,andresultingbook4—whichisstillinprintoveracenturyafteritspublication—asinglepowerfultranscendenteventinfluencedhimfortherestofhislife.

EDGARMITCHELL

EdgarMitchellwasoneofthethreemenontheApollo14spacemission,whichlandedonthemoonin1971.Hespentninehoursonthesurfaceofthemoonandwasthesixthpersontowalkonit.Onthewayhome,hegavethefollowingaccounttomyfriendandcolleagueJulesEvans,authorofPhilosophyforLifeandOtherDangerousSituations:5

Everytwominutes,apictureoftheearth,moon,andsunanda360degreepanoramaoftheheavensappearedinthespacecraftwindowasI

looked....Irealizedthatthematterinouruniversewascreatedinstarsystems,andthusmoleculesinmybody,andinthespacecraft,andinmypartners’bodies,wereprototypedormanufacturedinsomeancientgenerationofstars.AndIhadtherecognitionthatwe’reallpartofthesamestuff,we’reallone....Anditwasaccompaniedbyadeepecstaticexperience,whichcontinuedeverytimeIlookedoutofthewindow,allthewayhome.Itwasawholebodyexperience.

Mitchellwassofascinatedbytheexperiencethathewentontoresearchsimilarexperiencesinothercultures,virtuallyallofwhichgavedescriptionsofwhathecalled“TheBigPictureEffect.”HereachedaconclusionsimilartothatofWilliamJames:thatmystical(andverylikelytranscendent)experiencesarethebeginningofallreligions.HewentontoestablishtheInstituteofNoeticSciencestoexploreandpromotetheexpansionofhumanconsciousness.

Healsodiscussedhismysticalandintellectualjourneywithotherastronauts,whohadhadsimilarexperiencesderivedfromseeingtheearthaspartofalargersystem.TheseconversationsledinturntoabookbyFrankWhitecalledTheOverviewEffect.6

Reflectingonhimselfandhisfellowastronauts,Mitchellremarked:“Ifwecouldgetourpoliticalleaderstohaveasummitmeetinginspace,lifeonearthwouldbemarkedlydifferent,becauseyoucan’tcontinuelivingthatwayonceyouhaveseenthebiggerpicture.”Onceagainweseethepowerofasinglemysticalortranscendentexperiencetoinfluencethedevelopmentofaperson’sconsciousnessandthetrajectoryofthatperson’slife.

ECKHARTTOLLE

EckhartTolleisanauthorandcontemporaryspiritualteacherwhomwehavealreadymet.InThePowerofNow,hedescribeshow,afterdecadesofanxietyandsuicidaldepression,hewokeuponenightwithafeelingofdread.Hethought,“Icannotlivewithmyselfanylonger.”Hebecameintriguedwiththedualityimpliedbythatrealization—ofan“I”anda“self”—twoseparateentities.Whenhewokeup,hesawthefirstlightofdawnandknewthat“thereisinfinitelymoretolightthanwerealize.”7

Forthenextfivemonthshelivedinastateofcontinuouspeaceandbliss,characterizedbyaformofawarenessthatfocusedonthepresentmoment.Thisnewtypeofawarenessbecametheinspirationfor,andthesubstanceof,his

famousbook.ManyelementsofthetypeofawarenesshedescribesinhisbookresembletheSuperMindasweunderstandit.Yet,the“now”awarenessdidnotgrowincrementally,asoccursinthosewhopracticeTMovertime.Rather,atleastasdescribedinthebook,itappearstohaveemergedsuddenly,mysteriously,andfullyformedlikeAthenafromtheheadofZeus.

WILLIAMJAMESONMYSTICALEXPERIENCESWithregardtohowbesttoviewmysticalexperiences,mychiefmentoris

WilliamJames,whosetoutwithexemplaryobjectivitythemysticalexperiencesthatcamehisway.Open-mindedastowhattheircausesmightbe,heapproachedthemasascientistbutneveroverlookedthepeoplebehindthephenomena.Finally,heregardedtheinformationinherentinthese“religiousexperiences”aspotentiallyimportanttoourunderstandingofthemind.Anexemplarymentor,ifevertherewasone!

*

Jamespointsoutfourelementsthatheregardsaskeytomysticalexperiences:8

Ineffability:“Noadequatereportofitscontentscanbegiveninwords....Inthispeculiaritymysticalstatesaremorelikestatesoffeelingthanlikestatesofintellect.”Noeticquality:“Mysticalstatesseemtothosewhoexperiencethemtobealsostatesofknowledge.Theyarestatesofinsightintodepthsoftruth...illuminations,revelations,fullofsignificanceandimportance.”Transiency:“Exceptinrareinstances,halfanhour,oratmostanhourortwo,seemstobethelimitbeyondwhichtheyfadeintothelightofcommonday.”Passivity:Itfeelsasthoughtheexperienceishappeningtoyou,notasthoughyouaretheinitiatororarchitectoftheexperience.

Totheseheaddedafifthquality—thatsuchexperienceswerenevermerely“interruptive”butthat“somememoryoftheircontentalwaysremainsanda

profoundsenseoftheirimportance.”AsbestasIcantell,James’sobservations—andthesefivecriteria—areas

relevanttodayastheywerewhenhepennedthemoveracenturyago.

WHOGETSTRANSCENDENTFLASHES?Overdinnerwithadearfriend,IsharedwithherthatIhadhadinmylife

justtwoepisodesthatmightbecalledflashesoftranscendence,alongwithvividsensoryexperiences,whennotmeditating—“mysticalstates”asdefinedbyJames.YoumayrecalloneexperiencethatIdescribedinanearlierchapter,whichinvolvedmycominghomeaftermeditatinginthelateafternoonandwalkingupthefrontpaththroughtwocolumnsoftallflowers(seechapter7).Thesecondexperience,whichIreportedinTranscendence,occurredatthesametimeofday—attheendofasummerafternoon—onceagainaftermeditating.AsIsatdowntodinnerandgazedataplacematthatfeaturedMonet’swaterlilies—acommonplacesouvenirfromamuseuminParis—IfeltasifI’dbeentransportedintoMonet’sgardensatGiverny,whereIstoodbeforehisiconicbridge,watchingflecksoflightglintoffthesurfaceofthedappledpondandlingeringinthebeautyofhiswillowtreesandwaterlilies.

Myfriend,whoisanexpertinbipolardisorder,pointedouttomethatthesortofexperienceIwasdescribing,whichhadhappenedtometwiceinmywholelife,werethekindsofexperiencesthatpeoplewithbipolardisordermighthavelotsoftimesinasingleyear.Sheremindedmethatecstaticexperiencesareaclassicpartofhypomania,andsuggestedthatnodiscussionofthemwouldbecompletewithoutdrawingthatconnection.Herpointiswelltaken.Itispossiblethattranscendentexperiencesthatariseapparentlyoutofthebluemightinsomeinstancesbefueledbyhypomania.Thiscondition,whichislessprominentthanmaniabutsharessomeofitstendencies,ofteninvolveselationorirritability,aflightofideasandrapidspeech,increasedenergy,lessneedforsleep,andgreatercreativity.Hypomaniacanbeintensifiedbyprolongedexposuretobrightlight(suchasattheendofalongsummerafternoon),sleepdisruption,andjetlag.

Assomeonewhohasspentmanyyearsresearchingtherelationshipbetweenlightandmood,Iamintriguedthatsomanytranscendentexperiencesinvolvealterationsinperceivedlight.RichardBuckefoundhimself“wrappedinaflame-coloredcloud,”andimmediatelyafterwardfelt“asenseofexultation,ofimmensejoyousness.”ManypeopleIinterviewedhaveseenlightofdifferent

types—agoldenpearlonthehorizon,lightaroundtheheartarea,oravisionofabrightangel.Tollecommentedontheamazingqualityofthelightfollowinghisradicalchangeinconsciousness.EdgarMitchellfeltadeepecstasythatcontinuedeverytimehelookedoutthespacecraftwindow.

ASOBERCONCLUSIONSurprisingtranscendentflashes,whichmaybeaccompaniedbyheightened

orunusualsensoryexperiences,arefascinatingtocontemplate,buttheyarenotnecessarytobenefitfromTM,andthesteadygrowthofconsciousnessisthesurestpathwaytotheSuperMind.

Aswelistentodramaticstoriesofvisionsandmysticalexperiences,itiseasytofeelinadequateorenviousaswecontemplateourownlessdramaticexperiencesoftranscendenceandexpandedconsciousness.Itisnaturaltowonderwhatistobecomeofthoseofuswhohaveecstaticmysticalexperiencesrarelyornever.Thatappliestomostpeople(myselfincluded).IamhappytosaythatinpracticingTMregularlyovertime,wehaveassmoothandreliableapathtoexpandedstatesofconsciousness—andthedevelopmentoftheSuperMind—asthosewhoexperiencefour-starspecialeffects.

Eachtimeyoudiveintothewatersoftranscendence,yourconsciousnessdevelops.WeknowthatbothfrompersonalaccountsandEEGstudies.Andasyoutranscendrepeatedly,soyourconsciousnessexpands.Thatexpandedconsciousnessisthebasisofallthefruitsdescribedintheprevioussectionsofthisbook.Now,whenyousamplethem—asIhopeyoudo—youwillhaveabetterunderstandingofhowtheyariseandripen.

Inthenext,andlast,chapterofthisbook,Iwillbrieflydescribehowasconsciousnessdevelopsitexpandstoencompassourfellowhumanbeingsandotheraspectsofouruniverse.

TOSUMMARIZESOMEOFTHEKEYPOINTSINTHISCHAPTER:

AlthoughSuperMinddevelopmentusuallyproceedsslowlyandincrementally,occasionallyitisinfluencedbytranscendentexperiencesthatariseunbiddeneitherduringmeditationorinwakingstates.Afewexamplesofthiswell-describedphenomenonwerepresented.

Suchtranscendentflashesappeartobeanunusualbutwell-documentedwaybywhichtheSuperMindcandevelop.

20TOWARDACONNECTEDUNIVERSE

Outbeyondideasofwrongdoingandrightdoing,thereisafield.I’llmeetyouthere.Whenthesoulliesdowninthatgrass,theworldistoofulltotalkabout.Ideas,language,eventhephraseeachotherdoesn’tmakeanysense.

Rumi1

Ourjourneythroughthestagesofconsciousnesshastakenusbeyondwaking,sleeping,anddreaming,onthroughtranscendence.Now,astheSuperMindriseswithinusandgrows,sodoesourcapacityashumanbeings.Weoftenbecomemoresuccessfulinourpersonalandprofessionallives.Butevenaswegrowwithinourselves,anewdesirebeginstounfoldwithinourconsciousness—adesiretoreachouttopeopleweknow—oreventostrangers:adesiretoshareourgrowingabundancewiththosearoundus.Itisthisaspectofgrowingconsciousnessthatwilloccupyourattentioninthislastchapter.

IhavelongenjoyedthewordsofRumiquotedabove,movedbytheideathattheremaybeaplacewherewecanputasideallourdifferencesandbetogetherinharmony.Itisadreamsharedbypeopleofallpersuasionsthattherewillbeatime,asitiswritteninIsaiah,whennationwillnolongerwagewaragainstnation,when“theyshallbeatourswordsintoplowsharesandourarrowsintopruninghooks.”2Howthenmightmeditationandthegrowthofconsciousnesscontributetosuchadream?

Onapersonallevel,asIhavecontinuedtomeditateovertheyears,Ihavefeltmorepartofafabricthatconnectsmewithotherpeopleand,inanabstract

way,withtheuniverseasawhole.Alongwiththishascomea(slightly)diminishedfearofdeath—thoughIdon’tlookforwardtoit.Isensethatthesefeelingsarenotminealonebutcommontothosewhomeditate,thoughofcoursenotexclusivelytothem.LetmeclosewithafewexamplesofpeoplewhointheirownwaysexpresssomeaspectofthisphenomenonthatIhavegatheredunderthechaptertitle“TowardaConnectedUniverse.”

DIVORCEANDRECONCILIATIONOfallthefracturedrelationshipsweencounterinourordinarylives,divorce

isoneofthemostubiquitousandpainful.Ifyouthinkaboutit,twopeoplemeet,fallinlove,planalifetogether,sharetheirdreams,andintendquietlyorpassionately,gentlyorfervently—andsometimesagainstobjectiveodds—tolivehappilyeverafter.Andyet,soonerorlater,thingsbegintogowrong:Thefabricfrays,thentears,andfinallyruptures.Sometimesthishappensamicablybutalltoooftennot.Itsometimesseemsasthoughnotwopeoplecanhateeachotherasmuchasthosewhohavelovedandlosteachother.

JoeandGillianhadsuchamarriage,whichbrokeupafterafewyears,duringwhichalovelydaughterhadbeenborn.Aswithmanycouplesintheirsituation,theyhadnotplannedtoraiseherundertworoofs,andneitherwassatisfiedwiththeirjoint-custodyarrangement,tosaytheleast.AsJoesawit,Gillianwasalwayslookingtorenegotiatearrangements.

AtthetimeofthestoryIamabouttotell,Joe,afinancialanalystaboutfortyyearsold,hadbeenpracticingTMforaboutayear.OneeveningGilliancalledhimandsaidshewantedtorenegotiatethetermsofthecustodyonceagain.Joefeltthebloodrushingtohisfaceandwasabouttolaunchintoatiradewhenhecheckedhimself.“Thisisn’tagoodtimeformetodiscussthis,”hesaid.“Letmecallyoubacklater.”Thenhesatdowntomeditate.Ashedid,hefelthisbodysettledownand,strangely,hebegantofeelcompassionforGillian.“Sheseemedupset,”hethought.“Sheseemedstressed.”

JoeemergedfromhismeditationfeelingrestedandreadytocallGillian.Helistenedtoherthoughtsabouthernewproposal,withoutinterruptingorrebuttinghersuggestions.Instead,heaskedsomequestionsabouthowthenewcustodialarrangementwouldwork,andasGilliankepttalking,Joecouldhearhersettledown.Shethensaid,“WhoamItalkingto?Youdon’tsoundlikethesameperson.”Thecustodysituationremainedunchanged.Inreviewingthisinteraction,JoetoldhisTMteacher,“Beforemeditating,theproblemfeltlike

scalingMountEverest.Afterwarditfeltjustlikeclimbingaregularmountain—oneI’dscaledmanytimesbefore.”

RAYDALIO:SEEINGTHEBIGPICTUREIhadlastinterviewedRayDalioformallyforTranscendence,andhisviews

ofTManditsroleinhislifecanbefoundinchapter15.Althoughhewaseventhenaleadingbusinessfigure,havingfoundedthebiggesthedgefundintheworld,intheinterveningfiveyearshehasattainediconicstatus.Hisinsightsintomarketsandinternationalfinancearelegendary.Leadersinthearenasoffinance,politics,andpolicyreachouttohimregularlyforadvice,andheinturnhassoughtouttheopinionsofleadingscientistsandotherwisepeopleinordertobetterunderstandhumanity’sroleintheuniverse.WhenIinterviewedhimforthisbook,hesharedwithmesomeofwhathehaslearnedinthecourseofhisexplorations.

IaskedwhetherinthelastfiveyearshehadnoticedanycontinuingchangesinhisstateofmindorthewayinwhichheviewedhislifeintheworldthathewouldascribetohisongoingTMpractice.Here’showhereplied:

Yes.Ithinkit’saresultofacomplementaryrelationshipbetweenmyownpersonalevolutionandmyTMpractice.Ithinkthatasonegoesthroughvariousstagesoflife,particularlyasonegetsolderandrisesaboveone’sownpersonalcircumstances,moreandmoreoneseesthingsaspatternsratherthanasindividualevents.Thathigher-levelperspectivecomesfromobservingmanythingshappenoverandoveragain.Yourperspectiveevolves,andIthinkit’sgreatlyfacilitatedbymeditation.AsI’vecontinuedtotranscendandprogressoverthepastfiveyears,Ihaveseenmyperspectiveascendingandmyselflivinginthecontextofthatnewperspective.Ilookdownatthingsasthoughfromabove,andseethemwithinagreatercontext.Andthatascendingandchangeinperspectiveishappeningbecauseofmyownevolutionoperatingtogetherwithmeditation.

COMPASSIONONTHESTREETSOFNEWYORKCITY

WehavemetRichardFriedmaninearlierchapters.Heisapsychiatrist,NewYorkTimescolumnist,andafriendwhodecidedtolearnTMafterreadingTranscendence.HehadbeenpracticingTMregularlyforfouryearswhenIaskedhimwhetherhethoughtithadaffectedhisfeelingstowardothersandtowardtheuniverseasawhole.Hisanswerwasunequivocal:yes.Heelaboratedasfollows:

I’vealwaysbeenempathicwithpeopleIknow.Inthelasttwoyears,however,Iammuchmoreawareofpeoplearoundme—strangers—andwonderabouttheirstories.Peoplewholookupsetandusedtoirritateme—forexample,becausetheywerescreaming.Iamnowmoreintunewiththeirsuffering.Iseethemmoreasindividualsanddon’tdismissthemasacategory.Iammoreforbearing.

Astheinhabitantsofmanybigcitiesknow,theteemingcrowdsandpressofstrangersbumpingupagainstyouinduceacertainguardedness,whichcanbehighlyadaptive.TMhelpslowerthebarrierssafely,allowingagreatersenseoffellowship—asRichardgoesontodescribe.

IcommutetoworkonthesubwayfromUnionSquare,thenumber6lineinManhattan,whichislikeasardinecanduringtheearlymorningcommute.NowwhenInowgoonthesubway,Iletthecrowdkindofwashmeintothecar,thenoutofthecarandupthesteps.Idonothingtoresist.AndallthewhileIsitandreadorstandandread,seeminglyunbothered.Thatwouldhavebeenanunusualexperienceformeinthepast.Inormallywouldhavebeenputout.I’dhavefounditaversiveandnotwantedtogobackonthesubwayinthoseconditions.Butnowitdoesn’tbothermeatall.

Atthesametime,Ifeelmoresensitizedtotheworldaroundme,moreinterestedandporous—lessinabubble.Sometimes,whenIamluckyenoughtogetaseatonthesubway,Ilookatstrangersandimaginewhattheirlivesarelike.Iseeapainterwithhousepaintalloverhisdungareesandthinkhowharditmustbetohavetopaintonsuchahotday;orawomanwearingtoomuchmakeup,andI’llwonderhowpainfulitmustbetoworrysomuchaboutone’sattractiveness.Inthepast,allthesepeoplewouldhaveblurredintooneundifferentiatedmass.NowIseethemasdistinctindividuals.

Hefeelsmoreempathytowardpeopleheseesonthestreet,whoareobviouslyhavingahardtime.“Iactuallystopandfeelsomesorrowandwonder,‘Howdidtheygetthere?’Itakeinmoreofwhat’sgoingonaroundme.Thingsdon’tpassbymeinablurastheyusedto.”

Richard’saccountofthehumanizingeffectofTMontheexperienceoflivinginNewYorkCityisbynomeansunique,asevidencedbythisreportfromafellowNewYorker.

Iliveinacitywheremostpeoplenavigatethroughtheirliveslockedwithinpersonalbarriersthattheyhaveconstructedtoprotectthemselves.Iknow,becauseIwasoneofthem.ButsinceIbeganmeditating,InoticethatIammuchmorecomfortablebeingopenandavailabletowhateverexperienceIamhaving,whetherit’sonasubway,inashoporrestaurant,orjustwalkingdownthestreet.SometimesIamoverwhelmedwiththesenseofconnectednessIfeelamongusall.Atthesametime,beingaNewYorker,Iamnotblindtopotentialthreat—it’sjustthatIdon’tliveasmuchonthedefensiveasIusedto.WhatIamfindingisthatmanypeople,whomIwouldnothaveevenseenbefore,arequitebeautiful—andalsowantingtomakeaconnection,evenifitisjustapassingsmileofacknowledgment.

ToreturntoRichardFriedman,thechangesinhisfeelingstowardotherssincehehasstartedtomeditatehavealsoinfluencedhisclinicalwork,whereheismorepatient.Hispartnerhasalsoobservedhisgreaterempathyanddecreaseddefensiveness—andappreciatesthesechanges.

Ashehascontinuedtomeditate,Richardhashadagrowingsenseofcommunicationwithalargerworld:“Animmanent,ineffablestate—fleetingglimpsesfromtimetotimeofcontactwithsomethingshotthroughwithlight.”IntandemwiththeseexperiencesRichardhasfeltlessself-consciousandlessconcernedabouthisvaluetotheworld.Asheputsit,“IfeellessskininthegamewithregardtowhatIhavedoneoraccomplished,andwhatIhavelefttodo.Somethingaboutthoseconcernsfeelslesssalient.It’sasiftherearebiggerconcernsoutthere—notthatIknowwhattheyare,justthattheyarethere.”

Alongwiththesechanges,Richard,likemanyothermeditators(myselfincluded),feelslessworryaboutdeath.Healsofeelslesscertainaboutwhathappensafterdeath.Ihaveoftenseensuchchangesdevelopinmeditators,andtheyseemtorepresentagreatercomfortwithbeingpartofawideruniverse.

Onemightthinkthatthisideawouldbethreateninginitsimplieddiminutionofourhumanimportance,butingeneralthathasnotbeenso.Instead,thereisasenseofcomfortthatcomeswithbeingpartofalarger,moreconnecteduniverse.

Resultsofourmeditatorsurveywereconsistentwiththeanecdotalobservationsreportedinthischapter.Whenasked,“Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyoufeltagreaterconnectionwithyourcommunity,theworld,oreventheuniverse?”85percentofrespondentssaidyes.Perhapsthatexplainswhyalargemajorityofrespondents(72percent)reportedfeelinglessafraidofdeathsincestartingtomeditate.

*

Onceagainweseethemesemergethatspeaktoaconnectionwithalargeruniverse,whichincludeadecreasedfearofdeath.InRay’scase,theconnectionhasalsotakentheformofextensivephilanthropythroughhisfamilyfoundation.Hehasgiven,notonlyofhismoneyandtime,butalsothegiftofmeditationtopeopleineverystratumofsociety.Hehasgivenittopeoplesufferingfromcancer,tothosewhoarereallypooranddowntroddeninvariousways,andtoschoolsindisadvantagedneighborhoodswherechildrenareseverelystressedonadailybasis.Attheotherendofthespectrum,hehasgiventhegiftofTMtoleadersofindustryandfinanceandotherprominentpeople.Theideabehindthisstrategyisthatbyhelpingpeopleathighlevelsofresponsibilitytobecomelessstressedandmoreenlightened,millionsofotherswillbenefitindirectly.

ACLOSINGNOTESomepeoplemightthinkofmeditationasselfishorself-indulgent.Basedon

themanymeditatorsIhaveknownandinterviewedforthisbook,Iwouldmaintainthattheoppositeistrue.Inlisteningtothestoriesoffellowmeditators,Ihavebeenimpressedbyhowmanypeoplehavefreelydonatedtheirtime,money,expertise,andcreativitytohelpothersachievethegiftsoftheSuperMind—aswellastomanyothercauses.

Inclosing,letmeofferthisChineseproverb,whichexpressestherelationshipbetweenpersonalgrowthandthehealthoftheworldfarbetterthanIcan:

Whenthereislightinthesoul,thereisbeautyinthepersonWhenthereisbeautyintheperson,thereisharmonyinthehouseWhenthereisharmonyinthehouse,thereisorderinthenationWhenthereisorderinthenation,thereispeaceintheworld

Andsowecometotheendofourjourney,ourexplorationofconsciousness.Ithankyouforaccompanyingmeontheadventureandbidyoufarewellwiththeconvictionthattheendofoneadventureissurelythebeginningofthenext.

APPENDIX1

ANSWERSTOQUESTIONSABOUTTHESUPERMIND

ANEXPERT’SPERSPECTIVEInthecourseofresearchingthisbook,I’vefoundanumberofquestionsthat

ariseagainandagain.Heretheyare—withanswersfromBobRoth,whohasbeenteachingTMallovertheworldforoverforty-fiveyears.

NORMROSENTHAL:IALWAYSENJOYYOURDESCRIPTIONOFHOWTRANSCENDINGISLIKEMOVINGDOWNINTOTHEOCEAN.CANYOUSHARETHATWITHTHEREADERSONCEAGAIN?BobRoth:YouareonasmallboatinthemiddleoftheAtlanticOcean,andsuddenlyyourboatisbeingwallopedbymassive,forty-footwaves.Alarmed,youmightthink,“Thewholeoceanisinupheaval!”Maybe.Butnotthewholeocean.Becauseifyoucouldsomehowdoacrosssectionoftheocean,youwouldrealizethatevenwhenitssurfaceisengulfedbytheseforty-footwaves,theocean,inreality,isoveramiledeep.Andthedepthoftheoceanisvirtuallysilent.

Activeonthesurface,silentatthedepth—thisisanexcellentmetaphorforthemind.Thesurfaceofthemind,thethinkingmind,islikethesurfaceoftheocean—sometimescalmbutoftenturbulent.IntermsofTranscendentalMeditation,wehypothesizethat,justasthereissilencedeepwithintheocean,deepwithineveryhumanbeingthereisalevelofthemindthatisalreadycalm,settled,andsilent.Youdon’thavetobelieveinit,nordoyouhavetopushoutthoughtstocreatethecalmbecauseit’salwaysthere:settled,silent,andwideawake.Sciencecallsthislevelthestateof“restfulalertness.”Accordingtoancientmeditationtexts,thislevelisalsothesourceofanindividual’sunboundedcreativity,intelligence,energy,andhappiness.Itisyourowninnerself.Thetextscallitthe“sourceofthought,”

“pureconsciousness,”“transcendentalconsciousness,”or“thefourthstateofconsciousness.”

Whatisremarkable—andmostunexpected—isthatanyonecanaccessthatfieldthroughTranscendentalMeditationeasilyandeffortlessly.TMdoesn’trequireanyconcentrationorcontrolofthemind;nordoyouhavetoevenbelieveinitforittowork.

HOWLONGDOYOUMEDITATEFOR?Adultsmeditatefortwentyminutestwiceaday,sittingcomfortablyina

chair,withyoureyesclosed.Kidsmeditateforlesstime.

ABOUTHOWMANYPEOPLEWOULDYOUSAYYOUHAVETAUGHTTOMEDITATEINYOURCAREERASATMTEACHER?

Severalthousand.IamoneofmorethantenthousandspeciallycertifiedTMteachersintheworld.Alltold,morethaneightmillionpeopleofallages,nationalities,andwalksoflifehavelearnedtheTranscendentalMeditationtechnique.

WHATPERCENTAGEOFTHOSEPEOPLEWOULDYOUESTIMATEHAVESUCCEEDEDINEXPERIENCINGTRANSCENDENCE(THEFOURTHSTATEOFCONSCIOUSNESS)?

Iknowthisishardtobelieve,buteveryoneIhavetaught—andeveryonewholearnsTMfromacertifiedteacher—experiencesthefourthstateofconsciousness,eitherclearlyorasaglimpse.Thiscanbeforasplitsecond,oroveramoresustainedtime,buttranscendenceisaregularfeatureofTM.

WHATARETHEBIGGESTOBSTACLESTOPEOPLEEXPERIENCINGTRANSCENDENCEWHENTHEYSTARTTOMEDITATE?

Thedefinitionof“transcend”isto“gobeyond.”Soineverymeditationyoudogobeyondthesurface,excitedlevelofthinkingtoaquieter,moresettledlevelofthought.Andthenasyoucontinuetomeditate,overthetwentyminutes,youwillperiodicallytranscend,orsettledown,tothenextquieterlevelofthinking—andsoon.

Ifthequestioniswhataretheobstaclesthatmightpreventpeoplefromexperiencing“transcendentalconsciousness,”thentheanswerisstressinthephysiology.Ifyourbodyhasabacklogof“storedup”stressortension,thiscouldslowtheprocessoftranscendingforabit.Butthedeeprestgainedduringthepracticeallowsthosestressestobedissolved,whichthenallows

themindtosettledowninsubsequentmeditations.Theonlyotherobstaclewouldbenotmeditatingregularly.Inotherwords,youhavetodoit!Youhavetotakethefewminutes,ideallytwiceadayeveryday,tomeditate.Ifyoudothat,therestisautomatic.

ONAVERAGEHOWLONGDOESITTAKEFORPEOPLETOTRANSCENDAFTERLEARNINGTM—ANDWHATISTHERANGE?

Well,thatishardtoquantify,becauseeveryone’sphysiologyisdifferent.Ifapersonsuffersfromtraumaortoxicstress,itcouldtakeabitlonger,maybeaweekormore.Thatsaid,everyone,nomatterwhotheyareorwhatstresstheyliveunder,willtranscend.Everyonewillgobeyondtheexcitedlevelsofthoughttoquieter,moresettledlevelsofmind—andthat’swithinthefirstfewdays.Imustemphasizethattranscendingisnotaflashyexperience.Itisquitesimpleandnatural.Wearejustsettlingdowntoourownquiet,inner,unboundedself.

ISTHEREANYBODYWHOCANNOTLEARNTMORFORWHOMTMWOULDNOTBESUITABLE?

IhavebeenteachingTMformorethanfortyyears,tothousandsofpeople,andIcansayhonestlyandconfidentlythateveryonewhocompletedthefour-daycourseisabletomeditate.AndthesamewouldbetrueforanycertifiedTMteacher.

DOESEVERYONECONTINUETOMEDITATE,EVERYDAY,TWICEADAY?Manydo.Somemeditateonceaday,andsomemeditateirregularly.But

thatisamatterofchoice,andwhenevertheydomeditate,theytellmetheyderiveveryreal,verypositivebenefits.

IHAVESEENPEOPLELEARNTOMEDITATEANDTHENSTOPALTOGETHER—OFTENEVENWHENTHEYKNOWTHEYHAVEBEENHELPED!WHYDOPEOPLEDOTHIS?

Therearetwomainreasons,inmyexperience.Peoplewhostopmayhavehitaroughspotintheirlife—adiresicknessinthefamily,upheavalatwork,orabiglifetransition.What’smore,theytellmeinretrospectthatitwasduringthosetimesthattheyknowtheyshouldhavebeenmeditating!Thesecondreasonisthatpeoplestopmeditatingcorrectly.Theyinadvertentlyintroduceintothepracticesomeeffort,someconcentrationorcontrolofthemind.Assoonastheydothat,theyarenolongerpracticing

TM,sotheexperienceisnolongereffortless,nolongerenjoyable.Itisnolongerrelaxingandrejuvenating.However,Idofindthatmostpeoplewhostopendupcomingbacktoit—andforgoodreason:afewminutesofeffortlessmeditationcangiveyouafulldayofclearerthinkingandincreasedfocus,greaterenergy,andimprovedresilience.That’saprettygoodtrade-off!

WHATARETHEBESTSTRATEGIESFORGETTINGTHEMBACKONTHEHORSE?Intheend,everyonedecidesforhim-orherself.Maybetheyremember

howmuchbettertheyfeltduringtheday,orhowmuchbettertheysleptatnight,whentheyweremeditatingregularly.Ormaybetheyrealizehowtiredorirritableorlesshappytheyfeelnowthattheyarenottakingthetimetorechargetheirbatteries,sotospeak.Somethinglikethat.ThentheyreachouttotheirTMteacherorlocalTMcenterforarefresher.Therefresherisfree,anditonlytakesafewminutestogetbackontrack.Oncetheyaremeditatingproperlyagain,theywillquicklyregainthebenefits.

OFTHEPEOPLEYOUHAVETAUGHT,WHATPERCENTAGEWOULDYOUSAYEXPERIENCESOMEDEGREEOFSUPERMINDDEVELOPMENT?

Intruth,everyone.Whenyoutranscendandyouexperiencethatfieldofinnersilence,thenthegrowthofequanimity,ofcreativity,focus,andintelligenceinyourdailylifeisbothautomaticandnatural.AndthosearetheexpressionsofthedevelopmentoftheSuperMind.Andremember,theSuperMindisnotsomecomic-book,“Supermanish”experience.Ratheritistheunfoldingofwhowearenaturallywhenwearenotshroudedinstressorfatigue,andwhenweareusingmoreofourbrainpotential.SuperMindisabigtermforasimplereality.Itiswhoweare,naturally.

WHATFORMSDOESSUPERMINDDEVELOPMENTMOSTCOMMONLYTAKE?Theneuronalconnectionsbetweenthefrontallobesandtherestofthe

brainarestrengthenedduringTM,andthoseconnectionsarethenmaintainednaturallyduringdailyactivity.Sobeyondsleepingbetterandhavingmoreenergyandclearerthinking,oneofthefirstsustainablesignswillbethatyouarelessreactivetoouterirritants—e.g.,peoplewhopushyourbuttons.Youaremore“fieldindependent,”whichmeansyou“know”yourselfbetter.Youaremorecomfortableinyourownskin,andarethereforelessinfluencedbyoutsidepressuresandsocialhabitsthatmaybe

destructivetoyourhealthandlife,suchasdrinkingexcessivealcohol.Basically,youarehappierandmorecontentinside,moreenergizedandconfidentoutside.Anothersignthatpeoplereportisthatlifegetseasier,smoother,andmoreenjoyable.Itislessofastruggle,lessofabattle.Thingsjustseemtogoyourwaymoreoften.Thatishardtoquantify,butthat’stheexperience.

HOWLONGONAVERAGEDOESITTAKEFORAPERSONWHOLEARNSTOMEDITATETODEVELOPTHEFIRSTGLIMPSESOFTHESUPERMIND?

Itdiffersfordifferentpeople,basedontheirlifeexperiences.Forpeoplewithmorestress,itmaytakealittlelonger.Butitstartsfromthefirstmeditation.

HOWDOESTHESUPERMINDRELATETOCOSMICCONSCIOUSNESS?ThefullydevelopedSuperMindisCosmicConsciousness—itisthe

naturalandspontaneouscoexistenceoftheinnersilenceofthetranscendentinnerSelfwiththeouterdynamismofdailylife.

ARETHEREANYFURTHERTHINGSYOUWOULDLIKETOTELLTHEREADERSABOUTTRANSCENDENCEORTHESUPERMIND?

Theabilitytotranscendisnaturaltoeveryhumanbeing.Justaswecangetworkedupaboutsomething—andourbloodpressureandcortisollevelscanspikedramaticallyandtheamygdalaorfearcenterinthebraingetshyperaroused—wecanmeditateandsettledownnaturallyintheotherdirection.Wecanmovenaturallytowardincreasinginnercalmandease—andbloodpressureandcortisollevelsdecreasemarkedlyandtheamygdalaresetsitselftonormal.Inthesameway,theSuperMindisthebirthrightofeveryhumanbeing.Itisnot,Iwillemphasizeagain,notsomethingotherworldly.Itiswhowearewhenwearenotblanketedbyaccumulatedstress,tension,andfatigue.TMeliminatesthoseblocks,wakesupthebrain,andallowsustoliveourfullpotentiality.Andwecanlivethiswaywithoutanyassociatedphilosophy,beliefsystem,orchangeinlifestyle.

WHYCAN’TILEARNTMFROMABOOK?Igetthisquestionalotbecausemostmeditationsyoucanlearnfroma

bookoratape.ButnotwithTM.ThisisbecauseTranscendentalMeditationistailoredfortheindividual.Youlearntomeditateinpersonalinstructionwithacertifiedteacherwhowillgiveyoua“mantra”orsound,andthen

teachyouhowtouseitproperly,tofacilitatethe“transcending”process.Withyourownteacheryoucanhaveyourquestionsansweredtoyoursatisfaction,eliminatingconfusionanddoubts.Plusyouwillhavetheongoingsupportofyourteacher—oranyoneofthethousandsofcertifiedteachersintheworld—toensureyouaremeditatingproperlyfortherestofyourlife.

DOESITTAKEALONGTIMETOLEARNTM?Ittakesaboutsixtytoninetyminutesadayoverfourconsecutivedays

tolearntomeditate.BasicTMcourseswithfollow-upprogramsareofferedinTMcentersallovertheworld.

WHATISTHECURRENTFEEFORTMTRAINING?Thecurrentcoursefeeforanadultis$960,andifaspouseorpartner

learnsatthesametime,thefeeforthesecondpersonis$720.Thefeeforcollegestudentsis$480,whileforhighschoolstudentsandyounger,thefeeis$360.TMisanonprofiteducationalorganization,andthosefundsareusedforthreethings:(1)topaythesalariesofcertifiedTMteachers,(2)tohelpcovertherentandadministrativecostsofthousandsoflocalTMcentersaroundtheworld,and(3)toprovidealifetimeoffollow-upinstructionatnoadditionalfeeforeverysinglepersonwholearnstomeditateanywhereintheworld.

IFTHISISNOTAFFORDABLE,ARETHEREANYMEASURESTHATANINTERESTEDPERSONCANTAKETOOBTAINAREDUCEDFEE?

Yes,absolutely.Justasanypublicorprivatecollegeoreducationalinstitutionoffersgrants,scholarships,loans,andpaymentplansforindividualswhocannotaffordthetuition,thelocalTMcentersoffersimilaropportunities.Formoreinformation,youcangotowww.tm.org.

IUNDERSTANDTHATADVANCEDTECHNIQUESCANBEHELPFULINFACILITATINGTHEDEVELOPMENTOFTHESUPERMIND.ISTHATCORRECTAND,IFSO,WHATCANYOUTELLTHEREADERSABOUTADVANCEDTECHNIQUES?

LearningTMislikeplantingaseedandwateringitregularly.Theplantgrows.Ifyouwant,youcanaddsomefertilizertotheplantaftereveryfewmonthstohelptheplantgrowabitfaster.Thatiswhattheadvancedtechniquesarelike:addingsomestrengthtothepracticesothatallthebenefitsofTM—thegrowthoftheSuperMind—areaccelerated.Your

regularTMpracticeisthemainthing,butadvancedtechniquesareavaluableaddition.

ANDWHATISTHEVALUEOFWEEKENDRETREATS?Weekendretreats,or“residencecourses,”aregreat!Theyareusually

heldatanearbyquiet,comfortableresorthotelorin-residencefacility.Hereyouhavetheopportunity,inastructuredcourseenvironment,todeepenyourexperiencesofdailymeditation;practicelightyogapostures;exploreintriguingideasonmeditation,consciousness,braindevelopment,life,etc.;andmeetinteresting,successfulpeople.Suchweekendretreatsaretheidealvacation:youhaveagreattimeandyoucomehomerestedandrefreshed.LocalTMcentersalsooftenholdone-dayretreatsatalocalhotelwhereyoucangetagood“minivacation”butwithouthavingtoleavehomeforanentireweekend.

CANYOUTELLUSABOUTTHETM-SIDHIPROGRAM?Onceyouhavecompletedfouradvanced-techniquecoursesyouare

eligibletoapplyfortheTM-Sidhiprogram.MaharishiintroducedthisprogrambasedupontheancientmeditationtextcalledtheYogaSutrasofPatanjali.ThefirsthalfofthisbookdescribesTM—theprocessofeffortlesstranscendingtogainaccesstotranscendentalconsciousness,thefourthstateofconsciousness,whichliesdeepwithinthemindofeveryhumanbeing.Thesecondhalfofthebookdescribestechniques,or“sutras,”toallowanymeditatortoconsciouslyenliventhisdeepestlevelofthemind.Suchtechniquesacceleratethedevelopmentofconsciousness,suchasincreasedenergy,creativity,focus,happiness,etc.,byhelpingtomorequicklystabilizetheinnersilenceoftranscendenceasitmovesintotheintensifyingdynamismanddemandsofdailylife.ThesubstantialbenefitsoftheTM-Sidhiprogramhavealsobeendocumentedbyresearch,aswellasbythepersonalexperiencesoftensofthousandsofpeoplewhopracticetheprogramtoday,includingphysicians,businessleaders,athletes,seniors,andstudents.It’sdefinitelyworthpursuingifyouareinterested.

ISTHEREANYTHINGELSEYOUWOULDLIKETOADD?Thereisaspectrumastohowcreative,intelligent,focused,etc.,weare

atanygivenmoment.Ononeend,whenweareunderenormousstressandnotrespondingwelltothepressure,wefreezeup.Wecan’trememberour

linesinaplay,theanswerstoanexam;wecan’tmakethefreethrowinatightbasketballgamewehavemadeamilliontimesinpractice.Ontheotherendarethoseamazingmomentswhenweareinasplendidzonewheneverythingflowseffortlessly,seamlessly,evenjoyfully.Weareinperfectcommunicationwiththepersonwelove,thewordsforashortstoryorpoemflowspontaneouslyoutonapage,oneputtdropsafteranotherinaclosegolfgame.Thosemoments,ifweevenhavethem,maybesorarethatwerememberthemforalifetime.Buttheydoexist.AndthepurposeofTranscendentalMeditationoverthemillenniahasbeentogiveanyindividual,nomatterhisorherreligion,culture,oreducationalbackground,accesstoatranscendentallevelofthemindwherecreativityandintelligencefeellimitless.Andasaresultofregularmeditation,webegintoliveeveryaspectofourlifeinanatural,powerful,unifiedflowwitheveryotherpartofourlife.Thosespecialmomentsarisemoreoften.AstheSuperMinddevelopstothepointoffullrealization,itispossibletolivelife“inthezone”24/7.Inthepastwethoughtsuchmomentswereuniqueandfleeting.Butthepurposeofmeditationhasalwaysbeentomakethataregularfeatureofourdailylife.

APPENDIX2

CONSCIOUSNESSINTEGRATIONQUESTIONNAIRENORMANE.ROSENTHAL,MD;FREDTRAVIS,PHD;GERRYGEER

CONSCIOUSNESSINTEGRATIONQUESTIONNAIREINTRODUCTION

ThanksforbeingwillingtotakealookattheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire(CIQ).Thepurposeofthisquestionnaireistoobtaininformationaboutexperiencesthatsomepeoplehaveaftertheystarttomeditate.Almostallthequestionsrefertotheperiodoftimesinceyoustartedtomeditate.

Althoughalmostallthequestionsrefertotheperiodoftimesinceyoustartedtomeditate,thisquestionnaireisalsousefulasabaselinemeasure.Ifyouhavenotyetstartedtomeditate,simplyignorethatopeningclausetomostofthequestions,andanswerthemtoreflecthowyouhavebeeninthepastyear.Thatwayyouwillbeabletoevaluatehowyourscoresvaryovertime,includingwhatimpact,ifany,meditationmayhaveonthem.

FrequencyScale|pleaseratetheaveragefrequencyoverthepastyear1.Rarely(lessthanonceayear) 5.Regularly(+/-onceaweek) 7.Veryoften(atleastonceaday)2.Infrequently(+/-onceayear) 6.Often(>onceaweek,<daily) 8.Almostcontinuously(mostoftheday)3.Occasionally(fewtimesayear) 9.Continuously

4.Sometimes(+/-onceamonth) ←onepoint ↑twopoints ↑threepoints

INSTRUCTIONSFORSCORINGCONSCIOUSNESSINTEGRATIONQUESTIONNAIRE

1.Answerquestions4through31bynoting“yes”or“no.”2.All“no”responsesarescoredaszeroforthepurposeofdeterminingyourfinalscore.Itemnumbers17,18,29,30,and31donotcounttowardyourfinalscoreandareincludedonlyforthesakeofcompletenessandforyourinterest.

3.Forthoseitemsthatyoumarked“yes,”giveyourselfascoreofonepoint,twopoints,orthreepointscorrespondingtohowfrequentlyitappliestoyou,usingCOLUMNS1,2,or3intheFrequencyScalekey.

4.Addupyourscoresforitems4through9toarriveatyourtotal“stateofconsciousness”score.

5.Addupyourscoreforitems10through28toarriveatyourtotal“lifeimpact”score.

CONSCIOUSNESSINTEGRATIONQUESTIONNAIRENORMANE.ROSENTHAL,MD;FREDTRAVIS,PHD;ANDGERRYGEER

Name(optional)Today’sdate:

Day_______________Month_______________Year_______________Ifwehavefollow-upquestions,maywebeintouch?YesNo

Ifitisokaytobeintouch,pleaseprovidee-mailaddress.Whatcityandcountrydoyoulivein?_______________Gender:MaleFemale

Age:_____Highesteducationallevel:Highschool Partialcollege GraduatedcollegeGraduatedegree

Whatisyourcurrentoccupation?_______________Code(ifthishasbeenprovidedtoyou)_______________

1.HowlonghaveyoubeendoingTM?Years_______________Months_______________

2.Onaverage,howoftendoyoumeditate?______timesperweek

3.Onaverage,howlongdoyoumeditateforeachsession?______minutes

EXPERIENCESRELATEDTOYOURSTATEOFCONSCIOUSNESS

4.Whilemeditating,haveyouexperiencedperiodsoftimethataredifferentfromordinarywakingexperience—oftensilentandcalmwithoutthoughts?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

5.Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyoufeltasenseofinnerstillnessevenduringtimesofactivity?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

EXPERIENCESRELATEDTOYOURSTATEOFCONSCIOUSNESS

6.Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyoufeltthatthe“realyou”issomewhatseparatefromtheupsanddownsofyourdailylife?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

7.Sincestartingtomeditate,havetherebeentimesinwhichyouhaveexperiencedtheworldaroundyouinmorevivid,richlycolorful,orfine-graineddetail?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

8.Haveyounoticedanycontinuinginfluenceofsuchvividexperiencesinyourdailylife?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

9.Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyounoticedanychangesinthequalityofyoursleeporinyourexperiencesduringsleep?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

10.Sincestartingtomeditate,doyoufeelyouhavebecomemoremindfulofyourowninnerexperiencesoroftheworldaroundyou?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

11.Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyounoticedanychangeinyourlevelofwell-being?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

12.Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyounoticedthatyoufeellessupsetby,orrecoverfasterfrom,unpleasantornegativeexperiences?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

13.Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyounoticedanychangeinyourreactionstopleasantorpositiveexperiences?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

14.Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyounoticedthatyoudon’tgetasoverlyattachedtothings—oremotionallyoverinvolvedinthings—asyoudidbefore?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

15.Sincestartingtomeditate,doyoufeelyouaremorefullypresentinyourday-to-daylife,moreinthemoment,ormoreengaged?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

16.Sincestartingtomeditate,whenyouhavebeeninvolvedinspecificactivities,haveyoufeltmorecompletelyengagedandfocused,in“thezone,”orinastateof“flow?”

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

17.Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyoubeenlessafraidofdeath?

YesNo

Pleasefeelfreetodescribe.

18.Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyourideasaboutthepossibilityoflifeafterdeathchangedinanyway?

YesNo

Pleasefeelfreetodescribe.

19.Sincestartingtomeditate,doyoufeelmorecontentwithwhoyouareandwhatyouhave?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

20.Sincestartingtomeditate,doyoufeelmoreempoweredtobeyourauthenticself?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

21.Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyounoticedanyimprovementinyourworkorotherendeavors?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

22.Sincestartingtomeditate,isiteasiertogetthingsdone?YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

23.Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyounoticedchangesinyourproductivityorcreativity?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

24.Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyoumadehealthierchoicesinyourdailylife,e.g.,discontinuedbadhabitsorinitiatedgoodhabits?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

25.Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyounoticedchangesinyourrelationshipswithothers?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

26.Sinceyoustartedtomeditate,hasanyonecommentedonchangesinyou?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

27.Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyounoticedanychangesinyourfinancialcircumstances?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

28.Sincestartingtomeditate,doyoufeelyouhavebeenluckierorthatthingshavegoneyourwaymorethanbeforewithoutyouhavingtoputanyextraeffortintothem?

YesNo

Ifyes,howfrequently?(Pleaserefertofrequencyscale)Pleasefeelfreetodescribetheseexperiences.

29.Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyoufeltagreaterconnectionwithyourcommunity,theworld,oreventheuniverse?

YesNo

Ifyes,pleasefeelfreetodescribe.

30.Sincestartingtomeditate,ifyouhavenoticedpositivechangesinyourselforyourlife,havethesechangescontinuedtogrowovertime?Forexample,havetheybecomemorefrequentorcontinuousthelongeryouhavemeditated?

YesNo

Ifyes,pleasefeelfreetodescribe.

31.Sincestartingtomeditate,haveyouhadanykindofpeakorheightenedexperienceofconsciousnessnotcoveredintherestofthequestionnaire?

YesNo

Ifyouhave,pleaseshareithere:

NOTES

CHAPTER1

1.AccordingtoVedictradition,therearesevenstatesofconsciousness.Thethreebasicstatesincludewaking,sleeping,anddreaming.Beyondthosethreethereare:TranscendentalConsciousness:theexperienceofthetranscendent—theSelf—inthesilenceofmeditation.

CosmicConsciousness:theexperienceofthetranscendentinactivity.Thelightofthetranscendent,orSelf,ismaintainednaturallythroughoutthewakingstateaswellasinthesleepanddreamstatesofconsciousness.

RefinedCosmicConsciousnessemergesthroughaprocessofdevelopmentofthesensesandtheemotions.Hereyouexperiencethefinestlevelsofyourenvironment.Yourlove,compassion,andappreciationforfriends,family,humanity,andthewholemanifestworldareattheirmaximum.Atthisstage,theVedicmaxim“theworldismyfamily”becomesalivingreality.

UnityConsciousness,Maharishihassaid,isthestateoffullself-actualization,fullenlightenment.Inthisstateyouexperiencetranscendentalreality,notjustwithinyourself,butwithineveryoneandeverything.

2.Rosenthal,N.E.,etal.Seasonalaffectivedisorder:Adescriptionofthesyndromeandpreliminaryfindingswithlighttherapy.ArchivesofGeneralPsychiatry41(January1984):72–80;Rosenthal,N.E.WinterBlues:EverythingYouNeedtoKnowtoBeatSeasonalAffectiveDisorder(Guilford,2013).

3.Matthew7:16,astranslatedintheWorldEnglishBible(RainbowMissions,2000).

CHAPTER2

1.Dehaene,S.ConsciousnessandtheBrain:DecipheringHowtheBrainCodesOurThoughts(Viking,2014),7–8.

2.Dennett,D.ConsciousnessExplained(BackBayBooks,1991).3.Dehaene,S.ConsciousnessandtheBrain,115–60.4.Lazar,S.W.,etal.Meditationexperienceisassociatedwithincreasedcorticalthickness.Neuroreport16

(17)(November28,2005):1893–97.5.Pearson,C.TheSupremeAwakening:ExperiencesofEnlightenmentThroughoutTime—AndHowYou

CanCultivateThem(MaharishiUniversityofManagementPress,2013),42.6.Seenote1forchapter1.7.Travis,F.T.,andShear,J.Focusedattention,openmonitoring,andautomaticself-transcending:

CategoriestoorganizemeditationsfromVedic,BuddhistandChinesetraditions.ConsciousnessandCognition19(4)(December2010):1110–18.

8.Brasington,L.RightConcentration:APracticalGuidetotheJhanas(Shambala,2015).9.IgaveLeighBrasingtonthefollowingdescriptionoftranscendenceandaskedhimwhichifanyofthe

eightjhanascorrespondedtotranscendence.

Itisastateofcalmalertness,inwhichboundariesofspaceandtimedisappear.Ithasthereforebeencalledastateofboundlessness.Althoughoneisalertandconscious,thereisnospecificcontenttotheconsciousness.Ithasthereforebeencalledpureconsciousness.Itisalsoblissful.Physically,transcendenceisaccompaniedbyrelaxationofthemusclesandslowingofthebreath.

Hereishisresponse,inwhichhedeconstructsmydescriptionintocomponents,andmatcheseachwithacorrespondingjhana(numberedaccordingtothejhanastage):NR:Itisastateofcalmalertness,inwhichboundariesofspaceandtimedisappear.

LB:ThisisindeedlikeJ5—therealmofinfinitespace,thoughtimedoesn’tdisappearnecessarilyinJ5—onlyifyouaredeeplyconcentrated.

NR:Ithasthereforebeencalledastateofboundlessness.LB:Thisfitsthe“infinite”partofJ5andJ6.NR:Althoughoneisalertandconscious,thereisnospecificcontenttotheconsciousness.LB:InJ5thecontentoftheconsciousnessisahugespace.Thereisaveryclearobject.Peoplewhoare

visualseeit.ThisdoesnotfitJ5.LB:InJ6thereisnospecificcontenttotheconsciousness.Andit’sahugeconsciousness.ThisfitsJ6.NR:Ithasthereforebeencalledpureconsciousness.Itisalsoblissful.LB:J5andJ6(aswellasJ7andJ8)areneutral—nobliss,justastrongequanimity.Thisdoesnotfitanyof

J4orJ5–J8.NR:Physicallyitisaccompaniedbyrelaxationofthemusclesandslowingofthebreath.LB:ThisdoesnotfitanyofJ5–J8.ThedescriptionofJ5starts,“Bypassingbeyondallbodily

sensations....”ThereisnobodyawarenessinJ5–J8.ThisdoesfitJ2–J4,however.ButthereisnothinginfiniteinJ1–J4.

SoalthoughtherearemanyaspectsincommonbetweentranscendenceasexperiencedinTMandthejhanas,nojhanareallymatchesalltheseaspects.

CHAPTER3

1.Suzuki,S.ZenMind,Beginner’sMind.(Weatherhill,1970),21.2.BhagavadGita,translatedbyMaharishiMaheshYogi(ArkanaPenguinBooks,1967),133.

CHAPTER4

1.Lao-Tzu(translatedbyStar,J.).TaoTeChing:TheNewTranslationfromTaoTeChing:TheDefinitiveEdition(TarcherCornerstone,2008).

2.MaharishiMaheshYogi.TheScienceofBeingandArtofLiving(Plume-Penguin,1995)32–33.3.Lynch,D.CatchingtheBigFish:Meditation,Consciousness,andCreativity(TarcherPenguin,2006).

CHAPTER5

1.Travis,F.T.,andPearson,C.Distinctphenomenologicalandphysiologicalcorrelatesof“consciousnessitself.”InternationalJournalofNeuroscience100(2000):77–89.ThefigureshowingtheGSRfindinginquestionishere.

2.Wehr,T.A.Effectofseasonalchangesindaylengthonhumanneuroendocrinefunction.HormoneResearch49(3–4)(1998):118–24.

3.Wehr,T.A.,etal.Conservationofphotoperiod-responsivemechanismsinhumans.AmericanJournalofPhysiology265(Regulatory,IntegrativeComparativePhysiology34,1993):R846–57.

4.Travis,F.T.,andArenander,A.Cross-sectionalandlongitudinalstudyofeffectsofTranscendentalMeditationpracticeoninterhemisphericfrontalasymmetryandfrontalcoherence.International

JournalofNeuroscience116(2006):1519–38;Travis,F.T.,etal.Aself-referentialdefaultbrainstate:Patternsofcoherence,power,andeLORETAsourcesduringeyes-closedrestandTranscendentalMeditationpractice.JournalofCognitiveProcessing11(2010):21–30;andTravis,F.T.Transcendentalexperiencesduringmeditationpractice.AnnalsoftheNewYorkAcademyofSciences(2013):1–8.

5.Ludwig,M.,etal.Brainactivationandcorticalthicknessinexperiencedmeditators.Doctoraldissertation,CaliforniaSchoolofProfessionalPsychology,AlliantInternationalUniversity,SanDiego,2011.

6.Harung,H.S.,andTravis,F.T.Highermind-braindevelopmentinsuccessfulleaders:Testingaunifiedtheoryofperformance.JournalofCognitiveProcessing13(2)(2013):171–81.

7.Harung,H.S.,etal.Higherpsycho-physiologicalrefinementinworld-classNorwegianathletes:Brainmeasuresofperformancecapacity.ScandinavianJournalofMedicineandScienceinSports21(1)(2011):32–41.

8.TherelationshipbetweenTM,brainchanges,andperformanceisreviewedinHarung,H.S.,andTravis,F.T.,ExcellenceThroughMind-BrainDevelopment:TheSecretsofWorld-ClassPerformers(Gower,2015).

CHAPTER6

1.MaitriUpanishad,VI.,19–23.

CHAPTER7

1.MaharishiMaheshYogi.Audiofile,Rishikesh,India,February15,1968;Pearson,SupremeAwakening,170–87.

2.MycolleaguesandIencounteredasimilarsituationshortlyafterwedescribedseasonalaffectivedisorder(SAD).Itemergedthatseasonality—thetendencytodisplayemotionalandbehavioralchangeswiththeseasons—existsonaspectrumrangingfromthosewithverylittlechangetothosewithextremechange.Inordertodocumentthedegreeofseasonalityinanindividualorgroup,weneededtocreateascale.TheresultwastheSeasonalPatternAssessmentQuestionnaire(WinterBlues,2013),whichhasbeenwidelyusedinresearch.Likewise,wehavenowcreatedtheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire,whichhasyieldedusefulinformationthatIsharewithyouinthischapter.Also,thequestionnairemayprovevaluableforotherswishingtounderstandthedevelopmentofconsciousnessanditseffects.

3.Wereceived607usableresponsesafter“cleaningup”thedatabyremovingduplicatesandquestionableresponses,suchastheindividualwhogavehisageas111years.Wecannotprovidearesponseratesinceweonlyhavethenumerator(thenumberofpeoplewhoresponded)butnotthedenominator(thetotalnumberofpeopletowhomtherequestwentout).

Severallimitationsofthissurveymustbeacknowledged:First,itappliedonlytothosepracticingTMatthetimeofthesurvey.Althoughitispossiblethatrespondentsmighthavepracticedotherformsofmeditationaswellorpreviously,wedidnotspecificallyaskaboutthis.Idonot,however,suspectthatthiswasamajorconfoundingvariable,asthetargetgroupclearlyidentifiedthemselvesasTMpractitioners.Second,therespondentscannotbesaidtoberepresentativeofTMpractitionersasawhole.Forexample,theymightbemorediligentorinterestedinTM—ormighthavehadgreaterbenefitsfromit—thantheaverageTMpractitioner.Finally,wedidnotinquireaboutanydrugsofthekindthatmightalterstatesofconsciousness,thoughIstronglydoubtwhetherthatwasasignificantfactorsinceTMpractitionersasagroupdisdaintheuseofmind-alteringdrugs.

4.https://www.surveymonkey.com.

5.Demographics,BackgroundCharacteristics,andTranscendentalMeditationBehaviors:

CHARACTERISTICSTOTALSAMPLE(N=607)

Age N=607

Mean(SD)MedianRange

52.68(14.87)56.016–100

Gender,%(N) N=607

Male 47.8%(290)

Female 52.2%(317)

Education,%(N) N=607

HighSchool 5.1%(31)

PartialCollege 13.7%(83)

CollegeGraduate 31.6%(192)

GraduateDegree 49.6%(301)

Occupation,%(N) N=602

Employed 76.1%(458)

Student 6.3%(38)

Homemaker 1.0%(6)

Retired 15%(90)

NotEmployed 1.7%(10)

GeographicLocation,%(N) N=568

USA 78.7%(447)

SouthAfrica 19%(108)

Other 2.3%(13)

USARegions N=417

Northeast 19.4%(81)

Midwest 22.8%(95)

South 33.1%(138)

West 24.7%(103)

YearsPracticingTM N=607

Mean(SD)Median

15.48(17.61)4.0

MedianRange

4.00–56

FrequencyofPracticingTM(TimesperWeek) N=607

Mean(SD)MedianRange

11.54(4.2)14.00–28

LengthofTMSession(Minutes) N=607

Mean(SD)MedianRange

27.94(18.63)20.00–180

6.AsyoucanseeintheCIQ,weaskedpeopletorateallitemstheyendorsedonanine-pointfrequencyscale(seeappendix2).Inordertosimplifyanalysis,wecollapsedtheseninelevelsoffrequencyintothree:infrequent,often,andveryoften.Someitemsdidnotlendthemselvestofrequencyanalysis(specificallyitems17,fearofdeath;18,possibilityoflifeafterdeath;29,greaterconnectionwithcommunity,etc.;30,continuedgrowthovertime;31,peakexperiencesnotcoveredelsewhere).

7.Levelofcoherenceforaclusterofitemsismeasuredbyastatisticcalled“Cronbach’salpha,”whichwas0.84fortheStateofConsciousnessscale,and0.93fortheImpactonLifescale(inbothcaseswhenevaluatedtakingfrequencyofitemintoaccount).Ingeneral,Cronbach’salphalevelsof0.4to0.65areregardedasadequate,0.65to0.85asgood,andover0.85asexcellent.ThelevelofcoherenceforStateofConsciousnessvariablesisthereforeonthecuspbetweengoodandexcellent,andthatfortheImpactonLifescaleisexcellent.Throughoutourcalculations,wehavefoundthattakingfrequencyintoaccount(asopposedtosimplyconsideringresponsesonayes-nobasis)improvestheCronbach’salphalevel,andthereforereporttheresultsusingthistypeofcalculationthroughout.Theresultsusingbimodalresponsesaregenerallyonlyslightlylessgoodandstillfallintothe“good”range.TheadvantageofhavingsuchgoodCronbach’salphalevelsisthatitallowsonetoaddtheitemscorestocreateasumtotalforeachscale.

8.FactorAnalysisforImpactonLifeScale:RotatedFactorMatrix

COLUMNS 1 2 3

CIQ# INTHEZONE INTERNALGROWTH SUPPORTOFNATURE

10 .74

11 .32 .59

12 .67

13 .32 .60 .33

14 .59 .36

15 .38

16 .50 .42 .35

19 .52 .44 .37

20 .49 .42

21 .72 .33 .33

21 .72 .33 .33

22 .74 .32

23 .70 .35

24 .34 .53

25 .44 .37 .47

26 .42

27 .59

28 .67

TheabovecolumnsshowtheresultsofthefactoranalysisfortheImpactonLifeitems(numbersincolumn1representitemnumbersontheCIQ).Thenumbersundereachcolumnshowhowstronglyeachitemloadstothefactorsindicatedbycolumnsnumber1,2,and3above.Theserepresentthethreefactors:inthezone,internalgrowth,andsupportofnature,respectively.Eventhoughitems19(Doyoufeelmorecontentwithwhoyouareandwhatyouhave?)and20(Doyoufeelempoweredtobeyourauthenticself?)loadslightlymorestronglyonfactor1(inthezone)thanonfactor2(internalgrowth),wehaveelectedtoclassifythemunderthelatterfactorbecausetheyseemtobelongmorelogicallythere.Thenumbersshowninboldrepresenttheitemsthatloadmoststronglyor,intheabovetwocases,mostlogicallytoeachfactor.Themissingnumberscorrespondtoitemsthatdon’thavefrequenciesassociatedwiththem,andwerethereforeleftoutofthisanalysis.

9.MultivariateAnalysesforStateofConsciousnessScale

STATEOFCONSCIOUSNESSFREQUENCYSCALE

R-squared=.46 OR 95%CI

Age -.24 -.84–.35

Gender .10 -.40–.60

GeographicLocation -.25 -.89–.40

FrequencyofPracticingTM .07* .005–.13

YearsPracticingTM .04** .02–.06

ImpactofTMScale 4.32** 3.78–4.85

p≤0.05;*p≤0.001

RespondentswhopracticeTMmorefrequentlythroughouttheweekaremorelikelytoexperienceahigherscoreontheirStateofConsciousnessscale.LikewiseforthosewhohavepracticedTMformoreyears.

Notethatathirdvariable,theimpactofTMonone’slife,hasanevenmorepowerfulcorrelationwiththeStateofConsciousnessscorethaneitherdurationorfrequencyofmeditation.

10.MultivariateAnalysesforImpactofTMFrequencyScale

IMPACTOFTMFREQUENCYSCALE

R-Squared=.43 OR 95%CI

Age -1.19 -2.75–.38

Age -1.19 -2.75–.38

GeographicLocation -.09 -1.79–1.60

LengthofTMSession 1.96 -1.31–5.24

FrequencyofPracticingTM .28** .11–.45

YearsPracticingTM .08** .04–13

StateofConsciousnessScale 10.98** 9.60–12.37

p≤0.05;*p≤0.001

RespondentswhopracticeTMmorethroughouttheweekandhavepracticedTMformoreyearsaremorelikelytoexperienceagreaterimpactofTMontheirlives.Additionally,individualswithahigherscoreontheStateofConsciousnessscalearemorelikelytohaveahigherfrequencyintheirimpactofTM.

IfyouexaminethefactorsdeterminingtheStateofConsciousness(asopposedtotheImpactonLife,discussedabove),youwillnoticeapowerfulcorrelationbetweenImpactonLifeandStateofConsciousness.Ashasoftenbeensaid,correlationdoesnotmeancausation.Sinceeachmajorfactorpredictstheother,itisamatterofinterpretationastowhichcomesfirst.MyinclinationistohypothesizethatthegrowthofconsciousnesspredictstheimpactofTMonaperson’slife,especiallysinceyearsofobservationbyTMexpertsandteachershaveledtothathypothesis.Nevertheless,theoppositehypothesiscouldbetrue.Also,thetwoscalesmaywellfeedbackoneachother,asIsuggestinthebodyofthechapter.

CHAPTER8

1.Sapolsky,R.M.WhyZebrasDon’tGetUlcers(Holt,2004).2.Anderson,J.W.,etal.BloodpressureresponsetoTranscendentalMeditation:Ameta-analysis.

AmericanJournalofHypertension21(2008):310–16.3.Orme-Johnson,D.W.,etal.Neuroimagingofmeditation’seffectonbrainreactivitytopain.Neuroreport

17(12)(2006):1359–63.4.Goleman,D.J.,andSchwartz,G.E.Meditationasaninterventioninstressreactivity.Journalof

CounselingandClinicalPsychology44(3)(1976):456–66.5.Schneider,R.H.,etal.Long-termeffectsofstressreductiononmortalityinpersons≥55yearsofage

withsystemichypertension.AmericanJournalofCardiology95(2005):1060–64.6.Schneider,R.H.,etal.EffectsofstressreductiononclinicaleventsinAfricanAmericanswithcoronary

heartdisease:Arandomizedcontrolledtrial.Circulation12(2009):S461.7.Castillo-Richmond,A.,etal.Effectsofstressreductiononcarotidatherosclerosisinhypertensive

AfricanAmericans.Stroke31(2000):568–73.8.B-modeultrasoundisatechniqueinwhichthemachinescansaplanethroughthebody,whichcanbe

viewedasatwo-dimensionalimageonthescreen.9.O’Connell,D.,andAlexander,C.,eds.Self-Recovery:TreatingAddictionsUsingTranscendental

MeditationandMaharishiAyur-Veda(HarringtonParkPress,1994).10.Peeke,P.TheHungerFix:TheThree-StageDetoxandRecoveryPlanforOvereatingandFood

Addiction(Rodale,2013).11.Volkow,N.D.,etal.Foodanddrugreward:Overlappingcircuitsinhumanobesityandaddiction.

CurrentTopicsinBehavioralNeurosciences(October21,2011).12.Duhigg,C.ThePowerofHabit:WhyWeDoWhatWeDoinLifeandBusiness(RandomHouse,2014).

13.Herron,R.E.,andHills,S.L.TheimpactoftheTranscendentalMeditationprogramongovernmentpaymentstophysiciansinQuebec:Anupdate.AmericanJournalofHealthPromotion14(5)(2000):284–91.

CHAPTER9

1.Hains,A.B.,andArnstenA.F.T.Molecularmechanismsofstress-inducedprefrontalcorticalimpairment:Implicationsformentalillness.Learning&Memory15(2008):551–64.

2.Grosswald,S.J.,etal.UseoftheTranscendentalMeditationtechniquetoreducesymptomsofattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorder(ADHD)byreducingstressandanxiety:Anexploratorystudy.CurrentIssuesinEducation10(2)(2008).

3.Travis,F.T.,etal.ADHD,brainfunctioning,andTranscendentalMeditationpractice.MindandBrain2(1)(July2011):73–81.

4.Monastera,V.J.,etal.Thedevelopmentofaquantitativeelectroencephalographicscanningprocessforattentiondeficit-hyperactivitydisorder:Reliabilityandvaliditystudies.Neuropsychology15(1)(2001):136–44.

5.Travis,F.T.,etal.ADHD,brainfunctioning,andTranscendentalMeditationpractice,73–81.6.So,K.,andOrme-Johnson,D.W.Threerandomizedexperimentsonthelongitudinaleffectsofthe

TranscendentalMeditationtechniqueoncognition.Intelligence29(2001):419–40.7.Iliff,J.J.,etal.Implicationsofthediscoveryofbrainlymphaticpathways.LancetNeurology14(10)

(October2015):977–79.8.Xie,L.,etal.Sleepdrivesmetaboliteclearancefromtheadultbrain.Science342(6156)(October18,

2013):373–77.9.Orme-Johnson,D.W.,andBarnes,V.A.EffectsoftheTranscendentalMeditationtechniqueontrait

anxiety:Ameta-analysisofrandomizedcontrolledtrials.JournalofAlternativeComplementaryMedicine20(5)(May2014):330–41.

10.So,K.,andOrme-Johnson,D.W.ThreerandomizedexperimentsonthelongitudinaleffectsoftheTranscendentalMeditation,419–40.

11.Oneusefulwaytocombinetheresultsofseveralsmallstudiesisbyatechniquecalledmeta-analysis(Hunter,J.E.,andSchmidt,F.L.MethodsofMeta-analysis(Sage,1990).Thisapproachappliesstatisticalmethodsthatanalyzeandcombineresultsfromindependentstudies,takingintoaccountallpertinentinformation.Thepooleddataareusuallymeasuredas“effectsizes,”whichreflecttheoverallmagnitudeofwhatyouarelookingfor—inthiscasethedegreetowhichanxietypredictssubsequentcardiovasculardisease.Researchersoftenemploymeta-analysistocombinetheresultsofclinicaltrialsandreporteffectsizestodescribethedifferencebetweenexperimentalandcontroltreatmentconditions.Inbehavioralsciences,aneffectsizeisconsideredtobelargeat0.8unitsormore,mediumat0.5units,andsmallat0.2units(Cohen,J.,StatisticalPowerAnalysisforBehavioralSciences[AcademicPress,1977]).

12.Bandy,C.L.,etal.Meditationtraininginrookcadetsincreasesresilience(personalcommunication,2015).

13.Beck,A.T.,etal.Aninventoryformeasuringdepression.ArchivesofGeneralPsychiatry4(1961):561–71.

14.Marteau,T.M.,etal.Thedevelopmentofasix-itemshort-formofthestatescaleoftheSpielbergerState-TraitAnxietyInventory(STAI).BritishJournalofClinicalPsychology31(3)(September1992):301–6.

15.Heuchert,J.P.,andMcNair,D.M.ProfileofMoodStates,2nded.(MHSPsychologicalAssessmentsandServices,2004).

16.Bartone,P.T.Test-retestreliabilityofthedispositionalresiliencescale-15,abriefhardinessscale.PsychologicalReports101(3)(December2007):943–44.

CHAPTER10

1.Bannister,R.TheFour-MinuteMile(LyonsPress/GlobePequotPress,2004),167–73.2.King,B.J.,withChapman,K.BillieJean(Harper&Row,1974),197–201.3.Pearson,C.SupremeAwakening,244.4.Ibid.,172.5.Csikszentmihalyi,M.Flow:ThePsychologyofOptimalExperience(HarperPerennialModernClassics,

2008).

CHAPTER11

1.Rosenthal,N.E.TheEmotionalRevolution:HowtheNewScienceofFeelingsCanTransformYourLife(Citadel/Kensington,2002),215–19.

2.Thoreau,H.D.WaldenandOtherWritings(BantamBooks,1982),188.ThisquotecomesfromWalden,“Sounds.”

CHAPTER12

1.BhagavadGita,trans.MaharishiMaheshYogi(chapter2,verse47),133.2.Norwood,R.WomenWhoLoveTooMuch(PocketBooks,1997).3.Rosenthal,N.E.TheGiftofAdversity:TheUnexpectedBenefitsofLife’sDifficulties,Setbacks,and

Imperfections(Tarcher,2013),314.4.MaharishiMaheshYogi.ExcerptedfromalectureinAugust1970atHumboldtStateUniversity,Arcata,

California.5.James,W.TheVarietiesofReligiousExperience(Touchstone/SimonandSchuster,1997),302.

CHAPTER13

1.Rosenthal,N.E.WinterBlues,239–41.2.Sula,M.Don’tLetYourMindGo(BalboaPress/HayHouse,2014).

CHAPTER14

1.Khoury,B.,etal.Mindfulness-basedtherapy:Acomprehensivemeta-analysis.ClinicalPsychologyReview33(2013):763–71;Hoffman,S.G.,etal.Theeffectofmindfulness-basedtherapyonanxietyanddepression:Ameta-analyticreview.JournalofConsultingandClinicalPsychology78(2)(April2010):169–83;Goyal,M.,etal.Meditationprogramsforpsychologicalstressandwellbeing:Asystematicreviewandmeta-analysis.JAMAInternalMedicine174(3)(2014):357–68;andRutledge,T.Meditationinterventionreviews(commentonabovearticle).JAMAInternalMedicine174(3)(2014):1193.

2.Brook,R.D.,etal.Beyondmedicationsanddiet:Alternativeapproachestoloweringbloodpressure.Hypertension(2013).Thereportisavailableathttp://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/early/2013/04/22/HYP.0b013e318293645f.full.pdf.

3.Ameli,R.25LessonsinMindfulness:NowTimeforHealthyLiving(AmericanPsychologicalAssociation,2014).

4.Ibid.,5.5.Hanh,T.N.PeaceIsEveryStep:ThePathofMindfulnessinEverydayLife(Bantam,1992).6.Kabat-Zinn,J.FullCatastropheLiving:UsingtheWisdomofYourBodyandMindtoFaceStress,Pain,

andIllness(BantamDell,2005).

7.Travis,F.T.,andShear,J.Focusedattention,openmonitoring,andautomaticself-transcending:CategoriestoorganizemeditationsfromVedic,BuddhistandChinesetraditions,1110–18.

8.Gunaratana,B.H.MindfulnessinPlainEnglish(WisdomPublications,2002),7.9.https://www.tm.org.10.Killingsworth,M.A.,andGilbert,D.T.Awanderingmindisanunhappymind.Science330(2010):

932.11.Raichle,M.E.,etal.Adefaultmodeofbrainfunction.ProceedingsoftheNationalAcademyof

Sciences98(2001):676;Christoff,K.,etal.ExperiencesamplingduringfMRIrevealsdefaultnetworkandexecutivesystemcontributionstomindwandering.ProceedingsoftheNationalAcademyofSciences106(2009):8719;andBuckner,R.L.,etal.Thebrain’sdefaultnetwork.AnnalsoftheNewYorkAcademyofSciences1124(2008):1.

12.Tolle,E.ThePowerofNow:AGuidetoSpiritualEnlightenment(Namaste/NewWorldLibrary,2004),56–57.

13.Travis,F.T.,etal.Aself-referentialdefaultbrainstate,21–30.14.Brewer,J.A.,etal.Meditationexperienceisassociatedwithdifferencesindefaultmodenetwork

activityandconnectivity.ProceedingsoftheNationalAcademyofSciences108(2001):20254–59.15.Simon,R.,andEngstrom,M.Thedefaultmodenetworkasabiomarkerformonitoringthetherapeutic

effectsofmeditation.FrontiersinPsychology6(June2015),article776.16.Travis,F.T.,etal.Aself-referentialdefaultbrainstate,21–30.

CHAPTER15

1.MaharishiMaheshYogi.ThirdDayChecking,DVD.2.Attwood,J.A.,Atwood,C.,andDvorak,S.YourHiddenRiches:UnleashingthePowerofRitualto

CreateaLifeofMeaningandPurpose(PenguinRandomHouse,2014).3.Gladwell,M.Blink:ThePowerofThinkingWithoutThinking(LittleBrown,2007).4.Covey,S.The7HabitsofHighlyEffectivePeople:PowerfulLessonsinPersonalChange(Simonand

Schuster,2013).5.Forbes/PharmaandHealthcare.April27,2015.Thiscanbefoundat:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2015/04/27/transcendental-meditation-makes-a-comeback-with-the-aim-of-giving-back/.

6.JoshZabar’sblogonthistopiccanbefoundat:http://www.tm.org/blog/meditation/a-look-into-transcendental-meditation/.

7.Frankl,V.E.Man’sSearchforMeaning(BeaconPress,2006).8.Cattaneo,L.,andRizzolatti,G.Themirrorneuronsystem.ArchivesofNeurology66(5)(May2009):

557–60.9.Dalio,R.Principles(2011).PDFavailableat:

http://www.bwater.com/Uploads/FileManager/Principles/Bridgewater-Associates-Ray-Dalio-Principles.pdf.

10.Covey,S.7HabitsofHighlyEffectivePeople.11.Ludwig,M.,etal.Brainactivationandcorticalthicknessinexperiencedmeditators.12.Travis,F.T.,etal.Aself-referentialdefaultbrainstate,21–30.13.Travis,F.T.,etal.PatternsofEEGcoherence,power,andcontingentnegativevariationcharacterize

theintegrationoftranscendentalandwakingstates.BiologicalPsychiatry61(2002):293–319.14.Hill,N.ThinkandGrowRich(BallantineBooks,1960).

CHAPTER16

1.Bartels,M.Geneticsofwellbeinganditscomponentssatisfactionwithlife,happiness,andqualityoflife:Areviewandmeta-analysisofheritabilitystudies.BehaviorGenetics45(2)(2015):137–56.

2.Myers,D.H.“Emotions,Stress,andHealth,”inPsychology,11thed.(WorthPublishers,2015),479–87.3.Ibid.4.Bartone,P.T.Test-retestreliabilityofthedispositionalresiliencescale-15,943–44.5.Bandy,C.L.,etal.Meditationtraininginrookcadetsincreasesresilience.6.Epstein,S.,andMeier,P.Constructivethinking:Abroadcopingvariablewithspecificcomponents.

JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology57(2)(August1989):332–50.7.Myers,D.H.“Emotions,Stress,andHealth.”8.Rosenthal,N.E.EmotionalRevolution.9.Maslow,A.“Self-actualizingPeople:AStudyofPsychologicalHealth,”inMotivationandPersonality,

2nded.(HarperandRow,1970).10.Shostrom,E.L.Aninventoryforthemeasurementofself-actualization.EducationandPsychological

Measurement24(2)(1964):207–18.11.Alexander,C.N.,etal.TranscendentalMeditation,self-actualization,andpsychologicalhealth:A

conceptualoverviewandstatisticalmeta-analysis.JournalofSocialBehaviorandPersonality6(5)(1991):189–247.

CHAPTER17

1.James,W.VarietiesofReligiousExperience,17.2.MaharishiMaheshYogi.Mallorca,1972.3.Rosenthal,N.E.GiftofAdversity.4.Ibid.,174.5.Ibid.,235–36.Ilearnedaboutthe“silverlining”exercisefromChrisGermer,apsychologistaffiliated

withHarvardUniversity.6.James,W.VarietiesofReligiousExperience,172.

CHAPTER18

1.Travis,F.T.,etal.PatternsofEEGcoherence,293–319.2.Tolle,E.PowerofNow.3.Travis,F.T.,andArenander,A.Cross-sectionalandlongitudinalstudyofeffectsofTranscendental

Meditationpracticeoninterhemisphericfrontalasymmetryandfrontalcoherence.4.Travis,F.T.,etal.PatternsofEEGcoherence,293–319.5.Seenotes8–10forchapter6.6.Baruss,I.,andMoore,R.J.Measurementofbeliefsaboutconsciousnessandreality.PsychologyReports

71(1992):59–64.7.Gibbs,J.C.,etal.MoralMaturity(Erlbaum,1992).8.Marteau,T.M.,etal.Thedevelopmentofasix-itemshort-formofthestatescaleoftheSpielberger

State-TraitAnxietyInventory(STAI),301–6.9.InternationalPersonalityItemPool:itemsarefreelyavailableat:http://ipip.ori.org/ipip/.10.Travis,F.T.,etal.Psychologicalandphysiologicalcharacteristicsofaproposedobject-referral/self-

referralcontinuumofself-awareness.ConsciousnessandCognition13(2004):401–20.11.Mason,L.I.,etal.Electrophysiologicalcorrelatesofhigherstatesofconsciousnessduringsleepin

long-termpractitionersoftheTranscendentalMeditationprogram.Sleep20(2)(1997):102–10.12.NotethatthethreegroupsinthestudybyMasonetal.werenotfullymatchedforage.Thelong-term

meditatinggroupwasonaverageolderthantheothergroups,inpart—asmightbeexpected—becausethelongeryoumeditate,theolderyouget.Masonandcolleaguesusedstatisticalmeasuresinan

attempttofactorouttheagedifferenceandconcludedthatthecentralfindingssurvivedthesestatisticalchallenges.

CHAPTER19

1.James,W.VarietiesofReligiousExperience,301.2.Lawrence,D.H.CompletePoems(VikingPress,1964).3.James,W.VarietiesofReligiousExperience,313–14.4.Bucke,R.CosmicConsciousness:AStudyintheEvolutionoftheHumanMind(Innes&Sons,1905).5.Evans,J.PhilosophyforLifeandOtherDangerousSituations:AncientPhilosophyforModernProblems

(NewWorldLibrary,2012).6.White,F.TheOverviewEffect:SpaceExplorationandHumanEvolution,2nded.(AmericanInstituteof

AeronauticsandAstronautics,1998).7.Tolle,E.PowerofNow,4.8.James,W.VarietiesofReligiousExperience,299–301

CHAPTER20

1.Rumi(translatedbyBarks,C.).TheEssentialRumi(HarperOne,1995),36.2.Isaiah2:4,astranslatedintheEnglishStandardVersionoftheBible(GoodNews,2001).

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Iamgratefultomanypeoplewhohelpedbringthisbooktofruition.IowethankstoBobRoth,towhomthebookisdedicated:friend,colleague,andTMmentor,hewasactivelyengagedineverystepofthebook’sdevelopment;toRayandBarbaraDalio,fortheirinvaluablesupport;tomyofficialeditorsMitchHorowitzofTarcherPerigeeandEliseHancock,mywisefriendonwhoseunfailingredpenIhavecometorely;andmyunofficialeditorsCraigPearson,MarioOrsatti,RichardFriedman,andBillStixrud,forcarefullyreadingearlierversionsofthemanuscriptandofferingsageadvice.FredTraviswasgenerouswithhisencyclopedicknowledgeofthescienceofTM,andalwaystheretohelp.

TheDavidLynchFoundationandTMcommunitywereboundlesslysupportive:VickiBroome,myoriginalTMteacher,offeredadviceandencouragedSouthAfricanmeditatorstoparticipateinasurveyusingtheConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire,whichwasanessentialpartofgatheringinformationforthebook.IntheUnitedStates,otherTMteachersencouragedtheirstudentstoparticipate,whichresultedinoversixhundredresponses.SpecialthanksinthisregardtoJeanneandTomBall,DonnaBrooks,CarlaandDuncanBrown,MarkCohen,GerryGeer,KatieandRogerGrose,LynnKaplan,andmanyotherswhosenamesnevercametomyattention.SamKatzhelpedsetupSurveyMonkey,ShebnaGarconassistedwithhandlingthedata,andRandiWilliamsprovidedexpertstatisticaladvice.

SamJohnsonwasmyabletourguideinFairfield,whereImetwithNancyLonsdorf,EdMalloy,JayMarcus,DavidandRhodaOrme-Johnson,KeithandSamanthaWallace,andZivSoferman(viaSkype),allofwhomofferedtheirownuniqueanglesonTMandconsciousness.AspecialthankstoVernonKatzandJudyBoothfortheirknowledgeandwisdom.

Forhelpineducatingmeaboutmindfulness,thanksgoestoRezvanAmeli,LeighBrasington,andChrisGermer.

Manyhelpedinmultiplewaysthatspacedoesnotpermittodetail,butallareremembereddistinctlyandwithgratitude.Somekindlygrantedmeinterviews.Othersprovidedbackgroundinformation,yetothersmuch-neededsupport.IthankLindseyAdelman,KevinAshley,MarkAxelowitz,CaroleBandy,CaseyBenjamin,ChuckBliziotis,NataneBoudreau,PeterBracken,RichardBroome,AndrewCannon,BennettConnelly,PaulDalio,MeganFairchild,SuzanneFierston,KatieFinneran,CarolynGrayson,LindaGreen,JoanneGrigas,KenGunsberger,JohnHagelin,ToddHardin,MichaelHeinrich,SharonIsbin,HughJackman,IsabellJansen,MelodyKatz,BrianLavin,DianneLeader,IanLivingstone,MarciaLorente,LindaMainquist,DanMcQuaid,KristinaNikolova-Dalio,NiyaziParim(Neo),PamelaPeeke,GregPolakow,LynnStallings,TempleSt.Clair,StephenSufian,MirelaSula,RandiWilliams,JoshZabar,WalterZimmerman,BarryZito,andDaveZobeck.

Finally,fortheirsupportandloveIamdeeplygratefultoWendyandDesmondLachman,SusanLieberthal,JoshandLiana,and—asalways—Leora.

INDEX

Thepagenumbersinthisindexrefertotheprintedversionofthisbook.Thelinkprovidedwilltakeyoutothebeginningofthatprintpage.Youmayneedtoscrollforwardfromthatlocationtofindthecorrespondingreferenceonyoure-reader.

Tablesareindicatedbynumbersinitalics.

Abramson,Jeffrey,190–91Abuse,225–27Activity,223,237–38,241,269Actors,133–34happinessof,199–200Jackman,81,104–5,116–20,200

Addictions,202CIQand,74–75,277dramaas,113drugsand,74–76engagementanddetachmentand,127–29healthand,75–77keystonehabitsand,77PFCand,76

Adelman,Lindsey,120authenticityof,121–22employeesof,189–90happinessof,200

ADHD.SeeAttentiondeficit/hyperactivitydisorderAdolescents,83,83Advancedtechniques,60,233,264–65Advertising,173–79Affect,positive,95.SeealsoSeasonalaffectivedisorderAggression,162,173–75,224AHA.SeeAmericanHeartAssociationAl-Anon,129Albania,142–43Alcohol,74–75,129Alexander,Charles,75,206Allen,Woody,135Alphawaves(alpharhythm),43–47,46,87–88CosmicConsciousnessand,239–40,242–44

Alteredstatesofconsciousness(jhanas),19,218n9Ameli,Rezvan,149,151AmericanHeartAssociation(AHA),70,148Amygdala,187–88,192,263Anesthesia,235Angry,76inCIQ,110–11justificationfor,112,114

Anxiety,41,92aboutdeath,134–35aboutflying,135STAI,92,242

Apollo14spacemission,248–49Arenander,Alarik,240Aristotle,73,194,209Artists,38,67–68,77,90Arts,104–6Athletics,228baseball,98–103,157,205running,103–4tennis,103–4zonein,98–104,157

Attachment,214,273.SeealsoAddictions;Detachmentnonattachment,130–31,184–85overattachment,128–29

Attentionfocused,19,19,32,46,46–47inmindfulness,149–50mindwanderingand,159

Attentiondeficit/hyperactivitydisorder(ADHD)adolescentswith,83,83memoryand,81–82

Attwood,Chris,165Attwood,Janet,165Auditions,207–8Authenticity,179ofAdelman,121–22inCIQ,118–19,276ofJackman,116–18

Automaticself-transcending,19,19,32,150Awareness,182.SeealsoWitnessinginCosmicConsciousness,238–39Self-,144–46,174–77

Axelowitz,Mark,170–73,193,205Ayurveda,230

Balance,13,78,179,182,187Ballet,106,201riskand,207–9

stressof,68–69,81Bandy,Carole,94Bannister,Roger,103–4Basalganglia,77Baseball,98–103,157,205Beatles,9–10BeckDepressionInventory,95Beginner’smind,25–26Beingpresent,129–30,180–81inenlightenment,235–36inzone,99,101

Benefits,22,48–49,72–73Bernhardt,Sarah,133Betarhythm,46,87,242theta/betaratio,82,83

BhagavadGita,29,124,126Bipolardisorder,251happinessand,194–95

Bliss,31,36–37Bliziotis,Chuck,153,156–57Blocks,87–88Bloodpressurestudies,70,73B-modeultrasound,43,288n8Body,72–73,78.SeealsoHealthGSRin,41–42,71,111–12mind-bodyconnection,67–69prolactinin,42,47duringtranscendence,32–33,39

Boredom,161BrahmanandaSaraswati,10Brain,77,79–81.SeealsoEEG;Memory;Prefrontalcortexamygdalain,187–88,192,263cerebralcortexof,17,43–44,47creativityand,87–88executivefunctionsof,43mantraand,34–35mindand,40duringtranscendence,43–44

Brasington,Leigh,19,281n9Breathing,19,19transcendenceand,32–33zoneand,100–101

BridgewaterAssociates,60,186,189Broome,Richard,24Broome,Vicki,24,245–47Buber,Martin,35Bucke,Richard,247–48,251Buddha,124Buddhism,25Buddhistmeditation,17–19,19Buddhisttradition.SeealsoMindfulnessVedictraditioncomparedto,147

Buffet,Warren,168

Cactusanalogy,231Calmness,42,48,120,183Camus,Albert,114,128Cardiovascularbenefits,72–73Carroll,Lewis,21Castillo-Richmond,Amparo,73CatchingtheBigFish(Lynch,D.),37,67Centeredness,182,187CEO.SeeChiefExecutiveOfficerCerebralcortex,17,43–44,47.SeealsoPrefrontalcortexCFIT.SeeCulturalFairIntelligenceTestChiefExecutiveOfficer(CEO),191–93Children,169,202–3custodyof,254traumaof,225–28

Cigarettes,74–75CIQ.SeeConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaireCoherenceinEEG,43–44,47,240,242,288n8forStateofConsciousnessscale,285n7

Colors,11,56,179,231,270ColumbiaPresbyterianHospital(NewYorkCity),7–8Communication,266honestyin,189–90listeningin,180–81,254reactivityin,222universalityand,257

Community.SeeUniversalityCompassion,151–52,190,255–58Competitioncreativityand,175–77timeand,190

Complaints,121,215Comprehension,182Confidence,120,122Conflictsreactivityand,176–77,222,273supportofnaturein,141–44

Confucius,107Connecteduniverse.SeeUniversalityConsciousexperience,16,16Consciousmind,10–11Consciousnesseducationcomparedto,14EEGsignaturesof,15–16,16,20metaphorsof,10–12,30,259mindfulnessand,151–52

asocean,30,259revelationof,116traditionalstatesof,17,20inVedictradition,151

ConsciousnessExplained(Dennett),15ConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaire(CIQ),12–13,37–38,64addictionsand,74–75,277administrationof,54angerin,110–11authenticityin,118–19,276creativityand,89–91,277deathin,134–36,274–75,285n6developmentof,53–54,283n2engagementanddetachmentin,129–32,273–74habitsin,74,277happinessin,197–98,203–4,272,275instructionsfor,267,267–68introductionto,267limitationsof,283n3mindfulnessin,161–63,274peakexperiencesin,280,285n6personalinformationfor,268–69,284n5positiveexperiencesin,115questionsin,269–80resiliencein,110–13,272responsesof,54,283n3scalein,54,55,285n6statisticsfor,285n7supportofnaturein,61,61–62,144–46,279,286n8transcendentsurprisesand,245–46universalityin,63,257,279,285n6zonein,107–8,274,286n8

ConstructiveThinkingInventory(CTI),92,95,197Contemplationmeditation,92–93Contentment,236,275Contingentnegativevariation,242Control,29detachmentand,131dreamingand,59zoneand,99–101

CorporateAmerica.SeealsoEmployees;Wealthcompoundinterestin,185listeningin,180–81managerialawarenessin,182nonattachmentin,184–85opennessin,184–85prioritysettingin,181reactivityin,182–84

CosmicConsciousness,4,4–5,263.SeealsoSuperMindalphawavesand,239–40,242–44awarenessin,238–39

contentmentin,236descriptionof,230–31,238–39,281n1developmentof,48–52,213,228–39EEGand,230,239–44Maharishion,230–31McCartneyon,9scienceof,239–44spontaneityof,237witnessingand,60–61,225,232–35

CosmicConsciousness(Bucke),247–48Cosmictime,160Costofmedicalexpenses,77ofmindwandering,159–60ofTMtechnique,189–90,264

Covey,Stephen,181,191Creativityblocksto,87–88brainand,87–88centerednessand,187CIQand,89–91,277

competitionand,175–77conflictand,174decision-makingand,188definitionof,85fieldindependenceand,88–89ofmusician,86opennessand,185problemsand,224psychiatryand,90risksand,155–57SuperMindand,85–91ofwriters,87,96–97

Cronbach’salpha,285n7Csikszentmihalyi,Mihaly,107CTI.SeeConstructiveThinkingInventoryCulturalFairIntelligenceTest(CFIT),92

DalaiLama,194Dalio,Barbara,185–86Dalio,Ray,50,86,185centerednessof,187decision-makingby,188employeesof,189perseveranceof,186perspectiveof,254relaxationof,187

ontranscendence,186–87truthand,184

Dancers.SeeBalletDaoism(Taoism),18,30,32,42,107Darwin,Charles,110Data,55,55–56,287n9Dating,126–27DavidLynchFoundation,79–80,179DeathinCIQ,134–36,274–75,285n6dealingwith,132–34,202–3denialabout,132–33ofelephants,125–26infamily,124–25fearof,132–37,219,257–58,274lifeafter,133–35,275,285n6Maharishion,136sufferingcomparedto,135transcendenceand,136–37

Decision-makingcreativityand,188productivityand,167–68,172

Defaultmodenetwork(DMN),160–61,163Defensiveness,256–57Dehaene,Stanislas,15–16Deltarhythm,46,243–44Denial,132–33Dennett,Daniel,15Depression,95deSaint-Exupéry,Antoine,147Designer,141–42subsidiesfrom,189–90

Desire,193Detachment,270.SeealsoEngagement,anddetachmentcontroland,131liberationof,218–19loveand,129,132materialityand,130Selfand,132

Detectionthreshold,15Development.SeealsoSuperMinddevelopmentofCIQ,53–54,283n2ofCosmicConsciousness,48–52,213,228–39

Diaz,Cameron,23memoryof,79–81

Difficulty,150–51DispositionalResilienceScale(DRS-15),95,196–97Divorcesupportofnatureand,143–44universalityin,254

DMN.SeeDefaultmodenetwork

Donne,John,133Don’tLetYourMindGo(Sula),142–43Dopamine,76–77,81,129Drama,112–14Dreaming,17controland,59lucid,59–60

DRS-15.SeeDispositionalResilienceScaleDrugs,223–24,283n3addictionsand,74–76happinessand,201–2

Duality,35,233–34Duhigg,Charles,77Dunham,Lena,133–34Duration,63,252inCIQ,54,64,213EEGand,241–42

Eatingbehaviors,74,129Ecclesiastes,141Ecstasy,114–15EducationMaharishiUniversityofManagement,44–45,72medicalschool,7–8,14,31,37,81–82atNorwichUniversity,94–97,196–97

EEGalphawavesin,43–47,46,87–88,239–40,242–44betarhythm,46,82,83,87,242broadbandfrontalcoherenceof,240–42coherencein,43–44,47,240,242,288n8CosmicConsciousnessand,230,239–44gammain,16,19,46,46,87,242meditationtypesand,19,46,46–47personalexperienceswith,17,44–45PFCin,43,47sleepand,232,243–44,292n12

EEGsignatures,15–16,16,20Effectsizes,289n11Effortlessness,25–26,108,276Egos,184–85Egostrengths,48–40Elephants,125–26Emotioncenterednessand,187innerspaceand,183–84womenand,176–77,179

Emotionalattachment,214Empathy

mirrorneuronsand,183–84universalityand,256–58

EmployeesofAbramson,190–91ofAdelman,189–90retentionof,189ofSt.Clair,190

Empowerment,118–19Energiestrader,88–89Energy,96,168duringTMtechnique,218,222

Engagement,anddetachment,137addictionsand,127–29inCIQ,129–32,273–74indating,126–27inloss,124–26inmateriality,127–28inpsychiatry,128

Enlightenment,235–36.SeealsoCosmicConsciousness;SuperMindEquilibrium,8internalgrowthand,114–15ofnormality,121

Evans,Jules,248–49Exaggeration,112Executivefunctions,43amygdalaand,192executivesand,191–93PFCand,188,191–93

Executives,191–93womenas,179

Executivesystem,291n11Experiencesampling,291n11

Fainting,69,207Fairchild,Megan,81,106,157happinessof,201self-actualizationof,207–9stressof,68–69

Faith,145,196Familychildrenin,154,169,202–3,225–28deathin,124–25divorceand,143–44,254gaygrandsonin,223–24

Fearsofdeath,134–37,219,257–58,274aboutfun,190ofJackman,119–20stressand,215–16

Fees,189–90,264Fieldindependence,88–89,92,193Fight-or-flightresponses,70–71Finances,127–28,189–90,264,278.SeealsoDalio,Ray;WealthFindings.SeealsoConsciousness

IntegrationQuestionnairefrommilitaryacademyresearch,95–97fromTaiwanesestudies,93–94,97

Finneran,Katie,81happinessof,199zoneof,105

Flow,63,63.SeealsoZoneFlowers,56,231Fluidintelligence,92Flying,135,140–41Focusedattention,19,19,32EEGrhythmsand,46,46–47

Food,74,129Forgiveness,226–27Forster,E.M.,128Frankl,Viktor,183Frequency,287n9SuperMindand,63–64ofTMtechnique,27–28,63–64,111,140,260–61,287n10transcendenceand,260–61

Friedman,Richard,37,90,133compassionand,255–57sensoryexperiencesfrom,56–57

Fun,190,277

Galileo,21Galvanicskinresponse(GSR),41–42resilienceand,111–12stressand,71

Gamma,16,19,46,46,87,242Geer,Gerry,54GEFT.SeeGroupEmbeddedFiguresTestGermer,Chris,19,151–52GibbsSociomoralReflectionMeasure-ShortForm,242TheGiftofAdversity(Rosenthal),224,226Gilbert,Daniel,158–60TheGlassBeadGame(Hesse),89Goleman,Daniel,71Gratitude,190,196Grief,202–4.SeealsoDeathGrose,Katie,60Grosswald,Sarina,82GroupEmbeddedFiguresTest(GEFT),92GSR.SeeGalvanicskinresponseGuilt,236

Gulliver(fictitiouscharacter),70–71Gunaratana,Henepola(Bhante),150Gunsberger,Ken,166–70,205

Habits,73–75,77,277.SeealsoAddictionsCoveyon,181,191HALT(hungry,angry,lonely,tired),76Happiness,100,193bipolardisorderand,194–95bliss,31,36–37causesof,195–98,196inCIQ,197–98,203–4,272,275ecstasy,114–15laughterin,214memoryand,227mindwanderingand,158–60ofmusician,199100percent,198–201problemsand,201–5self-actualizationand,204–9sleepand,59–60successand,201wealthand,196,198

Happinesssetpoint,198Harung,Harald,43Headache,216Healthaddictionsand,75–77cardiovascularbenefits,72–73longevityand,72–74preventionin,190stressand,68–71SuperMindand,73–78

Hedgefundpresident,50,186.SeealsoDalio,RayHerron,Robert,77Hesse,Hermann,89Hierarchyofneeds,204Highenergymeditation,222Higherstatesofconsciousness,4,4,281n1.SeealsoCosmicConsciousness;SuperMindHill,Napoleon,

193Homelessness,201–2TheHungerFix(Peeke),76Hungry,74,76–77Hypomania,251

ImpactonLifescale,54–55,64,285n7,286n8,287n10flowin,63,63internalgrowthin,62,62–63supportofnaturein,61,61–62

Innergrowth,122–23,272.SeealsoSuperMindInnerspace,183–84Insomnia,61InspectionTime(IT),92Instrumentsinmilitaryacademyresearch,95inTaiwanesestudies,92

Intelligencejournal,93–94Intention,149–50Internalgrowth,286n8.SeealsoBrainequilibriumand,114–15inImpactonLifescale,62,62–63interventionand,110physicalgrowthand,109resiliencerelatedto,110–13

Internalspace,182–84.SeealsoReactivityInternationalPersonalityItemPool,242Inthezone.SeeFlow;ZoneIsbin,Sharon,85–86happinessof,199,205zoneof,105–6

IT.SeeInspectionTime

Jackman,Hugh,81authenticityof,116–18fearsof,119–20happinessof,200zoneof,104–5

James,William,41,112,195,213,228onmysticalexperiences,245,249–50onstatesofconsciousness,17–18ontranscendence,136–37

Jhanas(alteredstatesofconsciousness),19,281n9Jones,Bob,169Jones,PaulTudor,172Joy,59–60inzone,100

Justification,112,114

Kabat-Zinn,Jon,149–50Keats,John,49–50Keystonehabits,77Killingsworth,Matthew,158–60Kindness,140–41,173.SeealsoLoving-kindnesscompassionKing,BillieJean,103–4

Lao-Tzu,30,48Lawrence,D.H.,149,246–47Lazar,Sara,17Leadership,180–81.SeealsoCorporateAmerica;ExecutivesLiberation,218–19

Life,5,102.SeealsoImpactonLifescaleafterdeath,133–35,275,285n6vibrancyof,220–21

Lightmysticalexperiencesand,251duringsleep,234–35

Limitations,283n3Listening,180–81,254Litigator,139–41Longevity,72–74.SeealsoDeathLorente,Marcia,173–79Loss,124–26Love,281n1detachmentand,129,132developmentof,237divorceand,254ofgaygrandson,223–24

Loving-kindnesscompassion,151–52Loving-kindnessmeditation,19,32EEGand,46,46

LoyolaUniversity,31,36Luciddreaming,59–60Luck,138–39,144–46.SeealsoSupportofnatureLynch,David,37,67–68,77DavidLynchFoundation,79–80,179

Lynch,Peter,172Lynn,Lance,99

MadMen,173,175MaharishiMaheshYogi(Maharishi),4,213Beatlesand,9–10onCosmicConsciousness,230–31ondeath,136onenlightenment,235qualitiesof,10ontranscendence,31,39

MaharishiUniversityofManagement,44–45,72Mainquist,Linda,179MaitriUpanishad,50–51Man’sSearchforMeaning(Frankl),183Mantra,19,19,23brainand,34–35

Maslow,Abraham,204,206–7Mason,Lynn,241–44,292n12MassachusettsGeneralHospital,17Materiality,165–66.SeealsoWealthdetachmentand,130engagementanddetachmentin,127–28

MayoClinic,151MBSR.SeeMindfulnessBasedStressReduction

McCartney,Paul,9Measurement,54–55.SeealsoResearchMedicalexpenses,77Medicalschool,31,37,81–82personalexperienceof,7–8,14

Meditationtypes,222.SeealsoTranscendentalMeditation(TM)techniqueBuddhist,17–19,19contemplation,92–93EEGand,19,46,46–47focusedattention,19,19,32,46,46–47loving-kindness,19,32,46,46openmonitoring,19,19,32,46,46–47

Meetings,180–81Memory,84–85ofabuse,226–27ADHDand,81–82ofDiaz,79–81happinessand,227

Meta-analysis,289n11Metaphors,10–12,30,259Militaryacademyresearch,94findingsfrom,95–97happinessand,196–97instrumentsin,95personalexperiencesfrom,96–97

Milton,John,204–5Mind,10–11,25–26.SeealsoSuperMindbrainand,40silenceof,259duringtranscendence,33–39

Mind-bodyconnection,67–69Mindfulness,13,147,164.SeealsoMindwanderinginCIQ,161–63,274consciousnessand,151–52descriptionof,149–51difficultyof,150–51personalexperienceswith,153–54,161–62popularityof,148researchon,148,163fromTMtechnique,161–63withTMtechnique,153–57

MindfulnessBasedStressReduction(MBSR),150MindfulnessinPlainEnglish(Gunaratana),150TheMindfulPathtoSelf-Compassion(Germer),151–52Mindwanderingcostof,159–60DMNand,160–61,163happinessand,158–60problemsand,159researchon,158,291n11transcendenceand,158–59

Mirrorneurons,183–84Mitchell,Edgar,248–49

Moralreasoning,242Musclerelaxation,33Musicians,9–10,85,228creativityof,86happinessof,199zoneof,105–6

“Mystic”(Lawrence),149Mysticalexperiences,245ofBucke,247–48,251envyof,251–52lightand,251ofMitchell,248–49,251personalexperiencesof,250–51ofTolle,249,251truthof,246–47

Myths,165–66

NationalInstituteofMentalHealth,42NationalLeagueChampionshipSeries,98Nature,56–57.SeealsoSupportofnatureNedergaard,Maiken,88Neuroscience,15,20,31NewYorkCity,7–8,79–80,256–58Niceness,140–41,146Nietzsche,Friedrich,41,67Nighttimetechnique,60Nin,Anaïs,141Noeticquality,250Nonattachment,130–31inCorporateAmerica,184–85

Nonduality,35,106,233–34.SeealsoTranscendence;UniversalityNormality,121NorwichUniversity,94–97,196–97Norwood,Robin,129

O’Connell,David,75100percent,198–201Oneness,35,106“OnFirstLookingintoChapman’sHomer”(Keats),49–50Openmonitoring,19,19,32EEGand,46,46–47

Openness,234inCorporateAmerica,184–85

Orme-Johnson,David,71,214–16Taiwanesestudiesby,87–88,91–94,92

Orme-Johnson,Rhoda,214–16Orsatti,Mario,157,179–82,185Overattachment,128–29TheOverviewEffect(White),249

P300,16Pain,154–57,216Paradoxicalalpha,45–46,46Paranoia,215–16Pasteur,Louis,146Patanjali,12,265Patterns,59,283n2inuniversality,254–55

Peakexperiences,245–46,280,285n6PeakExperiencesQuestionnaire,241Pearson,Craig,18,104Peeke,Pamela,76Perception,51,179oftranscendence,217–18,270–71visualexperiencesin,37–38,44–45

Perfectionism,68–69,207–8Personalexperiences,3,5–6,71,84withEEG,17,44–45ofmedicalschool,7–8,14frommilitaryacademyresearch,96–97withmindfulness,153–54,161–62ofmysticalexperiences,250–51ofquitting,170ofSuperMinddevelopment,49–50oftranscendence,19,30–39,260–61ofWeisel,33–34,38–39

Personalinformation,268–69,284n5PersonalOrientationInventory(POI),206Perspective,254indivorce,143–44ofwriters,141

PFC.SeePrefrontalcortexPhilanthropy,258.SeealsoWealthPhilosophyforLifeandOtherDangerousSituations(Evans),248–49Physicalgrowth,109Physiology,40.SeealsoBody;HealthPOI.SeePersonalOrientationInventoryPOMS.SeeProfileofMoodStatesPopularityofmindfulness,148ofTMtechnique,260

Positivity,95,115,173Possessions,130–31Post-traumaticstressdisorder(PTSD),3–4,202–3sleepand,58–59

Power.SeealsoTranscendence;Wealthofwomen,174–76,179

ThePowerofHabit(Duhigg),77ThePowerofNow(Tolle),235–36,249Practicalintelligence,92

Prediction,63–64Prefrontalcortex(PFC),183addictionsand,76asCEO,191–93dopamineand,76–77,81inEEG,43,47executivefunctionsand,188,191–93stressand,80–81

Pressures,70,73,104–5Prioritysetting,181Problemscreativityand,224happinessand,201–5mindwanderingand,159

Procrastination,90–91Productivity,154–55,277decision-makingand,167–68,172

Professionalism,142ProfileofMoodStates(POMS),95Prolactin,42,47Psychiatry,128creativityand,90trainingin,7–8,14

Psychologicaltime,160Psychology,195,196ThePsychologyofReligion(Starbuck),228PTSD.SeePost-traumaticstressdisorder

Questionnaires,53.SeealsoConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaireQuitting,73,170,195,261–62

Reactivity,110–12,116,162amygdalaand,192conflictand,176–77,222,273inCorporateAmerica,182–84teacherson,113,262–63timeand,182–83wealthand,168

Receptivity,144–46RefinedCosmicConsciousness,4,281n1Relationships,190,200,278Relaxation,33,105,187Religion,141,228,253Talmud,165Taoism,18,30,32–42,107

Research.SeealsoEEGatmilitaryacademy,94–97,196–97onmindfulness,148,163

onmindwandering,158,291n11onself-actualization,206

Resilience,95,196–97inCIQ,110–13,272GSRand,111–12internalgrowthrelatedto,110–13

Resolution,35–36Retreats,265RightConcentration:APracticalGuidetotheJhanas(Brasington),19,281n9Rilke,RainerMaria,159Risks,179balletand,207–9creativityand,155–57funfrom,227

Rosenthal,N.E.TheGiftofAdversityby,224,226Transcendenceby,3–5,49,71,75,251WinterBluesby,139–40

Roth,Bob,25–26,28,37interviewwith,259–66onmantra,34onsupportofnature,145–46

Rumi,200,253Running,103–4Runyon,Damon,141

SAD.SeeSeasonalaffectivedisorderSaint-Exupéry,Antoinede,147SanFranciscoGiants,98–102Sapolsky,Robert,68Saroyan,William,132Schneider,Robert,72Schwartz,Gary,71Science,12.SeealsoEEG;ResearchofCosmicConsciousness,239–44neuroscience,15,20,31

Scorsese,Martin,27,81,86–87Seasonalaffectivedisorder(SAD),6,283n2supportofnatureand,139–40

SeasonalPatternAssessmentQuestionnaire,283n2Seinfeld,Jerry,27–28,34,73Self,40detachmentand,132aslaboratory,6

Self-actualization,155–56happinessand,204–9researchon,206

Self-awareness,144–46.SeealsoMindfulnessofwomen,174–77

Self-transcending,automatic,19,19,32,150Sensoryexperiences,55.SeealsoPerceptionaboutflowers,56fromFriedman,56–57ofnature,56–57ofobjects,57–58

Serenity,183The7HabitsofHighlyEffectivePeople(Covey),181,191Shear,Jonathan,150Silence,221ofmind,259undersounds,217duringwakefulness,49,269

Silverliningexercise,226–27Skepticism,6,26,44,139Sleep,17,92,96,271.SeealsoDreaminganesthesiaand,235EEGand,232,243–44,292n12happinessand,59–60lightduring,234–35periodsof,42PTSDand,58–59qualityof,58,61StateofConsciousnessscaleand,55,58–61supportofnatureand,145–46TMtechniqueand,171,178witnessingin,60–61,225,232–35,243–44

Smoking,74–75So,Kam-Tim,87,91–94,92SouthAfrica,15,54,197,284n5Spontaneity,235,237Spontaneousvirtuosity(wuwei),107STAI.SeeState-TraitAnxietyInventoryStarbuck,EdwinDiller,228StateofConsciousnessFrequencyScale,287n9StateofConsciousnessscale,54,55,64,287n9coherencefor,285n7sensoryexperiencesand,55,56–58sleepand,55,58–61

Statesofconsciousness,17.SeealsoTraditionsState-TraitAnxietyInventory(STAI),92,95,242Statistics,242,285n7,289n11St.Clair,Temple,190,201Stern,Howard,75Stixrud,Bill,82–84TheStranger(Camus),128Strategicthinking,167–68Stress,78,150,260–61.SeealsoAnxiety;Fearsofabuse,225–27ofballet,68–69,81bloodpressurestudiesand,70energyand,218fight-orflightresponsesand,70–71healthand,68–71

mind-bodyconnectionand,69PFCand,80–81PTSD,3–4,58–59,202–3zoneand,266

Stressrelief,48–49StritchSchoolofMedicine,31,36Styron,William,87Subjectivereports,17.SeealsoPersonalexperiencesSubsidies,189–90Sula,Mirela,142–44SuperMind,4–6balanceof,13,78clarificationabout,11–12comprehensionof,182creativityand,85–91definitionof,12examplesof,106–7healthand,73–78measurementof,54–55wealthand,168

SuperMinddevelopment,262–63earlysignsof,214–16emotionalattachmentand,214personalexperienceof,49–50predictionof,63–64beyondstressrelief,48–49transformationin,216–29,278,280

Superperformers,6–7SupportofnatureinCIQ,61,61–62,144–46,279,286n8inconflicts,141–44SADand,139–40sleepand,145–46

TheSupremeAwakening(Pearson),18,104Survey,7,53.SeealsoConsciousnessIntegrationQuestionnaireSuzuki,Shunryu,25Sympatheticnervoussystem,33Synchronization,16.SeealsoCoherenceTaiwanesestudiesbrainin,87–88consistencyin,93contemplationmeditationin,92–93findingsfrom,93–94,97functionsin,92instrumentsin,92subjectsin,91–92

Talmud,165Taoism(Daoism),18,30,32–42,107TaoTeChing,30,35TCT-DP.SeeTestforCreativeThinking-DrawingProductionTeachers,23–25,75.SeealsoRoth,Bobinmilitaryacademyresearch,96–97

Orsattias,157,179–82,185onreactivity,113,262–63resolutionfrom,35–36

Tennis,103–4Tennyson,Alfred(lord),136TestforCreativeThinking-DrawingProduction(TCT-DP),87,92Therapist,142–44Theta/betaratio,82,83Thetarhythm,46ThinkandGrowRich(Hill),193Thoreau,HenryDavid,35,109,122–23Time,152,190allocationof,167–68,171,178clock,160ITand,92tolearn,264procrastinationand,90–91psychological,160reactivityand,182–83ofTMtechnique,26–27,35–36,217,260,264

Tired,76.SeealsoSleepTM.SeeTranscendentalMeditation(TM)techniqueTMFrequencyScale,287n10TM-Sidhiprogram,265Todayshow,114Tolerance,223–24Tolle,Eckhart,160,235–36,249Tolstoy,Leo,147TowerCompanies,190–91Traditionalstates,17,20Traditions,142–43ofstatesofconsciousness,16–20,19Vedic,4,4,18,147,151,281n1

Traffic,112,144,222Transcendence(Rosenthal),3–5,49,71,75,251Transcendence(TranscendentalConsciousness),4,18,136–37.SeealsoCosmicConsciousnessinactivity,

223,237–38,241,269asautomaticself-transcending,19,19,32,150bodyduring,32–33,39brainduring,43–44Dalio,R.,on,186–87deathand,136–37descriptionsabout,31,50jhanascomparedto,19,281n9Maharishion,31,39mindduring,33–39mindwanderingand,158–59

perceptionof,217–18,270–71personalexperienceof,19,30–39,260–61wakefulnessand,49–52

TranscendentalMeditation(TM)technique,3advancedtechniquesof,60,233,264–65benefitsof,22,48–49,72–73checkingof,23,25complaintsabout,215controland,29durationof,54,63–64,213,241–42,252effortlessnessof,25–26emergencefrom,24energyduring,218,222feesfor,189–90,264frequencyof,27–28,63–64,111,140,260–61,287n10innocenceof,26locationsfor,191meditationtypesand,18–19,19,46,46–47mindfulnessfrom,161–63mindfulnesswith,153–57popularityof,260practiceof,22,30quittingof,73,170,195,261–62sleepand,171,178teachersof,23–25,35–36,75,96–97,113,157,179–82,185timeof,26–27,35–36,217,260,264

Transcendentflashes.SeeMysticalexperiencesTranscendentsurprises,245–46.SeealsoMysticalexperiencesTranscriptionist,106–7TransformationinSuperMinddevelopment,216–29,278,280duringTMtechnique,221–22

Transiency,250Traumaofchildren,225–28PTSD,3–4,58–59,202–3

Travis,Fred,41–45,82,230.SeealsoEEGTrust,121,220Truth,246–47opennessto,184–85

Twelve-stepprograms,75–76,12925LessonsinMindfulness(Ameli),149

Unity,106,117–18UnityConsciousness,4,281n1Universality,253inCIQ,63,257,279,285n6communicationand,257indivorce,254

empathyand,256–58patternsin,254–55

Upanishads,50–51UrbanZen(NewYorkCity),79–80

TheVarietiesofReligiousExperience(James),136–37,228VedicliteratureBhagavadGita,29,124,126Upanishads,50–51YogaSutrasofPatanjali,12,265

Vedictradition,18Buddhisttraditioncomparedto,147consciousnessin,151higherstatesofconsciousnessin,4,4,281n1

Vietnamveteran,214Visualexperiences,37–38,44–45

Wakefulness,42silenceduring,49,269transcendenceand,49–52

Wakingconsciousness,17“AWanderingMindIsanUnhappyMind”(KillingsworthandGilbert),158–60Weaknesses,122Wealth,165.SeealsoDalio,RayAxelowitzand,170–73,193,205Gunsbergerand,166–70,205happinessand,196,198Lorenteand,173–79SuperMindand,168

Wehr,Thomas,42Weisel,Mindy,33–34,38–39White,Frank,249WhyZebrasDon’tGetUlcers(Sapolsky),68WinterBlues(Rosenthal),139–40Witnessinginactivity,241CosmicConsciousnessand,60–61,225,232–35insleep,60–61,225,232–35,243–44

Women,236.SeealsoLorente,Marciaemotionand,176–77,179asexecutives,179powerof,174–76,179self-awarenessof,174–77

WomenWhoLoveTooMuch(Norwood),129Workingmemory,84Writers,90,228creativityof,87,96–97

perspectiveof,141Wuwei(spontaneousvirtuosity),107

YogaSutrasofPatanjali,12,265YourHiddenRiches(AttwoodandAttwood),165

Zabar,Josh,183–85ZenBuddhism,25Zimmerman,Walter,88–89Zito,Barry,98–99,205lifeof,102personalexperienceof,101–2zoneof,100–102,157

Zobeck,David,96–97Zoneinarts,104–6inathletics,98–104,157beingpresentin,99,101breathingand,100–101inCIQ,107–8,274,286n8controland,99–101factorsof,107–8ofFinneran,105ofIsbin,105–6ofJackman,104–5joyin,100ofmusician,105–6stressand,266ofZito,100–102,157

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