To ask if you've learned TM (meditation)

[Bolognaise]

And did you have to spend a load of money to learn it?

I think this is the one Russell Brand talks about

(I can't seem to find how to do it other than by being taught it and am looking at various ways to help with anxiety)

Gimmick? Or something worth learning?

I have. It was expensive. Was it useful? Yes but i find it difficult to get in my 2 20 minute meditations a day.

Have a look on their website - I think it can be subsidised. However I think there are other effective ways to meditate. If I were you I would look up mindfulness classes in your area - you might find something usefulness.

Also have a look at this post from mumsnet by shrub in 2004. Good luck x

i agree with katierocket transcendental meditation definately works for me. you are not suppose to divulge how it works (sign a disclaimer)i don't know what would happen if they did find out (send maharishi man to tell me off) but in a nutshell it involves the following:
1.quiet space guaranteed not to be interuppted (yes - i did tell the teacher this could be tricky with children)
2.i go to bed and propped up, lots of pillows and duvet wrapped around me - close eyes, earplugs if necessary, though the point is once you get the hang of it you 'tune' out of outside sounds.
3.allow yourself to listen to all the outside sounds, gradually drawing yourself into the sound of your breathing.
4.if and when you get distracted by a thought allow it to happen - just let them flow in and out of you.
5.gradually let the breathing take over. again when a thought occurs - return to the breath.

1. choose a mantra, can be anything preferably a made up short word so the only association you have with the word is to let it help you sink deeper into your meditation.

7.just let the mantra flow in and out of your head, not important whether it follows a rhythm.again if thoughts overtake you just return to the mantra. 8.try this for 20 mins twice a day. allow yourself a few mins (if poss.) to slowly come out of meditation.

1. if you get distracted - children, door, telephone - very slowly come out of meditation and try again later.

thats it! i knew it began to work when i had a sort of euphoric feeling - a bit like falling in love/flying! you have to be very disciplined to use it to its full potential (yogic flying anyone??) though i can definately say it has given me a healthy distance from my emotions/feelings/events when they would normally overwhelm me - plus more energy, though i have to admit with 2 ds's i tend to use it as a sleep aid. it cost me £500 3 years ago which has been the best money i have ever spent. i have talked to other mumsnetters about tm and one said it now costs £1500 to go on 3 day course (consists of 2-3 hours per day usually in the evenings). there is also a company that is called (i think) the independent transcendental meditation org) they have no connection to the maharishi bloke and charge in region of £250. the only reason i know this is there is a course happening next week in devon that was advertised in my local paper. i would personally go on a course as it gives you the motivation to continue. hope it helps

Thanks Dalek!

Sounds very similar to what I already try to do... I wondered if there was a magic mantra formula or something

I do use mindfulness to an extent and have done a mindfulness course, I'm fairly attracted to woo-ness and I suppose looking for some sort of experience which perhaps is not the aim of meditation and where I'm going wrong

Have you experienced the falling in love feeling shrub speaks of?

Hi, do a search for the same topic - there was a thread a couple of months ago that will help with someone asking similar questions. Probably give you some answers :)

My brother does it. He spent some time in Skelmersdale doing the flying thing in the dome many years ago. I went once but it looked to me like they were bouncing on their arses on springy foam [cynical bastard me].

He now does TM and it helps with stress and tiredness. That I do believe .

Good idea bagpuss! Having a read through now

Petty woman - what is this flying in a dome??? Sounds intriguing!