Re: Curious about how long you've been at it...

I'm in much the same position as Donna although I think my not making it a habitual practice has to do with not changing certain habits of thinking, particularly in the morning, that make me impatient to get started with my day (and get that first espresso!).

I am responding because I was able to meditate most days during a recent two-week vacation and the benefits made themselves apparent once again - a physically more relaxed feeling and a pleasantly "softened" response to thoughts or events that normally may cause me some degree of needless stress.

Like Patrick I much prefer the "R" version of the syllable, for the same reasons. On vacation I noticed I don't begin to feel relaxed until at least five or six minutes into the practice but I know that will improve with regular practice. When my "monkey-brain" flurry of thoughts inevitably intrudes, the effortless act of gently returning my attention to the syllable causes an instant deepening of relaxation.

Now that I am back from vacation I am committed to beginning to make the practice a solid part of my life - as another poster said, like showering and brushing teeth. I see NSR as a practical tool so I really like that analogy. I am in the midst of some creative career changes and skills development and I suspect that the more relaxed I become, the more productive I will be in those endeavors.

Regarding David's comments on NSR attaining a "critical level of publicity" I wonder if NSR has considered approaching David Lynch or if he is too closely tied with the TM org to ally himself with this wonderfully pragmatic alternative that lets us teach ourselves the practice without all the expense and weird baggage.