I know a regular practice is essential. Like everyone else, when I have practiced NSR in the past, I have always felt the benefits almost immediately. However, I have not yet been able to create a regular practice - as in make it part of my life. The times of non-practice FAR, FAR outweigh the periods of practice over the last few years. It's a personal thing (isn't everything?) and I'll have to keep working on it. It just makes me curious to know about the success stories where people have been able to incorporate this into their lives and for how long people on this site have been consistently practicing NSR every day (or nearly every day). I hope someone out there feels like sharing.
David Spector - NSR/USA (Login david_NSR) English-Forum-Moderator
Regular practice
February 16 2008, 9:17 PM
Donna,
People tend to visit this site only when they have questions, but I do hope you get some responses.
I have been practicing Transcendental Meditation since September 26, 1970 regularly, morning and evening. I credit my regularity to the excellent personal support I got in those early days, ranging from having my questions answered well to attending residence courses to the wonderful fellowship of painting a TM center or sharing a meal with the other teachers and volunteers.
Since the mid 1970's, the TM folks have turned their attention inward, toward expensive advanced courses and programs, toward weird unscientific mysticism, and largely abandoned the public at large. Here at Natural Stress Relief we want to turn this around, and put the emphasis on teaching everyone effective meditation again.
Our instructional materials are excellent. All we lack at this point is the critical level of publicity that will ignite massive awareness of NSR. With a quantum increase in teaching NSR, we might have the resources to set up centers, teachers, courses, radio or TV programs, or whatever else is needed to make newcomers feel welcome and supported.
Your question is a great one. My view is that all that is needed for regularity of practice through the years is a bit of personal support from us and from society. What do others think?
Thanks, David. You're right. I did think about the fact that usually people reach out to this site when they are new or re-newing or need to "tune" (as is true with me). As you say, it will be interesting to see if there are any responses.
For me I tried many types of meditations Insight Meditation (great but couldn't stick with it) being my longest run 9-10 months, NSR is the only one that I could do consistently. Often I don't want to stop, I think you really have to have some belief that your not wasting your time in the beginning, let face it even though it feels good who wants to waste their time if doesn't do anything. I know that David Lynch, Howard Stern, Robin Quivers have all had great success with TM. I think knowing some very bright people(subjective)stuck with it, may have helped. Personally I would have tried TM years ago but the price was to much for me. NSR has made a big difference for me, thanks David.
I have been practicing for one month. That is not a long time. At first I thought the setting had to be just right to have a session. I have found that you can have a successful session even on a crowded airplane and other unlikely places. I am trying to just take the time wherever I am at a regular time. If I can see a quiter period coming in a hour or so I wait til then but if not then I just go ahead. I always feel better for it.
TM and its advanced programs. Twice a day. Part of my life. It might need a letting go of less important activities in order to be reschedule one's daily life and be regular, but it's worth it. And having regular times each day (if possible) helps to culture the new routine. That helps educate family members too, that this is the time you don't get disturbed. Of course, flexibility also plays a part, seeing we live in a society and often in a family situation. But I believe regular is best, with occasional exceptions as necessary.
I am a lot like you Donna. I find that there are times when I diligently practice NSR. Then I will go weeks without it. For me, the reasons are varied. I think about it every day, but some mornings I don't get up in time before work to practice. Other days, I don't get home until late and won't practice then either.
Some days truly baffle me, like last night, I got home at a reasonable hour but still didn't practice. I have no idea why. After I have meditated, I am always happy that I did, but some days I simply don't practice for no real reason.
Anyway, I'm sure that this doesn't really help you, Donna. But put me in the camp of people who wishes he meditated more often.
David Spector - NSR/USA (Login david_NSR) English-Forum-Moderator
...why we sometimes don't want to meditate
March 19 2008, 8:58 PM
Trent,
Brief answer about why we sometimes don't want to meditate: we really get used to those stresses! After all, many of them have been with us since childhood.
The nice thing is that this counterproductive feeling goes away in a few weeks or months. After a while it can be great fun feeling those stresses go, and we tend to have a pleasant anticipation before each session.
Glad to see there is support out there. I just started three weeks ago with NSR and although I haven't been totaly consistent in the practice, I am amazed at just the fact that I'm in my fourth week. Besides Yoga, I've never lasted at something like this for so long.
Donna, when my schedule doesn't allow me to practice at the specified times, I don't get upset and just say to my self that tomorrow I will have another chance at it.
I am really enjoying the extra energy, but I am still waking up in the middle of the night and can't fall back to sleep for a while.
The biggest problem I am encountaring is that I am having trouble breathing while i'm meditating, almost as if the breath I take in isn't deep enough and doesn't allow me to get enough oxygen. I try to sit up tall with my back against a wall. Any advice?
David Spector - NSR/USA (Login david_NSR) English-Forum-Moderator
Sitting position; discomfort with breathing
March 20 2008, 3:32 AM
Rosaria,
About the sitting position, it may be better to sit in a comfortable chair with your head free to move in any direction, rather than against a wall.
NSR brings a much deeper level of rest than the deepest sleep, so there is a corresponding decrease in metabolic rate. Soon your body will be used to the new style of functioning and the discomfort with breathing should disappear. It may help to practice a simple alternate-nostril pranayama for 2-3 minutes before each meditation session, to prepare the respiratory system for the decreased breath rate. Contact me through www.nsrusa.org if you need instructions. (Note: I will be away most of the day Thursday.)
Regarding this matter of feeling better after meditating yet not yet being able to be regular in using NSR, I had some thoughts about this after reading some of the posts in this string. I share these here in case they help others.
While it is true that one can feel benefit immediately after meditating - more relaxed, clearer thinking, more energy, and so on - the deeper benefits of becoming more complete and integrated with one's true, natural state of being really come over a longer period of regular twice-daily meditation.
When I first learned TM we were told that one session a day would probably clear away that day's stress intake and stop one from adding more and more daily stress to one's system; and that the second session of the day is what is needed to actually start clearing the backlog of stresses. Of course, this is probably a simple expression of the principle that once a day is 'maintenance' and twice a day is 'progressive' stress dissolving.
Here's a scenario: Let's assume that most human beings were functioning on 4 hours' sleep a night, and someone came along and said, "Hey, here's something that can improve your quality of life: sleep for 7 to 8 hours a night, every night, and see how you start to feel every day. See what happens in your life over a long period of time. See if your life experience shifts in all areas of your life to a healthier and happier life."
Let's say that a number of people decided to try that idea out. Some were really dedicated to experiencing a better life oveall, on an ongoing daily basis. So they changed their routine so that every night they could get a full night's sleep of 7 to 8 hours. Others tried it for a week and really noticed the difference. But then they went back to 4 hours' sleep a night and occasionally had an "early night" with a full 8 hours' sleep. Afterwards they would report that they really felt great after that good night's sleep. However, they could not yet seem to shift their daily routine to make a good night's sleep a regular experience, 7 nights a week. The effects of each group's choice are obvious.
As I indicated in an earlier post in this string, if we truly want the benefits in our life on an ongoing basis, and not just occasionally when we feel the urge to meditate, then the truth is that we do need to make some fundamental changes in our daily routine to be able to comfortably fit in two sessions of NSR every day, give or take those exceptions that might crop up every now and then.
However, I believe it is not a good idea to feel guilty about not fitting in two sessions of NSR every day (like I used to!). That negative feeling alone is adding more stress to the system. Meditating when one can, even if not regularly, is just how it is at that time in one's life, and guilt should not come into it. It's really just a matter of choice and then accepting the choice and getting on with one's life. It is helpful, however, to be aware that each choice has its own results; and if we can feel happy about our choice, either way, we should be fine. If we really, really want the longer-term benefits, then we know which choice to make, and that the choice does require some adjustments in our daily routine in order to implement our decision.
I practiced regularly prior to the winter holidays. I did not write the date on my questionnaires but I'd guess 6 months?
As a busy Mom who makes holidays for a bi-faith family + entertains out of town relatives and goes and visits relatives too old to travel I had no time to practice.
The result was within 4 weeks I was right back where I started from. MISERABLY STRESSED OUT!!!! Now I have to start all over again.
My results had been astounding! I am almost grateful for this experience as it really taught me that it is so important to my well-being (I liken it to the importance of showering, brushing my teeth and eating 3 meals).
I told my husband that we will no longer have such a hectic celebration season (for me). I am no longer able to please everyone so we must choose what is most important and do those traditions and rituals only. Maybe alternate every other year and visit relatives on non-holidays. I just can't kill myself year after year making a perfect holiday season for everyone.
I also found that I no longer have any interest in T.V. at all! In fact the background noise bothers me when my spouse or kids are watching. That was a real time waster for me.
I'm starting over as of today and tomorrow we are going out to eat so I do not have to prepare a big holiday. The other tradition is late this year so I have a month to breathe before that one.
I use a Palm and actually put Meditations on my Task Function as a sounded alarm. I need to remember to mute that when I go places. It helps to trigger it until I regain the habit of doing it twice daily.
I am doing NSR since December. At first I guess I was forcing it too much in trying to think the syllable. I also had some problems with the meditation schedule. Sometimes it caused a lot of stress if I was not able to meditate 2 time a day or was interrupted.
Now, after a couple of months I am taking it more easy. Reading this forum was of great help. Thinking the syllable seems easier, with less/no effort and I take it as it is. I try to meditate 2 times a day but if I have to skip it (for example if I have to get up early on Wednesday to drive my daughter to my parents) it is not a great deal.
Generally I meditate 15 to 20 mins, and the sensation I feel most of the time is some pressure or a tingling sensation in the 3rd eye area or around the head which feels quite nice.
After the discussion on this forum about the Italian pronouncation (saying the syllable with an 'R') I tried it out and I must say I like it a bit better as the 'L' feels a but unnatural to me (my native language is Dutch). I sometimes had the feeling that with the 'L' my tongue tried to 'speak' the syllable although I was not forcing it. Now I use the 'R' and it feels a bit more relaxed.
Generally the biggest improvement with NSR has been that I do not feel so tired anymore and feel more relaxed and feel more inspired to start new things.
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.
David Spector - NSR/USA (Login david_NSR) English-Forum-Moderator
Publicity
April 14 2008, 11:16 PM
RSG,
I would not even consider approaching David Lynch. He has put his heart and soul, not to mention his money, behind Transcendental Meditation. I respect his commitment and I am happy for the good his advocacy is doing for the TM movement.
It doesn't matter if it takes some time for that critical publicity to start. We are gaining many strong NSR practitioners, which is just the stable base we need to support the future explosion of interest in NSR, which is sure to come.
I have been meditating for about two and a half years with NSR. I must say that it resulted in remarkable changes. The quality of my practice has varied widely though. I have returned to the forum to discuss that several times and I have been given good advice (thank you David and Gavin and Fabrizo).
I understand know that it is important to check the meditation from time to time although in the absence of a person to do this with I think it means listening the cd again.
It has ignited in me what I now know to be a spiritual journey. Repeated practice does yield results. The benefits of healthy eating and regular exercise are magnified substantially when accompanied by regular meditation. I confess that I am not particularly disciplined in those areas.
I often feel though that I am missing something and the experience of transcending is not regular nor is it consistent. For that reason I am tempted to seek out a local TM trainer to discuss it - I think that this might not be well received.
Certainly the technique is effective at combating stress (and when present anxiety). I would certainly be interested in improving the quality of my meditation. I have seen some videos on you tube that discuss advanced techniques and the quality of concentrating - gently bringing the mind back to the mantra. That has been helpful. The concept of listening to the mantra was also very helpful and I would suggest that that might be discussed in the manual. Going back to the CD looses its appeal after a while and, no disrespect, the forum is a limited medium for interaction. So I would be interested in some other forum to interact and discuss and improve practice and the journey.
I'm not sure what kind of other "forum" you are looking for, but we do offer NSR Advanced Techniques to those who have practiced NSR regularly, twice daily, for a minimum of one year.
Private consultations are also available with myself via email, Skype, or telephone. If you are not completely satisfied with your practice of NSR or with the results in daily life, a private consultation may be just what you need.
As soon as there is sufficient interest, we are ready to offer weekend Residence Courses, which are opportunities for much deeper experiences.
All of these other "forums" have already been discussed here in other postings.
If you do talk with a TM teacher, I would be very interested if you tell us what happens.
As you may know, I have a very positive attitude toward TM, and I'm hoping they will have a positive attitude toward NSR. I hope that supporters of TM will someday soon realize that alienating the majority of people who are open to the idea of meditation through high prices and mysticism is self-defeating. TM and NSR should be unified, not in competition.
if I was not able to meditate 2 time a day or was interrupted.