If this topic interests you, we recommend that you also read parts I and II of this meditation guide for beginners where, very briefly, we explain some of the most relevant (or used) meditation techniques.
In this article, we'll briefly discuss Transcendental Meditation, which for many is the most difficult meditation to practice but also the one that can lead to a more profoundly altered state of consciousness. At the end of this article, there's Podcast III with an example of it. It won't be a long meditation, but it will serve to familiarize you with the genre and, of course, provide some rest.
Transcendental Meditation aims to help us reach an altered state of consciousness naturally, without resorting to artificial means. This state not only distances us from memories of the past and worries about the future, but also distances us from what is happening in the present, unlike, for example, formal mindfulness meditations, which focus on the "here" and "now."
Focusing on and repeating a mantra like OHM, for example, or a phrase like: " I am calm, I am well", along with breathing, is one of the many ways to eventually achieve the desired state.
While it's not easy to profoundly alter the state of our psyche, it is possible. There's nothing that can't be achieved with proper practice. It's a similar feeling to what can happen, for example, when we're not yet sleeping well but also not quite awake anymore, and we end up not watching that part of the movie or reading that part of the book, and so on.
In general, it's not a linear or long-lasting state, except for very experienced meditators who practice daily, or for people who already have some natural predisposition to it. However, if you can rest a little and, during that period, not think about anything special, it will be worth it.
We remember that OHM is the mantra that symbolizes (translates into sound) the natural vibration of the Universe and that by repeating it we are not only in communion with the cosmos but we are also entertaining the conscious that makes us think and rethink so much, not letting us rest, which we actually need to be able to have more health on a general level.
We hope you enjoy it! Here's Podcast III, with a short meditation based on its transcendental aspect.
https://soundcloud.com/user-555371260/meditacao-transcendental-podcast-iii
Vanda do Nascimento is a therapist, coach, and mindfulness instructor at the Escola de Mindfulness Essencial , which she founded in 2016. She began her career as a teacher in 1997, graduating with a degree in Pedagogy. Around the same time, she also began studying Reiki, Meditation, and Mindfulness. She later pursued psychology and delved deeper into mindfulness to continue her struggle to manage stress and anxiety.
