# Transcendental Meditation is curing my SA



## Starfox

Hey Folks,

Ive recently found out ive SA but all along ive been doing everything i needed to be doing to get past this without ever knowing id SA i was just doing what i knew i needed to be doing. I discovered i had SA through a fello dj friend of mine, i watched a video he uploaded on You Tube about his phobia and it blew me away, he was describing my life in detail  my muted existence in primary school, i would keep to myself afraid to speak to anyone, avoid almost everyone, i was like that kid in american beauty without the plastic bag as a friend lol

I was depressed, very badly so for a long long time and nobody every knew why, i even had a physiologist as a kid for awhile, and it kind of ticks me off that she could not figure out id SA maybe it was not well known back then :S By my late teens i was a walking corpse, i didnt really care about anyone, a close friend of mine died in a car crash and my attitude was like 'meh' **** happens, id no emotion thats how far i was gone. Mentally i was in a dark cave and i could not see any light let alone want to find any.

Im not sure when it happened but it was like something turned off or turned on inside me, it was like because i have been at rock bottom mentally for so long that it really does not matter what people think of me anymore,...who cares! Its kind of hard to describe everything, to get everything out, my memory is very blurred i think i did block so much out, i made myself forget i was so unhappy for a very long time. But anyway the only way i can describe how i changed (that one day 3 years ago) is to say i was reborn, something ticked and i decided to set some goals for myself, i read my fist book (David Wolfe - The Nine Principles of Living in Natural Magic) which is an amazing book but what amazed me more was he talks so much about setting goals in it and how good they are. Jan 08 i gave up smoking and im still of them cigis, i also started going to the gym and im still going every week. I also went down this healthy eating route and i love it, super foods are the bizz!

June 08 i decided to go for another goal, i want to be a DJ/Producer so since then until now i have been saving every penny i have to get into a private college to study sound engineering and music tech, thats for the producing side of things, ive got the djing side sorted already, living in my little room with my turn tables for along time now XD

So basically the last year has been an amazing goal setting journey which i stuck with, stayed on track like somebody training for the Olympics, 3-4 days a week in the gym, healthy foods, i still had the problems with socializing and the fact im going to college at the end of September and have to meet a bunch of new people and get very close and personal in a music studio for a year was scaring the life out of me but i didnt think about it i didnt want to i just wanted to keep doing what i was doing,,.... but then in April of this year i was speaking with friends, and they know how i am shy... but they also knew im very open to anything really so they told me about what they have been practicing for the past few years and how it has completely changed their lives,.. Transcendental Meditation. They told me of a friend of theirs that was just like me (maybe he has SA i dont know) but they said after only a few weeks of TM he was a completely different guy, a happy guy they said you could see it in his face, a big smile all the time and now he is out doing volunteer work for some groups and he is even in a band. It didnt take me long to decide that i wanted to try this, i was not put of by the price tag either because i dont put a price on happiness, who would really! So i used some of my college money i had saved up and learnt how to practice TM.

5 and a half months later and i cant honestly describe how happy i am that i decided to do TM, it has completely changed my life, Im not afraid to talk to people anymore, anyone! Infact the only issue i have now is not being able to talk about anything because ive been a mute for so long, but hey thats just another goal ill be setting for myself  Through TM i have lost my anxiety, my fear factor,... its like i dont care what people think, it does not boder me one bit, ive got this blissful joyful happiness coming out from within me that even now as i write this is putting a smile on my face, im not used to all of this but i love it 

There is so many famous people that practice this too, moby, paul McCarthy, the beach boys singer, Hugh Jackman there is loads more too i just cant think of them off the top of my head. This isnt just a tool to kill anxiety, it helps you gain so much creativity too, theres so much to it, its ''a tool to develop a higher state of consciousness'' eh right im going to give you as much info on TM as i can because if one person can get what i have out of this its worth while.

TM Programme at a Glance
There is a rich, unbounded field of creativity, energy, and intelligence within each of us. To the degree we're able to draw from this inner field of life, we grow in health, happiness, and success in our outer life.
Your Unlimited Potential
The Transcendental Meditation technique is a simple, natural procedure to gain deep rest- and contact that inner reservoir of creativity, energy and intelligence-to gain its support in all you do and to enrich your life day by day.

Everyone can learn to practice the Transcendental Meditation technique successfully. It's easy and enjoyable-just 20 minutes twice a day sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. It requires no effort or concentration, no special skills or change of lifestyle. You don't even have to believe that it works! Meditate regularly twice a day and you'll get results.

Restful Alertness
During the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique, the mind and body settle down to experience a unique state of restful alertness. As the mind becomes more silent, the body becomes deeply relaxed. At the most settled state of awareness, the mind transcends all mental activity to experience the simplest form of awareness, Transcendental Consciousness.

Scientific research has shown that the experience of Transcendental Consciousness is correlated with greater creativity, improved learning, higher IQ, better grades, higher moral reasoning, increased brainwave coherence, and improved neurological functioning of the body.

The Transcendental Meditation technique is a practical, proven procedure for developing more energy, creativity, and intelligence-for awakening the unlimited potential of your mind and body and enjoying greater health, happiness, and success in life.

Here are You Tubes vids for you to look at

John Hagelin ph.D (one smart dude) 













Film Director David Lynch 









Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (the guy who brought TM to the western world) 









Hugh Jackman and Howard Stern (on OCD) 





Random examples 





















Are all meditations the same? 





I really cant say enough about TM, and im no tree hugging hippy im just a guy...

Well i hope some of this can help 

Shane


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## ippa

hello, could u atleast say what thoughts comes to your mind when u meditate and how they improve your personality?


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## Starfox

ippa said:


> hello, could u atleast say what thoughts comes to your mind when u meditate and how they improve your personality?


Hi ippa, im not sure what you mean? When i meditate normal thoughts come into my head but i dont concentrate on them, your actually not supposed to its the only form of meditation where you dont concentrate, everything is an easy relaxed process, you have your mantra which you repeat in your head over and over without concentrating on it, you just do it.

Thoughts come and go but i dont think anything of it, sometimes when im in a deep meditative state i will suddenly jerk or twitch, but ive been told that that is purely stress leaving the body, you can ask me more questions if you like ill try answer as honestly as i can, but like i said im just a guy :b


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## ippa

ok thanks, so u mean meditation relax your body and make u calm, i also wanted to ask did it improved your "chatting with people skill" and if so can u tell me how?


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## Starfox

ippa said:


> ok thanks, so u mean meditation relax your body and make u calm, i also wanted to ask did it improved your "chatting with people skill" and if so can u tell me how?


improve my chatting with peeps? absolutely! im not there yet but im getting there, ive come such a long way, i still have this major anxiety problem (its probably my biggest anxiety issue) with being around anyone while i eat, especially in work in the canteen, but i just take a deep breath and try and chill.

Before i tried this meditation i could not chat with people because i was afraid to, full of anxiety, i was also full of negativity due to me and me 'issues' i was an angry guy and sad at the same time, it hurt me alot because deep down im a nice guy, im full of knowledge and i can have so much to talk about if i can just talk! It annoyed me that i knew the real me but nobody else did how could they i kept to myself, im in work now typing this message out (dont tell anyone :b ) but in here for the most part, people think im either nice and quite, arrogant and quite, or weird and quite! or is that just me thinking this!?, but with anyone i do talk to in here im so relaxed now, i used to avoid everyone keep my head down and totally crash inside and turn into a babbling fool if one of my supervisors or managers came over to me, i think for the most part they think *theres something wrong with that kid* haha

I try explain how the meditation has affected me the most, first off everyday im happy, totally, and im not at all depressed for once i can say that its gone its not putting me down anymore, with that alone i never had any spirit to be able or happy enough to talk to anyone i just wanted to be alone, if its one thing ive learned its that depression only wants more of itself!, and my anxiety its not totally gone but id say 70% gone, i still get the same anxieties i always did but on a much smaller scale, i still get them when i talk to people BUT im not afraid to talk one bit, infact if im sitting around in the canteen in work bored instead of keeping to myself and be my old insecure way ill get up and walk around and if there is someone i know ill walk over to them even if i dont say anything and again that doesn't boder me because ive lost my fear of caring what people think and i think thats the best thing really, i really dont care what people think anymore. Ive a t-shirt on now that i split gravy all over i look like a right dope lol if that was the old me id probly do my best to hide it get all anxious and maybe even go home to change it, im sitting here laughing about it and others commented to that i need a babys bib XD

Im losing my fear of caring what people think really thats how i can put it...

Is that what you need to know?


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## STKinTHEmud

Great, but how do I do it?


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## Starfox

You need to find yourself a TM teacher, do a google search for a TM centre for your local area im not sure how plenty full they are where you are, im in Ireland and theres only 3 places over here to learn it, i was lucky enough to be living in the same city as my teacher.


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## ippa

Starfox, so as i understand your chatting with people skill improved automaticly after u practiced meditation long enough, u didnt do something for example like learning exactly how to have a conversation or some bright insites on how to connect with people? if so thats very cool, im still trying to find some formula for conversation or even a state of mind where words would flow naturally.


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## Starfox

No not at all, ive always known what to talk about or i have so much i could talk about its just anytime i tried before its like an invisible wall was there in front of me stopping me, id get anxious and my brain would turn to mush and id crash and usually if i did say anything it was one or two words, and very awkward at that. Before i realized ive SA i used to think the reason i wont talk when i really should is because ill only talk about things that im interested in because i wont talk about things that seem a bit silly or not exciting or below me, its a very selfish way of thinking but it still confuses me. I still have that anxiousness of anticipation of someone coming over to me and chatting to me, like an example today in work, a friend of mine i have not spoken to in ages came over to me unexpected and sat down beside me, i got a bit of a shock i wasnt ready and my heart started to pace but we had a good conversation about alot of things, his new car, work and when im going to college, fishing and football, one thing led to another i was very relaxed and my head was clear i was calm, and i enjoyed it, it was pleasant and the more i do it the easier it will get, im going to force myself into these situations more. 

If your having trouble coming up with something to talk about maybe practice in front of a mirror, its not a silly thing to do because tons of people from all aspects of life practice charisma, obama must have spent hours in front of a mirror.


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## ippa

i see Starfox, im like this also i have tons of themes to speak, but i cant, i have these strong feelings that nobody is interested in what i can tell them, or i fear to ask straight questions thinking that i will disturb personal territory of the person, this also resulting that i know little about what people thinking and doing, i fear to talk about simple feelings of people and my also as if its not cool to talk about a feelings, even with friends, i have hard times to even tell the truth what im doing now or how i feel when people ak me about it, this all leads to shallow, empty conversations and at the end i see that people feel a disgust for me or dont take me seriously or other crap.


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## Starfox

Before when i went to talk, id get stuck id be blank nothing to say, it would anger me and depress me at the same time. Now in a way its strange its like experiencing the world through different eyes, i dont have that wall or whatever it was stopping me, i dont get stuck i have ideas coming into my head, i can create a conversation out of nothing and im realxed im not as worried its getting easier everyday, and im happy too and other people will see that, they see the outgoingness from you and i just go with it and its getting easier to talk, i also find its alot easier to be like this when i have more energy so i try look after myself too, eat real healthy and i go to the gym alot too


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## ippa

great to hear Starfox that u make progress, hope things get even better for u.


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## Starfox

thanks ippa


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## dax

Do you practice TM on your own or did you ever have an instructor? What kinda music do you want to DJ/Produce?


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## Starfox

dax said:


> Do you practice TM on your own or did you ever have an instructor? What kinda music do you want to DJ/Produce?


Hey Dax,

I learned TM through a teacher, you can learn it yourself but you wont get the full benefit, this has been passed down from teacher to teacher for 6 thousand years and it is the exact same now as it was back then. There is a ceremony, and the atmosphere has to be right, its an innocent process its very hard to describe, i cant tell you how chocolate tastes you have to experience that for yourself.

I can take out a sound engineering book and read it page by page or i could pay for a course and get hands on tuition from a teacher with years of experience! The price tag on TM might put people off, but id gladly pay 100 fold for what its done for me, and the money you do pay goes into the TM movement which does all sorts of great projects around the world, like build universities, like the one that they are building on a small island off Ireland (Galway) right now.

Theres also the fact that it pays for 17,000+ people (accom, food, ect) who everyday practice TM in the same location in India to create a cosmic positive energy in the ionosphere, sounds out there? There has been scientific studies and its been proven time after time that mass TM in a crime high, war stricken area significantly decreases violence in that area. So something like this on a scale as big as this will have a great affect on the world itself, 17000 is alot of people!

Now if you dont want to pay for this you can always trek over to the Himalayas find yourself as master that teaches this and ask him to teach it to you, although you will have to prove yourself worthy and you can only guess how 

TM is all about change from within, i can tell you to go do it but then it would be for someone else and not you, if you really want this you will go and learn it for yourself 

Anyway dax i want to produce electronic dance music, mainly Trance, i have an addiction for it lol but who knows i do love all sorts of music, ill see when the time comes.

You can check out some of my mixes here, some are very hard techy and some are more mellow trancey  http://djmix.net/ShaneC/mixes

Shane


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## Starfox

http://www.experiencefestival.com/forum/Video-Viewing/bFHH7BiwA9g
http://www.experiencefestival.com/forum/Video-Viewing/SWUOvPPQ-zU

:teeth


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## dax

Hey, thanks a lot for your response. I've been wanting to try some kind of meditation for a while now but wasn't sure where to begin. I def want some kind of instructor or something too, someone with experience, I could never teach myself. So how did you locate your teacher? Have you ever tried any other kind of meditation. How often do you use the technique and where? Like would you use it at work or school?

I'll check out your mixes when I have some more time. I used to be a huge fan of trance. I haven't listened to it in a while though.

Thanks for the help.



Starfox said:


> Hey Dax,
> 
> I learned TM through a teacher, you can learn it yourself but you wont get the full benefit, this has been passed down from teacher to teacher for 6 thousand years and it is the exact same now as it was back then. There is a ceremony, and the atmosphere has to be right, its an innocent process its very hard to describe, i cant tell you how chocolate tastes you have to experience that for yourself.
> 
> I can take out a sound engineering book and read it page by page or i could pay for a course and get hands on tuition from a teacher with years of experience! The price tag on TM might put people off, but id gladly pay 100 fold for what its done for me, and the money you do pay goes into the TM movement which does all sorts of great projects around the world, like build universities, like the one that they are building on a small island off Ireland (Galway) right now.
> 
> Theres also the fact that it pays for 17,000+ people (accom, food, ect) who everyday practice TM in the same location in India to create a cosmic positive energy in the ionosphere, sounds out there? There has been scientific studies and its been proven time after time that mass TM in a crime high, war stricken area significantly decreases violence in that area. So something like this on a scale as big as this will have a great affect on the world itself, 17000 is alot of people!
> 
> Now if you dont want to pay for this you can always trek over to the Himalayas find yourself as master that teaches this and ask him to teach it to you, although you will have to prove yourself worthy and you can only guess how
> 
> TM is all about change from within, i can tell you to go do it but then it would be for someone else and not you, if you really want this you will go and learn it for yourself
> 
> Anyway dax i want to produce electronic dance music, mainly Trance, i have an addiction for it lol but who knows i do love all sorts of music, ill see when the time comes.
> 
> You can check out some of my mixes here, some are very hard techy and some are more mellow trancey  http://djmix.net/ShaneC/mixes
> 
> Shane


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## Starfox

Hey Dax,

Yea i found myself a teacher, i was very lucky because there is only 3 places to learn this in Ireland and i live in one, Waterford city (yea Irelands not a big place either way ). I have not tried any other form of meditation i never pictured myself doing this a year ago, to be honest mentally ive climbed a mountain in the last year. When you hear people talking about meditation you hear them talk about this 'enlightenment' and how thats what they are trying to succeed in reaching, Monks hide away away in caves for years trying to get there, or in any random example similar. Im not going to say this is the best meditation because i have not experienced any other form so i cant judge but i can say anyone who has always told me this is the one to do. 'Enlightenment' is the 4th state of consciousness, or in scientific terms 'the unified field of consciousness' or for the average Joe 'the zone' its where your brain frequencies vibrate between 4-7hz (Theta) and fluctuate to 40+hz (Gamma)

THETA BRAINWAVE STATE
Going deeper into relaxation, you enter the elusive and mysterious Theta state where brain activity slows almost to the point of sleep, but not quite. 
Theta is the brain state where magic happens in the crucible of your own neurological activity. Theta brings forward heightened receptivity, flashes of dreamlike imagery, inspiration, and your long-forgotten memories. Theta can bring you deep states of meditation. A sensation of "floating." And, because it is an expansive state, in Theta, you may feel your mind expand beyond the boundaries of your body.

GAMMA BRAINWAVE STATE
A gamma wave is a pattern of brain waves, associated with perception and consciousness. 
Gamma waves are produced when masses of neurons emit electrical signals at the rate of around 40 times a second (40 hertz or Hz), but can often be between 26 and upwards of 70 Hz. By one definition, gamma waves are manifest at 24 Hz and higher, though researchers have recognized that higher level cognitive activities occur when lower frequency gamma waves suddenly double into the 40 Hz range. Research has shown gamma waves are continuously present during low voltage fast neocortical activity (LVFA), which occurs during the process of awakening and during active rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Some researchers do not distinguish gamma waves as a distinct class but include them in beta brain waves. Until recently gamma brain waves have received the least attention and research, although more attention is currently being paid to them than in years past. During moments when bursts of precognition or high-level information processing occur, your brainwaves reach the Gamma state. Experiments on Tibetan Buddhist monks have shown a correlation between transcendental mental states and gamma waves

Basically im saying people spend their whole lives trying to reach this state of 'transcendental consciousness' or enlightenment' but by practicing TM you can get their in less than 20 minutes, you dont even have to believe in this, it works either way. If you reach this state of consciousness there is no thought no nothing, just pure consciousness, and because there is not thought you wont even know you were there until you come back out of it, its funny sometimes the time just goes and ive no idea what happened lol.

To answer your question, i will use it where ever i have to, i had to get past that straight away, not caring what people think which was hard but i dont want to miss even one 20 minute session, this is the best thing ive ever done, so much so ive put all this effort into promoting this here haha, if people knew what they were missing out on theyd rush to this lol

Im not sure where your living but you can try here for a start, theres contact numbers here too http://www.tm.org/

What is the Transcendental Meditation technique?
The Transcendental Meditation technique is a simple, natural, effortless process practiced 15-20 minutes twice daily while sitting comfortably with eyes closed. It is unique among techniques of meditation, distinguished by its effortlessness, naturalness and profound effectiveness. 
The TM® technique allows your mind to settle inward, beyond thought, to experience the silent reservoir of energy, creativity and intelligence found within everyone-a natural state of restful alertness. During the practice, your brain functions with significantly greater coherence and your body gains deep rest.

Can I learn the TM technique from a book?

Kulreer Chaudhary, M.D. medical director of wellspring neurology at scripps memorial hospital in San Diego, California
"The TM technique is unique among forms of meditation. It's natural and effortless, but requires personal instruction to learn. Imagine trying to learn a natural golf stroke from a book. Or if you have ever learned to play a musical instrument, you know how helpful it is to have a good teacher. The teacher is needed to show you proper technique, so you can grow in confidence that you're proceeding along correctly. Learning the TM technique is a lot easier than mastering the piano or getting a good, natural golf swing, but involves the same kind of personalized guidance."

Are all meditations the same?

James Krag, M.D. is President of the Psychiatric Society of Virginia and a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.
"Just as there are many kinds of medication, there are also many approaches that are termed 'meditation.' The vast majority of the research on meditation has been on the Transcendental Meditation technique-and the findings clearly indicate that the TM technique works better than other researched mental techniques to promote health. If research shows that a specific medication helps treat a disorder, it would be irresponsible and illogical to conclude that all medications help treat that disorder. In the same way, research on Transcendental Meditation should not be generalized to include other techniques also called 'meditation.' We should intelligently choose what works and what is supported by research. Therefore I strongly support the introduction specifically of the Transcendental Meditation program into our nation's schools and health care systems."

Any more questions feel free to ask 

O and ill have a new mix ive been working on for some time uploaded to that site sometime tonight, 10pm Irish time...

Shane


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## britisharrow

Thanks I'll try this.


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## Starfox

britisharrow said:


> Thanks I'll try this.


Thats great 

What i will advise though is approach this with a relaxed mind, dont focus, dont concentrate, dont make the mind work. This is the Vedic way, everything should be easy, the funny thing is if you do approach this with a focused mind, the mind will not settle down the mind will be kept active (beta brain wave) but if you keep working the mind it will eventually get tired, bored, and settle down itself anyway, so either way this works :b

Heres some more vids


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## Starfox

britisharrow said:


> Thanks I'll try this.


Hi britisharrow, its been awhile since you posted this, i was just wondering if you tried TM?


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## eppcheck

Hey I'm glad this is working for you but...

Have you seen this http://www.suggestibility.org/

Its actually written by an old TM teacher. Check it out


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## eppcheck

I'm such a buzzkill lol.


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## FoxyJava

Just look up advanced yoga practices.


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## Starfox

eppcheck said:


> Hey I'm glad this is working for you but...
> 
> Have you seen this http://www.suggestibility.org/
> 
> Its actually written by an old TM teacher. Check it out


Remember that this article is written by a guy who has an opinion on this and everyone has an opinion, hmm where do i start, well im not brain washed lol i definitely dont think TM is a religion because its not in anyway, he talks about 'Purushas and the Mother Divines' who dedicate their entire lives to TM 24/7 to be in a constant state of bliss, maybe they are addicted to blissful happiness, i dont altogether see anything wrong with that except he is talking about a small number of people and its a choice if you want to be that extreme, personally id much prefer to live a life in this world and explore my experiences.

This isnt just an opinion of his but its also a very negative one, i mean, quoted from the article 'serious nervous breakdowns, episodes of dangerous and bizarre behavior, suicidal and homicidal ideation, threats and attempts, psychotic episodes, crime, depression and manic behavior' wow! thats insane, TM has basically the opposite effect.

I read a book once before by Mattieu Richard, called 'Happiness: A guide to developing lifes most important skill, and in it he describes how it is impossible for your mind to create a negative/bad thought while at the same time creating a good or happy thought, which backs up TM, the more you do this to more exposure to blissful awareness you get, the more you do this the more bottled up negative emotions you release, if the guy he was describing in this article did get all them emotions after doing TM i can only guess that he was finally facing all them thoughts and emotions that he was bottling up for years, to release all negative emotions, feelings and thoughts from your body/mind you have to face them first, and there is no escaping them when you become fully aware of yourself, your mind, im getting very deep with this, but when i first did TM the first few weeks, i was a bag of emotions i even cried one day to myself in my room, im a guy who never does :b but as i said you face your emotions before you release them, and boy did they pile off of me!

O and this guy also goes on about the price of TM, it is considerably cheaper now (just of late) than it used to be and as i keep saying to people you cant put a price on happiness and i would pay ten fold the price for what this has done for me!

When i first posted this thread i was only into TM a few months and i wanted to get the word out to as many people as i could because of how it was helping my SA, and how i had a tough year ahead of me in a music studio (college) with loads of folks and i was not sure how i could hack it, it has been tough but i am hacking it very very well, infact i am not the quietest in my class by far. Infact im tackling my SA head on doing everything that scares me the most, and i wont stop until one day i can look back and say 'o thats when i used to suffer with SA' because anything can be reverse

Here is me in the middle posing, so much for SA...


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## Mike1983

I bookmarked your mixes page, I really like it, thanks!


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## tzahran

*Meditation techniques*

you can Follow this link i wish it can help
http://chi-vital-energy.blogspot.com/

and i will put another Meditation techniques soon


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## honeybear1990

Agreed, meditation kicks ***  I've stopped having panic attacks since I've started.


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## Scorpius

Thanks for this..it was very interesting..I've always been interested in meditation..never took it seriously enough but I'm familiar with the concepts and psychology around it..

I just have a bunch of questions for you if you don't mind...how long have you been practicing TM since you first started? and can you tell us more about your own experience while meditating..I've always thought meditation in general does the same thing..but you talk about using mantras in TM as the key thing to it..what exactly makes TM unique and different than any other meditation? I just don't see it..lol..and do you listen to any relaxing music while meditating or do you meditate in total quietness and repeat a "specific" mantra in your head..and where do you meditate..do you find it better or helpful to meditate in a place other than your own room? Like a place with more positive energy..would that really make a difference or it doesn't matter?

Also can you explain from your own experience why having a teacher is so important to TM..how did they help you do something that you couldn't do on your own and when did you feel you could go on your own?

Also Do you know any good books or videos that focuses on the "practice" of TM?

Oh and i used to be really into trance few years back..Oakenfold and Digweed were my favorite DJs..then I got in the goa and psytrance phase..lol


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## ayyak

is this done like this?

first I think of a word that will make me float out of my mind

http://www.ehow.com/how_2323307_do-transcendental-meditation.html


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## nemesis1

Very interesting stuff.......theres a course next month in the next city to me, i think i might have to check it out......im pretty much willing to try anything.


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## yelda

TM is the most effective natural method for treatment of anxiety and depression.


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## Orchid20

maybe i'm easily influenced, but i find this inspiring. i adore david lynch, who heavily promotes TM, so i've been curious to try this for awhile. the price tag put me off but now i want to look more into it...


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## Trek

I think I did this by accident once.


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## intobliss

*its so helpful*

there is a lot of negative stuff about TM out there, to be honest it all baffles me. my experience after practicing for one year is that my anxiety and tension have all but melted away, my mind is clearer and calmer, my physical body is much more at ease and i feel a deep, profound wisdom waking up inside. after researching it online many folk were referring to it as a cult, saying that it can create psychosis and that one loses their individuality by prolonged practice, well i can tell you i feel more 'myself' now than ever before! i am not swayed by others opinions, and the guilt that used to arise when i wanted to go my own way in a group of people has simply vanished. all of these 'negative experiences' i have come to understand as 'stress release', a natural phenomenon that occurs during the practice of TM. as one deepens more and more into one's own natural state and becomes more relaxed, stresses and tensions on mental, emotional and physical levels become loosened and rise to the surface of our awareness to be released. sometimes these can hang around for a few days before dispersing. this is made quite clear during the TM training course and if one follows the guidelines correctly, all stress release is minimised, handled and understood correctly. i would certainly recommend learning TM to anyone who wants to release SA and become more and more comfortable with being around groups. one profound realisation i had also is that the more i come into tune with my true nature the less i want to be around large groups of people anyway! i see this as something positive, after all when people get together in large groups, they tend to act as one 'brain' and those of us with strong individual tendencies and sensitive personas would do well to avoid that anyway! it is better to be in your own company than in the company of the wrong people....


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## Mlochail

Hmm, €2500 for learning this? No way. I'mma google it and do it that way. If it is really that changing and enlightning why not lower the price so everyone can enjoy it? Aren't enlightend people suppossed to be 'Ah what fck materialism!' ?

€250 is my limit anything above is not even considerable. I have the money but no, just no.


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## sleepytime

I just started practicing this. I'm on my third day but don't feel any different yet, not that I expect to see immediate results. I think the TM institute's propaganda campaign is very off-putting, and the fees they charge to learn such a simple technique that can be learned in minutes are a joke. 

In spite of that, there seems to be enough scientific research to indicate that it might be worth a shot. After all, it's effortless, if it doesn't work I won't have expended too much energy. I would advise people to find other ways to learn the technique than handing over thousands of euros to the TM institute.


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## Jollygoggles

I see there is a doll teaches this in my town.
Found it through http://www.tm-ireland.org/?page_id=250
I'm going to give her a call.
Thanks very much for this OP.


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## lorcraven

*Just recently started it, attempt 11937340 to tackle SA lol*

So is this thread dead? I was interested in tm so took it up a couple of weeks ago, it's a nice relaxing technique but whether or not it's going to have an affect on the depression and anxiety I don't know. It's early days and as I don't get out much I've not had many opportunities to see changes, but someone did call me confident the other day, don't ever remember being called that before lol. Anyway since this thread is where you end up if you type "tm social anxiety" into google I'll use it to keep people updated. Especially since most reports of tms benefits come from people after they've noticed them, usually months after starting. Here I can attempt to create sort of tm vs social anxiety journal for people lol. So I'll set my calendar to remind me to add an update every two weeks or so.

So day 13 today, here's been my experiences so far. Leant the technique, think I have it down right not entirely sure,I can ask my teacher though which is good they don't just teach you then send you away, you can always give them a call. Some times I do it feels like I go deeper into a relaxed state than others, but told this is normal it's always doing it's job. I do seem to be able to take my mind off my worries and just kinda stay in the moment when I'm doing daily stuff a little more but not loads. At a volunteer center last week I entered a large social setting and actually felt comfortable talking aloud, not totally but enough so to actually do it. I'll put it like this, for me being socially anxious means I either find it hard to come up with things to say, or something will pop into my head but then I'll hesitate, or immediately second guess myself, then someone else will say and I'll be like what the **** is wrong with me . Anyway that it kinda felt like things to say would pop up more easily and the hesitation would be less intense and so easier to power through. Like my intuition is more leaning towards socializing and less towards be quiet, don't say anything. These changes have been subtle though, so I couldn't tell you whether or not I was just feeling a little more confident on account of just learning the new technique. So who knows, regardless I'm gonna keep at it, because A: I've paid for it lol and B: It's pleasant and relaxing to do. Other meditations are mentally exhausting and so I usually give up on them on the grounds of can't be bloody arsed. Oh and I had a lucid dream the other day, dunno if that's down to the tm but have only ever had one once before years ago. So hard to mark it down as coincidence.

For a few days in my first week I felt really angry most of the time, not usually an angry person just sad normally, teacher told me this is emotions being released by the technique, the technique can shake stuff loose, like repressed emotions and when it does they will linger on the surface for a while, never more than a few days though. This is the same thing that can happen during therapy, it's nice that this technique seems to get the mind to do that stuff itself instead of you and a therapist spending time and money probing your mind.

Today I feel ok, in fact I wish I had some sort of a social life to enter on a regular basis to really see changes, I only ever see my dad and no social anxiety around him so doesn't help lol. My next two weeks will be busy however, so I'll see more. And then I'll post an update.


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## AntiAnxiety

Wow, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this thread on the front page. I saw this about 2-3 years ago. I had been practicing meditation on and off for years, but never this type.

Anyways, I ended up trying this. I had NO anxiety for a month. Reading other people's experiences with it, it must have been that I had been practicing meditation for a while. I had one other person who had the same experience as me, and it was the same case, so go figure.


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## lorcraven

*Subscribing*

Any way to subscribe to a thread without having to do it alongside a reply,I couldn't figure a way out so that's what this is lol.


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## Paper Samurai

might give this a go.


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## applefan68001

I love this thread and believe in TM. I'll be one of the regulars to bump this thread and keep it relevant.


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## applefan68001

bump


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## applefan68001

.


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## Paper Samurai

applefan68001 said:


> .


Why do you think of it now btw?

I've only really started using this regularly recently - and I think it's definitely been effective with my more general anxiety.


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## zpargo87

I disagree that it is a cure. It helps prevent me feeling anxious but if I don't meditate the anxiety will come straight back to me.


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## Ichigo91

zpargo87 said:


> I disagree that it is a cure. It helps prevent me feeling anxious but if I don't meditate the anxiety will come straight back to me.


This


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## versikk

zpargo87 said:


> I disagree that it is a cure. It helps prevent me feeling anxious but if I don't meditate the anxiety will come straight back to me.


well obviously if you don't do it regularly the benefits wear off.

It's like eating healthy , you have to do it all the time. You can't eat healthy one meal and the rest of the week eat junk food, the junk food will cancel out the good food


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## DreamAway

I love hearing when other cats get significant benefits from meditation because that's exactly my experience too.

I haven't used TM bc I was too much of tight *** to fork out the $ to get my mantra, although I use mindfulness of breathing, which in essence is working on the same principles, albeit with an audio based focus as opposed to a sensation based focus.

It took me a period of 3 months practice until I really started to feel the benefits of my regular meditation, nothing worthwhile comes easy though and i credit meditation with really giving me inner peace and stripping away most if not all of my anixety.

For example, I used to get crazy anxious just walking into a shop to buy some groceries or if someone would even look like they were about to say hi to me. Could not do small talk and was an utter mess internally. After my 3months meditating and generally looking after myself, eating the right food and doing some regular exercise, I was speaking in front of groups of 10-50 at NA / AA meetings and not batting an eyelid anxiety wise. In fact I actually got so good at coming into the moment and feeling the deep natural peace, that meditation puts you in touch with, that I would enjoy being asked to speak.

Anyway, you might wonder why I am back to being a mess, well I'm also an addict and i picked up using drugs again after a year clean and my life went to hell again, but that's another story!


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## versikk

DreamAway said:


> I love hearing when other cats get significant benefits from meditation because that's exactly my experience too.
> 
> I haven't used TM bc I was too much of tight *** to fork out the $ to get my mantra, although I use mindfulness of breathing, which in essence is working on the same principles, albeit with an audio based focus as opposed to a sensation based focus.
> 
> It took me a period of 3 months practice until I really started to feel the benefits of my regular meditation, nothing worthwhile comes easy though and i credit meditation with really giving me inner peace and stripping away most if not all of my anixety.
> 
> For example, I used to get crazy anxious just walking into a shop to buy some groceries or if someone would even look like they were about to say hi to me. Could not do small talk and was an utter mess internally. After my 3months meditating and generally looking after myself, eating the right food and doing some regular exercise, I was speaking in front of groups of 10-50 at NA / AA meetings and not batting an eyelid anxiety wise. In fact I actually got so good at coming into the moment and feeling the deep natural peace, that meditation puts you in touch with, that I would enjoy being asked to speak.
> 
> Anyway, you might wonder why I am back to being a mess, well I'm also an addict and i picked up using drugs again after a year clean and my life went to hell again, but that's another story!


Thanks for this post, I really laerned a lot 

I'm sorry you relapsed, maybe you should go to rehab? You deserve a life in order:yes

Now why in the FVCK do psych staff not tell anything about meditation? They briefly talked about mindfullness in my group CBT but that was it.


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## DreamAway

@versikk

Me from you as well, glad you're promoting some very positive stuff.

Relapse is one of the those things that come with the territory of being an addict, I've done rehab before, but at the end of the day, it's up to the person to want their recovery badly enough to protect it at all costs.

I know, I don't understand why meditation isn't taught much more widely either, because I have seen it have some amazing effects on people, it's free and it's easy - just takes a bit of commitment. There's really no reason it shouldn't be used as a first line of treatment for a lot of mental problems IMO, I suppose the fact it is FREE is why it's not promoted, if big business can make billions off of people with medication, why would something that won't turn profit get promoted. Sad truth & damn it pisses me off!


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## applefan68001

bump


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