In Transcendental Meditation (TM), mantras play a central role in the practice. Developed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, TM involves silently repeating a mantra with gentle effortlessness while sitting comfortably with closed eyes. The mantra is considered a vehicle that allows the individual's attention to travel naturally to a less active, quieter style of mental functioning. TM meditators are instructed to keep their mantra secret to ensure maximum
results and avoid confusion in the mind of the meditators.
Selection and Importance of Mantras
The selection of a mantra in TM is a standardized and mechanized process, using a specific set of mantras to make the selection foolproof. During training by a certified TM teacher, each student is assigned a specific mantra or sound, with instructions on its proper use. The Maharishi emphasized that the selection of a proper thought or mantra becomes increasingly important, as the power of thought increases when appreciated in its infant stages of development.
Mantras chosen for initiates should resonate with the pulse of their thought and create an increasingly soothing influence. The vibrations of the chosen mantra harmonize with the meditator and suit their nature and way of life. According to the Maharishi, using just any mantra can be dangerous, as mantras for householders and recluses differ. Many mantras commonly found in books, such as "Om," are mantras for recluses and can cause a person to withdraw from life.
The Sound Value of Mantras
In TM, the mantra used has no meaning, but the sound itself is considered sacred. The sounds used in the technique are taken from the ancient Vedic tradition and are selected for their suitability for the individual. The theory of mantras is the theory of sound, and the quality of vibration of a mantra should correspond to the vibrational quality of the individual.
The Maharishi mentions that sometimes it is beneficial for the mantra to be associated with a specific meaning to suit one's own private psychological background. However, the mantras used in the TM technique are independent of meaning associated with any language and are used for their mental sound value alone. Unlike most mantra meditations, any possible meaning of the mantra is not part of Transcendental Meditation practice.
The Secrecy and Personalization of Mantras
TM meditators are instructed to keep their mantra secret to ensure maximum results and avoid confusion in the mind of the meditators. The secrecy of the mantra is also seen as a protection against inaccurate teaching. Former TM teacher and author Lola Williamson reports that she told her TM students that their mantra was chosen for them based on their personal interview, while sociologist Roy Wallis and religious scholar J. Gordon Melton write that the mantras are assigned by age and gender.
