In the book "The Transcendental Meditation Technique and The Journey of Enlightenment" (2015), Ann Purcell digs deep into the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who brought the technique to the West.
A TM teacher since '73, Ann has lots of experience under her belt. In the book, she blends written poems with everyday experiences that she and other meditators have encountered through the practice of Transcendental Meditation, together with a thorough explanation of the different elements and stages that are closely related to the technique, elements that you very well might encounter on your own meditation journey.
Ann's book differs somewhat from the books related to TM that I've previously read. While the others are a great read in their own way, this book deals more with the fundamental and spiritual stages and concepts that you associate with the technique, and less with scientific findings and personal accounts, although you'll find these as well.
In her work, Ann includes the writings from some of our most beloved authors such as Henry David Thoreau, Emily Dickinson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Helen Keller, and scholars of today such as Craig Pearson and Robert Keith Wallace, connecting their work with the concepts of Transcendental Meditation.
A few of those concepts are:
- the natural state of enlightenment
- the growing sense of belonging
- bliss
- God and cosmic consciousness
- the experience of flow
- love
- the blossom of creativity
Towards the end of the book, I particularly enjoyed the part when Ann talked about the importance of taking better care of our nature, e.g., grow and eat more organic food, the use of renewable energy, and the creation of more stress-free environments in schools and workplaces around the world, and how your own meditation practice contributes to more peace in the world, not just within yourself.
The book is easy to read, from cover to cover if you'd like, and will inspire you to maintain your own meditation practice, growing yourself and the world at the same time.
Image credit: Via publisher Green Dragon Books.
