Transcending is the Basis of Enlightenment

Normally throughout the day, we experience the busy active everyday level of thinking. When we practise Transcendental Meditation we experience a state where the mind is completely silent, yet wide awake.

Transcend means "go beyond", and this is the transcendental state: the mind has gone beyond all activity. This is an experience of the inner Self, which is perfect peace.
Transcending is natural and a universal experience, known to all cultures, however, it occurs rarely and usually by chance. Transcendental Meditation provides a systematic method to transcend that anyone can practise.
Without this experience of transcending, we only have access to the constantly changing phase of life. Our thoughts, emotions, plans, memories - everything is constantly changing. No wonder that we may feel increasingly separated and isolated from the non-changing inner quality of life - the Self.
People often report that when they learn Transcendental Meditation, they feel more connected, more at one with themselves, more fulfilled and happier.

The desire to know yourself

The desire to know yourself and understand your connection to the universe is natural. For centuries, it has inspired saints and sages to turn within seeking enlightenment. When most people enquire about Transcendental Meditation, they are looking for the simple, practical everyday benefits that the practice brings.
However there are also those who want to learn Transcendental Meditation for reasons which may be difficult to put into words: self-knowledge, self-awareness, inner peace, spiritual development, enlightenment. All these are equally valid reasons for learning, and are, in a sense, exactly what Transcendental Meditation provides.
Transcendental Meditation provides access to the profound silence of the inner self that is deep inside everyone. With regular practise, the peacefulness and bliss of that inner experience is naturally integrated into daily living leading to an enlightened life with a fully developed heart, mind and soul.