FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

WILL MEDITATION WORK FOR ME?

Yes! It works because Vedic Meditation is completely natural. Anyone can learn this type of meditation because the technique is scientific; it requires neither specific skills nor the adoption of a particular lifestyle.

 

DO I HAVE TO CHANGE MY RELIGIOUS OR PERSONAL BELIEFS?

No. Vedic Meditation is a simple, practical technique that provides immediate and sustained benefits in every area of an individual's life: mind, body, behavior, and environment. You do not have to take on any beliefs, change your name, or wear strange clothes. People of all races and religious practice this type of meditation.

 

DO I HAVE TO SIT IS A STRANGE OR UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION?

No. In this form of meditation, we sit in a comfortable chair, with our back supported and upright, and our eyes closed. To anyone watching you, it looks as though you are simply resting.

 

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE UNTIL I FEEL THE BENEFITS?

Immediately - you will feel benefits from the very first time you meditate. Most people report better energy, more calmness, and greater clarity within the first weeks. Friends and family often notice changes and differences as well.

 

will it take me years to master?

No. By the end of the course, you will be a self-sufficient meditator. Group meditation meetings are provided to ensure you stay on track with your practice.

 

how does vedic meditation differ from other forms of meditation?

Other forms of meditation involve concentration (focusing the mind through effort) or contemplation (thinking about the meaning of something). Both keep the mind active.

Vedic Meditation is a completely effortless technique that de-excites the mind in a natural and spontaneous way. 

 

but what if i have too many thoughts in my mind?

Too many thoughts means you're a normal, functioning human: we all have 80,000-100,000 thoughts every day, which is why it's so hard to stop thinking. Thoughts are a part of the process of this meditation technique. Thoughts are a sign you're doing the practice correctly.

What Vedic Meditation does is effortlessly and spontaneously de-excite the mind. As our mind grows less excited, you'll notice thoughts immediately fall off and get fewer. 

 

where am i going to find time in my day to fit this into my life?

It's really busy people who need meditation the most. Practicing Vedic Meditation twice a day clears out the cobwebs, provides greater mental clarity, and increases your reaction time. When you learn this technique, the result is more time in your day because you're so much more effective and efficient at whatever you do.

We've got lots of tips, suggestions, and ideas to help you fit the practice into your busy life. This will all be discussed at length during the course.

 

how much does it cost?

There is no one set fee. The course fee is on a sliding scale, depending on age and employment; monthly payment plans are available. We have special rates for students. We'll explain all of this in detail at the Intro Talk. 

 

what is the relationship between vedic meditation and "transcendental meditation", as taught and promoted by maharishi mahesh yogi?

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was a revered spiritual teacher from the Shankaracharya lineage in India. 

Peter's teacher, Thom Knoles, was trained as a teacher of Transcendental Meditation (“TM”) by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and taught it for over 25 years with organizations affiliated with Maharishi. Since 1997, Thom has continued to teach meditation as he learned it from Maharishi, and has done so independently and separately from the TM organizations. Thom Knoles trained Peter to teach meditation in the same way that Maharishi trained him to teach meditation. Peter teaches Vedic Meditation and is not affiliated with the TM organizations or their current services, processes or programs. 

 

WHAT DOES the scientific research say about this form of meditation?

The form of meditation that Thom Knoles taught for over 25 years with the TM organizations as “Transcendental Meditation,” has been the subject of hundreds of scientific studies showing a wide range of benefits from regular practice. These studies, which refer to this form of meditation using the name “Transcendental Meditation” or “TM”, support the benefits obtainable from regular practice of Vedic Meditation.

These benefits include:

  • Reduced Stress and Anxiety

  • Higher Levels of Brain Functioning

  • Improved Intelligence, Creativity, and Learning Ability

  • Reduced Insomnia

  • Improved Academics

  • Improved School Behavior

  • Decreased Depression

  • Increased Longevity

  • Reduced Substance Abuse

  • Improved Integration of Personality

  • Lower Blood Pressure

  • Decreased Cholesterol

  • Reduced Congestive Heart Failure

  • Decreased Free Radicals

  • Reduced Atherosclerosis/Stroke

  • Reduced Metabolic Syndrome/Pre-Diabetes

  • Reduced Cardiovascular Risk Factors

  • Reduction in Pain

  • Benefits for Special and Remedial Education

  • Decreased Health Care Costs and Utilization