What are the similarities and differences between Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s Transcendental Meditation and my meditation?
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"Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s Transcendental Meditation lulls the mind into sleep, while my meditation awakens it to the vibrant dance of existence; true meditation is not about escape, but about deepening awareness."
According to Osho, there is no similarity—only a fundamental opposition. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ‘Transcendental Meditation’ is mantra-repetition that lulls the mind into stupor, hypnosis, and sleep, like a tranquilizer. His meditation is an activator: dynamic, energy-arousing stages with continuous witnessing. Breath, movement, and inquiry intensify alertness, culminating in silent awareness; lose witnessing and any method sinks into hypnosis.
TM is like a sleeping pill, while Osho’s method is an alarm clock that keeps you wide awake and watching everything inside.
Why this matters practically
- Choose practices that heighten alertness instead of dullness.
- Keep the inner ‘witness’ on during any technique to avoid self-hypnosis.
- Use active, energizing methods to make awareness natural and continuous.
- Keep the inner ‘witness’ on during any technique to avoid self-hypnosis.
- Use active, energizing methods to make awareness natural and continuous.
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