I arrive with the flowers, a fruit and a white handkerchief at the Transcendental Meditation Center in Beverly Hills for my first meditation with my teacher Patricia. I'm a little nervous about the ceremony that she performs when she recites a text in Sanskrit, a language I don't understand a single word of. After the ceremony, I'm invited to bow, receive my mantra and begin to meditate. My new journey begun that day, after a few minutes into meditation tears start to flow freely as I released the tension from that day and from many others in my past.
At the end of my first meditation I felt much lighter; I felt the benefit immediately and I love my mantra and I like the fact that I promise not to tell anyone... it feels special. In the deep silence I found my peace, a softer me and the anger and despair melts away. I drive back to Santa Monica and even the terrible LA traffic seems to soften, the street open up in front of me... I'm not hallucinating on the contrary I'm totally present and alert!
Since my first meditation two years ago I have been meditating every single day as prescribed.... 20 minutes in the morning as soon as I wake up before coffee and 20 minutes in the middle of the day whenever I can find time and a quite space. Sometimes the evening practice has been a challenge if I'm working and I can't really take a break, but I always find the time.
I'm looking forward for TM every day, as it's a little break from the outside world and my overly busy mind. When I first started TM I was impressed at how many thoughts are running through my head, and let's face it, the majority of them are crap! But little by little my mind quieted down and I started to dive in. I'm a very visual person so I can see my focus during meditation going from my head to a place between my navel and solar plexus. That's where my peace is in my body, and definitely not up there in my head.
Few years ago, during the last recession, I was laid off from a job I loved. It was just before Christmas and for me was absolutely devastating, if it weren't for some savings and my family's help, God only knows where I will be today... Since then I have been freelancing or have little jobs that I really don't like. TM has helped me through these tough times; it gave me the peace, strength and focus necessary to look for a new great job opportunity. The more I connect to the peace inside myself the happier I feel, and I'm able to bring that happiness to everything that surrounds me.
I like to share and talk with my friends about the benefit of my meditation practice and two of my closest friends, after my suggestion, started TM (this gives me a lot of joy). I'm so grateful to my son David, who introduced me to TM, my teacher Patricia in Los Angeles, and all the teachers before her.
Life founds it's purpose and fulfillment in the expansion of happiness. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi