Not every meditation course is designed with spiritual development as its goal—many focus purely on relaxation or stress management. If you’re looking for a course that goes beyond that, here are seven questions to ask yourself before you choose one.
- Does the technique focus on experience, or just on attitude? Some approaches (such as many mindfulness programs) mainly teach you to adopt a certain attitude toward thoughts. For true consciousness development, look for a technique that actually takes you to deeper levels of consciousness.
- Is the technique taught one-on-one, or in a generic group setting? Consciousness development is an individual process. A course that doesn’t allow for personalized guidance is missing an essential component.
- Is there scientific evidence, or just anecdotal accounts? Transcendental Meditation, for example, has been studied in over 800 studies at more than 200 universities, including research on brain coherence.
- Does the technique require concentration or control, or rather letting go? Techniques that require concentration actually keep the mind actively on the surface.
- Is there a clear path forward for those who want to go further? Check to see if there are follow-up programs (such as in-depth weekends or advanced techniques) for those who want to go deeper.
- Is there ongoing support after the course? Free, lifelong “check-in” sessions are a good indicator of the provider’s serious commitment.
- Is the approach religious/dogmatic, or rather technical and universally accessible? Transcendental Meditation, for example, has been scientifically studied, is non-religious, and is accessible regardless of one’s beliefs.
Curious to know if TM meets these seven criteria? Attend a free, no-obligation introductory lecture: https://www.tm.nl/lezingen