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The core difference: with mindfulness you consciously direct attention to the present moment (active effort); with TM you use a mantra that allows the mind to settle effortlessly. TM is taught exclusively through personal instruction (4 days, €245–€895); mindfulness also via apps and books. TM produces coherence across the entire brain cortex; mindfulness primarily activates attention areas. The 2025 US guideline on high blood pressure names TM as the only meditation technique by name. Both techniques have their value — the choice depends on what you are looking for.
The largest meta-analysis of meditation for post-traumatic stress pooled 61 studies with 3,440 participants and sorted them into four categories. The reduction in PTSD symptoms (pre-post effect size, Hedges' g) was largest for TM, and the difference between TM and each of the other three categories was statistically significant. Study characteristics such as outcome measures, control conditions and populations did not differ appreciably between the categories.
The 2025 US guideline on high blood pressure (AHA/ACC) treats the two differently. Transcendental Meditation has its own recommendation: stress reduction through TM may be reasonable to prevent or treat elevated blood pressure, as an adjunct to lifestyle or medication (class 2b). The estimated effect is 5 to 7 mmHg systolic in people with hypertension.
Mindfulness is not named. It falls under “other forms of stress management”, a separate recommendation with the same class, alongside breathing techniques and yoga. For mindfulness-based and other stress-reduction methods the guideline calls the data less robust, because the trials were small and short and the methods varied widely. It does mention mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) as one way to help people keep taking their blood pressure medication.
Neither replaces diet, exercise or medication; the guideline calls meditation somewhat less effective than those lifestyle measures. What the guideline says in full: TM in the US blood pressure guideline.
Many people come to TM after a mindfulness training or an eight-week MBSR course. For them the course is the same as for anyone else: four days, about 6 hours of instruction, taught personally. No prior knowledge is needed. One thing you do have to let go of.
In mindfulness you learned to bring your attention back to the breath or the body. In TM you don't do that. You direct your attention nowhere and observe nothing; the mantra lets the mind settle by itself, and thoughts are part of the process. People used to steering their attention sometimes still do it at first. That is why the teacher checks your practice after 10 and 20 days, and after that for life, free of charge.
If mindfulness suits you and you keep it up, there is no reason to stop. If you found it hard to keep practising every day, or if steering your attention took effort, that is exactly where the difference lies. A free introductory talk is the first step.
Weinig tijd en twijfel je nog? Lees onze gids meditatietraining kiezen als drukke professional — met vijf concrete criteria om elke cursus, app of instructeur langs te leggen.
Zen meditation (zazen) is a practice of attention and posture from the Buddhist tradition: you sit upright, usually with the eyes half open, and follow the breath or sit without an object, sometimes with a koan. It asks for discipline and practice, and many practitioners deepen it in retreats. It is a complete form of meditation with its own aim: training the mind and developing insight.
Transcendental Meditation does the opposite: eyes closed, no directing of attention, no guarding of posture. A personal mantra lets the mind settle by itself, thoughts are part of the process, and after twenty minutes the session is done. TM is a technique without religious requirements, taught personally in four sessions by a certified teacher. If you want discipline and depth within a tradition, Zen offers that. If you want deep rest without effort, and can make time for it daily, TM is the more likely choice.
Yes, and you take the same course as everyone else: four days, about 6 hours of instruction, taught personally by a certified TM teacher. The difference lies in what you let go of. In mindfulness you keep bringing your attention back to the breath or the body; in TM you direct your attention nowhere, and a personal mantra lets the mind settle by itself. People used to directing attention sometimes still do it at first, which is why the teacher checks your practice after 10 and 20 days and then for life, free of charge. You meditate twice a day for 20 minutes. The course costs a one-off €495 to €895, depending on income, with no follow-on training to pay for separately.