Transcendental Meditation vs Mindfulness

Radhika Dadhich

Dec 12, 2023

Transcendental meditation and mindfulness - both are amazing tools to live a better life. The type of meditation you choose depends on variable factors.

In today’s day and age, practicing meditation is crucial if you want to live peacefully amidst the chaos. With a range of meditation variants, choosing the right one can become challenging. But, fret not, as this article will delve into two of the most popular meditation types and evaluate the ins and outs of their benefits, practicing process, etc.

Transcendental Meditation vs Mindfulness: Basic Difference

Transcendental meditation is a trademarked technique taught by certified teachers via specific courses. It is an Indian-born practice that was disseminated across the world because of the efforts of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the mid-20th century.

Nowadays, various celebrities, such as Katy Perry, Ellen de Degenerous, etc, swear by the benefits of transcendental meditation.

On the contrary, mindfulness is open to everyone. It is not an elite or exclusive phenomenon, but instead, can be enjoyed by everyone. Moreover, mindfulness has no specific static definition. You can enjoy it in many ways, as per your unique methods.

Transcendental Meditation and Mindfulness: Differences and Similarities?

To begin with, both Transcendental Meditation and mindfulness are techniques that share similar goals - to elevate your overall well-being. Besides, no method is superior to the other. However, both of the two techniques do have specific differences.

Transcendental meditation is a simple and organic technique without any concentration or contemplation. You have to use a mantra and chant it again and again to let your mind naturally settle down, and ultimately to transcend thought.

On the other hand, mindfulness is all about being in the present moment. It entails paying passive attention to your breathing, sensations, thoughts, etc.

Likewise, another difference is that Transcendental Meditation has been found to activate the brain’s default mode, also known as its natural resting state. On the contrary, mindfulness deactivates the brain’s default mode. Thus, transcendental meditation has alpha brain waves while mindfulness has theta.

Practice Techniques of Mindfulness and Transcendental Meditation

Transcendental Meditation and Mindfulness are learned in two different ways. Firstly, you can learn from a Transcendental Meditation teacher only. Its teaching and practicing methods are standardized.

On the other hand, mindfulness can be learned in many ways. You can simply sit still and stay with your thoughts.

Transcendental Meditation vs Mindfulness: Which is Better?

There is no superior meditation. It is your personal experience, lifestyle, mental state at a given time and personal inclinations that determine which meditation type is the best for you.

So, there we have it, a comparative analysis of Transcendental Meditation and Mindfulness.

Mindfulness and Transcendental Meditation share goals - your overall well-being. But they are also quite different, especially in practicing methods.