FAQ
Will I be able to meditate?
Yes, because Vedic Meditation is completely natural. Anyone can learn this meditation because the technique is scientific; it requires neither specific skills nor the adoption of a particular lifestyle.
Do I have to chant, or sit in strange yoga positions?
No. When you meditate you sit in silence in a chair with your eyes closed. To anyone watching you, it looks as though you are simply resting.
Does this technique conflict with my religious beliefs?
No. This is simply a practical technique that provides immediate and sustained benefits in every area of an individual’s life – mind, body, behaviour and environment. You do not have to take on any beliefs, change your name or wear strange clothes. People of all races and religions practice this meditation.
How long will it take until I feel benefits?
Most people report feeling calmer, having greater physical energy and mental clarity in the first week they start practising meditation. Actually many people feel the benefits after their first meditation. Friends and family will probably comment that you seem calmer, happier and less stressed.
How does Vedic Meditation differ from other types of meditation? Are they all the same?
The Vedic Meditation technique is unique and essentially different from other forms of meditation and relaxation. Other types of meditation generally involve concentration (focusing the mind through effort) or contemplation (thinking about the meaning of something) - both of which keep the mind active.
Vedic meditation is a completely effortless technique that de-excites the mind in a natural and spontaneous way.
Do I need a special meditation room to meditate in?
No. The technique is completely portable. You can practise it anywhere - on a train, bus, plane, at your desk, in a park. You don’t need absolute silence in order to practise it – all you need is a place to sit. It’s very useful for people who travel a great deal, as it assists with jetlag and fatigue.
What is the relationship between Vedic Meditation and “Transcendental Meditation,”
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was a revered spiritual teacher from the Shankaracharya lineage in India. Billy’s teacher, Thom Knoles, was trained as a teacher of Transcendental Meditation (“TM”) by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and taught it for over 25 years with organisations affiliated with Maharishi. Since 1997, Thom has continued to teach meditation as he learned it from Maharishi, and has done so independently and separately from the TM organisations. Thom Knoles trained Billy to teach meditation in the same way that Maharishi trained him to teach meditation. Billy teaches Vedic Meditation and is not affiliated with the TM organisations or their current services, processes or programs. However if you have learned Transcendental Meditation you are welcome to speak to Billy about joining his regular group meditations.
What does the scientific research say about this form of meditation?
The form of meditation that Thom Knoles* teaches and taught for over 25 years with the TM organisations as “Transcendental Meditation,” has been the subject of hundreds of scientific studies showing a wide range of benefits from regular practice. These studies, which refer to this form of meditation using the name “Transcendental Meditation” or “TM”, support the benefits obtainable from regular practice of Vedic Meditation.
These benefits include:
• Increased resistance to stress
• Increased levels of energy
• Relief from depression and anxiety
• Relief from insomnia
• Improved relationships with other people
• Improved memory, concentration and learning ability
• Reduced risk of heart disease and tumours
• Relief from migraines, headaches and asthma
• Normalisation of blood pressure
• Reduced cholesterol levels
• Normalisation of weight
• Reversal of ageing
• Increased self esteem
• Faster reaction times
• Improved sports performance
• Reduced use of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs
* Thom Knoles trained William de Chermont to teach meditation as Thom was trained to teach meditation by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
.