Development of Perfect Mind-Body Coordination: The TM Program to Improve Athletic Performance
Maharishi, July 27, 1975, Courchevel, France
Maharishi: “It’s really very satisfactory to see that those experts in the body are now looking into the field of consciousness. Actually, consciousness is a field of all possibilities. All the athletes know that their mind has to be in deep coordination with the body for them to become a champion. So, the use of Transcendental Meditation in the field of athletes is growing very fast these days and it’s a very satisfying evidence that the whole consciousness of the masses, consciousness of the whole population is rising towards being more effective.
Mind-body coordination is at the basis of championship in any field. And through the practice of Transcendental Meditation, the mind-body coordination improves very greatly. What Transcendental Meditation is—it silences, it quietens down the activity of the mind and brings such deep rest to the mind and body, releases all the stresses and strains, removes the fatigue and tiredness of the mind and body, and refreshes the person. Vitality becomes more. And, in effect, meditation is a very simple natural practice to quieten down the activity of the mind and take the mind to the Transcendental Consciousness, the fourth state of consciousness, to the unlimited potential of the mind, unbounded awareness. And, with this, the body becomes healthier and more efficient.
See, every champion wants to be a better champion. It’s the aspiration of every champion to be a champion who would break the record so far established by other champions. And for that improved awareness, improved coordination of mind and body is a very beautiful thing to have.”
Question: “Maharishi, what is the purpose of athletics?”
Maharishi: “Athletics’ purpose in society is to exhibit greater potential, to display greater abilities to the whole population and show them that much more can be accomplished than the ordinary people are doing. And, for themself, an athlete arises to be an example of greater potential of the body so far.
Now when the athletes will be unfolding their full mental potential and will be fulfilling their desires by culturing their consciousness, then they will rise in society as examples of fully developed individuals. And this will inspire all other individuals to develop their abilities, to develop the abilities of their body and mind. So, an athlete arises above his fellowmen to inspire the whole population to do something more that they can do through practice and through the right procedures of developing their body and mind.
Transcendental meditation, in this case, is very rightly inspiring the athletes of today because in this scientific age it is possible to develop the body in a systematic manner and also to develop the mind in a systematic manner. So, both development of body and mind will inspire the whole society for greater achievements in all directions. So, athletes play a part, a direct part for inspiring the whole population towards unfoldment of better potential. That’s beautiful. We’re seeing with all of these athletes a very tremendous growth in their use of their potential with Transcendental Meditation.”
Question: “Could we say that TM has value besides the value for athletes?”
Maharishi: “For everyone, for everyone, because I mentioned athletes in the sense that they develop through physical practices, they develop their body. And when they develop their body it’s very easy for them to add a few minutes more practice of training the mind and develop the full potential of their mind.
Otherwise the full potential of body and mind should be developed by everyone whether an athlete on the play field or an athlete in the office. Exhibiting greater potential of body and mind is the role of an athlete. Those who are working in the factories, they are the athletes on their own level because there is competition everywhere. Everyone wants to be more than the other, greater than the other, better than the other. So, in this whole field of life the desire to grow more, the desire to exhibit more of one’s abilities is a natural thing through Transcendental Meditation, through the practice. The practice of developing body and mind—everyone should rise to the spirit of athletes. It’s the spirit of athletes that must prevail in all parts of society and then everyone would be at his best.
Question: “And could you say, perhaps, what the responsibilities of athletes are to the rest of society, given that creativity and that great potential which they display?”
Maharishi: “The athletes move or run as the examples of better human beings, more capable human beings. So, the responsibility of the athletes is to be more and more ideal in their society. And they become the examples for all others, examples to accomplish greater ideals. Every athlete must develop mental potential, potential of consciousness, which is unlimited. Unlimited potential of the mind must be displayed by every athlete and each will be like a hero. Athletes are like the hero for the whole population.
The responsibility of the athletes is very great and they must present themselves through their thought and action in society to be ideal people. And when, through their physical practices they develop their muscles and develop their ability of physical performance, they must devote some time in the practice of Transcendental Meditation so that they develop full potential of their consciousness as well. Every athlete, by developing the mind as well, can be the hero of their time.
