How TM Awakened Me
Let me first begin by sharing a story. I had ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) reconstructive knee surgery a few years back and went to 3 different physical therapists (PTs) post surgery. The first one hurried me in and out like I was a number in a deli line. I essentially waited for my number to be called, got roughly 20 minutes worth of treatment, and I was out the door. Having not quite felt the love there, I went in search of a more refined and compassionate connoisseur of the PT world. I was pleased; I was greeted by an equally knowledgeable but friendlier PT this time. He listened with a kind ear and proceeded to rehabilitate me back to the basics—walking, for I had completely forgotten the “how tos” of muscular flexion and extension—until I found him starting to give up due to my slow progress.
So, again, my gimpy self trotted off and found yet another PT who came highly recommended by my doctor. I was incredulous but remained hopeful just the same. After all the mishaps, feedback, and prior experiences, something inside of me knew I was ready and that this time would result in something different, something where I have a leg to stand on (pun intended). Immediately, I felt at home and I knew I was at the right place at the right time.
After my initial (almost an hour) evaluation, we marched into the gym-like treatment room. The PT showed me some stretches, got me on a machine, then asked me to show him my gait, and followed that with a squatting exercise he undoubtedly knew would help build the right muscles. Yet, as easy as it looked, I was unable to do it. He gently looked at me and said, “Think of times in your daily life that squatting was necessary.” Magically an image came to mind and triggered the movement without further thought. Surprisingly, after his rather simple, but profound suggestion, all of the muscles that were required to perform that squat instantaneously woke up and came to support me in that very moment. The rest, as you would guess, was history – given that one simple awareness and technique.
Now, you may be wondering what does all of this have to do with Transcendental Meditation? Perhaps, you might even have thought you had inadvertently clicked on a different link somewhere along the way. Nope, I can safely say you didn’t. Let me explain.
For most, if not all of my life, my emotional wounds felt analogous to walking around with a torn ACL. Thus life felt much like the experience I had with the various PTs. It wasn’t always bad, but I also did not live full out, or full anything at all, because I convinced myself I was wounded. I knew I needed and wanted to have it fixed in order to engage fully in life. I knew that the surgeon could fix my knee, but who would heal my pain and restore me to wholeness? Well, much like the 3rd PT who offered the simple awareness and the subsequent technique to heal, TM served as my emotional and spiritual healer by providing me a technique to connect to “the awareness” within. TM awakened me to the beauty and love that is life and suddenly things just started to effortlessly move. And unlike any other technique, TM has been the catalyst that has led to a shift in consciousness and towards a magical door of infinite possibilities.
Since then, TM continues to shed such a deep understanding of Self with a capital S—I am no longer frightened to harness my own gifts. I no longer walk around crippled by life’s trials and tribulations, but instead I embrace its loving lessons. I no longer act like a wounded soldier in battle, but rather a healer to myself and others that are ready and courageous enough to surrender to a greater truth. I no longer listen to the incessant chatter of the mind, but instead to the awakening of my spirit. I no longer dread another day, but honor every breath. I no longer listen to the voices of reason, but one of pure intelligence, pervasively guiding me along my path. I no longer seek love outside myself (by unconsciously giving and giving in hopes of receiving something in return like so many women do), but I find now I swim in it, because so much of it lives inside of me. I no longer wear a mask because of fear of being judged or disliked, but instead wear a smile, covered in peace and joy from head to toe.
These are only a few of the noticeable rewards of TM, on top of a whole host of measurable physiological benefits. I clearly see now what it means to be in awe of the magnificence of the universal, not because I am a part of it—but because it is a part of me.
So, with a New Year upon us, 2014, what do you resolve to change in your life? If you are someone like me who has wanted to understand, to be lifted above the mire of pain and suffering, to have freedom from the societal rat race, or just to sleep better, learning the Transcendental Meditation technique will be a blessing for you as it was for me. TM was the greatest gift I could have given to myself and the world by helping me to become the best version of me. I hope my story has illuminated the benefits of TM and moved you to give yourself the gift that keeps on giving. You will not be sorry. I thank you deeply for allowing me to share my story.
About the Author
Jess Ly is a Life Coach in Orange County, California.
