Question
I started practicing (by myself) Transendental Meditation not only to lower my high blood pressure but also for self-exploration. As soon as I started practicing I was having nightmarish dreams, where I am either full of anger and rage, or I am being chased by someone who wishes me harm. In the latter even when I am caught I am unharmed. I wanted to know if such dreams are a normal part of the process? How long will this last and what inner work must I do to move beyond it? What other scenes may I experience on my Transcendental Meditative journey besides these types of dreams?
Answer
Joseph, Thank you for your question.
It was not clear from your question whether you have received instruction in Transcendental Meditation as taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi or whether you have learned some other practice that you are just calling Transcendental Meditation.
If you have learned Transcendental Meditation then you know that included in the course is a lifetime availability of checking your TM practice. You should go to a TM checker or TM teacher and get your meditation checked. This will ensure that your disturbing dreams are not due to practicing incorrectly. Straining the mind during incorrect meditation can produce uncomfortable results.
If the dreams persist after checking, then you will know that they represent nothing more than the release of stress from the nervous system and you need not be concerned. TM encourages stress to be released in a balanced way that does no harm to the body or mind. We place our awareness on transcending during meditation and daily life outside of meditation, not being overly concerned about the specifics of the process of stress release. This allows the stress to be released more comfortably and naturally.
Feel free to resubmit if you have further questions.
David Spector
