“Is Transcendental Meditation (TM) a religion”? I have been asked this question many times. Well, certain people may perceive the TM program as religious rather than scientific due to its association with terms like “meditation,” “pure awareness,” and “transcendence,” or because it was introduced from India by a teacher with a monastic background.
However, philosophers of science assert that the classification of a discipline as religious or scientific is not determined by its content or subject matter but by the method employed to acquire knowledge. People from various religious and cultural backgrounds practice TM as a secular and personal development technique without it conflicting with their beliefs.
TM is regarded as a science, not a religion, because its exploration of the full spectrum of human consciousness is grounded in scientific and experiential methods rather than faith-based ones. Every principle guiding the practice and each assertion made about it is subject to testing and verification.
In the evolution of scientific understanding, consciousness and meditation, once considered mystical or beyond the scope of science, are now recognized as subjects amenable to scientific study. Thus, the categorization of TM as a science reflects its commitment to empirical investigation and experiential validation rather than reliance on religious or faith-based tenets.
His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi made a significant contribution by anchoring the advantages of meditation in empirical science. Over time, there has been curiosity about why Maharishi consistently prioritized science, actively encouraging researchers at universities and medical schools to explore TM wherever he traveled.
In the current landscape, where numerous individuals endorse diverse practices and assert various claims, the value of having an objective foundation for assessing the effects of different meditation practices is now particularly appreciated.