Please listen to the first audio post in this series: Introduction to Easeful Meditation. It will prepare your understanding as we proceed to begin practice.
Starting to Practice
This post invites you to step into the practice of meditation. We will take it slowly, refining our ability to keep the process both effortless and on track. Here, you will learn the skillful use of a simple yet powerful Sanskrit sound—a mantra—as the vehicle for meditation.
This session begins by exploring the foundational principles and framework of this technique. Then, I will introduce the mantra and guide you through how to use it in this particular meditation process. Together, we will practice for a few minutes, and I encourage you to continue exploring it on your own.
Where Does This Technique Come From?
This meditation technique originates from the brilliant work of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who played a key role in bringing meditation to the West in the 1960s. I began my own practice in 1968 in my hometown of Los Angeles, California. At that time, there were relatively few of us practicing, and I had the privilege of studying directly with Maharishi. In 1971, I became a teacher of Transcendental Meditation (TM).
Although I no longer consider myself a TM teacher, my years of inquiry and growth have continually led me back to the simple brilliance of Maharishi’s teachings. The core principle of TM is its ease and effortlessness—an approach Maharishi emphasized as the key to experiencing deeper states of consciousness and inner peace. He taught that both the manifest and unmanifest aspects of existence are unified, and that consciousness naturally seeks greater happiness and understanding through ease rather than struggle.
Maharishi’s philosophy encourages practitioners to embrace comfort, allowing the mind and body to soften and settle naturally into a higher state of awareness.
The technique and philosophy I share here are the same ones Maharishi imparted to me when he initiated me as a teacher in 1971. Over the years, I have come to see how beautifully his approach aligns with the tantric principles and practices I have continued to study for the last 25 years.
What’s Next?
Additional sessions will be coming soon. We will continue to lengthen and refine our practice together. In the next post, Session 3, I will guide you through a slightly longer meditation and address any questions that may arise as you engage with this technique. I will also share insights to support and nourish your daily practice.
I hope you find this practice to be deeply soothing and healing. Its effects are cumulative, and it is ideal if you can incorporate it into your daily routine. A single 20-minute meditation session each day can be profoundly beneficial. If time allows, meditating once in the morning and once in the evening can be even more powerful. However, even occasional practice can bring noticeable benefits.
Give it a try and let me know your thoughts. Once you begin, we will continue with additional short videos and guided meditations to support your journey.
With love,
Patty
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