Meditation 'the world's most wonderful thing'
The Herald, Bordon, Farnham, Petersfield, Alton, Haslemere
6 September 2002
FOR Liz Court, February 26 1967 is a date that she will always remember.
It is not her birthday, or that of a friend or relative, but it is the day when her life changed forever.
For on this day she discovered Transcendental Meditation - a practice which she has described as the "most wonderful thing in the world".
At this time Mrs Court, now of Wisteria Drive, Bordon, was living in Watford.
"A friend introduced me to Transcendental Meditation and I thought it sounded rather good," she said.
"I went home to my mother and told her 'I have heard of the most wonderful thing in the world' - and I still stand by that today.
"She (her mother) came along to the introductory talk with me and then practised meditation but sadly, she has since died."
Three years after she started practising Transcendental Meditation (TM), Mrs Court spent four months in India with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who founded TM.
While there she trained to be a teacher of TM and later, in 1971, she spent a year working for Maharishi.
"In those days Maharishi used to come over and hold sessions at different universities across the country," said Mrs Court.
"He had the knowledge of TM and he did not have all the facilities that he has today such as, satellite link to communicate with people."
At first Mrs Court combined her job as a secretary with teaching TM but now she concentrates her efforts solely on teaching.
"I had enjoyed the benefits of TM and I thought that it was something that I would like to be able to offer to other people," she said. Mrs Court teaches TM to a wide range of ages throughout the mid-south - including Bordon, Alton, Liphook, Petersfield, Haslemere and Midhurst - and she said anyone can benefit from it.
"I think the youngest I have ever taught is six and the oldest was 89," said Mrs Court, who introduced her husband Tim to TM.
TM is unique and is different from other systems of meditation and relaxation.
It is a practical way of helping people to enjoy life to the full.
And teachers and people, who practice TM, believe that it is especially useful today when the pace of life can frequently lead to stressful living.
TM involves the person sitting comfortably in a chair with their eyes closed for 15-20 minutes.
Each person is given his or her individual sound, or mantra, and instructions on how to use it properly. It is effortless and enjoyable.
The mind settles down to quieter levels of thought until it reaches the source of thought and then transcends to the most silent level.
As it does not involve movement - it can be done on the train or bus on the way to, and from, work.
Mrs Court believes that people who practice TM learn to appreciate life more.
"We can become ill less often and it does make people feel a lot happier by reducing stress levels," she said.
"And the 20 minutes which people spend each morning and evening meditating does benefit them through their working day."
TM is easy to learn - it will not take years to master.
People interested in the technique can attend a special introductory session, led by Mrs Court, where she will explain TM using both her own experience and by showing video tapes.
She will then answer any questions or concerns that people may have about TM.
But she stressed that there was no obligation to practice TM after attending the introductory session.
"It is simply an introductory session," said Mrs Court.
"After that if people want to continue with TM they come along to four other sessions on consecutive days.
"The sessions are around two hours in length and they can then come to a three month follow up programme, which is optional, to make sure that they are getting the full benefit."
After practising TM for 35 years Mrs Court cannot imagine a time when it was not a part of her life.
"I think when you release the stress from your mind everything becomes clearer and your actions become stronger," said Mrs Court.
"I have become more confident since practising TM.
"I would certainly recommend TM to anybody. Since starting TM I feel like I am getting younger."
Mrs Court currently teaches TM in her own home and in a friend's home in Winchester but she is hoping to set up her own TM centre in Bordon.
"I would like to set up one here (in Bordon) so that it could benefit the whole community," she said.
"I haven't done a lot of fundraising in the past though so I wouldn't know where to start."
But for now Mrs Court is happy that she can pass on the benefits of TM to others.
For further details about TM or to attend an introductory session contact Liz Court on 01420 477136 or visit the Transcendental Meditation website at www.transcendentalmeditation-mid-south.co.uk
Copyright: The Herald, 2002