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Tranquillity without Pills
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 20, 2024
So I had picked up this book on a wild whim some time ago and finally read it now... I already practice yoga and I am quite into nature, have connections with animals especially horses. This book was actually published the year I was born so I thought for sure the TM centers they mention in here - where they advise you to go to learn the Transcendental Meditation - are gone. But I just googled it and to my utter surprise these places are still around! In fact there is one located only 6 miles from me. So I guess it's still very popular even if one doesn't really hear about it much?
This book comes in three sections. The first section was definitely my favorite and I found it the most interesting. In here the author described his own experience with learning TM and he also tells some of the scientific stuff about it as well. The stories of how actual body difference shows up on medical tests, etc so its not just people's imagination.
The second section shares the experience of a few different people. I had a few problems with this area. I think its because I couldn't really relate to these people. A few were drug users and they were saying how the TM got them off of drugs as the drugs got them "high" - and I suddenly realized that I really do not comprehend what "high" is. I guess its my autism. But one lady said that the TM made her able to handle spicy foods when before it would make her sick. As someone with food issues this is indeed interesting!
The third section was kind of blah and lots of info.
But reading the first part made me realize I already do something like TM. I guess I didn't know it was TM? And maybe it explains why late at night I have so much energy and I am wide awake often? Because I am doing the TM (without a mantra) often around 3 or 4 pm? It certainly does indeed give you energy. I think I just started doing this on my own. But it certainly sounds like TM... And people around me say I am more calmer when I do have actual problems so I guess it is doing something? Of course seeing my horses helps so much too!
I guess I found the book helpful in that it made me realize that I was doing TM and meditation without really realizing that is what it was (but I had done meditation with my yoga teacher before).
Does it solve everything? I say no. I still have lots of my issues especially the medical ones. But I think it does help with one's mood.
But I don't understand why the book says you need a mantra. I seem to do this without a mantra easy enough. Its sort of like you are dozing without actually dozing. You are awake but all random thoughts pass by and then the brain goes quiet but you are not actually asleep. And then later you "wake up".
I would think people could probably learn how to do this from the book. Its easy enough. Would it fix other issues? Cannot say. But I do seem to be tolerating a few more foods, like eggs, but I don't think its related to the TM. I think its just because I had avoided them for 3 years. And it wasn't an allergy to eggs but an intolerance due to leaky gut + celiac.
I think each person would have to try it for themselves to see what it can do for them, depending on their own situation.
But I do find it refreshing and it certainly gives me energy. And my emotional reactions are less severe and they recover faster.
This book comes in three sections. The first section was definitely my favorite and I found it the most interesting. In here the author described his own experience with learning TM and he also tells some of the scientific stuff about it as well. The stories of how actual body difference shows up on medical tests, etc so its not just people's imagination.
The second section shares the experience of a few different people. I had a few problems with this area. I think its because I couldn't really relate to these people. A few were drug users and they were saying how the TM got them off of drugs as the drugs got them "high" - and I suddenly realized that I really do not comprehend what "high" is. I guess its my autism. But one lady said that the TM made her able to handle spicy foods when before it would make her sick. As someone with food issues this is indeed interesting!
The third section was kind of blah and lots of info.
But reading the first part made me realize I already do something like TM. I guess I didn't know it was TM? And maybe it explains why late at night I have so much energy and I am wide awake often? Because I am doing the TM (without a mantra) often around 3 or 4 pm? It certainly does indeed give you energy. I think I just started doing this on my own. But it certainly sounds like TM... And people around me say I am more calmer when I do have actual problems so I guess it is doing something? Of course seeing my horses helps so much too!
I guess I found the book helpful in that it made me realize that I was doing TM and meditation without really realizing that is what it was (but I had done meditation with my yoga teacher before).
Does it solve everything? I say no. I still have lots of my issues especially the medical ones. But I think it does help with one's mood.
But I don't understand why the book says you need a mantra. I seem to do this without a mantra easy enough. Its sort of like you are dozing without actually dozing. You are awake but all random thoughts pass by and then the brain goes quiet but you are not actually asleep. And then later you "wake up".
I would think people could probably learn how to do this from the book. Its easy enough. Would it fix other issues? Cannot say. But I do seem to be tolerating a few more foods, like eggs, but I don't think its related to the TM. I think its just because I had avoided them for 3 years. And it wasn't an allergy to eggs but an intolerance due to leaky gut + celiac.
I think each person would have to try it for themselves to see what it can do for them, depending on their own situation.
But I do find it refreshing and it certainly gives me energy. And my emotional reactions are less severe and they recover faster.
March 4, 2025
This book stunk. There were a few entertaining aspects and it's a short read but overall I can't see recommending that anyone waste their time on this. It was just a very repetitive, one-sided advertisement for the TM organization.
There wasn't much information about the book online (and I ordered it from ebay so couldn't look inside first) but I was really hoping for an unbiased view into the early days of TM. There was a bit of interesting insight into the process -- describing where the meetings take place, the initiation stages, the price, the different groups that taught TM -- but it was far from unbiased.
I'm still very interested in the history of TM and will look for a better investigation. But any book that just repeatedly parrots the lines about "TM is the only technique that produces effortless transcendence" and "this technique can only be learned from a certified TM instructor" etc. is pretty useless.
The "Meet the Meditators" section was pretty funny. It was a series of anonymized first person stories but the writing style was all the same so I don't know how much was real. But the stories were like "I used to be an asshole to my coworkers, wife, and daughter and then I did TM and now I'm nice to everyone and stopped drinking scotch and we went on a family road trip to Grand Canyon". And "I got addicted to cough syrup at age 14 and heroin at 15 and then was taking acid nonstop but then I did TM and haven't touched a drug since, not even pot!"
So ya, weird book, no new info you wouldn't find on a TM brochure, but a funny time capsule.
There wasn't much information about the book online (and I ordered it from ebay so couldn't look inside first) but I was really hoping for an unbiased view into the early days of TM. There was a bit of interesting insight into the process -- describing where the meetings take place, the initiation stages, the price, the different groups that taught TM -- but it was far from unbiased.
I'm still very interested in the history of TM and will look for a better investigation. But any book that just repeatedly parrots the lines about "TM is the only technique that produces effortless transcendence" and "this technique can only be learned from a certified TM instructor" etc. is pretty useless.
The "Meet the Meditators" section was pretty funny. It was a series of anonymized first person stories but the writing style was all the same so I don't know how much was real. But the stories were like "I used to be an asshole to my coworkers, wife, and daughter and then I did TM and now I'm nice to everyone and stopped drinking scotch and we went on a family road trip to Grand Canyon". And "I got addicted to cough syrup at age 14 and heroin at 15 and then was taking acid nonstop but then I did TM and haven't touched a drug since, not even pot!"
So ya, weird book, no new info you wouldn't find on a TM brochure, but a funny time capsule.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews