The experience of the sacred during Transcendental Meditation was revealed through weekly journaling about the TM experience and the analysis of these words.

Finding the sacred in the TM experience
by TM Women Mini-Magazine online
27 March 2023

The word ‘sacred’ has various meanings, but one definition offered in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary is “highly valuable or important.” Aquino-Russell noted this experience of the sacred developed very quickly—within just a few months. 

The authors reported the results of their research in the article Graduate Nurses Experience the Sacred During Transcendental Meditation®, published in the International Journal of Human Caring.

Perkins and Aquino-Russell (2017) reported, “the students found themselves authentically present and balanced with enhanced job performance. Feelings of bliss, peacefulness, and integrity potentiated the experience of sacred space amid daily stressors while care, compassion, grace, gratitude, and appreciation resided within.”

Interestingly, the authors did not set out to see if TM would develop a sense of the sacred; instead, the unique experience revealed itself in the students’ words, gathered through weekly journaling and through the qualitative analysis of their words. 

TM allows the mind to experience a state of restful alertness. In this state, the mind becomes settled and relaxed, while remaining awake and alert.

Perkins elaborates that the experience of transcending during TM carries the experience of expanded awareness, a sense of unboundedness, and a feeling of love and compassion. This expanded awareness and experience of love and compassion are what give rise to the sacred experience.

In the conclusion of their article, the authors wrote:

“When practicing this simple technique, participants found themselves authentically present. Feelings of bliss, peacefulness, and integrity potentiated the experience of sacred space amid daily stressors, while care, compassion, grace, gratitude, and appreciation resided within. We recommend that nursing students practice this type of meditation to experience their highest possible level of consciousness, care, compassion, and performance in nursing and in life.”

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