Questions and Answers

Q: Some places say you should never tell anyone your mantra. What happens if you do?
A: It is best not to discuss your Calm Expression or mantra (unless it is with a teacher of meditation). Some schools of thought forbid the mention of the word ever again. I believe it is better left undiscussed. Your Calm Expression is something very private, something which is only ever heard in the inner recesses of your mind. To treat it as an ordinary word or as a conversation topic is to lessen its importance in your mind. Better to leave it alone.

Q: Sometimes I'm troubled by quite hateful thoughts while I'm meditating? How can I stop them?
A: Whatever the content of these thoughts, they are nothing but distractions. Go back to your mantra and forget them.

Q: I've heard that some people go astral travelling and have visions while they're meditating. Is this true?
A: In all schools of meditation, from the East and the West, the attitude towards paranormal happenings is the same: ignore them. They may be interesting, you may even think them relevant, but they have nothing to do with your meditation and should be ignored. If such an event should present itself to you (and that would be extremely rare), give it no more thought than you would to an itch or a fantasy. It is only your mind trying to distract you from your purpose, which is your Calm Expression.

Q: What about levitation?
A: Has nothing to do with the Calm Technique.

Q: Can the Calm Technique cure insomnia?
A: Much of insomnia is caused by tension and stress. If you can remove the stress and tension, it follows that you'll sleep better. People who use the Calm Technique do sleep more restfully than they did before they practised it. (This is based entirely on subjective reports, I have seen no in-depth studies on the subject.) Those whose insomnia was a product of stress definitely find relief in the Calm Technique. However, whether the Calm Technique can help all insomniacs, I am unsure.

Q: Can the Calm Technique help migraine headaches?
A: As above.

Q: Can the Calm Technique help me give up smoking?
A: Because the Calm Technique is a discipline designed to contain the will and master the senses, it is a great support to anyone contemplating a smoking cure, or a drinking cure, or any sort of cure at all. It does this in three ways. The first is when it strengthens the will. This happens with time. The second occurs when you grow more aware of your body and know what is good or harmful for it. Your body will then encourage you to give up smoking (or whatever). The third reason is simply that you will be more calm and relaxed after a time with the Calm Technique and this provides the greatest assistance of all to giving up. (Assuming of course that you accept the popular theory that smoking is just another symptom of stress.)

If you practise the Calm Technique and follow the five suggestions outlined, I promise you'll be able to give up smoking more easily than you would ever have thought possible. (The same applies for drink and drug problems.)

FIVE WAYS TO OVERCOME ADDICTION
1) Practise the Calm Technique regularly.
2) Instead of giving up smoking (drinking or whatever), take up non-smoking. Take up feeling healthy. Take up being able to breathe properly, being able to taste food again. Take up being socially acceptable. Take up being good to be around. The correct attitude is essential. Don't believe any of those cliches about 'getting bad-tempered' or 'getting fat' or 'suffering from nerves'; these are all little tricks to delude yourself into going back to smoking. If you can adopt and believe in the positive approach of 'taking up non-smoking', you won't suffer any of those negative reactions.
3) Begin a new exercise programme and diet (assuming you have room for improvement) at the same time. You'll find that when the benefits of one begin to fade, the benefits of the other will become obvious. You'll be encouraged to continue because you'll be feeling so good. And you will be feeling good!
4) Plan the day you're taking up non-smoking (or whatever) a week in advance. Mark it prominently on your calendar. Refer to it every day leading up to the event. Remember it well after you have taken the plunge. It will be a very important day in your life.
5) Never touch anothet cigarette (or whatever). There is no such thing as a light smoker (or drinker or drug user). There are only those who pause before taking it up heavily again. Your mind will play many tricks to persuade you that you can have just one smoke every now and then. But you can't. When you take up non-smoking, take it up forever.

-- This excerpt was taken from The Calm Technique by Paul Wilson