People from all religious backgrounds practice the Transcendental Meditation program and appreciate how it has enhanced their faith. For instance:

B. Budhacharan, a Buddhist, writes:

"I was born in Thailand where more than 95% of the 64 million citizens follow their faith and believe in Lord Buddha's teaching. Being a Buddhist, we were told to practice compassion and kindness to all beings in our daily life and, in return, one can enjoy a happy and fulfilled life."

"In 1970, I learned a mental technique called Transcendental Meditation (TM) taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The practice was very easy, natural and brought rapid development of the spiritual values in heart and mind. It was neither concentration nor contemplation but a simple technique that uses the natural tendency of the mind to move towards inner peace. After some time, I found this technique was exactly described in Buddhism as Nirodha Smadhi (free from suffering)."

"After some years, I learned the advanced technique called the Transcendental Meditation-Sidhi program that corresponds in Buddhism to the principle of Brahma Vihar that is associated with culturing compassion and loving kindness. My experiences, and those of many others around the world, have confirmed that the practice of the Transcendental Meditation and the Transcendental Meditation-Sidhi programs are completely in line with mainstream Buddhist teachings."

Father Cletus Stein writes:

"I am a retired Catholic priest who practices Transcendental Meditation (TM) and did so while I served in the Catholic Church for about 30 years. Based on my own experience, I know that TM is a universal technique that is in harmony with the goals of our religion. It requires no change in personal lifestyle or beliefs and is an effective aid for us to become stronger in our own faith. Transcendental Meditation has enhanced my own religious practice and has been a great way for me to relax and become more alert for my work and my life as a whole...It is my experience that TM is an excellent way to prepare for prayer... Meditation has been encouraged by the Church over the ages and by the saints, including the writer of the Cloud of Unknowing, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and many others. TM is a proven technique for joining them in meditation."

Miral Shaaban, a veiled Muslim who lives in Cairo, Egypt, writes:

"I cannot ever forget the first time I prayed after my first meditation. I learned the TM technique in December of 2006: I was speechless and cannot explain this state of complete serenity, contentment and gratitude for God. TM increased my level of acceptance and appreciation for my faith and strengthened my beliefs." She also reported that "reading from the Qur'an is becoming more enjoyable and comforting at the same time, as now I can better link its teachings with everything around me: my level of comprehension of its meanings are increasing on a daily basis...The great value of TM is that it deepens and expands one's level of consciousness, so that one can begin to more fully grasp and live the deeper meanings and values of one's own religion. This truth reminds me of the teaching from the holy Qur'an that offers great knowledge in the form of a question: 'Are those who know and those who know not on the same level?' Obviously, the answer is no."

Nada Haider, a practicing Muslim living in Beruit, Lebanon, wrote:

"I would say that the Transcendental Meditation technique is like cleaning the mirror and what you see afterwards has nothing to do with the actual process of cleaning. TM is not a religion and it does not in any way require individuals to change their personal beliefs or practices; yet, by promoting a clear mind and a clean, stress-free nervous system, it helps one to live the highest values of religious life."

Atmane Kouider, Ph.D., a practicing Muslim and teacher of the TM program who lives in Algiers, Algeria, reported:

"Among all the people to whom I taught the TM technique, I have never heard of anyone who gave up his Islamic practice after learning TM; but, I have heard of many individuals, born Muslim, who adopted Islamic practice after learning the TM program. God states in His Holy Qur'an: 'Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change that which is in their own self.' Here, in TM, is a scientifically validated program for changing our inner condition to harmony and all good. Let us adopt it to improve that which is in our own self and deserve God's Mercy and Grace for ourselves and every living being."

Rabbi Michael Shevack of the Bucks County Free Synagogue in Point Pleasant, Pennsylvania, commented on his experience of the TM program with reference to his practice of Judaism:

"There is a common misconception amongst many different 'western' religions, mainly Judaism, Christianity and Islam, that Transcendental Meditation is a form of some kind of Hindu worship and is therefore pagan. Based on my direct experience with the TM technique, I can clearly say that this idea is a misunderstanding and is simply not true.

"In fact, my experience as a TM practitioner, since the age of 17 (I am now 55) has proven just the opposite. At first I was attracted to TM as a way to reduce stress, and was very excited by the hundreds of studies that demonstrated it having a positive effect on lowering stress, blood pressure and improving generally well-being, both mental and physical. However, as I practiced TM, I found that these benefits were actually mere 'byproducts' of the experience.

"I found that I was opening, day after day, meditation after meditation, to what I considered to be a deep spiritual experience. Such an experience was not 'other worldly,’ nor did it belong to 'another religion.’ Such an experience was deeply rooted in the practical day to day experiences of life, and as such, became deeply integrated with the practice of my day to day Judaism. I found that TM opened me up to intuitive insights and understandings which helped 'make sense’ of my Jewish practice; it made the observance of my own faith increasingly alive and spiritually vibrant…Based on my experience, I can say that there is nothing to fear about TM. If you are Christian, it will make you more Christian. If you are Jewish, it will make you more Jewish. If you are Muslim, it will make you more Muslim. Due to the growing appreciation of one's own faith through TM, one does not seek out other religions; one becomes fulfilled in one's own.

"Lastly, as a leader in inter-religious dialogue, who has worked with many of the world's noble religions, I believe that TM can provide a doorway to a common spiritual understanding and experience that can help bring about, and speed, the development of mutual respect and understanding of the world's religions, by deepening and enlivening the universal spiritual foundation upon which they are all based.

"In short, it is a fast, effective, universal approach to peace."