I would be interested in TM classes though, but it seems expensive. Is it necessary to see a guru?
They are expensive. I actually think the value of TM probably lies in just taking the 20 minutes out every morning and evening to quieten down the mind. The structure of the programme, I think, just helps to get the "habit" started. Similar to exercise, if you can get somebody to incorporate it fully into their lives it has a better chance of "sticking". A warm bath and an Enya CD might be just as useful, but are you going to do that every morning and every evening?
Moreover, I don't know if TM would be much help in acute scenarios like pain or something; If the pilot screams over the loudspeaker "We're going down!" I don't know that TM would be useful. Again, the idea being that if you calm the mind twice a day, and you keep it up for a year, overall anxiety should smooth out a bit. But no, if the neighbour is playing loud techno, you can't meditate through it.
