transcendentalism
noun /ˌtrænsenˈdentəlɪzəm/
/ˌtrænsenˈdentəlɪzəm/
[uncountable]- a philosophy, influenced by the Hindu religion, which emphasizes the spiritual benefits to people of periods of deep thought instead of action. It involves Transcendental Meditation, a way of relaxing by sitting quietly and repeating a special phrase over and over again. It was first introduced into Britain by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and attracted much publicity when the Beatles practised it for a short period. Many people still practise it today, both in Britain and in the US, especially California.