What is Transcending
When we practise Transcendental Meditation we experience a state where the mind is completely silent yet wide awake.
Transcend means go beyond. When the mind has gone beyond all activity, this is an experience of the inner Self, which is perfect peace, Transcendental Consciousness.
Experience the inner self
"It is possible for everyone to go deep within and saturate their mind with inner happiness, with that unlimited pure intelligence that dwells at the source of thought." – Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
A state of pure consciousness
Transcendental Meditation compared to other techniques
The ability to transcend makes Transcendental Meditation fundamentally different from all other meditation techniques.
Other techniques involve either concentration (by controlling the mind or attention) or contemplation (an active thought process of some kind). As a result, other types of meditation keep the mind active which impedes the transcending process.