I'm really sorry that I lied to you.

A trip down memory lane. Admitting a mistake and making amends. Pondering the power of mind control. Healing. Clearing your conscience. Whatever you call it....Here is an opportunity to share those inexplicable moments when you or someone you cared about experienced a split in consciousness, a moment of cognitive dissonance, the creepy power of doublethink, programmed dissociation. I have spoken with former TM teachers, and we are really sorry , and ashamed, that we lied to you.

I'll start the ball rolling by sharing some of the lies I and other former TM Teachers (initiators) regret having said while we were under the influence of TM.

Initiator #1: "I was giving an introductory lecture. I emphasized the physiological, psychological and social benefits, and the scientific research, as I had been trained to do. During the question and answer period, someone asked if this technique had a spiritual aspect. I answered, "No. Absolutely not. There is nothing spiritual about this technique. It is absolutely practical, to be more effective in the world."

Commentary: What the heck was I thinking? I was lying. After all, on the third day following initiation, the topic was how TM leads to cosmic consciousness. Mr. Mahesh had a phrase,"TM unfolds 200% of life - 100% material and 100% spiritual." So why the heck did I say that? I guess because on my TM Teacher Training Course (TTC) we had been taught to swear that TM was not a religion, did not interfere with anybody's religion, did not conflict with anybody's religion. That we should emphasize the practical benefits of TM and not turn people off by mentioning cosmic consciousness, God consciousness or unity consciousness. Mr. Mahesh tutored us, "In the scientific age, we speak in the language of science." I'm really sorry that I lied to you.

Initiator #2: "I was co-teaching a TM course with another initiator. During the first day following initiation, a student asked about the exact pronunciation of his mantra. My fellow initiator said that it didn't matter, you shouldn't think about it, it wasn't even an English word; it was a Sanskrit word. My mother, who had been initiated a few months earlier, called me on his comment. 'What do you mean, it's a Sanskrit word? We were told it was a meaningless sound.' I thought very fast, trying to find some wording that covered the behind of my fellow teacher, and said, 'Well, it comes from the same tradition as Sanskrit words.' "

Commentary: What the heck was I thinking? I was lying. Why? Because I had already intuited that there was something dishonest in TM about the mantras. I had not exactly been taught that the mantras were Sanskrit words, but I had not exactly been taught that they weren't, either. (Mahesh definitely had not taught us that they were the "seed form" of Hindu gods). However, my fellow initiator made his comment in his official capacity, in public, to a bunch of new, impressionable TMers. So I wasn't about to blow TM's reputation by admitting that my fellow initiator didn't know what he was talking about, or that we didn't actually learn precise information on TTC - no! The impression we initiators were working so hard to create was that we were so thoroughly, rigorously trained that we didn't contradict each other or make errors about TM. I'm really sorry that I lied to you.

Initiataor #3: "On my TTC, they drilled it into us that TM was the solution to all problems in all fields of life. TM research was especially impressive on health benefits. I remember that they said, 'If someone has a heart condition, encourage them to start TM right away. Because you never know when a person might have a heart attack, and TM is so helpful for the heart.' But on one of the very last days of TTC, they mentioned very quickly in passing that TM might worsen an epileptic condition. Fast forward to several months later. I have given the introductory and preparatory TM lectures. Now I sit in private with a soon-to-be-initiate, reviewing her personal interview form. And there, under 'physical problems,' they've written 'epilepsy.' What can I possibly say? 'Oh, ignore everything I've said at both lectures. The research is biased. Protect your health. Don't learn this meditation. It can be deleterious to you.' Can I say that? Of course not. So I said what Mahesh had taught us to say, 'Oh, good, TM will be helpful with this, too.' I'm really sorry that I lied to you."

Commentary: The whole reason for the introductory lectures is to convince more people to start TM. The charts, graphs, scientific research, all are to raise the hopes of the audience that TM will give them marvelous gifts. Mahesh has even instituted a "World Plan," promising that TM will solve all the physical, emotional, social, law enforcement, economic, educational, governmental and spiritual aspirations of humanity....Except if you have epilepsy? Then TM might make you sicker? No, our job was to say whatever we could at the intro lectures to successfully recruit. Even if that meant lying. Even if we had to present fraudulent research. We had unknowingly been conscripted as missionaries to spread TM. So what can you say to this hopeful recruit? So I swallowed my saliva, and my integrity, and said, "Oh, you have epilepsy - well TM should help with that too." That happened decades ago. I don't remember your name, or if you are still alive. But I remember that shameful moment, and I pray that I didn't injure you with that initiation. I apologize, and I hope some day you will forgive me. I am really, really sorry that I lied to you.

Well, now it's your turn. Do you have any stories you want to tell about lies you or your friends told while you were under the thrall of Maharishi?

Posted on 8:00 PM / 0 comments / Read More

Reflections on Recent Transcendental Meditation Publicity

The Maharishi University of Management Development Office sent out an email on June 12, 2011, inviting TMers to come to Fairfield and Maharishi Vedic City (SM) for this summer's TM course. Amongst the enticements noted, such as international restaurants, the Raj Ayurvedic Health Spa, hiking paths, etc., was a quotation from a participant of a previous course. The complete quote is as follows:

"Each morning I emerge from the Dome I feel as if I am emerging with an entirely new physiology. I feel as if every cell in my body is clean, or more accurately, brand new. I experience a deep purity in my whole being, a crystal clarity, and the world and everything in it appears totally refurbished.

But it is not just my physiology that feels as if it has undergone a deep, deep cleaning; my psychology also feels that way. I am filled with a kind of sparkling happiness that I feel must be pouring from me and infecting everything and everyone around me.

It's as if my whole being gets saturated with this new, refined, glorified, indescribable level of my own awareness - as if this level is becoming increasingly structured in the very fabric of my whole body, my whole psychology, my entire Being day after day.

- An Invincible America Assembly participant"

This quote captured my attention. When I read it the first time, my TM-trained brain kicked in, and I thought, "What a wonderful experience! Clearly indicative of spiritual growth!" But when I thought it over, I realized what a telling quote it was, how it encapsulated some of the
tragedy and weaknesses of the TM movement.

So, switching from the part of my brain that experiences warm fuzzy emotions to the rational part of my brain, I started to critique the quote logically.

First, let's look at the language used. It's evocative, but when you read it with a critical mind, does it actually give information? What does "a deep purity in my whole being" mean? Is there usually a "dirtiness" in this TMer's whole being? What is "deep purity" as opposed to "purity"? What is "whole being"?

What is "crystal clarity"? Is it a physical state, a mental state, or what? How does it differ from "a clarity"? What is crystalline about it?

The TMer is filled with "sparkling happiness." What does this mean? How does it differ from "happiness?" How can happiness, which is an emotion, "infect...everything," meaning physical things?

Then, I decided to analyze three of the experiences the TMer reports:
(1) Every cell in the TMer's body feels brand new.
(2) It feels like the TMer's happiness is infecting everyone and everything around.
(3) It feels as if this glorified experience is becoming increasingly structured into the TMer's entire being.

Regarding the first experience, I think even the TM organization would concede that every single cell in the TMer's body isn't actually brand new each time s/he emerges from the Dome. It just feels that way. In other words, the TMer is feeling something that isn't true. In other words, the TMer is experiencing a delusion. The TMer is delusional.

Regarding the second experience, the TMer feels as if his/her happiness is infecting everyone around. But is this subjective experience objectively true? For instance, has the TMer asked everyone around (or even anyone around), "Do you feel infected with my happiness?" The TMer doesn't say. So we have no evidence that this perception is real. Therefore this is possibly a delusional experience. The TM publicists thought it was a worthwhile quote to print.

Regarding the third experience, wherein the TMer states that it feels as if her/his whole being is becoming increasingly structured at this level. This is, in effect, a comment made during the course in which the TMer predicts what will be the results after the course. There is no followup to determine that the prediction was accurate.

In summary, most of this quotation is pitifully unimpressive. And yet it was chosen by TM publicists to encourage TMers to attend the course. Why? Is the thinking of the PR people so impaired that they think this is a meaningful quote? Or are they taking advantage of what they perceive to be TMers' irrationality?

Since the MUM Development Office has presented one cherry-picked anonymous quote as convincing evidence of the value of the TM techniques, I thought it would be fair if I too offered some anonymous quotes of my own, as to some outcomes of TM programs:

1) "There was a higher percentage of suicides in Fairfield than in comparably-sized towns." - Former Sidha

2) "As people got off the plane in the U.S. after their TM Teacher Training course, I signed some of them into mental hospital." - Physician

3) "As a result of extensive meditating, my relative developed adult-onset Tourette's Syndrome." - Former TM teacher

4) "When I got back home, I walked around in a state of terror, because I had been taught that anywhere outside of Fairfield was polluted and cursed." - Former TM Governor

Posted on 8:07 AM / 0 comments / Read More

Latest on documentary TM-whistleblowing film "David Wants To Fly"

David Sieveking, the German film director of the TM documentary/expose "David Wants To Fly," has the following news. He has given us permission to post it on TM-Free Blog. (Edited slightly for clarity.)

"February 16, 2011: Since the premiere of "David Wants To Fly" at the Berlinale film festival a year ago, it has played in a lot of festivals around the world, and is still going strong. Further invitations include a screening in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, in a program called The DocYard at the Brattle Theatre in Harvard Square on March 15, 2011; and the Minneapolis/St. Paul (Minnesota, USA) International Film Festival (April 14-May 5, 2011). We've won best picture in a festival in St. Petersburg, and a German best documentary award.

"The film had small theatrical releases in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Poland so far; and we still hope to find US distribution. The DVD has been released in Germany and Switzerland, with Austria, Poland and UK to follow. It will be screened on TV in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Poland, Estonia and probably on the US Link TV this year. Swedish, Finnish and Russian TV are interested.

"Latest news from Germany: The film has been pre-nominated for the German Academy Awards. Nominations will be announced March 11. The pre-nomination includes another Berlinale festival screening at the European film market on February 17. Also, we are nominated for best spiritual picture by the Cosmic Cine Film Festival that'll tour Germany from April 25 to May 25.

"If you're interested, you might look at some new reviews that were written after the California festival screenings in Palm Springs and San Francisco this past January:
http://moviemorlocks.com/2011/01/24/the-film-david-lynch-doesnt-want-you-to-see/#more-31758
http://www.examiner.com/culture-events-in-national/david-lynch-transcendental-meditation-documentary-unavailable-u-s-for-now-review
http://www.examiner.com/movies-in-san-francisco/movie-review-david-wants-to-fly-2009-with-tm-but-can-he-review

Watch our English trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq0rsiw6IFo
Read last year's Variety article:
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117942181.html?categoryid=31&cs=1
Check out our facebook fan-page for updates:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/David-wants-to-fly/112515938759332?ref=ts

(End of David's announcement.)

On a personal note, I just watched "David Wants To Fly" on DVD, and it was terrific!

Posted on 7:08 AM / 0 comments / Read More

"Robes of Silk, Feet of Clay" at reduced price

Today I went to the website selling the book "Robes of Silk, Feet of Clay" by Judith Bourque. It turns out they're having a "Christmas sale".

"Robes of Silk, Feet of Clay" is the true story of Judith Bourque's (sexual) love affair with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Posts about this book can be found on TM-Free Blog.

According to Ms. Bourque's site, the usual price for U.S.ers for one book is $37.53 (including shipping and handling). The Christmas sale price is $24.82 (including s & h).

No, I do not get a commission. I don't even know Judith Bourque! I just thought some of our readers would like to know.

As far as I have been able to research, this book is not available in any U.S. library. When I have time, I intend to suggest to my local library that they purchase it. I wonder if any of the Maharishi school libraries would be open to ordering a few copies, since it gives first-person recollections of time spent intimately with Maharishi.

Posted on 1:52 PM / 0 comments / Read More

Transcendental Meditation's "Advanced Techniques"

(Note: For those who are sensitive to such things, please be advised that this article includes TM mantras and explicit instructions on how to do an advanced technique.)
________________________

One of our readers, who has requested anonymity, has sent the editors of TM-Free a copy of their local TM center's latest newsletter. The newsletter announced that TM "Advanced Techniques" would be taught soon at the center.

This news brought back memories of my own instruction in my one and only TM advanced technique back around 1978. As I read the newsletter, I was struck by how much has changed since then.

In 1978, I believe the rule was that at least 2 years had to elapse between each technique. Today, it is recommended that 2 months elapse! Back then, instruction took about half an hour the first day, and if there was a second day (which I can't recall for certain), that took about 10 minutes. Today, instruction takes 2 hours the first day and 2 hours the second day. In 1978, the cost of the Advanced Technique was $200. Today it is $1,500. Back then, my teacher was called a "teacher of advanced techniques." Today they are called "Vedic Experts." My teacher was an American. Today, the teachers "come from India, the home of this profound knowledge." Why? To me, the wording implied that there is some benefit or necessity in having an Indian teach it.

Back in 1978, to learn my first advanced technique, I brought my fruit, flowers, handkerchief and $200 to the TM center. I then met my teacher, Lillian Rosen. She wore a blouse and a skirt down to her ankles, which I remember thinking was strange, since when I became a TM teacher, they had told us to dress in business clothes. If I remember correctly, she performed the Indian puja ceremony, and then asked me what my mantra was. I replied, "Ayim." She sighed, as if in exasperation, and then said, "Your new mantra is 'aingnama.' " I then practiced TM with this new mantra. She sent me home, and I believe I came back the next day to check the pronunciation of my new mantra. I wonder what is included nowadays in the four hours of instruction.

The newsletter also stated that a person would have to learn the three advanced techniques before being eligible to learn the TM-Sidhis program. My memory is fuzzy after all these years, but I believe that in my day, one had to have practiced TM for two years, plus maybe attend two weekend residence courses to be eligible. I wonder why the change. Since I learned TM for $35, and weekend residence courses cost $150, preparation for the TM-Sidhis program would have come to $335. Nowadays, with TM instruction at $1,500, plus 4 advanced techniques at $1,500 each, the cost of preparation to learn the TM-Sidhis comes to $7,500.

Also, in my day the first advanced technique was the one I describe above. Nowadays, apparently the first technique given is a technique done in bed before one falls asleep. I wonder why they made the change.

I also found the information in the newsletter questionable. For instance, they state that, "...Through the regular practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique, the mind becomes familiar with the experience of 'pure consciousness' - the simplest, least excited state of consciousness...." First of all, did you become familiar with the experience of pure consciousness through the regular practice of TM? I didn't. I think I experienced something like that about once a year, maximum. What was your experience with experiencing "PC"?

Secondly, on my TM Teacher Training Course, one of our instructors broke the news to us that a TM meditator doesn't experience the state of pure consciousness until the last stress is gone. What we experience before that is "purer" consciousness, a "less" excited state of consciousness - that is, if our instructor was telling us the truth.

The newsletter quoted some satisfied customers of the advanced techniques. I would like to critique the two strangest testimonials.

1. "I feel a greater sense of wholeness, a sense of being in tune with the cosmos. I have the impression that all of my environment and my school are inside my consciousness, that everything is in me." - Yves Bourque, School principal

Critique: He feels a greater sense of being in tune with the cosmos. But is he actually more in tune with the cosmos, or does he just feel that he is? And what does that mean, to be in tune with the cosmos? He also has the impression that everything is within himself. But since his school etc. are not actually inside himself, is this a benefit, or a sign of delusion?

2. "My meditation is very deep, yet very lively. I feel relaxed, yet my mind is fully awake. I feel waves of warmth and contentment. This is a very wonderful experience!" - Louise DeKreon, University of Alaska adjunct lecturer

Critique: This is subjectively a very wonderful experience. OK if you want to spend $1,500 for a very wonderful experience. A mug of hot chocolate will also give you waves of warmth and contentment for $3.00.

By the way, the first quote is by one Yves Bourque. As you may know, Judith Bourque recently published a book called "Robes of Silk, Feet of Clay" regarding her love affair with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Is this a coincidence that the TMO chose this quote by a "Bourque?"

Of course, testimonials are not a particularly useful way to gauge a product. They leave many unanswered questions, such as, "What percentage of the students had positive, neutral or negative results?" and "What were the long-term effects of the advanced technique?" But since the TMO has seen fit to include testimonials in their publications, I thought it would be informative to include some testimonials of our own. So I will start with mine:

"When I learned the advanced technique, I felt high and mellow for 2 or 3 days. After that I felt nothing special." - Laurie, Editor for TM-Free Blog.

Now it's your turn! If you'd like, please write a testimonial of the results of your advanced technique in the comments section below. And share anything else that you like!

Posted on 1:18 PM / 0 comments / Read More