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Transcendental Meditation and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: a critical view

Friday, May 09, 2008

A Journalist Blogs Following a Visit to Fairfield

Shane Brown: Idle Time

Posted by Abraham on May 09, 2008

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We specialize in critical and skeptical views of Transcendental Meditation™, its founder, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the TM organization, the David Lynch Foundation, and the products and services that they offer.

The TM-Free Blog is the work of an informal group of individuals who contribute their time and resources, and it and its contributors aren't affiliated with, part of, or paid by, any corporation or organization.

The primary focus of this blog are the specific techniques and products that are associated with Maharishi, and/or offered by the Maharishi Foundation, David Lynch Foundation, and related organizations, primarily in the United States but also globally. Others who use the term "transcendental meditation" generically to describe some other form of meditation, who are unaffiliated with those organizations, or who don't claim to have been trained by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi are not part of that primary focus.

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As suggested at the top of the page, this blog specializes in critical and skeptical views of Transcendental Meditation and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Many if not most posts here present that sort of critical/analytical view with respect to Transcendental Meditation, the movement, and the writings or activities of those involved or formerly involved with those things. If you have a problem with that, you probably won't enjoy it here.

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Former TM meditator, creator of the first website dedicated to critical examination of TM, and the ex-cult Resource Center.

Essential Documents

TM and TM-Sidhi Techniques
TM Mantra Meanings
TM Initiation and Checking
TM Children's Initiation
TM "Holy Tradition" - Initiation Ceremony
Another, older and more detailed, version of the "Holy Tradition"
TM Initiation Ceremony - True Meaning
TM-Sidhi "yogic flying" program
Beacon Light of the Himalayas (1955)
Excerpts, and commentary on "Beacon Light"
Meditations of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1968)
Wikileaks "Transcendental Meditation" category
Roark Letter
DeNaro Affidavit
Kropinski's Answer to Interrogatory No. 40
Kropinski trial testimony "Soma and the Gods"
Kropinski appelate decision 1988, before out-of-court settlement
Malnak v. Yogi, District Court decision 1977 and 3rd Circuit appeal 1979
JAMA: Maharishi Ayur-Veda (Andrew Skolnick)
How to Design a Positive Study: Meditation for Childhood ADHD
Abstracts of Independent Research on Transcendental Meditation
"TM and Cult Mania" - Michael Persinger, et.al.
Problems with TM Research - Barry Markovsky
Evaluating Heterodox Theories, including "Maharishi Effect" (Markovsky and Fales)
"David Wants to Fly" film by David Sieveking
David Lynch Lecture in Berlin Turns Into Chaos (Video)
Maharishi's Proposal for Permanent World Peace (2001 newspaper ad)

Essential Articles

"About Mantras" series by Sudarsha
TM into Public Schools' controversy by Gina Catena
"Breaking Up is Hard to Do" by Abraham
"TM and Thought Reform" series by Gina Catena
"Consideration of the Yoga Sutras" series by Sudarsha
"Transcendental Life" by Gina Catena
"MMY's Big Lie" by Abraham
"Program Pedophilia" (you are not alone) by Gina Catena
"Addiction and Transcendental Meditation" by Gina Catena
"Transcendental Paranoia" by Gina Catena
"Why I Believe The Transcendental Meditation Org Is Dangerous" by John Knapp
Book Review: "TRANSCENDENTAL DECEPTION: Behind the TM curtain - bogus science, hidden agendas, and David Lynch’s campaign to push a million public school kids into Transcendental Meditation while falsely claiming it is not a religion" by Aryeh Siegel
"Who Are These People? The Backgrounds of David Lynch's 'Researchers'" - Mike Doughney
"Thirty Years Later: What was all that about?" series by Mike Doughney
Team of TM defenders/proponents in online comments organized by TM "Governors" - Mike Doughney
National Center for Science Education: Scientific Creationism and the Science of Creative Intelligence

Transcendental Meditation Critic/Skeptic Links

Minet.org - including TM-EX Archives
Trancenet.net
Falling Down the TM Rabbit Hole by Joe Kellett
Behind the TM Facade
Honest Truth About TM
"Transcendental Deception" by Aryeh Siegel
Transcendental Meditation in America: How a New Age Movement Remade a Small Town in Iowa, by Joseph Weber
Judith Bourque's exposé of her affair with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Michael Persinger's "TM and Cult Mania"
Transcendental Life by Gina Catena
Conversations in the Hive: Discussing Maharishi & the TM Movement, etc.
Paul Mason's Resources on TM & Guru Dev, including the biography of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Mumosa.com
The Maharishi Effect by Geoff Gilpin
CultNews101
Rick Ross' TM Page
Skeptical Inquirer Articles on TM
Thirty Years Later: What was all that about?
"Where have all the flower children gone?" by Bronte Baxter

Transcendental Meditation related Wikipedia articles

"Wikipedia is written collaboratively by largely anonymous Internet volunteers who write without pay. Anyone with Internet access can write and make changes to Wikipedia articles..." The neutrality and accuracy of Wikipedia articles is often disputed. Consider tracing the origin of any assertion found in articles there back to its source, generally found in the references at the end of each article, and weighing the veracity of that source.

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Maharishi Sthapatya Veda
(Vastu / "Vedic architecture")
Global Country of World Peace
David Lynch Foundation
Maharishi University of Management
Maharishi University of Management stabbing
History of Transcendental Meditation
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharaja Adhiraj Rajaraam (Tony Nader)
Bevan Morris
John Hagelin
Transcendental Meditation category
(index of pages and subcategories)

Other Cults and Gurus

Snarky Fun at Guruphiliac
Cosmic Comedy with Cosmic Connie
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Cult Research Links

International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA)
ex-cult Resource Center
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FACTnet
Edmonton Society against Mind Abuse
Arthur Deikman's Cults & Spirituality

Cult Articles & Media

TM Overview: Transcendental Life
Counseling for Cult "Walkaways"
Depersonalization & "Witnessing"
Disability arising from Cult Involvement
How I Healed: Seven Steps
How to Be a Successful Cult Leader
Marriage & Children after the Cult
Psychopathology of a Cult Leader
The Wave: Film on Nazi Persuasion

Contributor Projects

Mike Doughney: minet.org • ex-cult Resource Center
Gina Catena: Coming to Life Stories • Coming to Life Stories FaceBook Fan Page

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Friday, May 09, 2008

A Journalist Blogs Following a Visit to Fairfield

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