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Transcendental Meditation and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: a critical view

Saturday, March 31, 2007

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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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Popular Posts

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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

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  • 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
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  • "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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     (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
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  • Transcendental Meditation category
     (index of pages and subcategories)

Transcendental Meditation Movement sites

  • Transcendental Meditation Website
  • Global Country of World Peace
  • David Lynch Foundation
  • Center for Wellness and Achievement in Education
  • Maharishi Channel
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  • TM Monks - Purusha
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  • Maharishi Vidya Mandir
  • List of other TM movement websites

Other Cults and Gurus

  • Snarky Fun at Guruphiliac
  • Cosmic Comedy with Cosmic Connie
  • Rick Ross's Cult News Network
  • Beyond The Art of Living
  • Leaving Ravi Shankar's Art of Living
  • Religion News Blog's TM News Feed

Cult Recovery Links

  • CounterCultSearch.com: Search for counselors, info, more
  • List of cult recovery specific support groups and therapists
  • reFOCUS: Recovering Former Cultists' Support Network
  • Steve Hassan, Freedom of Mind Resource Center
  • CultRecovery101
  • Wellspring Retreat & In-Residence Recovery Center
  • Safe Passage Foundation - support for youth raised in cults
  • Colleen Russell, MFT, Bend, Oregon
  • Bill & Lorna Goldberg, New Jersey
  • JBFCS Cult Hotline & Clinic, New York
  • Cult Information Center, London
  • Guidelines for Cult Recovery Therapists

Cult Research Links

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

Cult Articles & Media

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Recent Comments

  • MikeDoughney

    These days, it seems likely that "laughing crow" has changed his online handle to "laughing shrimp." Transitioning from avian being to bottom dweller.

    Somehow that seems quite appropriate.

    http://tmfree.blogspot.com/2009/07/welcome-to-world-of-tm-blogging.html · 2 years ago

  • MikeDoughney

    In case you were under the misimpression that toxic aspects of Hindutva culture, like caste discrimination, were confined to India. This California lawsuit attempting to exempt caste discrimination...

    TM-Free Blog: Maharishi's meeting with Hindu supremacist, right-wing political leaders · 2 years ago

  • Erik Snead

    John Lennon was correct. Few of us were prepared to question those purporting wisdom/spiritual health. I was initiated October 8, 1972. I resumed smoking marijuana in 1981. So many residences...

    TM-Free Blog: Breaking: US Department of Justice allegedly funded Transcendental Meditation "Quiet Time" program in Chicago · 2 years ago

  • William

    Thank-you for your follow up post. I was seriously considering TM and am now just about set not to learn it. I was always drawn to their ads but was turned off after hearing that you may have to...

    Transcendental Meditation: critical/skeptical views of TM and related programs associated with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: TM-Free Blog: Tony's story of his journey through, and out of, the TM program · 2 years ago

  • William

    I was going to learn TM but am having second thoughts now after reading this website. How much do the TM advanced techniques cost? I don't want to learn TM and then have to pay more money to learn...

    Transcendental Meditation: critical/skeptical views of TM and related programs associated with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: TM-Free Blog: Ashley's story: My experience of my husband's journey into Transc... · 2 years ago

  • Heather Lillian Frew

    same here. I would actually really love to speak with you about your experience, if you're willing. I just left Fairfield about a month ago.

    Transcendental Meditation: critical/skeptical views of TM and related programs associated with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: TM-Free Blog: Ashley's story: My experience of my husband's journey into Transc... · 3 years ago

  • Heather Lillian Frew

    Hi Leslie, Thank you so much for being open about your story. I would love to connect with you, if you are willing. I just got out of the Movement a little over a month ago and moved out of...

    Transcendental Meditation and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: critical views: TM-Free Blog: Leslie's story: "The Truth Pissed Me Off" · 3 years ago

  • Joe

    Hi,
    Did you ever publish this research? Im interested in reading it.
    Thanks

    Transcendental Meditation: critical/skeptical views of TM and related programs associated with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: TM-Free Blog: TM-Free Does The Scientific Research that TM Avoids · 3 years ago

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