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Transcendental Meditation and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: a critical view

Monday, January 28, 2008

History Channel Special on the Maharishi

Only for the strong of stomach!

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Posted by Johnny Profane on January 28, 2008 Add Your Comment
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Labels: Creepy TM Videos, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, TM, transcendental meditation
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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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Essential Documents

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  • Beacon Light of the Himalayas (1955)
  • Excerpts, and commentary on "Beacon Light"
  • Meditations of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1968)
  • Wikileaks "Transcendental Meditation" category
  • Roark Letter
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  • Kropinski's Answer to Interrogatory No. 40
  • Kropinski trial testimony "Soma and the Gods"
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  • Malnak v. Yogi, District Court decision 1977 and 3rd Circuit appeal 1979
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  • "Transcendental Life" by Gina Catena
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  • "Addiction and Transcendental Meditation" by Gina Catena
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  • "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
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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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  • Global Country of World Peace
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  • History of Transcendental Meditation
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  • Transcendental Meditation category
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Transcendental Meditation Movement sites

  • Transcendental Meditation Website
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Other Cults and Gurus

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  • 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

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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

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    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...

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  • 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...

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  • 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...

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  • 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... · 2 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" · 2 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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