TM-Free Blog

Transcendental Meditation and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: a critical view

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Fairfield Reacts

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Dies
Posted by Abraham on February 07, 2008 Add Your Comment
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
Newer Post Older Post Home
TM-Free Blog Home Page

What You Will Find Here

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.

A few words about comments

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.

Read more about comments here.

By commenting on TM-Free Blog, you agree to our Creative Commons Non-Commercial Attribution 3.0 License. You retain all commercial publishing rights. However, readers may quote for further discussion.

Commenting on most posts closes automatically after 30 days.

Scroll Down for These Links

  • Essential Documents and Articles
  • TM Organization and Related Links
  • Other Cults and Gurus
  • Cult Recovery, Research and Articles

Popular Posts

  • Challenging the positive, popular perception of Transcendental Meditation: a conference presentation
    I put together this conference presentation last year. It was intended for a professional audience, but I think it serves as a good overview...
  • Judgment entered against David Lynch's foundation and Chicago school board in US Federal Court
    One of the three civil cases brought against the David Lynch Foundation and the Board of Education of the City of Chicago has reached its co...
  • Why I Believe The Transcendental Meditation Org Is Dangerous
    I got an email from a reader recently that I thought — at first — was pretty flip: "hey john, what is the problem with transcendental m...

We're on Facebook!

Twitter, too!

Contact/TMFB Coordinator

Mike Doughney
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.
  • Transcendental Meditation
  • Transcendental Meditation technique
  • Transcendental Meditation movement
  • TM-Sidhi program (Yogic Flying)
  • Maharishi Vedic Approach to Health
     (Ayurveda / "Vedic Medicine")
  • 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)

Transcendental Meditation Movement sites

  • Transcendental Meditation Website
  • Global Country of World Peace
  • David Lynch Foundation
  • Center for Wellness and Achievement in Education
  • Maharishi Channel
  • TM Nuns - Mother Divine
  • TM Monks - Purusha
  • Maharishi Vedic City
  • Vedic Pandits in Maharishi Vedic City
  • Maharishi's Programmes
  • Global Good News
  • Maharishi University of Management
  • Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Vedic Vishwavidyalaya
  • 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
  • Cult Awareness and Information Library
  • 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
  • People
  • Recent
  • Popular

Top Commenters

  • Sudarsha
     · 1208 posts
  • lexico
     · 277 posts
  • Laurie_of_TMFree
     · 200 posts
  • kylegyan
     · 199 posts
  • Karina
     · 146 posts
  • David Ansell
     · 132 posts
  • Deborah1900
     · 128 posts
  • MikeDoughney
     · 126 posts

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... · 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

Most Discussed

Contributor Projects

Mike Doughney
minet.org • ex-cult Resource Center

Gina Catena
Coming to Life Stories • Coming to Life Stories FaceBook Fan Page

Labels

transcendental meditation TM Maharishi Mahesh Yogi by Gina John Knapp cult by Laurie cult/cults David Lynch by Mike Doughney think free meditation Personal Stories Scientology TM in public schools brainwashing Transcendental Scams David Lynch Foundation religion True Believer lies mind-control Hinduism mantras deception indoctrination belief cons puja spirituality money Open Thread recovery secrets thought reform Steps to Recovery TM-Free Blog TM-Sidhi research David Wants to Fly TM-children science Global Country God Maharishi Universities initiation side effects Maharishi Effect Young people meditating Big Lie Yogic Flying book review dissociation Comments techniques Remains of Ignorance children suicides Doubtful Research TM claims victims Guru Dev Maharishi disclosure enlightenment meditation results news Maharishi Ayurveda Maharishi Vedic City addiction brain chemistry delusional thinking mind-fuck victors Creepy TM Videos Maharishi Vedic Pandits Vedic City cults levitation pseudo-science sex yoga sutras MUM Maharishi University of Management Mahesh celebrity meditators false profits john hagelin marketing pandits rajas submissions veterans Maharishi Obituary Paul McCartney TM in Chicago schools TM-Siddhi Technical Difficulties behaviour management celebrities cognitive dissonance endorphins fairfield iowa psychosis sidhi vedic pandits yagyas "high" Hagelin TM Teacher Training TM initiation TMO The Magical Mystery Tour Williams v. Board of Education history news brief quitting TM unstressing worship Robert J. Lifton Second Generation Adults Sun Myung Moon Unification Church beliefs depression immortality maharishi yagya rumour Abraham Maharishi School Maheshism Malnak v Yogi Old Friends Oprah Winfrey Robin Carlsen TM sidhi program True Believer Rationalizations Vedic advertising gods gurus junk science reform spiritual nonsense "Quiet Time" Age of Enlightenment Christianity Global Benefit Concert PTSD University of Chicago bliss blog comments control government support of TM legal intimidation paranoia religion of Maheshism threats world peace Beacon Light of the Himalayas Beatles Bob Roth Brahmanand Saraswati Foundation Buddhism CBW II Change Starts Within Concert Desperate for $$ Dr. Herbert Benson International Cultic Studies Association Jerry Jarvis Maharaja Nader Raam Peace Palace Reader Submissions Sri Sri Ravi Shankar TMSP Vedic revival astroturfing bevan morris deceit expectation-setting fabulously expensive religious rituals fees freedom hypnosis invincible America learning TM msae alumni phony post-traumatic stress disorder scams science of creative intelligence sexy Sadie starting TM strategic image management teacher training "Robes of Silk" A Hermit in the House ACOCMs Abandoned Projects Affect Alternative Medicine Beacon Light of the Himalayas and Paul Mason Benson Brahmanand Saraswati Charlie Lutes Court Cases Donovan Dr. Fred Travis Golden Domes Howard Settle ISKCON Ideal Villages India Kaplan MSAE Mahariahi Maharishi at 433 McRi$hi Mormons Mother Divine Raja John Hagelin Relaxation Response TM Nostalgia TM advanced techniques TM residence courses TMO Panic TV The Beatles Urban Labs checking conflict cost of TM dissociation and psychological conflict documentary dogmas faux-science guest post invincibility junk-science legal magical powers maharishi vedic astrology medicine mind-bending natural law perfect health relationships and TM schemes side effects of TM spiritual development tm blogging violence witnessing "The Pervasive Influence of Personalities" 'sidhi' Art of Living Blogs Centrifugal Meditation Chicago Tribune Church and State Conny Larsson Experience George Hammond Hindu nationalism His Majesty Maharaja Adhiraj Raja Raam Indian culture Jeffrey Abramson Maharishi Foundation Ltd. Maharishi Sthapatya Veda Maharishi's "vibrations" McMoney McYogi Mysticism National Institutes of Health Native Americans Pandit Riot Paul Mason Politics Rationalizations Rishikesh Roots of TM Sleep and Meditation TM expose TMFB Pages TMO as millenarian movement TMO downsizing in the West The TM Book Vedic devata Wikipedia Scandal advanced technique astrology birthdays by Former Future Enlightened Leader by Paul Mason by Sudarsha channeling consumerism dreams emotional conflice emotional conflict events folie à deux and the TMO fun fund-raising gay increasing charm initiation fee jyotir lings king tony lawsuit liberation maharishi jyotish memories mental health professionals million dollar residence course natural tendency photos quotations schools sexism in the TM program siddhis stress teaching agreement vedic architecture "Cartwheels in a Sari" 2000 Tower Oaks Blvd ADHD Allen Ginsberg Amma Anniversary Spectacular Armageddon Aryeh Siegel Australia Ayodhya Bhagavad Gita Bingo card CBW III Dalai Lama David W. Orme-Johnson Deathbed Deepak Chopra Denmark Ellen DeGeneres Fire Sale Flim-Flam Gurus Forgiveness George Harrison Girish Varma Gita Haglin Islam James Wolcott Jeremy Goodale Judaism Jyotish KGB Kropinski Kulreet Chaudhary Labels: beliefs Maharishi Vidya Mandir Maharishi politics Mahesh Yogi Maheshi Marshall Belden McGuru Michael Persinger MySpace Ned Wynn New York Times New Yorker article Nohema Graber Norman Rosenthal Peace Purusha Queensland Raam Richard Blakely Ringo Starr SCI Schmooz Scientific American Secret of the Mantras Shankaracharya Shiva Sneaky Social Climber Social Trends Soma Sopranos South Africa South Fallsburg Spy Sri Chinmoy Strength in Stillness TM and Cult Mania TM documentary TM films TM politics The Raj Thom Knoles Tolerance Toxic Concern TranceNet.net Transcendental Deception Transcript Upgrades Used Mantras Utopia Vastu Vedic calendar Willard Miller Yoga Journal Yogi a very small pond activism administrivia agreements allegory attention deficit disorder authority figures awakening beach boys boring by Michael D. Coleman by Michael H. Jackson change begins within gala death delusion demographics documents effortless facebook fairfield iowa crime feel the body folie à deux TMO folie à deux and the TMO; attention deficit disorder forms giggle gold crowns he his majesty maharaja adhiraj raja ram how to do TM ideological conflict informed consent inner heat january birthdays kaivalyam king as deity kundalini languages laughter laws of manu letter to the editor levi butler lying magical thinking maharishi channel mantra meandering metaphor mokṣa movement megalomania narcissism natural disaster orange booklet penetrating insight perfectionism polls posted by Sudarsha powers prisons promises psychic powers pundits schisms shared madness shiva lingam siddhi sidha lands strength support group techniques for development of consciousness the past tower of invincibility toy government trademarks traditional trivia ult/cults victim victimise video weakness wealth wikileaks files yoga sūtra yogis

Contributors

  • Abraham
  • Gina
  • Joe
  • Joseppi
  • Laurie
  • Mike Doughney
  • Ruth
  • Sudarsha
Disclaimer / Intellectual Property Notice

All posts are the personal opinions of the individual authors and are not necessarily endorsed by other TM-Free contributors, individually or collectively. Comments on articles are the sole responsibility of the authors themselves. All postings are copyrighted by the individual authors and all rights are reserved by them.

The TM-Free Blog and its contributors do not offer instruction in, or assistance with, meditation or any other mental practice. The blog's title should not be interpreted to mean that this blog offers a "free" meditation practice of any kind.

Transcendental Meditation, TM, TM-Sidhi and many other terms used on this website are registered or common law, trademarks or service marks of Maharishi Foundation USA, or other corporations or entities in the United States and other countries, and are used here to identify those specific products and services.

All material on this site is intended for information, commentary, criticism, parody, satire, and other journalistic purposes. Any use of copyrighted, service marked, or trademarked material is therefore subject to fair-use exception under US Copyright Law.

TM-Free Blog is a critical resource on Transcendental Meditation; by this we mean that our web site focuses on material that is critical of the TM program and other products and services associated with their founder, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. We offer our site not as a complete answer to questions about TM, but rather as a balance to the uncritical, promotional advertising published by the numerous TM movement organizations and their participants. TM-Free contributors do not conclude that any group discussed on this site is necessarily 'cultic' or abusive in nature. We provide hard-to-find and alternative information so that you may make informed decisions regarding participation in any of these programs.
Powered by Blogger.