At long last, critique emerges of Transcendental Meditation’s so-called “scientific data” which is really just masked advertising. Mere publication, even in scientific journals, does not demonstrate truth.
“Mysterious Disappearing Paper Finally Reappears In Another Journal “ was published on November 13, 2012 and may be read both here at “CardioBrief, a one-stop source for cardiology news and links” and here in "Forbes". Larry Husten cited concerns about the re-publication of a TM study-cum-advertising which had previously been revoked before press by the Archives of Internal Medicine. Husten questioned this TM study now published in “Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality & Outcomes”.
Husten reviewed the study’s mysterious retraction by The Archives of Internal Medicine, critiqued the study’s statistical methods and alluded to cult-like association of the researcher from the Institute of Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management.
In 1975 Herbert Benson compared the benefits from TM with other forms of Judeo-Christian prayer and, (lo!) found identical results. The same results have been repeated many times with various forms of meditation, prayer and restful states. Resting quietly for a few minutes daily, in prayer, day dreaming or contemplation proved beneficial without the use of a mystical fruit-flowers-handkerchief Hindu puja with secretive mystical mantra. Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine continues to provide medical support for meditative practices without a hidden agenda.
TM True Believers repeatedly site “over 600 scientific articles” of so-called research on Transcendental Meditation to justify that TM is the best method for stress management (or to solve any of life’s maladies, for that matter). Not one of those TM-cited journals compares TM to other forms of meditation or mindfulness practices.
On Monday November 12th, American Veteran’s Day, CNN’s Soledad O’Brien aired a few minutes with TM spokesperson Bobby Roth, speaking about TM to help military veterans cope with PTSD.
A man (anonymity requested) raised in the TM Movement by a former political candidate for TM’s Natural Law Party offered us the following critique of CNN’s recent TM docu-sales pitch :
1) The solution to all problems
2) Heals the brain by removing deep stress
3) Simple, easy, mental technique
4) Non religious, yet at the same time the common denominator of all religions
5) Benefits everyone not just veterans
6) Young people are the ones we can convert
7) Its a therapy, tested, sound, the missing element regular medicine is no longer needed yet its in addition to that regular medicine
8) Government funded to give illusion of credibility
9) Its just like going to a yoga class
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