Review of "Greetings from Utopia Park; Surviving a Transcendent Childhood" by Claire Hoffman

Greetings from Utopia Park; Surviving a Transcendent Childhood

by Claire Hoffman

(2016) HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 265 pages

Claire Hoffman offers a tender and honest memoir about her childhood in Transcendental Meditation’s mecca in Fairfield, Iowa. Born in 1977 to parents practicing Transcendental Meditation (TM), Claire lived in TM’s Iowa community from age 5-16. For those seeking a full exposé about TM's lifestyles, this would not be the story for you.

The preface opens with the author in present time, in her mid-thirties. As a successful journalist, she is a happily married young mother living away from cult origins. She returns to her former community to resolve what she labels as youthful cynicism. She wants to believe and thus registers for an advanced TM program to learn to fly. Belief versus cynicism is the thread winding through her narrative.

Clare then weaves a beautifully written story from the 1970’s seduction of her hippy parents by the Beatles’ guru during TM’s heyday. The young adults find Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s promise of inner tranquility, world peace, and eventually a community with other meditators to be a welcome respite from their own abusive childhoods. Claire is their second child. When her father stops practicing TM, succumbs to alcoholism, and abandons his young family in New York City, her mother lacks the means to support her children. Initially they relocate from New York to the Florida home of Claire’s grandmother, then resettle in Fairfield, Iowa with Maharishi’s so-called “Ideal Society” outside his university. 

Young Claire eagerly anticipates enrolling in her third kindergarten that year to join classmates who share a lifestyle and also practice TM’s childhood mantra meditation, or “Word of Wisdom” - she quickly learns she will not attend Maharishi’s private school because the private tuition is prohibitive. Instead, she and her brother attend a local public school where classmates taunt them as “Ru’s”, short for “Guroos”. An anonymous sponsor eventually enables Claire and her brother to attend Maharishi’s school. She happily dons the requisite blue jumper and bow tie to blend with other children who together sing Maharishi songs, learn their guru’s teachings interwoven with the three R’s, and receive grades for meditation.

When they move into one of two hundred dilapidated trailer homes in “Utopia Park”, Claire and her brother merge with a close-knit subculture of unsupervised children who create excitement while parents daily attend hours of group “Program” meditation. A few unusual childhood deaths provide a shadowy backdrop to other childhood mishaps. She has a close brush with a man who befriends children and targets Claire alone for physical exploration; she runs from his apartment while he showers with the bathroom door open. She mentions others’ stories of wild teenage explorations, fathers who have affairs with teenage babysitters, and easy access to recreational drugs. She describes her world as “binary”, divided between those who follow Maharishi’s teachings versus those who are not to be trusted. Their mother struggles financially through a series of jobs with meditator companies and a series of heartbreaks with sequential boyfriends. In contrast to her family’s struggles, Claire provides a brief overview of TM’s history and mentions Maharishi’s multibillion dollar global empire.

Their father becomes sober and reenters the lives of his now adolescent children to explain that they live in a cult. Her father is a writer who encourages his children to express themselves. As Claire prepares to enter high school, her anonymous sponsorship for Maharishi school evaporates. She enrolls in Fairfield’s public high school along with other TM kids who are stigmatized because their families cannot afford Maharishi School. She finds her way with “townie” teens. After a drug laden party at an abandoned rock quarry, sixteen year old Claire can no longer tolerate the confusing lifestyle. She apologizes to her mother and joins her father in California to finish school and pursue mainstream education and lifestyle.

The story jumps forward fifteen years to find Claire, an accomplished professional, flipping perspective on her early years. She holds a faculty position with the University of California and has published articles in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Rolling Stone. With a supportive husband and crying baby, Claire has a crisis of meaning in her seemingly mundane life. She misses her community and connection to a higher purpose. In an ironic twist, she writes she misses the “safety” of her childhood community. 

TM luminaries David Lynch and Bobby Roth invite Claire to meetings in Los Angeles with Hollywood celebrities recently recruited to Transcendental Meditation, causing her to question her youthful cynicism. She feels that her negativity from a TM childhood should not interfere with celebrities’ benefitting from TM. Lynch and Roth meet individually with Claire, tempting her back to her roots. The memoir concludes as it began. Claire attends advanced meditation retreats and returns to her childhood home to learn TM’s advanced meditation to fly, bouncing on high density foam. She experiences the inner bliss that initially captivated her mother. However, she fails to mention the $5,000 price tag for TM’s advanced flying program; she does not disclose her mystical meditation mantra nor advanced techniques. When Claire's daughter learns her “Word her Wisdom”, she reveals her meditation mantra is “wisdom” which Bobby Roth verifies. Claire is surprised that it’s not a meaningless sound, but fails to mention TM’s touted meaningless sounds are derived from Hindu deities.

In the Epilogue she reflects that utopia didn’t exist, but the quest for bliss, satisfaction and inner peace were hard to relinquish. She states the TM Movement was not a failure, and that her community was not fooled. She acknowledges their sincere desire to build utopia and pursuit of a shared dream… “what mattered was the believing. The willingness to believe is everything.” She admits that today “. . . one of the hardest things to see are the staff members who have worked there for decades, giving their time and their lives to a cause that is no longer there. Their guru is dead and the fortune he amassed from his followers is being fought over in Indian probate court.”

The author tenderly describes both idealism and frank details of destructive neglect in her childhood community. However, when summarizing TM’s scientific benefits, she does not question research methodology, nor mention alternatives.

In the acknowledgements section Claire thanks lifelong friends, alluding to other experiences, “I know you all have different lenses with which you view our shared past but I hope you recognize the one you read here.” She thanks Bobby Roth for “his openhearted invitation to me to keep Transcendental Meditation in my life, despite my cynical and questioning heart. It is in many ways thanks to him that I still practice - and enjoy - meditation today.” She is grateful for her mother’s love and hard work to raise her children, stating that this memoir “is really just a bumbling, inept love letter to her and to the religious experience, even though it may not always feel like it.”

Claire’s humble and honest memoir is a quick read. I recommend “Greetings from Utopia Park” for one perspective on making sense of a confusing cult childhood.

As reviewer, I must state my inherent bias. I was also raised in TM. My conclusions differ from those expressed by Claire Hoffman in “Greetings from Utopia Park”. Claire and I share many personal connections, much as would distant cousins in a small community. Some TM kids, now adults, tell me Claire’s story mirrors their own. Others share more gruesome tales. Unlike Claire Hoffman who concludes with an upbeat note about TM, my own cynicism remains unabated even as I love people from my past. I suspect that Bobby Roth and David Lynch lured Claire back to the dissociative high of TM’s prolonged meditations because her journalistic skill risked exposing their organization. In this memoir, Claire does not reveal TM’s mystical mantras nor the price tag of TM’s advanced programs, thus sheltering key first steps to cult indoctrination. She glosses over mention of TM’s many costly add-ons and monastic programs. When reading that Claire’s daughter’s mantra is “wisdom”, I wondered - did the TM Movement change mantras from Sanskrit to English after Maharishi's death? Or only for Claire’s daughter? In either case, there is no magic.

Yogic Flying and Post Hypnotic Suggestion

Following Maharishi’s tradition of brainwashing ridiculousness, and the power of post-hypnotic suggestion, you are invited to attend tomorrow’s “Yogic Flying Competition”. True Believers who paid thousands of dollars to learn the phrase “relationship of body and akasha - lightness of cotton fiber” will squeeze their gluteus maximus muscles with enough force to bounce upon high density rebound foam in the name of spiritual awakening and manipulating natural law to defy gravity.

Cookies will be served as gastronomic reinforcement of juvenile psychology.  Per the flyer below, you may also see an EEG brainwave demonstration - we assume to show, once again, how Transcendental Meditation creates coherent brainwaves.  TM teachers fail to mention that no one knows the significance of synchronous brainwaves.  It is known that comatose states and death also create synchronous brainwaves.

        If readers of TM-Free Blog attend tomorrow’s demonstration, we will be happy to share your photos and reviews of the session. 

Transcendental Celebrity Shtick

Since Maharishi’s late 1960’s with the Beatles, Beach Boys, Mia Farrow and Donovan, Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Movement cultivated celebrity appeal for enhanced recruitment and donations.




Glitz of the rich and famous appeals to many. When I was with the TM Movement, many TMers bragged about their association with various celebrities coming through town or on advanced TM courses. While I met my share the rich and famous, and was friendly with a few, the starstruck twinkle unto itself did not draw me. Many others were magnetically attracted to associate with the stars, much like associating with the popular crowd in high school. Name dropping is a common phenomenon within TM circles.

Many talented individuals gain celebrity status through talent and hard work. But celebrities are fallible human beings, like the rest of us, who can be misled and recruited in vulnerable moments - just like anyone else! Celebrity endorsement unto itself does not mean something is valuable. All that sparkles is not gold, folks!

"David Wants to Fly" documentary to air on Link TV in the US, also online

"David Wants to Fly," the documentary examining the TM movement that's been well received at film festivals around the world, is finally about to debut on US satellite television, and online.

The film will air on the Link TV network on Sunday November 6 at 11 pm ET, and on Saturday November 12 at 8 pm ET. Link TV can be found on DIRECTV channel 375, and on Dish Network channel 9410.

It can also be seen in its entirety online, for a limited time beginning November 6, at this location: http://www.linktv.org/programs/david-wants-to-fly

UPDATE November 7: One more showing has been added, Sunday, November 13th at 12:00 pm ET.

MUM Q&A session on "David Wants to Fly" on YouTube

Earlier this month, a question-and-answer session with TM movement and David Lynch Foundation spokesperson Bob Roth was held on the campus of Maharishi University of Management. Video of that session has now been posted to YouTube.

The main subject of the session was David Sieveking's film, "David Wants to Fly," which has been making the rounds of various film festivals here in the U.S. and has been released to theaters in Europe. Some in the audience had seen the film, but it's unclear to what degree the film is available for viewing in Fairfield.

In any case, this question-and-answer session provides an interesting window into how critics of the Transcendental Meditation program are viewed from the view of one person whose full-time job is the promotion of Transcendental Meditation, primarily to the press and prominent individuals.

I might write up a more lengthy commentary on Bob Roth's statements at some later time, but in the meantime here are a few observations.

Roth said, "His [David Lynch's} comment on the film was that David [Sieveking] has made the film that he and his producers, which was the German government's national television, wanted to make." A person in the audience then laughs. This is not true, as an experienced filmmaker like Lynch should already know. As is obvious from the credits which can be seen at IMDB, it was produced by a German independent film production company. Co-producers listed on the credits include a number of other independent production companies in Austria, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland, a Franco-German TV channel, and the public broadcasting stations of Bavaria and Austria. Financial assistance to the arts, including film, from European government agencies is standard practice for European film productions and does not suggest that those governments had any say in the content of the film. This would be similar to claiming that because a program appeared on a PBS station here that it must be government propaganda, which is the impression that Roth appears to be trying to make here. The TM movement has long held a special grudge against the German government, for among other things, a 1986 court ruling stating that the TM organization should be considered a "cult."

Roth said, "He [Lynch] never intended, he wanted everyone to know, he never intended ever to sue this person [Sieveking], to prevent the showing of this film, ever. He [Lynch] believes in artistic freedom and creative freedom... An overture or a letter was sent on his [Lynch's] behalf to try and stop this film from being shown without consulting David [Lynch]." Given Lynch's paean to "artistic freedom," if this were true, the sending of a letter like this on his behalf should have been grounds for severing all ties between the DLF and the TM movement. Critics have noted that MUM law professor William Goldstein has served as in-house legal counsel to both MUM and the David Lynch Foundation along with other TM movement corporate entities such as the Maharishi Foundation all the way back to 1992; given that relationship I think it's inconceivable that such a letter would have been sent without Lynch's knowledge.

There's a bizarrely fascinating sequence where Roth talks about how "big" TM-EX was in the mid-1980's, how the TM-Free Blog is one of a few TM-EX "splinter organizations," and how there's "3 or 4 people who write these." Roth then goes on to list a number of the standard "accusations" about the TM movement that have circulated, at many websites and not necessarily here at this blog, for years:

• "that the movement has anywhere between 3 billion and 9 billion dollars"
  
• "all of the research on Transcendental Meditation, because it's done by meditating scientists, is bogus"
  
• "research shows that Transcendental Meditation has an adverse affect, that for some people it's good but for a lot of people it causes a lot of problems, and this isn't just anecdotal, this is research"
  

Roth then goes on to liken criticism of Transcendental Meditation to the assertion that President Barack Obama was born in Kenya - something that's repeated often, widely believed, but is not true.

Understandably it is difficult to briefly summarize what prominent critics of Transcendental Meditation are writing, or have written over the past few decades. However, if you search on "billion dollars" against this blog on Google, you'll see that that specific accusation about the movement's current net worth does not appear here except in a comment that wasn't made by a blog contributor.

As for the research that's touted to promote TM and who does it, there is no question that many (and clearly not all) of the studies cited today by the promoters of TM are done by people associated with the TM movement, and much of it is of embarrasingly low quality. One such recent and prominent example widely offered by Roth and other TM promoters to the press is featured in the article, "How to Design a Positive Study: Meditation for Childhood ADHD." The magnitude of the claims made for TM, that it is something revolutionary, uniformly effective for all people over the long-term, and that it should be adopted immediately by governments and institutions, is simply not supported by the very few studies of any quality that are offered by the movement after having had four decades to both create their own preliminary studies, and to have had other researchers who aren't meditators replicate those studies on their own, eventually publishing high-quality research on the technique and many other claims the movement makes for its multitude of products, independent of movement organizations.

It's interesting how Roth reframes the question of adverse affects from Transcendental Meditation from the movement's view of "we have the research and you don't" as if that is the only thing that matters. TM critics do not have the support of a global organization that could organize and fund studies seeking more than validation of the a priori conclusions of a Vedic sect. But the movement has always relied on word-of-mouth to promote itself, and there is another side to that word-of-mouth, which finds its way online both at this blog and elsewhere. I've long said that the most obvious "adverse effect" is a lighter wallet and a practice that's discarded after a few months, and it's certainly not hard to find people who used to meditate, who were initiated during the early-mid 1970's. There are many reasons why the "Merv wave" of TM initiations ended after a few short years, and negative impressions of TM stemming from a rapid loss of efficacy and interest for most people after a few months may have been the simplest explanation for the decline in TM's popularity.

Later in the question and answer session, Roth is confronted about what "appears to be a theme of censorship from the movement in the film." The questioner points out the part in the film where Roth looks at the camera and asks that it be turned off. In response to the question, Roth asks, "Me?" and then answers as if he's talking about something else involving "special guests" that has nothing to do with what happens in the film, or as if the fact that David had interviewed him for over a hundred hours is somehow relevant to his behavior.

I've put up a brief excerpt of "David Wants to Fly" on YouTube where Bob Roth appeared, to make it clear to all exactly what the questioner was trying to address - and how Roth is either completely unfamiliar with his own brief role in the film, or is feigning ignorance to avoid answering a vital question.

This player will automatically show the introduction and 14 parts of the Q&A session.



(explanatory disclaimer: my name appears in the YouTube player but that's just because I created a playlist to present all the segments in sequence here, the videos themselves are served up through the MUM Student Activities account at YouTube.)

Update, April 1: There was an article about this session with Bob Roth in the Conscious Times, the student newspaper at MUM.

"Robes of Silk Feet of Clay" press release

Judith Bourque, author of "Robes of Silk Feet of Clay" has given TM-Free Blog permission to reprint in full her latest press release. Good news for U.S. readers of TM-Free: Judith will be in the United States from February 17 - March 21, 2011.

---------------------------------------------------------------
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW BOOK REVEALS LOVE AFFAIR WITH BEATLES/DAVID LYNCH GURU

ROBES OF SILK, FEET OF CLAY by JUDITH BOURQUE

This new book is the true story of a love affair with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the Indian Guru followed by the Beatles, David Lynch, Donovan, Mike Love, Mia Farrow, Deepak Chopra, as well as 6 million other meditators around the world. Maharishi was very successful in spreading his technique of Transcendental Meditation. But rumours that he was not the celibate monk he claimed to be have been circulating for decades. In this book Judith Bourque describes the love affair she experiences with Maharishi when she travels to India as a young woman to become a teacher of Transcendental Meditation. She then follows him around the world for an intense period of two years until she discovers he is also intimate with other young women. Frightened and disillusioned, she leaves the TM movement forever. She also shares the methods and means of her healing journey back to forgiveness and gratitude.

Judith Bourque is an American residing in Sweden. She will be coming to the Los Angeles/Santa Barbara area February 17- March 2 and be available for interviews. From March 2 - March 21 she will be in the Boston area and Camden, Maine. On March 15th she will be present for the DOCYARD screening of "David Wants to Fly" * at the Brattle Theatre at Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts. After the film she (in person) and director David Sieveking (via Skype) will have a question and answer period for the public.

* "David Wants to Fly" is a whistleblowing, award winning documentary by German Filmmaker David Sieveking about his journey through the world of Transcendental Meditation. He starts with meeting David Lynch, his idol, and ends up unexpectedly discovering the shadow side of the TM movement: Judith is interviewed with respect to her role as Maharishi's former lover.

cell: +46733012147
email: judithbourque@email.com
Skype address: bourque.judith
facebook: 1) Judith Bourque
2) Robes of Silk Feet of Clay
book can be purchased at: www.robesofsilkfeetofclay.com

Media:

"Well written and exciting by Maharishi's mistress"
Swedish Net Magazine, Månssonskultur.se at
www.manssonskultur.se


"An out of the ordinary love story"
Swedish Daily Newspaper, Nya WermlandsTidningen
www.nwt.se/mera/helg/article758545.ece


Robes of Silk Feet of Clay is a very sensitive story, full of love. And yet it contains a truth that has to come out. This book lifts the blinders from our eyes so we can put Maharishi in the proper perspective, ie a human being like all others with the same needs for intimacy and warmth. And yet we are able to keep our respect for what he gave us: knowledge of meditation and transcendental consciousness. Thank you Judith for your concrete and trustworthy report from the inner circle of the TM organisation. Conny Larsson, former TM teacher, actor, and author of Beatles, Maharishi och Jag (The Beatles, Maharishi and I), Norstedts, www.norstedts.se/bocker/utgiven/2010/Var/larsson_conny-beatles__maharishi_och_jag-inbunden/

Latest on documentary TM-whistleblowing film "David Wants To Fly"

David Sieveking, the German film director of the TM documentary/expose "David Wants To Fly," has the following news. He has given us permission to post it on TM-Free Blog. (Edited slightly for clarity.)

"February 16, 2011: Since the premiere of "David Wants To Fly" at the Berlinale film festival a year ago, it has played in a lot of festivals around the world, and is still going strong. Further invitations include a screening in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, in a program called The DocYard at the Brattle Theatre in Harvard Square on March 15, 2011; and the Minneapolis/St. Paul (Minnesota, USA) International Film Festival (April 14-May 5, 2011). We've won best picture in a festival in St. Petersburg, and a German best documentary award.

"The film had small theatrical releases in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Poland so far; and we still hope to find US distribution. The DVD has been released in Germany and Switzerland, with Austria, Poland and UK to follow. It will be screened on TV in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Poland, Estonia and probably on the US Link TV this year. Swedish, Finnish and Russian TV are interested.

"Latest news from Germany: The film has been pre-nominated for the German Academy Awards. Nominations will be announced March 11. The pre-nomination includes another Berlinale festival screening at the European film market on February 17. Also, we are nominated for best spiritual picture by the Cosmic Cine Film Festival that'll tour Germany from April 25 to May 25.

"If you're interested, you might look at some new reviews that were written after the California festival screenings in Palm Springs and San Francisco this past January:
http://moviemorlocks.com/2011/01/24/the-film-david-lynch-doesnt-want-you-to-see/#more-31758
http://www.examiner.com/culture-events-in-national/david-lynch-transcendental-meditation-documentary-unavailable-u-s-for-now-review
http://www.examiner.com/movies-in-san-francisco/movie-review-david-wants-to-fly-2009-with-tm-but-can-he-review

Watch our English trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq0rsiw6IFo
Read last year's Variety article:
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117942181.html?categoryid=31&cs=1
Check out our facebook fan-page for updates:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/David-wants-to-fly/112515938759332?ref=ts

(End of David's announcement.)

On a personal note, I just watched "David Wants To Fly" on DVD, and it was terrific!

"David Wants to Fly" in San Francisco

Nearly 30 friends gathered with overwhelming support for a personal coming-out gathering, at yesterday’s 4 pm screening of “David Wants to Fly” for the German Gems Film Festival in San Francisco’s beautiful Castro theater.

We paid our restaurant tab and took a sunny walk to the Castro movie theater. Even more friends turned out at the movie! After keeping my family history quiet for decades, the acceptance and support of intelligent accomplished peers was overwhelming. What an odd way to unite my life's first and second halves - on a sidewalk ticket line. The irony of my coming-out-of-the-closet in San Francisco’s famed tolerant Castro district did not go unnoticed.

Inside the beautiful theater, Eve spoke from the row behind me. “When waiting outside, I asked the person in line next to me ‘Why did you come to see this film?’ He responded, “Transcendental Meditation is being taught at my kid’s high school. I want to see the other side of the story.’ I told him about your family upbringing, how you helped prevent TM from coming to you kids’ high school; that's why we are attending this film! It's exciting. We’re proud of you, Gina!”

I smiled and laughed, not knowing how to respond. “Thank you for coming today. I really appreciate it.”

A master of ceremonies briefly introduced the filmmaker David Sieveking on stage. Then lights dimmed as the red velvet curtains pulled open, and the film began.

The audience watched Sieveking’s skillful and compassionate editing of his enthusiastic youthful journey to meet his idol, filmmaker David Lynch. At Lynch’s encouragement, Sieveking paid 2,800 euros cash for TM instruction. The film then follows Sieveking’s journey through images into some of TM’s global empire, New York, Berlin, Vlodrop, Iowa, India. After filming Maharishi’s memorial service on the Ganges, Sieveking was granted access to inner aspects of the Movement in Vlodrop, Netherlands. He filmed the lavish golden-crowned assembly of rajas in long white robes and gold chains during an early power struggle between Maharishi’s deemed successor, Maharaja Nader Raam, and the Indian factions of the Movement. In several instances, TM leaders directed Sieveking to turn off his camera. Several film clips include former devotees revealing bits of the Movement’s underbelly.

The post-film Q & A primarily revolved around film making. David Sieveking spoke frankly of the irony that he sought David Lynch and Transcendental Meditation to spur his filmmaking career. In the end, David Lynch and the Transcendental Meditation Movement demanded to censure the film. When Sieveking refused to allow the Movement censorship rights, David Lynch and the Movement refused further interviews with David Sieveking. They threatened Sieveking with law suits.

The audience laughed when Sieveking explained that meeting with an entertainment law attorney proved more beneficial for his stress level, than had the Transcendental Meditation technique.

Ironically, Sieveking’s pursuit of David Lynch and Transcendental Meditation did, in fact, provide the basis for a successful film. It’s just not the film that Sieveking had initially expected to make.

My friend Joe stood up, “Thank you, David, for making this film. I spent 15 years devotedly working for this organization. You’ve depicted that world eloquently and compassionately. The only thing missing was stories of the severe psychological and financial damage that occurred to many. The movie did not highlight those aspects, but you probably could not cover that. Transcendental Meditation is both manipulative and dangerous. Over all, your film was an excellent portrayal of the inside of that organization. Thank you.”

After the film, A young man struggling with family relation to TM cornered David Sieveking in the lobby, discussing aspects of the TM Movement. David Sieveking politely spoke with Mark, while trying to work contacts for his filmmaking career. Sieveking is not a professional exit counselor, nor a cult expert. He is a talented young filmmaker who recognized when he had stumbled upon a story, and pursued that story with passion.

Over dinner later, I asked another girlfriend, “So, as an outsider, what did you think of the film?”

“Oh, Sieveking did a great job! I was not fully objective, because I know Gina and I’d heard her stories. In the beginning of the film, I was surprised because I’d expected a hard core expose’. In fact he presented TM’s sales pitch. He showed how wonderful it is to relax with meditation. It was all just lovely, in fact, really lovely. He had a break up, a psychological crisis, and retreated to the comfort of meditation with new friends. Then he slowly revealed the group’s cracks, and the cracks just got bigger across the globe. The viewer walks that road with him through cracks that seem ready to crumble. He also clearly alluded to the fact that there is more to those cracks, but he could not tell those stories because of legal threats. The film clearly shows there is deep ugly dysfunction in Transcendental Meditation. He is a brilliant filmmaker with a bright career ahead of him! The fact that he’s funny and handsome doesn’t hurt!”

For those interested, you can read a more detailed review which includes an ex TMer lunch conversation preceding the screening by clicking to Gina's personal blog for essay "David Wants to Fly" with San Francisco friends.

"David Wants to Fly" in USA

For those who’ve been awaiting North American showings of Sieveking’ compassionate expose’ as he journeys through Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s Transcendental Meditation Movement, his film is featured in upcoming film festivals in Palm Springs, San Francisco, Denver and Boston :

Palm Springs : Palm Springs International Film Festival, January 7th, 11 am, January 10th 7 pm and January 12th 10 am, ticket purchase here.


Denver : Festivus Film Festival : January 15th 8 pm, Oriental Theater, ticket purchase here.


San Francisco: German Gems Film Festival, January 16th, 4 pm Castro Theater
ticket purchase here.

Boston: The DocYard, March 15th 7 pm, Brattle Theatre in Cambridge.
Tickets will soon be available here.


“David Wants to Fly” received awards from film festivals throughout Europe.

In this film, the aspiring filmmaker documents his initial enthrall with his idol, filmmaker David Lynch. Taking Lynch’s advice to learn Transcendental Meditation to free his inner creativity, Sieveking was briefly brought under Lynch’s wing to film the international glory of the TM Movement. Instead, Sieveking found a mystical hierarchy, unstructured science, and questionable finances.

As Sieveking told me, “I was kicked out the Movement before I had fully joined! Once I started asking questions, they wouldn’t allow me on further courses and refused to answer my phone calls.”

In this film, Sieveking humorously and compassionately calls out the elephant in the room - the behemoth TM Movement.

"David Wants to Fly" San Francisco Tickets

"David Wants to Fly" coming to San Francisco for one showing on January 16 at 4 p.m. in the Castro Theater.

Includes post film Q & A with talented film maker, David Sieveking.

Tickets available at :

brownpapertickets.com

The film will be in German, Hindi and English with English subtitles.

Film trailer in English :



See you there!

DVD "David Wants to Fly" to purchase PAL version

"David Wants to Fly" DVD is available with a lot of interesting bonus material.

The DVD is PAL version. It is country code free, with an English version of everything on the disc.

PAL DVDs are the European standard. Most newer American DVD players also play PAL discs.

You can order it online here: good movies!

Or through amazon.de

amazon.de works with your American amazon password, but must pay international shipping charges.
Careful attention to German ordering instructions, it's just like the American site. If I could figure it out, you can too!



The Swiss version with different artwork can be ordered here.

"David Wants to Fly" playing on USA West Coast

David Sieveking's acclaimed documentary about experiences with film producer David Lynch and the Transcendental Meditation Movement is confirmed for two festivals (so far) in California, USA January, 2011.

Palm Springs International Film Festival, January 7-11, 2011
San Francisco's German Gems Film Festival January 15 and 16.

We will post ticketing information when available. Showing times have yet to be determined.

General public sales for the Palm Springs International Film Festival begin on December 27. Click here to order online.

San Francisco's German Gems film festival information will release their film lineup in early December. Ticketing will be some time after that. For more information on the German Gems film festival, click here.

You tube trailer of "David Wants to Fly" in English:

More on "David Wants to Fly"

Flying yogis and flying millions; Acolyte David Lynch isn't happy with this expose' of Transcendental Meditation by Brian D. Johnson on Wednesday May 19, 2010

And

FILM Interview with David Sieveking of "David Wants to Fly" ExBerliner.com May issue, 2010.

"David Wants to Fly" a very personal review from a former TM-Initiator

A completely unsolicited email was sent to us by a former TM Initiator / reader of TMFree Blog, expressing the impact that "David Wants to Fly" had on him. When asked if his letter could be anonymously published unto TMFree blog, (he graciously replied "yes") his further thoughts on "His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi," and Transcendental Meditation unfolded. With minimal editing, this very personal recommendation for "David Wants to Fly" is shared with TMFree readers. Enjoy!

I am a well-known ex-initiator who wishes to remain anonymous. I surrendered my soul to Maharishi at Queen's University in August 1972.

I considered Maharishi to be my saviour and master. And my body and mind were so profoundly deceived by the mystical forces that create the experiences of TM that I at one point was certain I had achieved a higher state of consciousness.

I have spent the last 25 years attempting to expunge the effects of TM, and the beguiling and fatal charm of Maharishi.

I only imagined abstractly a point in the future where something would happen which would be powerful enough to put a context around Maharishi and the Transcendental Meditation Organization—sufficient to take him down, expose his utter corruption as a human being, and create doubts about the positive efficacy of TM.

I must admit to being joyfully staggered and amazed by David Sieveking's documentary "David Wants To Fly"—which I just saw yesterday afternoon here in Toronto.

David Sieveking's film finally, in an objective and comprehensive way, takes the measure of Maharishi and the Transcendental Meditation Organization.

I mean this in a very special way. "David Wants To Fly" became in my own subjective reading of it, reality's way of getting revenge on Maharishi for the spectacular misrepresentation of itself via TM. What I have been forced to conclude over the course of these last 25 years, is that the powers that made Maharishi what he was, and the powers which produced and which continue to produce all the experiences of TM, violate and wound the essential integrity of every human being who enters into the practice of TM. Even as the initiate or practitioner remains unconscious, or in denial, of this truth.

This is the brilliant lie that is Transcendental Meditation. 

I believe I went as far as Maharishi's techniques could take someone—into a darkness and hallucinatory state of consciousness, which at first seemed so wonderfully true to what Maharishi promised—'Unity Consciousness'.  I am still recovering from the effects of TM and the metaphysical charisma of Maharishi.

My point here is to declare my wonder and astonishment that this documentary seemed silently to enlist those beneficent powers inside the cosmos which were overthrown or paralyzed by Maharishi and TM: these friendly powers through David Sieveking. This film, rose up and unleashed their fury against Maharishi and the TMO, effectively refuting Maharishi and the Transcendental Meditation Organization for all time.

"David Wants To Fly" becomes reality's way of contradicting Maharishi and the TMO, creating a revelation of such devastating impact that never again can any follower of Maharishi repeat the TM catechisms without sensing a critical presence throughout the entire universe, a critical presence that has, through this film, decisively condemned Maharishi and the Transcendental Meditation Organization.

Sincerely,
Name Withheld [initiated in 1966; became initiator in early 70's]

Further thoughts unfolded in a couple of more emails, from the same person

It is so cruel to see human beings unconsciously fighting against the negative consequences of TM—the really fanatical ones become actual martyrs: they are upholding a practice which is secretly attacking them where they are most vulnerable. And their belief-system has become a tortured form of denial: life is gradually refusing to cooperate with them, and they can only dig in all the more. 

I feel as if I have had a monster inside me—the Maharishi-TM incubus. It has been dying a very slow death these past 25 years, but it seemed, when I saw David's film, it lost a considerable amount of its life-force.

"David Wants To Fly" goes right at the cosmic arrogance and deceit of Maharishi. The film is the only phenomenon I have encountered in over 40 years that (almost innocently, serendipitously) acquires the intelligence (in its execution) adequate to the terrible subject to which it is addressed. Maharishi and the TMO, in some inexplicable way, have remained (in some very subtle sense) 'invincible' up until this film. This film is the great guru-slayer—for Maharishi was, undoubtedly, the most seductive, wily, and brilliant spiritual personality of our lifetime. Even as most the world knows nothing of this.

My adjudication cannot be impartial, but paradoxically I believe it is my very intimate knowledge of Maharishi and TM and the TMO that affords me the most objective viewpoint that is possible. And the film—unbeknownst to David Sieveking—is as inspired as any documentary could possibly be: because [in my opinion] its subject-matter has enlisted the intelligence of goodness that has remained silent about MMY and the TMO until now. 

The film was a kind of gentle but forceful (and felicitous) exorcism. Believe me, it will not disappoint. The irony of the film is simply produced by allowing Maharishi and the TMO to exhibit themselves—against the background of what is real. It once was thrilling to be near Maharishi—and to enjoy seemingly a unified state of consciousness. Once it became clear that I was gravely deceived in this, I began my journey into hell and back while recovering. David Sieveking's documentary "David Wants To Fly" was—were I a practicing Catholic—like bathing in the healing waters of Lourdes. I felt like I could throw away my crutches.


When I talked about throwing away my crutches at Lourdes (after viewing David's film)—it was as if I was crippled by Maharishi and TM; that is, I had come to Lourdes to get cured (although I never consciously conceived of this purpose—if you follow me here—when I entered the theatre)—and the power of the film was such (in its confrontation of MMY and the TMO) that the very disease that had made me lame, that disease was as it were driven out by the force of the film, and thus I felt I could walk again.

David Sieveking's film became the vehicle (the first of its kind in my own intuition) through which the previously unchallengeable mystique and integrity of Maharishi and the TMO (and by indirection, TM itself) was smashed by reality. When the Beatles went to Rishikesh, that was one moment in the history of the TM Movement; then nothing for 43 years—until David Sieveking's documentary, which becomes—potentially—  the antidote to the Beatles, because whereas the Beatles had created enormously positive publicity for Maharishi and TM, "David Wants To Fly" is a phenomenon in its own right too—creating the very opposite effect that the Beatles did—but for those who are discerning, fully equal in its potency to the decision of the Beatles to follow Maharishi to India and meditate at his ashram. 

It is all a matter of taking in what comes through in the film. And whether David Sieveking knows it or not—and his learning that I believe this to be true will have no influence upon him whatsoever I suspect—the friendly and lovingly intelligent forces in the universe colluded with his own brilliance and sincerity to—for the very first time—  actually take on and strike a blow against the baleful and malevolently intelligent forces which were and are behind Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and the Transcendental Meditation Movement. Of course I don't pretend to be empirical here: my own estimation of the 'cosmic' dimension of all this must be attributed to my own personal point of view. It is only fitting that, since Maharishi pretended to be acting on behalf of the intelligences which supervise and conduct the activity of the entire universe, a true critic of him meets him on this very ground—and declares: Based upon a multitude of experimental evidence, what Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has brought to civilization can be seen to be quite literally a demonic project on a gargantuan scale. The film,—I insist on this—is the only event I have known in my life since I first became enamored of Maharishi and TM, which goes right to the place in reality from where Maharishi is coming from, the place from where he derives his techniques, the place from where he lives out and performs his existence—and in doing so issues the ultimate ontological challenge to him and his organization:—as in: Maharishi, you say you speak for reality, well, David Sieveking has produced a film—Want to see it, Maharishi?—which some of those who know (knew) you best believes refutes you: Maharishi, you are refuted by reality: you are an imposter, and here is the proof. As you can see, Maharishi, It is unanswerable. 

It is, then, the [adventitious] metaphysical potency of David's film which released me from the incubus of Maharishi and TM—I mean, took my own self-administered meta-therapeutic efforts to a completely different level—and I came out of that theatre truly feeling a palpable and objective sense of liberation. Amazing.

Certainly many of us had glorious, ineffably beautiful experiences using Maharishi's techniques—and even from being around him physically—but these experiences were not engendered by 'Nature', by 'creative intelligence', by contact with 'the Absolute'; no, these experiences were, every one of them, inimical to our well-being, dislocated from what is real, and warring on our unique individualities—especially our bodies: there can be no argument here; as sublime as these experiences were they were calculated to alienate us from who we really are, and were mechanically effected by forces which are filled with a perfect hatred for human beings. The bliss of these experiences is inversely proportionate to their destructiveness—I expect to carry to the grave some of the subtle and insidiously disintegrating effects of TM (plus) upon my physiology.

"David Wants To Fly" is the happiest and most efficaciously beneficial event since I first was spiritually seduced by Maharishi and his diabolical magic.

And, by the way, did I know nothing at all about TM or Maharishi, if I saw this film, I would be deeply intrigued and impressed.

I do not expect you to agree with everything I have said, particularly the metaphysics of my analysis of Maharishi and TM. One thing is very clear though: whatever promises were contained in that first experience of transcendence, those promises have proved to be bogus. Not a single devotee of Maharishi is making any spiritual progress whatsoever, and every one of these long-term TMO persons know this. The bloom is off TM for those in the know. The question for me becomes: why was Maharishi Mahesh Yogi permitted to perpetuate this extraordinary fraud upon the human race? And watching David Lynch in the movie, I thought: what an intelligent, well-intentioned, even gracious person he is. If only he had really gone all the way and become an initiator, then he really would have something in common with those who are all around him in his TM enterprises: then he would not be so shockingly naive. Not only because of his status in the world, as a great artist, but also because he has not been entirely infected by the worst form of the TM malignancy—that which afflicts all those who became (and remained) teachers of TM—does the TMO have him (DL) out in front doing all these charitable deeds for the Movement. Bevan Morris et al—the whole works of them—they know in their heart of hearts that David Lynch is somehow riding on the enthusiasm that they once had (before they became secretly jaded and defeated—repressed as this is) for Maharishi and TM—sooner or later David Lynch is going to ask his first really hard question: COULD I BE WRONG ABOUT MAHARISHI AND TM?

Yes, you are, David Lynch —good man that you no doubt are. As an artist, as a thinker, as a human being, you can have no truly honest rebuttal to David Sieveking's film.

Are you still here, Gina? Sorry about this, but I had—think of it as therapy for me—use this opportunity to let you know what I have kept inside me all these years. And David's film almost seems to present to me this prerogative. Thank God for David's film.

"Removing all identifying information"—as long as you do this, of course I don't mind—and am pleased—if you find anything I write worthy of passing along.

One thing I ask —if you can grant me this—that, under no circumstances will you give away any information which could allow other persons to speculate on my identity.

I know my brain has been permanently damaged by TM—although I compensate for this as best I can, and I am no where near as 'Maharishi-ized" as I was in that part of my anatomy. David's film, by the way, was salutary for my brain in just this very way.

"David Wants to Fly" more International reviews

Yet more about "David Wants to Fly" from the Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival:

Just make sure that you discover the truth that we like


David Wants to Fly Review

"David Wants to Fly" English Trailer and Toronto reviews

Review of "David Wants to Fly" at prestigious Toronto documentary film festival "Hot Docs" Running on Faith: DAVID WANTS TO FLY playing at Hot Docs

For the English speakers amongst us, here's the long awaited English language trailer to "David Wants to Fly"

For facebook users, keep yourself updated with the fanpage for "David Wants to Fly"

No word yet on the USA tour of this film. The film is touring Europe.

What is Religion? What is Transcendental Meditation?

What is the TM theory and TM?

Is it a religion?


David Lynch recently was in Iceland promoting TM. I read an interview of Lynch found here: http://maharishi.posterous.com/iceland-news-david-lynch-answers-questions-on

It is easy to go cross-eyed with the TM speak but I want to tease out some significant points. Lynch says in reference to TM:


. . . I saw it as a spiritual path.

. . . Transcendental Meditation is not a religion, it's a mental technique.

. . . It is a scientific and spiritual path. People from all religions practice Transcendental Meditation as well as agnostics and atheists.

. . . Enlightenment does bring complete freedom from the world's strife and confusion. Full potential of the human being is called enlightenment. Enlightenment answers all questions, ends all suffering and all negativity.


So, we can conclude that Lynch believes that doing TM is a spiritual practice, but protests that it is not a religion. What does it mean to be a spiritual practice? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines spiritual as:

1 : of, relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit : incorporeal
2 a : of or relating to sacred matters b : ecclesiastical rather than lay or temporal
3 : concerned with religious values
4 : related or joined in spirit
5 a : of or relating to supernatural beings or phenomena b : of, relating to, or involving spiritualism : spiritualistic

These all are essentially mystical matters. Note the words "sacred," "spirit," "religious," and "supernatural." These are not words of science but words of religion.

So is the TM spiritual path religious? Merriam-Webster's definitions of religious include: "relating to or manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality." That is Lynch. Lynch claims he has meditated twice a day for 36 years. He believes enlightenment answers all questions and TM brings enlightenment. He is religious about TM.

Back to the dictionary: Merriam-Webster's definition of religion includes: "a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith." At least for Lynch, TM theory of enlightenment is a religion, despite his protestations to the contrary. He just doesn't know what the meaning of "is" is.

But TM is a religion fail. In response to the question "Is there a system of ethics connected to the practice of TM"? Lynch says no. Let us not ever forget that. There is no ethical framework to keep those in the TMO honest. There are no rules believers can point to which require that Haglin, Lynch, Morris, Nader, or Varma act in any particular way. I am someone who questions religious beliefs precisely because they are beliefs, not facts. But at least most religions arguably have ethical frameworks to help people to live their lives. Without an ethical framework TM is a religion fail and the movement something to distrust.

"David Wants to Fly" on Netflix

Just an FYI,

For those who want to see "David Wants to Fly" and belong to Netflix -- it is listed on Netflix.
Availability is yet "unknown."

However, if you list the DVD "David Wants to Fly" into your queue, increased demand might hasten Netflix carrying the film sooner rather than later.

Shall we plan our DVD viewing potluck? Cauliflower curry dahl, basmati rice, mango lassi, Raja's Cup tea (bleagh to M's tea).

g :)

"David Wants to Fly" update from Berlin Film Festival - Transcendental Meditation expose'

"David Wants to Fly" is receiving rave reviews at the Berlin Film Festival, per German links, below.

Please vote on the audience ranking awards (5 is the highest vote on their scale).

Invitations and negotiations are in place for showing the film at North American film venues, and possibly a Broadway version.

Of course, feel free to offer feedback to any reviews.
The Variety review is in English.

We can expect negative feedback and comments coming from True Believer devotees.
Imagine that!

The story behind the story:
A few years ago, a young film maker met his creative idol, David Lynch.
The young filmmaker wished to absorb all that he could learn from his creative guru.

Naturally, the young filmmaker was encouraged to learn Transcendental Meditation. When the young man, David Sieveking, began questioning the TM-Siddhi program, he was suddenly denied access to further TM information and no longer had access to David Lynch. Sieveking thought, "There's a story here!"...

Please help us with the internet voting for the audience award.

Audience Award Berlinale
Directions: click onto "David Wants to Fly", then click onto "5 punkte" (points), then click "absenden" (send)

Berlinale Blog

Variety on "David Wants to Fly"
(English)

Deutschlandradio Kultur on "David Wants to Fly"

filmrezension.de on "David Wants to Fly"

20Fmediathek on "David Wants to Fly"

Kurz & Kritisch on "David Wants to Fly"

Berliner Morgenpost on "David Wants to Fly"

David Lynchs Suche nach innerem Glück

Synopsis from Berlinale Public Program "David Wants to Fly"
(English)

Lichtblick Media summary "David Wants to Fly"
(English)


Enjoy!
Feel free to make comments on the various reviews!

"David Wants to Fly" film review in Variety

Variety,
Sunday February 14, 2010

Berlin
David Wants to Fly
((Documentary) -- Germany-Austria-France)
By ALISSA SIMON

A Neue Visionen (in Germany) release of a Lichtblick Film Lichtblick Media (Germany)/Dschoint Ventschr (Austria)/Navigator Film (Austria)/SRG SSR idee (Switzerland) production with the support of Bayerisch Rundfunk, Arte, SFDRS, in cooperation with FFA, RTR Fernsehfonds Austria, Bundesamt fur Kultur Sektion Film, DFFF, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Kuratorium junger deutscher Film, Filmstiftung NRW, Zurcher Filmstiftung. (International sales: Autlook Film, Vienna.) Produced by Martin Heisler, Carl-Ludwig Rettinger. Co-producers, Johannes Rosenberger, Werner Schweizer. Directed, written by David Sieveking.

With: David Sieveking, Marie Pohl, David Lynch, Swami Swaroopanand, Dr. Michael Persinger, Judith Bourque, Earl Kaplan.
(German, English, Hindi dialogue)

A sprightly docu about finding your own artistic inspiration, "David Wants to Fly" follows German writer-helmer David Sieveking on his road to enlightenment, a journey that involves David Lynch, various headquarters of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement and the icy source of the Ganges. Both tongue-in-cheek and seriously questioning (particularly as pertains to TM's financial empire), this entertaining, globe-trotting pic already has bigscreen release dates in co-production countries. It could take off for further niche theatrical play, maybe even Stateside, before making a landing at broadcasters.

Read the rest of the review here

And a film marquee here