Heavenly Mountain - Mother Divine - Property for Sale

The TM Movement's Mother Divine program publicly requested others to share the following information :

On October 25, 2012 an online auction will begin for this North Carolina Heavenly Mountain property, with bids accepted beginning at $3,900,000.

One may contemplate the TM Movement's real estate profiteering from property acquisitions for Peace Palaces and other retreat centers that usually sat vacant for decades until their profitable sale.

As recently as July 23, 2012, India Today published an article Yogi's disciples contort his legacy addressing the Srivistava family battles for the wealth (primarily in real estate) generated by donations from Maharishi's followers.

Apparently John Lennon was correct when he sang that Sexy Sadie made a fool out of everyone.

Pandits for (non)Profit

Essay 3 of a 3-part Series.
The first in this series may be read  here - Pandits in Captivity.
The second essay may be read here - CPs : Course Participants or Captive Pandits.

The TM Organization focuses upon FUNDRAISING for Pandits, while promising magic. Despite TM's assertion, there is no evidence that Pandits' impact global harmony. After years of fundraising for world peace through chanting Pandits, neither Maharishi's Global Country of World Peace nor other TM nonprofits disclose finances related to these captive Indians.

In a recent TM Organization announcement, Raja (Dr.) John Hagelin encourages donations to support an 11-day national Yagya (prayer ceremony) to begin on September 19, 2012. The final date for payment for this particular yagya was to be September 13. For of a mere $1,250, a donor could designate someone to be named during the performance.

The message flatters donors for TM Pandits’ prayer ceremonies, “As a direct result of the generosity and vision of our donors, the Maharishi National Yagya program has grown into a powerful force for America.”

Hagelin credits the Pandits' Yagyas with Iowa’s summer rains, and for redirecting this summer’s Hurricane Isaac : 

“A few people have asked about Isaac. Originally forecast to be a Category 3 or 4 hurricane, it only reached Category 1. While the storm produced flooding in some of the most vulnerable areas, the City of New Orleans was largely spared.” 

“The rain’s subsequent northward march provided welcome relief to some of the most drought-stricken areas of the country. When national invincibility is more firmly established, we can anticipate even greater protection against national disasters.”

Some True Believers continue to donate to these campaigns, otherwise why would the TM Movement continue to send such messages?

Deemed-scientific correlation between the Pandits and selective good news is as logical as Laurie’s (of TMFree) correlation that 99% of murderers begin their life drinking milk; thus milk leads to murdering.

Hagelin’s message continues, “We are on the verge of realizing Maharishi’s desire of 30 years. The generosity of our donors has brought us to this place. With your support, we will soon have the Super Radiance community we have worked so hard to build.”

Hagelin updates about plans to grow Pandit population  :

“  * 556 Pandits now have passports, and 541 have completed their visa applications.
   * The first phase of the kitchen expansion to accommodate the new Pandits has been completed, and the next phase is well underway.
   * More than 1/3 of the funds needed to bring all 556 Pandits to the U.S. has been raised.
   * The arrival of these Pandits will secure the daily Super Radiance numbers in Fairfield and Maharishi Vedic City at more than 2,000. Closing in on the Goal” 

Another recent fundraising email from Stan Crowe earlier this summer declared,“a special 11-day National Yagya performance beginning on Guru Purnima, July 3. We chose this date to honor our beloved Maharishi on this most auspicious day, the day of the Guru. The Yagya will also coincide with America’s Independence Day, July 4.”

Donations are designated for “Increased harmony, peace, invincibility and prosperity for the nation and its citizens; AND increasing the number of Pandits in Maharishi Vedic City to our desired goal as quickly as possible.”

Having failed to create a permanent community of 2000 people practicing Maharishi’s TM-Sidhi program twice daily in MUM’s golden domes, In 2001 Maharishi decided to offer donors the opportunity to sponsor others to meditate for them. The sponsorship concept already existed on a smaller scale in the TM Movement. It used to be common practice for those with less funds to seek sponsorships, often arranged as tax deductible donations, to attend advanced TM courses. Wealthy TMers also often sponsored the celibate participants on the Purusha  or Mother Divine programs for tax deductions, personal glory, and good karma.

Since 1979's first "World Peace Assembly" in Amherst Massachusetts, Maharishi and the TM Movement promoted the idea that a small percentage of the population could influence world peace, weather, crime and the economy through group meditation. This would create "The Maharishi Effect" to bring heaven on earth, or so Maharishi and the organization's retroactive selective studies claimed.

As Sudarsha suggested in a private message, this goal is as scientific as shooting a blank wall, then drawing a target circle around the spot you hit.

The goal of changing the world was and is used to inspire, or pressure, TM-Sidhi practitioners to devote their lives and funds to Maharishi's plans. This also feeds the narcissism of people who would believe their thoughts alone are powerful enough to influence government decisions and weather patterns.

Since that course in 1979 (Yes, I was there) Maharishi and his minions such as Bevan Morris, John Hagelin and others have long  threatened Maharishi's followers with global warfare and other calamities unless a core group of at least 2000 people practiced Maharishi’s TM-Sidhi Program together twice daily.

For example, in 1979 Bevan Morris pulled me aside for a private audience in a small dark room, saying someone had reported me to him for not attending Program as prescribed. Bevan said that I personally would be responsible for bringing WWIII or economic collapse to the world because I did not fully participate in "Program" many hours daily. In response I said that motherhood and supporting my family took precedence over group meditations, that my family is my Program. I told Bevan that Maharishi did not have children, so he didn't understand families. Bevan excused me, seemingly without officially black-listing me. Others tell similar stories of intimidation and threats for their non-participation in program, or if they requested permission to leave.

In the early 1980's Maharishi claimed that donations to support participants on the celibate Purusha and Mother Divine programs would bring financial prosperity, health and speed enlightenment for donors. In fact, my (then)husband wanted us to tithe 10% of our income to support his former girlfriend on the Mother Divine course. They had attended and graduated together in 1981 from Maharishi International University. She was a sweet young woman, who vigilantly 'put her attention' on my husband's business daily and wrote us newsy letters about Maharishi's latest inspirations. The young woman's prolonged meditations did not enhance our economic status. My (then) husband often blamed his business problems on the bad karma that I brought to his business because I did not attend “Program” (6-8 hours) daily. This was a prevalent community attitude at that time.

Per their own counts, the TM Movement repeatedly fails to realize the mystical 2000 meditator/Sidhas for twice-daily Program attendance. Other TMers must be making similar choices about responsibilities,  personal and family needs, thereby decreasing Program attendance.

To solve this problem, Maharishi came up with the  brilliant idea of raising funds to import professional meditators from India. This idea was proposed as early as November 2001.

Note : Maharishi's idea is FUNDRAISING for Pandits, not to really improve the world through mystical practices.

In January 2002, after coming out of his annual silent retreat to begin the new year, Maharishi proposed that for a mere $250 Million, the world’s problems could be solved by establishing a permanent community with 10,000 Pandits. 

Maharishi's fundraising scheme to support a group of meditating Pandits provided, then and now, a means for TM's wealthy donors to assure spiritual good karma, enlightenment or entry to heaven by donating large sums of money for others meditate in their stead.

This is remarkably similar to the Medieval Catholicism when noblemen paid servants to make spiritual pilgrimages for them, thereby gleaning heavenly accolades for both the nobleman and the pauper who made the pilgrimage.

I doubt the Movement will attain the 2000 which they claim necessary for a Super Radiance effect. This dream is an eternal carrot-on-a-stick, never to be achieved. After all, the Movement would lose credibility with its followers if 2000 Pandits meditate twice daily, and the world inevitably continues with political travails, natural disasters, environmental carcinogens and economic vicissitudes.

Being a practical Guru, Maharishi established nonprofit corporations so that donors could receive tax deductions while profiting their Guru. Despite public perception, a "nonprofit" organization does not have to meet any ethical qualifications. The primary difference between a nonprofit corporation vs a for-profit is the stated purpose of the organization, how funds are dispersed and taxed. Nonprofits are allowed to generate revenue surpluses (er, that would be synonymous with ‘profit’).

Using threats of global collapse to fear-monger for Pandit donations in October, 2003, a national conference call quoted (still living) Maharishi "'The world would not completely end, there will be a few people left...You don't know how fast the destruction is approaching. Do it, go fast... 'Don't wait until tomorrow when the whole thing collapses. If you don't prevent this, don't blame us.'"

In 2003, the Program "8000 Now" was created to fundraise for a Pandit program. Their website cleverly does not initially reveal their true intentions, until one clicks about on various links.

TMFree readers may enjoy videos on the  "National Yagya Program" website. Among highlights, see Raja Dr. John Hagelin explain how important it is to “engage the power of natural law at a very deep level” through the performance of Yagyas to help Japan after their tsunami and nuclear crisis. Japan's Raja also reads aloud a letter of gratitude for Pandits he credits with helping Japan.. 

In his documentary film David Wants to Fly, David Seiveking interviews Earl Kaplan. Earl admits that he is not proud of his former TM-alliance and donations exceeding $150million to Maharishi. Earl also says he asked Maharishi about the promised Pandits; despite Earl's large donation for this purpose, none had been gathered together. Earl says that Maharishi told him "I don't know if it will work." In his former brainwashed state, Earl was shocked that his Guru had been recruiting for a cause that he was not sure would work. Earl, his twin brother David, and their wives then left the Movement.

In late October 2006, shortly after Howard Settle granted $600 per person monthly scholarship to hire pandits, up to one million dollars monthly, an initial group of Pandits arrived from India.  The Movement announced "A permanent group of 1,000 Maharishi Pandits has been established in America”. Photos here show TM Movement dignitaries  (note their requisite beige/gold themed suits) greeting Pandits at the airport, and chatting at the Pandits' welcome dinner.

Ostensibly, there are plans to bring enough Pandits for a permanent group creating a global Maharishi Effect of world peace, balanced economy, wealth, good weather, lush agriculture, and enlightenment for all!  
The Pandits are hired to save the world by meditating en masse.

For obscure reasons, the Movement still fails to have the requisite number of Pandits together. Looks like stalling tactics to me, to keep donations flowing.

For those with special needs and the ability to make tax deductible donations, the Organization states Pandits can customize mystical Yagya ceremonies for special purposes. Even my late-father had purchased several custom Yagyas for himself.

Lacking foresight, when the first Pandits arrived to Iowa in autumn of 2006, they lacked proper clothing for Iowa’s subzero winters. Local meditators in Fairfield and Vedic City created a coat drive to garner winter wear so these thin Indian men could survive their first subzero winter. Many Pandits had arrived from India to the United States with only simple kurtas and shawls.

One year after their arrival, Maharishi approved the provision of winter coats in October 2007, for the Pandits. Separate fundraising efforts were conducted to purchase these coats, 

Interestingly, Vedic City has an identity crisis about their Pandits.

Official Vedic City maps, provided by The Raj Spa's receptionist, do not identify the location of this fenced, guarded compound. Still, it’s easy enough to find. Just drive north in front of The Raj along Jasmine Ave., turn left, west, at 170th street at toward their touted luxury Rukmapura Park Hotel. The fenced Pandit compound is almost directly across 170th street from the hotel’s gravel driveway, conveniently outside the   official grid of Vedic City's Master Plan, at the intersection of 170th Street and  “Invincible America Ave.” 

While not listed among Vedic City's attractions, a small image of meditating Pandits appears in the upper banner of Vedic City’s website.

Vedic City wants tax benefits for the Pandits, according to a February 2011 story from Iowa’s Heartland Connection, channel 3 KTVO posted on February 17th "Can Census Make 1000 Iowans Disappear? ” 

Vedic City officials claim the US Census miscounted their residents, neglecting to include over one thousand residents of the pandit compound at 1675 Invincible America Drive. According to the 2001 Boundary and Annexation Survey file, the Pandit compound lies within Vedic City's boundaries.
  
Are the Pandits actually Iowans as claimed by KTVO news? Are they legal residents of Vedic City, Iowa and the USA? Are they guests, or students? Only their US State Department Visas know for sure. 

As expected by anyone familiar with the TM Movement, Vedic City claims or disavows the Pandit presence according to what is most advantageous at any given moment. 

“Funnily enough” (one of Maharishi’s phrases), 2010 tax returns for only one fundraising arm for the pandit and yagya donations can be viewed here - 2010 Exempt Organization Tax Return "Brahmananda Saraswati Foundation". And an overview of the financial status of Maharishi's Global Country of World Peace can be viewed here.

Transcendental Meditation Organizations keep separate legal and financial structures. Readers can glean a glimmer of this global organization by clicking on a few links and drop down menus on this site for Maharishi's Global Country or here for Peace Initiative Projects.

On a human note - One wonders if the fenced Pandits know their rights as foreign nationals within the United States. Human rights agencies queried in Chicago and elsewhere require a complaint filed by one of the Pandits themselves to initiate an investigation about unlawful restraint, confinement, or anything else. 

How would an imprisoned person, with neither English language fluency nor outside access, inquire for assistance or file a complaint?

Members breach Yogi trusts with land deal

Rival groups in the Transcendental Meditation Movement split into factions after the death of founder Mahesh Chandra Shrivastava, more commonly known as Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

According to India’s newspaper “The Pioneer” of 23 January, 2012, “Soon after the death of Maharishi, bickering started between the trust members and followers for the control of the billions of worth of assets..... Several illegal and bogus land deeds were created to mint money. Some land deeds were just bogus and buyers and sellers were created to fool the government.”

An early scene of tense conversation leading to splitting factions is filmed in David Sieveking’s documentary, “David Wants to Fly.”

The Pioneer’s brief article of January 23, 2012 can be read at this link :

Members breach Yogi trusts with land deal

Once again, it's all about the money honey.

ABC News Nightline with Deepak Chopra, "Does God Have a Future?"

Many former TMers knew Deepak Chopra, his split with Maharishi, then Chopra's repackaging of Maharishi's programs in a slightly more mainstream package for his own financial gain.

Deepak Chopra is now more of a household name than Maharishi ever was, thus ABC invited him to a discussion on spirituality.

Nightline's description of this show :

The "Face-Off" is a recurring series where opposing sides debate hot topics. In the sixth installment of the series, Deepak Chopra, a physician and best-selling author of "How to Know God," and prominent scholar, philosopher and writer Jean Houston, will face-off against Michael Shermer, founding publisher of "Skeptic" magazine, and Sam Harris, author of "The End of Faith" on the tension between God and science."

Gina's comments on the show:

This conversation between critical thinkers with Chopra could just as easily have taken place with Maharishi.
In this conversation, Chopra mouthes MMY's teachings, sometimes word for word.
Coming from the same Hindu tradition, the Indian accent, and MMY's pseudo-science jargon, Chopra inadvertently provides good comedy for those familiar with Maharishi.

Chopra speaks circuitous non-sense which can cause a hypnotic effect for vulnerable listeners.
We've seen the hypnotic effect work with True Believers listening to Maharishi.

Chopra responds to discussion of the history of diety and sociology of religion with vague circuitous monologues on consciousness, inner experience and (undefined) quantum mechanics. This sounds so familiar!

Many of us know the futility of conducting these same conversations with TM or New Age True Believers!
(thus successful exit-counseling, "deprogramming," requires a professional)

Per Sam Harris talking to Chopra :
"Sprinkling in a bunch of scientific terms with New Age terminology does not make it scientific."
Harris also states that Chopra's merging of New Age philosophy with scientific terminology is neither scientific nor spiritual.

Unfortunately, True Believers listening to this show would merely state that critics of Chopra or Maharishi are "lost in the darkness of ignorance."

It's fascinating to watch Chopra spew the fluff, and become angry when confronted with analysis of his teachings.

This Nightline show may be watched by clicking :
"Does God Have a Future" The Nightline Face-Off

Enjoy!

Talk presented at McGill University of Health Sciences (by a real medical physicist)

"Complementary and Alternative Cancer Therapies: How Quantum Mechanics and the Mind-Body Paradigm are Used to Explain Spontaneous Regression and Self-Healing."

Christian Janicki, Ph.D., Radiation Safety Manager, Quality Management, MUHC.

Talk Presented at the MUHC, Radiation Oncology Department, April 2nd 2007.

Abstract:

For many years, New Agers and spiritual gurus have claimed that all illnesses have a metaphysical origin and can be treated by a deep evaluation of long held negative emotional and spiritual attitudes. This modern age system of beliefs, although scientifically unproven, is adopted by a growing number of people in our modern society as it is being promoted relentlessly by self-help gurus, word of mouth, books, articles, news media and popular talk shows. For example, a New Age movie entitled "The Secret" (Law of Attraction) was featured recently as a "phenomenon that is sweeping the nation" on the popular TV show "Oprah". It featured a dream team of experts, self-help gurus and motivational speakers among which we find medical doctors, quantum physicists, psychologists, spiritual leaders and other psychics who support the claim, among other things, that cancer can be cured "without radiation or chemo" by the sheer application of will. Modern physics (quantum mechanics) and psychoneuroimmunology (mind-body paradigm) are some of the scientific disciplines that are being grossly distorted by pseudo-scientists and New Age gurus to support their health claims and to sell their technology, products or spiritual methods according to the critics. In this talk, we will explore the some of the origins of these claims (quantum mechanics and the mind-body connection) and try to explain the rational behind the NIH-NCCAM ongoing "Quantum Healing" cancer clinical trials. We will also discuss about the difficulties doctors may face with credulous patients who have been exposed to snake oil salesman's manipulative techniques and non falsifiable rhetoric, a powerful scam that may lead to self-selected medical neglect by well-intentioned True Believers.

Guru-Tender

First Truly International Currency?
Articles about the Raam - the official currency of Maharishi's Global Country of World Peace.

"Dutch Give Nod to Guru Currency" BBC News, April 2003

Online Essay about the Raam, by udayms, 24th Mar, 2007

"The Raam Development Currency" Appropriate Economics, undated, anonymous author

Discussion of the Raam, The Edge; Environmental News from the Brink, November 2002

"Raam" by Answers.com

Vlodrop Calling, er.. listening

We have a silent reader following this blog from Maharishi University of Management in Vlodrop.

Maharishi always told us to ignore negative publicity about him and the Movement, saying "never entertain negativity" and "all news is good news."

Long ago, as a TM-good girl I ignored media 'negativity,' law suits and other such, focusing upon my beloved community and our goodness. We/I followed the bliss. Then loved ones started dropping like flies.

Seems someone on-high is following our conversations. Our deemed-negativity is not ignored!

Our combined histories and information are valuable.
Seems His Holiness' minions agree.

Just an FYI.

g (smiles)

Group Pressure - Ongoing cult growth

(email just sent to TM center leaders.. "inspiration".. as always w/ urgency)

Urgent Need - Just a Few Hundred More Invincible America Assembly Participants

The Invincible America Assembly has drawn thousands of Sidhas from the United States and many other countries.
The experiences of bliss and higher states of consciousness in the large group program have been greater than in any previous assembly. These experiences have been deeply inspiring to Maharishi, who has brought out such beautiful knowledge in response. Many course participants have naturally stayed on the Assembly longer than planned. Many have returned multiple times.

The size of our group has been close to the national invincibility threshold - about 1,730 Yogic Flyers - even through the cold winter months. And even though we have been somewhat shy of the required number, we have created a dramatic change in our country. The most recent example: the sudden and unexpected turnaround in U.S. foreign policy towards Iran, Syria, and North Korea - a dramatic shift away from confrontation and belligerence towards consensus building and peace.

Now is the time for us to surpass the threshold - and create stable national coherence and lasting invincibility for America.
Next week, 133 more Vedic Pandits will arrive from India. If we can inspire just a few hundred more Sidhas to join the Assembly, we will reach the 2,000 level - our national super radiance number plus a safety factor - and we will create a truly Invincible America.
HOUSING AVAILABLE!

We can accommodate many more people. More on-campus housing will be available very soon, a good amount of off-campus housing is available, and we sare creating additional flying space right next to the Golden Domes.

Annapurna Dining Hall is even offering a new improved menu of organic dishes. And spring weather is here.
Please tell your out-of-town friends to apply and encourage local Yogic flyers to take advantage of this historic opportunity to enhance the power of the Assembly. Maharishi is giving so much sustained attention to this Assembly - and is looking at this as the turning point for our country and our world.

Let's "make hay while the sun shines."
Jai Guru Dev

Former TMer visits modern Rishikesh

An anonymous 20-something reader, former MUM student, sent this with permission to post.


Hey Gina,

How have you been? Good stuff here. So much to see - I can't wait to dive in and read more. I find it funny that the web page uses keywords from the site for the Google ads, and so it is actually promoting Maharishi's products at the same time the words are critical of him. The movement pays top dollar to Google for that. If they only knew where it's ending up ;P

Did you hear they are paying people to take their siddhis and to go to the domes?

You won't believe this, but I just got back from India. I've been wanting to go to India for over a decade. I did manage to take a few days in Rishikesh.

In Rishikesh, I found the original ashram where the Beatles stayed with Maharishi in '68. Have you ever been there? It was actually a little sad because it was abandoned and dilapidated. The entire trip was very educational to see how scamming is really part of the culture in India, from the highest political level, to the bicycle rickshaw driver, to the sadhus by the river. I dropped in on a few yoga classes here and there.

I talked with one 20 year old teacher that's been doing yoga for 8 months. He said he wants to be a famous guru like Maharishi when he grows up. Poverty combined with corruption - just add the cultural gift of Vedanta and a little bit of
smarts. It really made me understand Maharishi better. Scamming white people is a tradition there, and still very active.

Locals either didn't know much about him, or they just knew that Maharishi had a bad reputation. I did hear from one guy that he thought Maharishi built the ashram on state forest land and wouldn't pay for it, or did eventually, but wouldn't renew the lease. Something like that. So it looks like it was fishy from the start.

Some locals told me that people come there to go "yoga shopping". There are indeed lots of little stores that line the river to stock up on Ganeshas, Oms, and other collectables.

There is probably something genuine still there somewhere, but it's either unidentifiable because it's buried in the tourism/commercialism - or it simply moved up river to where it's less populated. Interestingly, Rishikesh is now a hot spot for whitewater rafting and hiking too. I was surprised at how it felt a little like the Colorado foothills. One river guide I spoke
with told me to be careful of some guides. To some, it's just another job to try because they either failed at many others, or they just can't find another job due to lack of opportunity. Made me think of Maharishi getting his physics degree and not being able to find a job with it, then finding SOMETHING, that being a swami's secretary.

Since coming back I tried doing a little research on the web and found this really good site. Very interesting reading about how Maharishi was less than monk-like from the early days with trying to extort and manipulate the Beatles and his other celebrity friends, then giggle it off. What a prick. Check it out:

http://www.thebeatlesinindia.com/

Click on photo collection, then stories.

(personal conversation omitted)

Hope all has been well with you and that you have a great new year.

All my best,
(anonymous)

One wonders

Today, 21 Jan 07 : http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/

Is this the line Mahesh is feeding King Tony and Guru Bev?

Do the guys who write the comics have an inside edge?

S