Recent earthquakes in Nepal have left the populace in crisis.
---------------
According to the Oxfam International website:
"...Hundreds of thousands of displaced people
need urgent humanitarian assistance now - including children and women
who are forced to be out in the open, huddled in groups with no food,
safe water, or shelter...."
---------------
According to Maharishi’s Global Family Chat, 16 May 2015:
"A far-reaching and permanent solution to Nepal’s emergency....
...Many people are helping Nepal from many angles at this time. Raja Kingsley presented a...plan to support all efforts from the inside out...[by] enlivening the collective consciousness for permanent harmony on all levels – including environmental....
...Nepal has a rich, unbroken tradition of Vedic Pandits, and currently has 500 Gurukuls (training schools for Pandits)....The first step of the plan is to train Transcendental Meditation Teachers for each Gurukul so they will take care of teaching the students and the local community. The next level is to build five Maharishi Vedic Institute campuses for the training of the Pandit boys when they leave Gurukul. In this way tens of thousands of Maharishi Vedic Pandits can be trained most economically and effectively to support the growth of Nepal....
...Your support will make a difference to how quickly and well Nepal recovers. A powerful emergency programme to create 2,500 Sidhas at a cost $50 each (a total of only $125,000), will create a wave of sustainable coherence...To donate, please visit...."
---------------
From a youtube video of MUM students questioning Bob Roth, (vice president of the David Lynch Foundation, which helps spread TM):
"...Student: Is there any scientific proof that the yagyas work?
Roth: Let me get back to you on that...."
---------------
From TM-Free Blog article entitled "Regarding Maharishi Yagyas," written by me, and posted May 20, 2014:
"...a TMO [TM organization - ed. note] email from December 18, 2013 states that:
'...the National Yagya program is now averaging [i.e., receiving donations of - ed. note]
$429,000 USD per month....The whole world is enjoying the blessings of the daily
performance....'
That's $5,148,000 a year income for the 'National Yagya program' alone...."
---------------
From an anonymous TM-Free Blog follower who sent us the Maharishi Global Family Chat announcement:
"...I can't express how repulsed I am by this low-rent attempt to fund raise."
---------------
What do you think?
Showing posts with label maharishi yagya. Show all posts
Showing posts with label maharishi yagya. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Regarding Maharishi Yagyas®
(Please note: This website does not promote, encourage, approve of, recommend, or support the purchase of or the value of "Maharishi Yagyas." This article is written solely for the purpose of education and discussion. - Laurie)
A friend of TM-Free Blog recently showed me an email he received on January 12, 2014 from one of the branches of the TM organization (TMO). The email starts with the title "Maharishi Vedic Pandits Creating World Peace." Excerpts from the email follow:
The yagyas are called "beautiful," but since donors are not present when these rites are performed, we'll have to take the TMO's word for it. Also, we'll have to take the TMO's word that these rituals are being performed at all.
But to backtrack, you may be asking, "What is the Maharishi Yagya program?" Here is the answer, from maharishiyagya.org.
How much money is the TMO earning from this program? A TMO email from December 18, 2013 states that:
The announcement/advertisement for this new yagya program states that:
By the way, payment for these yagyas is legally designated as a "donation," and donations are tax deductible for U.S. tax payers. All U.S. non-profits must make public their finances, and the financial audit can be found at www.vedicpandits.org/pdf/BSF-Audited-Financial Statement-12-31-2011.pdf.
A friend of TM-Free Blog recently showed me an email he received on January 12, 2014 from one of the branches of the TM organization (TMO). The email starts with the title "Maharishi Vedic Pandits Creating World Peace." Excerpts from the email follow:
"We are delighted to...announc[e] a highly beneficial, affordable and exciting expansion to the Yagya program for individuals and families - the Maharishi Special Yagya Program."My comment: This seems to me like deceptive advertising. Where is the proof that the yagyas are "highly beneficial"? And why do they call these yagyas "affordable"? I clicked around, and found that they cost from $1,000 to $10,000 apiece.
"Maharishi designed a beautiful series of Special Yagyas for important times in life: Birthdays, Weddings, Wedding Anniversaries, and for the Birth of a Child."They say "Maharishi designed" them. Well, Maharishi has been dead for several years, but they're only being advertised this year. So did he design them after he died? Or, if he designed them during his lifetime - for the benefit of humanity - why are they only being made available now? Also, Maharishi freely admitted that he knew only a little Sanskrit. If so, how could he design Sanskrit rituals? So what's going on? Personally, I believe that someone else designed them, but is attributing them to Maharishi because that gives them more credibility.
The yagyas are called "beautiful," but since donors are not present when these rites are performed, we'll have to take the TMO's word for it. Also, we'll have to take the TMO's word that these rituals are being performed at all.
"These Special Yagyas bring the blessings of Nature to individuals and families at transitional times when specific, supportive Laws of Nature are particularly lively and accessible...."Here we have several unscientific and undefined phrases which however have strong emotional resonance. This style of writing circumvents scientific inquiry, since science requires terms to be defined. Evocative phrases include "blessings of Nature," "specific, supportive Laws of Nature" and "particularly lively and accessible."
"All funds from this program support the large group of Maharishi Vedic Pandits, which is bringing peace, affluence and harmony to our world...."According to Wikipedia, in January 2014 there were 41 armed conflicts on earth. In 2012, there were 905 natural catastrophes which resulted in approximately $200,000,000 USD worth of damage. So to me it seems inaccurate to state that the Pandits are bringing "peace, affluence and harmony" to our world.
But to backtrack, you may be asking, "What is the Maharishi Yagya program?" Here is the answer, from maharishiyagya.org.
"...the remedial measures one can take to avert problems seen in the birth chart to be coming to the individual. It is a practical means to help protect us from unwanted influences - such as illness, accidents or loss; and also to support positive influences. Regular Maharishi Yagya performances help maintain life in balance.
..Maharishi Vedic Astrology expert has seen something in the birth chart; and it's destined for the person. But some influence could be created to change that destiny - and that's the Maharishi Yagya program...."More evocative and undefined phrases. The above quote sort of explains what a Maharishi Yagya supposedly does. But it doesn't explain what a Maharishi Yagya is. Other TMO sites explain that it is a TMO-style Sanskrit chant plus ceremony performed by one or more TMO-trained Indian men. The many TMO websites are vague, but apparently each yagya takes one day or less. TMO literature clearly states that the more money you spend on your yagya, the more powerful its effect. They also strongly urge the customer to buy the most expensive yagya one can afford.
How much money is the TMO earning from this program? A TMO email from December 18, 2013 states that:
"...the National Yagya program is now averaging (i.e., receiving donations of - Laurie) $429,000 USD per month....The whole world is enjoying the blessings of the daily performance...."That's $5,148,000 a year income for the "National Yagya program" alone. (The TMO says that the National Yagya program -- that is, the 350 Indian men in Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa who live in pre-fabricated, under-heated homes and earn $100-200/month apiece -- costs $600,000 a month to run. I'm not sure why it should cost that much. Anyone have any ideas?) And there are many other "Maharishi Yagya" programs, which also bring in money for the TMO.
The announcement/advertisement for this new yagya program states that:
"the oral tradition of Vedic chanting has been declared an intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO." (United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization - Laurie).This sounds impressive, but by now I always double-check anything the TMO says. So I researched the "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" UNESCO project. Their website states that their list of intangible cultural heritages is made up of those "elements that help demonstrate the diversity of this heritage and raise awareness about its importance." From 2008-2013, 282 intangible heritages were listed by UNESCO. Aside from yagyas, other examples of "intangible heritages" included woodcrafting in Madagascar, textile art of Peru, ox-herding traditions of Costa Rica, and Sardinian pastoral songs of Italy.
By the way, payment for these yagyas is legally designated as a "donation," and donations are tax deductible for U.S. tax payers. All U.S. non-profits must make public their finances, and the financial audit can be found at www.vedicpandits.org/pdf/BSF-Audited-Financial Statement-12-31-2011.pdf.
Sunday, February 09, 2014
TM Marketing Timeline
Guest contributor Michael H. Jackson has written this thought-provoking article for TM-Free Blog. Thanks, Michael!
-------------------------------------------------------------------
TIMELINE: Maharishi Sells the Soporific of TM and All Its Adjunct Programs
1950's: Maharishi begins to sell TM; tells people they can live 200% of life and even get enlightened.
Beginning in 1961: Maharishi begins to market his teacher training courses to train people to teach TM, in essence giving him as many salesmen and saleswomen as possible all over the world to sell him and his brand of meditation, and later all his other goods, products and services. He also begins offering and selling in-residence courses to give people longer experience in meditation.
1967: After announcing he is retiring back to India, he meets the Beatles, and every reporter in the world shoves a camera and microphone in his face.
1967 on: Capitalizing on his Beatles-fueled notoriety, Maharishi continues to sell TM as a means of spiritual rejuvenation. At some point Maharishi sells "advanced techniques" for the devoted to accelerate their race to enlightenment, including techniques to sleep better and quit smoking. Maharishi also, in response to questions about time, states that 3-5 years is how long it takes to get enlightened through the practice of TM. This time frame is later expanded to 10 years or more after many complain they have been meditating longer than 5 years and are still not enlightened.
Early 1970's: Maharishi realizes that all the long-haired hippies who are coming to him asking all kinds of spiritual questions are not going to give him what he wants. He realizes it's their parents who have the money, so he begins to market TM to "the responsible people of society" from the cradle of science - and dubious pseudo-science at that.
Merv Griffin learns TM and gives Maharishi a big boost by having him on Merv's talk show. Lots of people get initiated into TM on the strength of their love for Merv.
Early to mid-1970's: Maharishi continues to use celebrity endorsements from Clint Eastwood, Mary Tyler Moore and others to try to keep the Merv wave going. It doesn't last long.
1974: With initiations and therefore revenues down, Maharishi secretly begins to experiment on TM teachers, charging them for the privilege of being human guinea pigs on expensive courses as Maharishi develops his own version of the sutra yoga of Patanjali. Very secret.
1976: Ignoring the massive amounts of physical and emotional distress (called "unstressing" by Maharishi) that some initiators experience during the sutras courses, Maharishi directs all TM centers to reveal the TM-Sidhi Program for regular folks. TM loses much of its scientifically-backed credibility upon Maharishi's announcement that he can teach people to fly. Many people, including some TM teachers, distance themselves from TM at this time.
But Maharishi knows what he is doing, because those who are left in the TM fold, who can stomach his ridiculous and unfounded claims, could possibly (and hopefully, from his point of view,) be hooked for life. Maharishi claims that the TM-Sidhi practice is "10,000 times more powerful" than practicing TM alone.
The race to inner space is on, and those who have the money rush to become supermen or superwomen through the practice of the TM-Sidhis. Maharishi markets the new program at one point with exactly that blandishment: "Learn TM-Sidhis to become a superman."
Due to intense and ongoing physical and mental distress (still called "unstressing") on the part of MANY participants of the new program, Maharishi announces that from now on, one has to take OTHER courses, such as the TM-Sidhi Preparatory courses, to qualify for the TM-Sidhis themselves. Odd that an enlightened man couldn't have foreseen that happening. More money is taken in through the TM-Sidhi Prep courses.
Late 1970's to early 1980's: Problems crop up with TM-Sidhi revenues. People begin to question how a program that is 10,000 times more powerful than TM alone, which in itself is supposed to bring enlightenment within 10 years, has not yet produced any enlightened individuals. Also no one actually levitates, which brings up more questions.
Maharishi states that there are stages of levitation, hopping like frogs being the first. He later amends that to shaking being the first and hopping being the second. Since people are already at stage 2 (hopping like frogs on floors covered with thick foam), Maharishi claims that very soon people will be flying above the taxis, and that TM teachers will be running to the mountains to get away from all the people who want to learn TM.
Maharishi shifts the emphasis from getting enlightened more quickly through TM-Sidhi practice to the effect of the practice of TM-Sidhis in groups. Maharishi claims group practice will reduce negativity in the spiritual and psychic atmosphere, and eventually lead to world peace - another fine marketing ploy to redirect TM believers' attention away from what they are not getting to promises of future rewards. Maharishi emphasizes the importance of living and working in the same locale so as to be able to practice "program" together. This also has the effect of concentrating the people who are contributing regular revenue to Maharishi into a group that can help manage group point of view to keep the believers believing.
1986: Revenues need a boost. Maharishi reveals that he, with his amazing enlightened consciousness, has delved into and revealed the full value of natural law in the ancient Indian system of health care called ayurveda. Of all the rishis and holy men and women in India, only Maharishi was able to revive the real deal of ancient ayurveda that had fallen into corruption over the years.
(A little research will reveal that Maharishi actually didn't cognize or know anything about ayurveda, and relied on ayurvedic practitioners like Dwivedi, Balraj Maharishi and Triguna, whom he flattered into working for him.)
"Maharishi Ayurveda" gives a plentiful opportunity to market goods and services to true believers who were once told that all they needed to lead a high-quality life was TM 20 minutes twice a day.
Ayurvedic consultations, herbal formulas, massages and various therapies are marketed and sold.
A month or two after ayurveda is rolled out, Maharishi reveals that another part of ayurveda is jyotish, a form of astrology practiced in India. This was after years of Maharishi warning TM meditators not to do or be involved with astrology. Maharishi never gives any explanation on why astrology is suddenly acceptable, except to say that his "Maharishi Jyotish" is superior to Western astrology.
Now Maharishi and the TM Movement recommend that everyone get a yearly jotish chart done to improve the quality of one's life and be able to discern if one has any negative karma that one could then alleviate with jyotish remedies. These remedies include wearing very expensive gemstones, using certain kinds of mantras to curry favor with whatever planet is out of whack in your jyotish chart, and having Hindu sacrifices or prayers called "yagyas" done for you regularly. Yagyas cost from $1,000 to $1,000,000 apiece.
What came to be known with typical hubris as "Maharishi Yagyas" becomes an important source of revenue for Maharishi and the TM Movement.
1970's or 1980's: Maharishi solicits funds for constructing many different kinds of buildings called by various names that purport to have various purposes. Most of these are never built, and no accounting is ever given as to the whereabouts of the funds that had been raised for them. Most of the ones that are built fall into disuse or are sold. This includes Maharishi Veda Land, a vedic-themed fantasy park that the TM movement heavily marketed, promoted and raised money for. It was never built.
1986 on: The emphasis is on selling TM, TM-Sidhis, teacher training courses, various kinds of in-residence courses, ayurveda and all its herbal and massage and consultation products, jyotish charts and jyotish remedies, especially yagyas, for unpleasant karma. At one point a "vedic observatory" was offered, or rather a plastic model of an astronomical observatory that supposedly was used in ancient India. This was offered for several thousand dollars, and all one had to do was look at it a few minutes a day to get the good vibrations from it.
1990's: Maharishi announces to his TM teachers that the emphasis is to be on selling TM and all its adjunct programs to the millionaires and billionaires of the world. From time to time Maharishi asks the wealthy people of the world and the governments of the world to give him huge amounts of money so that he can formulate courses to create world peace. The amounts he requests range from $20 million to $1 billion.
1990's(?): Maharishi begins to offer various healing techniques from various Indian healers, using what sound like shamanic techniques - blowing the breath on the client, making various kinds of sounds directed toward certain parts of the client's body and so on. These cost from several hundred dollars to more than a thousand for each session.
1990's and 2000's: Maharishi continually exhorts the world to give him money to create permanent groups of people practicing the TM-Sidhi program and Maharishi Yagya program. Much money is donated, few of the groups are ever created.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
TIMELINE: Maharishi Sells the Soporific of TM and All Its Adjunct Programs
1950's: Maharishi begins to sell TM; tells people they can live 200% of life and even get enlightened.
Beginning in 1961: Maharishi begins to market his teacher training courses to train people to teach TM, in essence giving him as many salesmen and saleswomen as possible all over the world to sell him and his brand of meditation, and later all his other goods, products and services. He also begins offering and selling in-residence courses to give people longer experience in meditation.
1967: After announcing he is retiring back to India, he meets the Beatles, and every reporter in the world shoves a camera and microphone in his face.
1967 on: Capitalizing on his Beatles-fueled notoriety, Maharishi continues to sell TM as a means of spiritual rejuvenation. At some point Maharishi sells "advanced techniques" for the devoted to accelerate their race to enlightenment, including techniques to sleep better and quit smoking. Maharishi also, in response to questions about time, states that 3-5 years is how long it takes to get enlightened through the practice of TM. This time frame is later expanded to 10 years or more after many complain they have been meditating longer than 5 years and are still not enlightened.
Early 1970's: Maharishi realizes that all the long-haired hippies who are coming to him asking all kinds of spiritual questions are not going to give him what he wants. He realizes it's their parents who have the money, so he begins to market TM to "the responsible people of society" from the cradle of science - and dubious pseudo-science at that.
Merv Griffin learns TM and gives Maharishi a big boost by having him on Merv's talk show. Lots of people get initiated into TM on the strength of their love for Merv.
Early to mid-1970's: Maharishi continues to use celebrity endorsements from Clint Eastwood, Mary Tyler Moore and others to try to keep the Merv wave going. It doesn't last long.
1974: With initiations and therefore revenues down, Maharishi secretly begins to experiment on TM teachers, charging them for the privilege of being human guinea pigs on expensive courses as Maharishi develops his own version of the sutra yoga of Patanjali. Very secret.
1976: Ignoring the massive amounts of physical and emotional distress (called "unstressing" by Maharishi) that some initiators experience during the sutras courses, Maharishi directs all TM centers to reveal the TM-Sidhi Program for regular folks. TM loses much of its scientifically-backed credibility upon Maharishi's announcement that he can teach people to fly. Many people, including some TM teachers, distance themselves from TM at this time.
But Maharishi knows what he is doing, because those who are left in the TM fold, who can stomach his ridiculous and unfounded claims, could possibly (and hopefully, from his point of view,) be hooked for life. Maharishi claims that the TM-Sidhi practice is "10,000 times more powerful" than practicing TM alone.
The race to inner space is on, and those who have the money rush to become supermen or superwomen through the practice of the TM-Sidhis. Maharishi markets the new program at one point with exactly that blandishment: "Learn TM-Sidhis to become a superman."
Due to intense and ongoing physical and mental distress (still called "unstressing") on the part of MANY participants of the new program, Maharishi announces that from now on, one has to take OTHER courses, such as the TM-Sidhi Preparatory courses, to qualify for the TM-Sidhis themselves. Odd that an enlightened man couldn't have foreseen that happening. More money is taken in through the TM-Sidhi Prep courses.
Late 1970's to early 1980's: Problems crop up with TM-Sidhi revenues. People begin to question how a program that is 10,000 times more powerful than TM alone, which in itself is supposed to bring enlightenment within 10 years, has not yet produced any enlightened individuals. Also no one actually levitates, which brings up more questions.
Maharishi states that there are stages of levitation, hopping like frogs being the first. He later amends that to shaking being the first and hopping being the second. Since people are already at stage 2 (hopping like frogs on floors covered with thick foam), Maharishi claims that very soon people will be flying above the taxis, and that TM teachers will be running to the mountains to get away from all the people who want to learn TM.
Maharishi shifts the emphasis from getting enlightened more quickly through TM-Sidhi practice to the effect of the practice of TM-Sidhis in groups. Maharishi claims group practice will reduce negativity in the spiritual and psychic atmosphere, and eventually lead to world peace - another fine marketing ploy to redirect TM believers' attention away from what they are not getting to promises of future rewards. Maharishi emphasizes the importance of living and working in the same locale so as to be able to practice "program" together. This also has the effect of concentrating the people who are contributing regular revenue to Maharishi into a group that can help manage group point of view to keep the believers believing.
1986: Revenues need a boost. Maharishi reveals that he, with his amazing enlightened consciousness, has delved into and revealed the full value of natural law in the ancient Indian system of health care called ayurveda. Of all the rishis and holy men and women in India, only Maharishi was able to revive the real deal of ancient ayurveda that had fallen into corruption over the years.
(A little research will reveal that Maharishi actually didn't cognize or know anything about ayurveda, and relied on ayurvedic practitioners like Dwivedi, Balraj Maharishi and Triguna, whom he flattered into working for him.)
"Maharishi Ayurveda" gives a plentiful opportunity to market goods and services to true believers who were once told that all they needed to lead a high-quality life was TM 20 minutes twice a day.
Ayurvedic consultations, herbal formulas, massages and various therapies are marketed and sold.
A month or two after ayurveda is rolled out, Maharishi reveals that another part of ayurveda is jyotish, a form of astrology practiced in India. This was after years of Maharishi warning TM meditators not to do or be involved with astrology. Maharishi never gives any explanation on why astrology is suddenly acceptable, except to say that his "Maharishi Jyotish" is superior to Western astrology.
Now Maharishi and the TM Movement recommend that everyone get a yearly jotish chart done to improve the quality of one's life and be able to discern if one has any negative karma that one could then alleviate with jyotish remedies. These remedies include wearing very expensive gemstones, using certain kinds of mantras to curry favor with whatever planet is out of whack in your jyotish chart, and having Hindu sacrifices or prayers called "yagyas" done for you regularly. Yagyas cost from $1,000 to $1,000,000 apiece.
What came to be known with typical hubris as "Maharishi Yagyas" becomes an important source of revenue for Maharishi and the TM Movement.
1970's or 1980's: Maharishi solicits funds for constructing many different kinds of buildings called by various names that purport to have various purposes. Most of these are never built, and no accounting is ever given as to the whereabouts of the funds that had been raised for them. Most of the ones that are built fall into disuse or are sold. This includes Maharishi Veda Land, a vedic-themed fantasy park that the TM movement heavily marketed, promoted and raised money for. It was never built.
1986 on: The emphasis is on selling TM, TM-Sidhis, teacher training courses, various kinds of in-residence courses, ayurveda and all its herbal and massage and consultation products, jyotish charts and jyotish remedies, especially yagyas, for unpleasant karma. At one point a "vedic observatory" was offered, or rather a plastic model of an astronomical observatory that supposedly was used in ancient India. This was offered for several thousand dollars, and all one had to do was look at it a few minutes a day to get the good vibrations from it.
1990's: Maharishi announces to his TM teachers that the emphasis is to be on selling TM and all its adjunct programs to the millionaires and billionaires of the world. From time to time Maharishi asks the wealthy people of the world and the governments of the world to give him huge amounts of money so that he can formulate courses to create world peace. The amounts he requests range from $20 million to $1 billion.
1990's(?): Maharishi begins to offer various healing techniques from various Indian healers, using what sound like shamanic techniques - blowing the breath on the client, making various kinds of sounds directed toward certain parts of the client's body and so on. These cost from several hundred dollars to more than a thousand for each session.
1990's and 2000's: Maharishi continually exhorts the world to give him money to create permanent groups of people practicing the TM-Sidhi program and Maharishi Yagya program. Much money is donated, few of the groups are ever created.
2000: Maharishi creates the "Global Country of World Peace," a non-existent country that exists only in the minds of the true believers in Maharishi and everything he says. This is interesting because in...
2002: Maharishi creates what he calls "the global development currency Raam Mudra." The Raam is a generally unrecognized and nearly unusable currency that Maharishi claims he created to alleviate poverty in the world. The only places the Raam is used are in TM facilities and communities. In these communities, one Raam is said to be worth ten US dollars. The TM organization attempts to sell the Raam to anyone who will buy it.
2004: Maharishi and Dr. Benjamin Feldman, Minister of Finance and Planning of the Global Country of World Peace, announce that the Raam development currency is now backed by gold. No word is given on who owns the gold or where the gold is located.
Today the TM organization says, "Some might claim that since there is no gold or other material asset backing up the issue of the complementary currency, it will lead to inflation. This is not a valid argument, because the RAAM is backed by material assets—the new and more profitable crops that can be grown in the nation’s precious soil, and the underutilized energy and creativity of the people of the nation." Source http://www.globalcountry.org/wp/finance-and-planning/
No word from the TM movement as to what happened to the gold that once backed the Raam currency.
2005: Maharishi creates the Raja training courses. Maharishi charges $1,000,000 per person for these courses.
He also tells all TM teachers (whom Maharishi has retitled "Governors of the Age of Enlightenment") that they will no longer be permitted to teach TM until they take a "Refresher and Recertification Course." The TM teachers are required to pay for this out of their own pockets at a cost of a couple thousand dollars per person.
2005-2006: Maharishi rolls out yet another fabulous aspect of the vedas, this time called sthapatya veda, the "science" of vedic architecture, an Indian version of feng shui that promises all sorts of benefits for people who live in a home with a proper alignment and orientation.
Maharishi claims that he suddenly realized that the whole world needed to redesign all buildings in the world to conform not just to ancient Indian ideas of architecture, but to HIS version.
Maharishi is very clear that not any kind of sthapatya veda or vastu veda would do, only his brand, appropriately called "Maharishi Sthapatya Veda." All others are off-base. Maharishi is also very adamant that if one lives or works in a building with a south-facing entrance, all sorts of problems would occur in that individual's life and family.
No word on why TM (which was once all one needed to improve life on all physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and relationship levels) and the TM-Sidhi program (which is 10,000 times more powerful than TM alone) would be ineffective if one were not living in a Maharishi Vastu Veda home.
2008: Maharishi dies. Since that time, the leaders of the TM movement are using David Lynch and his foundation to market TM as a scientifically-backed and proven program. They are attempting to sanitize the image of TM using the exact same marketing techniques and even the same language that was used by the TM movement in the early 1970's.
Using celebrity endorsements and TM practitioners who are placed in news media outlets such as Soledad Obrien, George Stephanopoulos and various writers for the Huffington Post, they are marketing pre-TM- Sidhis-program TM, ignoring or minimizing all the other programs and aspects of the TM movement. It is my understanding that when potential students visit Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa for their Visitors Weekend, the gold-crowned, silk-robed "rajas" who administer the TM movement are never seen nor mentioned, just to pick one example.
I may have missed some things, but that's a part of the TM timeline as it has unfolded.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael H. Jackson is a former TM junkie who feels learning TM was one of the biggest mistakes he ever made. He lives in South Carolina running his own computer repair business and working part time as a freelance writer.
2002: Maharishi creates what he calls "the global development currency Raam Mudra." The Raam is a generally unrecognized and nearly unusable currency that Maharishi claims he created to alleviate poverty in the world. The only places the Raam is used are in TM facilities and communities. In these communities, one Raam is said to be worth ten US dollars. The TM organization attempts to sell the Raam to anyone who will buy it.
2004: Maharishi and Dr. Benjamin Feldman, Minister of Finance and Planning of the Global Country of World Peace, announce that the Raam development currency is now backed by gold. No word is given on who owns the gold or where the gold is located.
Today the TM organization says, "Some might claim that since there is no gold or other material asset backing up the issue of the complementary currency, it will lead to inflation. This is not a valid argument, because the RAAM is backed by material assets—the new and more profitable crops that can be grown in the nation’s precious soil, and the underutilized energy and creativity of the people of the nation." Source http://www.globalcountry.org/wp/finance-and-planning/
No word from the TM movement as to what happened to the gold that once backed the Raam currency.
2005: Maharishi creates the Raja training courses. Maharishi charges $1,000,000 per person for these courses.
He also tells all TM teachers (whom Maharishi has retitled "Governors of the Age of Enlightenment") that they will no longer be permitted to teach TM until they take a "Refresher and Recertification Course." The TM teachers are required to pay for this out of their own pockets at a cost of a couple thousand dollars per person.
2005-2006: Maharishi rolls out yet another fabulous aspect of the vedas, this time called sthapatya veda, the "science" of vedic architecture, an Indian version of feng shui that promises all sorts of benefits for people who live in a home with a proper alignment and orientation.
Maharishi claims that he suddenly realized that the whole world needed to redesign all buildings in the world to conform not just to ancient Indian ideas of architecture, but to HIS version.
Maharishi is very clear that not any kind of sthapatya veda or vastu veda would do, only his brand, appropriately called "Maharishi Sthapatya Veda." All others are off-base. Maharishi is also very adamant that if one lives or works in a building with a south-facing entrance, all sorts of problems would occur in that individual's life and family.
No word on why TM (which was once all one needed to improve life on all physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and relationship levels) and the TM-Sidhi program (which is 10,000 times more powerful than TM alone) would be ineffective if one were not living in a Maharishi Vastu Veda home.
2008: Maharishi dies. Since that time, the leaders of the TM movement are using David Lynch and his foundation to market TM as a scientifically-backed and proven program. They are attempting to sanitize the image of TM using the exact same marketing techniques and even the same language that was used by the TM movement in the early 1970's.
Using celebrity endorsements and TM practitioners who are placed in news media outlets such as Soledad Obrien, George Stephanopoulos and various writers for the Huffington Post, they are marketing pre-TM- Sidhis-program TM, ignoring or minimizing all the other programs and aspects of the TM movement. It is my understanding that when potential students visit Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa for their Visitors Weekend, the gold-crowned, silk-robed "rajas" who administer the TM movement are never seen nor mentioned, just to pick one example.
I may have missed some things, but that's a part of the TM timeline as it has unfolded.
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Michael H. Jackson is a former TM junkie who feels learning TM was one of the biggest mistakes he ever made. He lives in South Carolina running his own computer repair business and working part time as a freelance writer.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
How much does TM cost? (including the "extras")
One of our readers recently asked in the "comments" section of this blog how much the entire TM program ultimately costs. I thought that was an important question, and decided to devote a post to answering it.
In some places I have just had to give educated guesses on costs. That's because some of the TM-sponsored websites describe the product or service but don't give a price. Also, some of the websites are old and the prices have changed. Also, sometimes policies change. Where I had to guess the price, I have guessed on the lower end rather than the higher end. If you have more accurate pricing information, please share it in the "Comments" section below.
TM-Free Blog and the author of this post do not offer, sell, teach, endorse, recommend, believe in, encourage the purchase of (etc., etc.) any of the products and services mentioned in this post. Neither do we non-endorse, non-recommend, discourage, etc. them. Rather, the purposes of this post are: to cast a light on the actual cost of living life the TM way, as opposed to the impression the TM organization (TMO) tries to give about the cost. Also to examine if the TMO, which bills itself as a secular educational movement, is actually trying to disseminate a type of Hinduism. Also to look at how ethical the TMO is in its advertising and in where the money goes, and how central to the TMO mission is their raising of money.
Please note that some of these costs are one-time only fees (such as cost for learning TM). Other costs can be repeated over and over. OK, here goes. All quotations are from TM-sponsored websites.
1. Cost of personal instruction in TM: $1,500 (?)
2. First Advanced Technique: $1,500 (?)
3. Second Advanced Technique: $1,500 (?)
4. Third Advanced Technique: $1,500 (?)
5. Fourth Advanced Technique: $1,500 (?)
6. TM-Sidhis Program: $5,000 (?)
7. Fee to practice TM-Sidhis program at a TM Center: $20?/month, or $240?/year
8. Weekend retreats: $250?/weekend. Recommended on their website as the most valuable thing you can do for your evolution. Recommended: at least 4 a year = $1,000?/year. "These beautiful advanced programs are the golden key to living the full potential of life in higher states of consciousness - Enlightenment - bringing perfect health, happiness, and the fulfillment of desires." - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. (From "Advanced Programs for Meditators" at http:/www.advanced.tm.org/).
9. Comprehensive Life Kundali (in depth study for self): $400
10. Maharishi Jyotish Consultation (provides answers to questions or gives predictions): $150 for 15 minutes, $450 for 45 minutes.
11. Maharishi Yagya(SM) Performances "to create life-supporting effects and help avoid...unwanted...before it manifests." The larger (more expensive) yagyas are said to produce more effective results. Size should be "on basis of intensity of problems or speed of achieving objective." The principle to apply is, "Do not perform yagyas below one's financial capacity." (From www.maharishiyagya.org/apply/index.html.) No prices are given. Personal communications with author have stated that yagyas have been performed for $3,000, $5,000, $10,000 and $15,000. "Donations are used to support Maharishi Yagya performances and to promote education and training programs in Maharishi Vedic Science and Technologies(SM)....It is wise to enhance...influence[s] through Maharishi Yagya performances year after year, and even month after month...."
12. Muhurta (selection of favorable moment for beginning a new activity): $300.
13. Compatibility Analysis (marriage, business partnerships): $300
14. Ascertaining correct birth time (if you don't know a birth time, for TMO astrology services): $600
15. Nam Karan (provides first syllable for new baby or company): $200
16. Additions to a Comprehensive Life Kundali (adding relatives): $300 per relative. "It is vital...to have one's Comprehensive Life Kundali examined regularly...in order to determine what the future may bring...."
17. Maharishi Yagya(SM) performance for the nation, "to enliven total Natural Law for each nation....A new set of Maharishi Yagya performances for the nation will begin...approximately every 2 weeks...Many large contributions are needed...Catagory A donations are $1,000,000 (USD). ...Category J are $1,250....With a contribution of $1,250 or more, your name will be acknowledged in the Maharishi Yagya performance...The first priority is to have your personal Maharish Yagya performances on a regular basis...." You may pledge to donate for a Maharish Yagya performance for the nation anywhere from one time to "monthly forever."
18. Maharishi Vedic Vibration Technology - for health. Prices range from $187/session for serious health conditions, and take 12 sessions for a total of $2250; or $450 for a Standard session, or $900 for an "enhanced consultation." Sessions are 40 to 60 minutes. "The fees listed are RESEARCH FEES (emphasis in original) offered for those agreeing to participate in our Research Program by completing a short self-evaluation form after each session and periodic follow-up self-evaluations over the course of one year. For those unwilling to participate in the Research, the fee is US $4,000 per disorder for 3 sessions." (i.e. $1,333/session).
19. Maharishi Gemstones. Primary gem cost: ?
20. Maharishi Gemstones. Secondary gem cost: ?
21. Maharishi Ayurveda consultations: Cost ? Some components of the consultation are #22, 23 and 24:
22. Recommended Maharishi herbal food supplements. Cost: ?
23. Detoxification program. Cost: ?
24. Educational follow-up. Cost: ?
25. Maharishi Vastu Architecture. Services include: predesigned homes, custom design, consulting with developers. Cost: ? From 2010 website: "Over $400,000,000 (four hundred million dollars U.S.) in Fortune-Creating(R) homes and other buildings, and a score of communities have been built worldwide...."
26. - or - buying or renting a MaharishiVastu Architecture home. Cost: ?
27. Regular requests for donations from the David Lynch Foundation, special appeals after tsunamis, requests for donations to transport TMers to group meditations, etc. Cost ???
28. The Raj (health spa): from $533 a day to $1,150 a day. Stay is from 3 days to 30 days. Repeat as desired.
29. TM Teacher Training: approx. $15,000
How much does that come to? Have I left anything out? What have been your experiences with the TMO and money? How much money have you given to the TMO? How much money have people you know given to the TMO? Have you found yourself spending more money for TMO products and services than you had anticipated? Have you found your TMO products and services to be worth the price? Have you ever been pressured or guilt-tripped into spending more? Other musings welcome!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
TM Leader Hagelin Perverts Science to Sell Expensive TM Products
John Hagelin is the national director of the Transcendental Meditation(R) Program in the United States. (His official title is "Raja of Invincible America"). He has a Ph.D. in physics from Harvard University.
A reader of TM-Free Blog who is on a TM email list was kind enough to send the TM-Free co-editors an email which he received from the TM organization in early September 2012. It included a letter from Dr. Hagelin. Highlights from Hagelin's letter are as follows. (All quoted material is in red).
"Dear Friends,
As a direct result of the generosity and vision of our donors, the Maharishi National Yagya(SM) program has grown into a powerful force for America. ["Maharishi Yagyas" are, briefly, large groups of people chanting Sanskrit for many hours or days in a manner taught by the TM Organization -ed.].
We are beginning to see a correlation between the specific appeals of these massive Yagyas and positive developments for the Nation.
Last month our National Yagya included an appeal for rain where needed[.]
- Since the start of that Yagya we have been receiving many beautiful reports from supporters all around the country of welcome and refreshing rain.
- In Fairfield, Iowa, where the largest number of National Yagya supporters reside, it started to rain when the Yagya began in India....
Previous National Yagyas included an appeal to increase the number of Pandits [TM org. chanters - ed.] in the U.S. campus[.]
- 556 Pandits now have passports....
- The first phase of the kitchen expansion to accommodate the new Pandits has been completed....
...In this time of great opportunity we hope that you will be inspired to give and-if at all possible-to commit to regular monthly sponsorship. [Emphasis in original.]
Our next 11-day National Yagya will begin on September 19. Please click now [emphasis in original] to offer your support....
With a donation of $1,250 or more, you-or anyone you designate-will be named in the Sankalpa [intention - ed.] of a National Yagya(SM) performance.
For smaller donations, a new feature on our web site allows you to make a gift in honor or memory of someone...."
As to the scientific sophistication of this national leader with a Ph.D., I quote from a Wikipedia article entitled "Correlation does not imply causation." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correlation_does_not_imply_causation):
"Correlation does not imply causation" is a phrase used in science and statistics to emphasize that a correlation between two variables does not necessarily imply that one causes the other....
Example
With a decrease in the wearing of hats, there has been an increase in global warming over the same period.
Therefore global warming is caused by people abandoning the practice of wearing hats.
The website Sceptic School (http://scepticschool.com/2012/05/07more-logical-fallacies/) offers an excellent introduction to logical fallacies. The author of the website teaches logic to 12-14 year olds, so one would think a Ph.D. would be familiar with this stuff. From the website:
"Post-hoc ergo propter hoc - saying that because A happened before B, A must have caused B....[C]laiming that because a rooster crows before the sunrise, a rooster's crow causes the sunrise."
So let's look again at Hagelin's comment: "We are beginning to see a correlation between the specific appeals of these massive Yagyas and positive developments for the Nation." i.e. the yagyas caused rain, and caused more chanters to head to the U.S.
Whatever is Hagelin thinking? Why does he write messages like this? Does he get a commission? Is he so cynical that he thinks gullible people will believe him? Is his mind so damaged by the cult-think of Maheshism that he can no longer think scientifically?
And what about the people who buy the yagyas? Have they lost the capacity to think logically? Lots of people must be convinced, because the IRS tax form for non-profits (yes, you can get a tax deduction for buying Maharishi yagyas) for the Brahmananda Saraswati Foundation (http://www.vedicpandits.org/pdf/BSF-2011-Form-990.pdf) shows that in 2010, total donations received for purchase of yagyas were $2,027,650, and in 2011 total donations were $3,714,902.
If you want to read more hard sell, guilt-induction, begging and flattering to obtain money; and pseudo-science, you can google "Maharishi yagyas."
Do you have any experience with the TM organization's yagyas? With the pandits? With the TMO's begging for money? With the TMO's guilt-tripping? With their poor science?
A reader of TM-Free Blog who is on a TM email list was kind enough to send the TM-Free co-editors an email which he received from the TM organization in early September 2012. It included a letter from Dr. Hagelin. Highlights from Hagelin's letter are as follows. (All quoted material is in red).
"Dear Friends,
As a direct result of the generosity and vision of our donors, the Maharishi National Yagya(SM) program has grown into a powerful force for America. ["Maharishi Yagyas" are, briefly, large groups of people chanting Sanskrit for many hours or days in a manner taught by the TM Organization -ed.].
We are beginning to see a correlation between the specific appeals of these massive Yagyas and positive developments for the Nation.
Last month our National Yagya included an appeal for rain where needed[.]
- Since the start of that Yagya we have been receiving many beautiful reports from supporters all around the country of welcome and refreshing rain.
- In Fairfield, Iowa, where the largest number of National Yagya supporters reside, it started to rain when the Yagya began in India....
Previous National Yagyas included an appeal to increase the number of Pandits [TM org. chanters - ed.] in the U.S. campus[.]
- 556 Pandits now have passports....
- The first phase of the kitchen expansion to accommodate the new Pandits has been completed....
...In this time of great opportunity we hope that you will be inspired to give and-if at all possible-to commit to regular monthly sponsorship. [Emphasis in original.]
Our next 11-day National Yagya will begin on September 19. Please click now [emphasis in original] to offer your support....
With a donation of $1,250 or more, you-or anyone you designate-will be named in the Sankalpa [intention - ed.] of a National Yagya(SM) performance.
For smaller donations, a new feature on our web site allows you to make a gift in honor or memory of someone...."
As to the scientific sophistication of this national leader with a Ph.D., I quote from a Wikipedia article entitled "Correlation does not imply causation." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correlation_does_not_imply_causation):
"Correlation does not imply causation" is a phrase used in science and statistics to emphasize that a correlation between two variables does not necessarily imply that one causes the other....
Example
With a decrease in the wearing of hats, there has been an increase in global warming over the same period.
Therefore global warming is caused by people abandoning the practice of wearing hats.
The website Sceptic School (http://scepticschool.com/2012/05/07more-logical-fallacies/) offers an excellent introduction to logical fallacies. The author of the website teaches logic to 12-14 year olds, so one would think a Ph.D. would be familiar with this stuff. From the website:
"Post-hoc ergo propter hoc - saying that because A happened before B, A must have caused B....[C]laiming that because a rooster crows before the sunrise, a rooster's crow causes the sunrise."
So let's look again at Hagelin's comment: "We are beginning to see a correlation between the specific appeals of these massive Yagyas and positive developments for the Nation." i.e. the yagyas caused rain, and caused more chanters to head to the U.S.
Whatever is Hagelin thinking? Why does he write messages like this? Does he get a commission? Is he so cynical that he thinks gullible people will believe him? Is his mind so damaged by the cult-think of Maheshism that he can no longer think scientifically?
And what about the people who buy the yagyas? Have they lost the capacity to think logically? Lots of people must be convinced, because the IRS tax form for non-profits (yes, you can get a tax deduction for buying Maharishi yagyas) for the Brahmananda Saraswati Foundation (http://www.vedicpandits.org/pdf/BSF-2011-Form-990.pdf) shows that in 2010, total donations received for purchase of yagyas were $2,027,650, and in 2011 total donations were $3,714,902.
If you want to read more hard sell, guilt-induction, begging and flattering to obtain money; and pseudo-science, you can google "Maharishi yagyas."
Do you have any experience with the TM organization's yagyas? With the pandits? With the TMO's begging for money? With the TMO's guilt-tripping? With their poor science?
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Scientifically validated. Except when it's not.
One such set of products is "Maharishi Vedic Astrology." Yes, you read that right. The same organization that promotes the allegedly scientifically validated Transcendental Meditation sells astrology. This form of astrology, which is, as with all things sold by the TM movement, is claimed to be part of the religious, Vedic traditions of India, and thus should be accepted without question as being safe, effective, and of course, better than any other form of astrology that might be offered, say, by your friendly neighborhood storefront psychic.
But as with all things related to TM, there is a price tag, and unlike your neighborhood storefront psychic, "Maharishi Jyotish" consultations, which claim to offer predictions of future events after determination of a horoscope, are billed at the rate of ten dollars per minute, in fifteen-minute increments.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Disaster in Japan? Send us money for exotic religious rituals!
Just when you think the global organization that teaches Transcendental Meditation can't sink any deeper, "Global Country" leaders are now organizing monetary support for Vedic rituals performed by "specially trained Maharishi Vedic Pandits of India" as their unique way of providing "urgent relief for Japan." They claim that these rituals "will be vastly more powerful and effective than what the general public can achieve by contributing to rescue efforts and similar, classical approaches."
Meanwhile, the TM movement's "Governors" - teachers of Transcendental Meditation - have been instructed to send a special e-mail message announcing this campaign:
So what they're basically saying is, send us lots of money so we can arrange for fabulously expensive religious rituals in Fairfield or India that will be much more effective than actually working toward feeding, clothing or housing people affected by the earthquake and tsunami. Trust us. After all, we wear crowns and we've appointed our very own King and after all that you still take us seriously, so we know you'll take this seriously too.
Update, 21 Mar 2011 16:02 EDT: Here's the latest e-mail from "Raja" John Hagelin.
Large Maharishi Yagyas being organized to provide urgent relief for Japan
Global Good News Translate This Article
19 March 2011
In response to the critical situation in Japan, the Global Country of World Peace is organizing a special global emergency initiative to create a very large, sustained Maharishi Yagya performance—to bring immediate and lasting relief to the people, neutralize negative influences, and prevent further calamities in the nation.
Yagyas are ancient precise performances by specially trained Maharishi Vedic Pandits of India, which create specific life-supporting influences for individuals, families, and nations from the field of pure consciousness, the Unified Field of total Natural Law.
Leaders of the Global Country around the world, including Dr Bevan Morris, Prime Minister, and its Administrators in the United States, Japan, and India, are promoting this urgent initiative among participants in Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's programmes and well-wishers of humanity in every nation.
Addressing Transcendental Meditation Teachers and practitioners in the United States, Dr John Hagelin, Administrator of the programme in that country, explained, 'While we are contributing a great deal through our daily meditations—especially those on the Invincible America Assembly**—there is one more very powerful thing we can and must do.
'We must harness the Vedic technology of prevention throughYagya. Whereas group meditation and Yogic Flying produce a powerful, generalized, non-directed surge of positivity for the general well-being of society—Maharishi Yagyas create a very focused, concentrated influence of positivity designed to neutralize a specific threat.'
A very large, sustained Yagya for Japan 'is exactly what is needed now to avert further calamity in Japan,' said Dr Hagelin and the other leaders.
While it may be true that certain rituals may be performed as a result of this campaign, I can't help but notice that this is an appeal for people to send large sums of money to an organization that's directly connected with the particular Vedic/Hindu sect in India that originally spawned Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, known as the Brahmanand Saraswati Foundation, headed by the Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math. The lineage of this Shankaracharya, which only dates to its revival in 1941, has long been in dispute, but this organization apparently serves to substantiate the TM movement's claim to be derived from a particular Indian spiritual tradition, and it is the beneficiary of various Western fundraising efforts like this one.
Meanwhile, the TM movement's "Governors" - teachers of Transcendental Meditation - have been instructed to send a special e-mail message announcing this campaign:
In that special announcement addressed to "Sidhas and Governors of the United States" is the core of the movement's appeal for boatloads of money. Unlike the movement's practices of the distant past, they make no secret of the fact that the donations won't even be used for the things the TM movement used to claim justified charging fees for meditation instruction; funds collected in this campaign will only pay for people doing rituals that allegedly have some magical influence on the planet. Unlike the movement's promotions of Transcendental Meditation, for which they claim to have achieved some level of scientific validation, this program is fully in the realm of unsubstantiated religious claims and practices.
Dear Governors,As we are all aware, the situation in Japan has become extremely critical.To help alleviate the growing crisis and avert the potential for a nuclear catastrophe, Raja Hagelin with Raja Ram, Dr. Bevan Morris and the International leadership of Maharishi's Movement are urging the immediate creation of a large and powerful Yagya for Japan.
They have created a special announcement to be sent to ALL Governors and Sidhas in your area as well as the more experienced Meditators who would understand the power of the preventative technology of Maharishi Yagya.
To this end, we invite you to join us in the establishment of a special emergency fund to create a very large, sustained Yagya for Japan.
This is exactly what is needed now to avert further calamity in Japan.
We need everyone—hundreds of people—to contribute whatever they can. This will be vastly more powerful and effective than what the general public can achieve by contributing to rescue efforts and similar, classical approaches. Only we have the knowledge of how to engage the managing intelligence of Nature so directly and so powerfully. And with that knowledge comes the responsibility to act.
The Brahmananda Saraswati Foundation, with the Shankaracharya as its Patron and Maharaj Adhiraj Rajaraam as its President, was established by Maharishi to support the Vedic Pandits in India and to perpetuate the Vedic Tradition, including the Vedic technologies of Jyotish and Yagya. For the special purposes of this global effort to bring immediate and lasting relief to the people of Japan, this 501c3 charitable fund will be used.
PLEASE, EVERYONE: LET’S GIVE GENEROUSLY!
With a contribution of $1,250 or more, your name will be acknowledged in the Maharishi Yagya Performance, and we will provide you with special guidelines to follow during the days of the performance.
Please send your donations today. Include your name and address, and you will receive a letter acknowledging your tax-deductible gift.
So what they're basically saying is, send us lots of money so we can arrange for fabulously expensive religious rituals in Fairfield or India that will be much more effective than actually working toward feeding, clothing or housing people affected by the earthquake and tsunami. Trust us. After all, we wear crowns and we've appointed our very own King and after all that you still take us seriously, so we know you'll take this seriously too.
Update, 21 Mar 2011 16:02 EDT: Here's the latest e-mail from "Raja" John Hagelin.
A Heartfelt "THANK YOU" from the People of JapanDear Sidhas and Governors of the United States,I want to thank you, profoundly, for your immediate and overwhelming response to this urgent appeal from the people of Japan.In less than two days, we have raised over $125,000 from approximately 350 generous souls. This is truly heartening, extraordinary, and absolutely beautiful.The Yagyas have begun! And they are being expanded continuously as your support flows in. Already, even from the mere sankalpa (commitment of intention) from so many, the dangerous compounding of nuclear mishaps and related danger to the population may be easing. It is too early to declare victory, and we must not become complacent. There is still much hardship, with the death toll now at a projected 18,000.Our immediate goal is to raise $200,000 to engage the largest possible, sustained Maharishi Yagyas for Japan. Amazingly, we are already mostly there-a historic and highly commendable response.For those who have not, please take a moment now to give generously. (The details are below.) Thanks to the uniquely powerful and profound Vedic wisdom and technologies Maharishi has blessed us with, we have the ability to accomplish what no-one else can.I am extremely proud of you. Our dear brothers and sisters in Japan, and indeed the whole global Movement, are thrilled and grateful for what you have done, and are doing.With heartfelt congratulations and deep thanks to all of you,Jai Guru DevRaja John Hagelin
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