Showing posts with label think free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label think free. Show all posts

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Gina creates her own blog "Coming To Life"

Hi Gang,

Many of TMFree readers follow John Knapp or Mike Doughney on their various websites and blogs.
Just letting you know that I've begun a personal blog, in addition to TMFree activism.
Posts may be erratic, depending upon time conflicts. I'm planning on at least one post weekly, hopefully more.
Please accept an open invitation to explore another site sometimes related to TMFree Blog conversation.

Coming To Life will be a story telling compliment to TMFree Blog.

"Stories for all who've lost their rose colored glasses, been ground to ashes, and arose stronger, with clearer vision to stand in their personal truth. As an inspirational woman once taught me, "to stand in the ambiguity." This blog will include stories related to an upbringing and family life with cult dynamic of the Transcendental Meditation Movement, birth stories loosely based upon my career as a Nurse-Midwife, along with others' stories of renewal and birth. Characters will be composite mosaics. Any similarity to actual products, or persons either living or dead, is purely coincidental, unless specifically stated otherwise. Any coincidental likeness and or words are not real."

Happy Spring! The season of rebirth!

Sunday, January 31, 2010

"Lies, Levitation, and Defamations Most Foul" by Doug Mesner - about Transcendental Meditation's diagnosis of "malignant negativity"

Seems TM-Free Blog is not the only proponent of free speech about TM Organizations' dysfunction to be threatened with legal action.

Another blog site recently provided a well written piece about their encounters with TM Organization attorneys.
The first paragraph is quoted below with a link to the remainder of the essay. Or simply click for the full article Lies, Levitation, and Defamations Most Foul, by doug — January 30, 2010.

As always, comments are welcome.

**************
Lies, Levitation, and Defamations Most Foul
by doug — January 30, 2010

The diagnosis is in: I have a malignant negativity, a “negative world view”, that prevents me from accepting the unique universal healing properties of Transcendental Meditation™ [TM]. My problem has been recognised by some of the top minds at Maharishi University (TM’s university in Fairfield, Iowa) who have expressed a willingness to take legal action against my writings so as to quarantine this ugly contagion – this hideous negativity that has deformed my critical thinking to the point in which it I can no longer recognise established scientific facts. According to TM™:

**********
For the rest of this article, click here.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

ICSA Orlando Workshop for People Born or Raised in Cultic Groups - REGISTER NOW. PLEASE TELL OTHERS.

I wish that a workshop, such as posted below, existed twenty some years ago when I left the TMO. Learning outside life on my own took quite a while, with many mistakes. Please pass this information to others raised in cults. TMFree does not maintain an official relationship with the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA). We offer this information as a service for our readers. Complete workshop information can be found at the links in this post. Gina personally knows the professionals running this workshop. They are professional, kind, knowledgeable and supportive. Working with them, and meeting others also raised in cult-type groups, can be of great help to those trying to make life on their own after leaving their family/cult.

*************

International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA)
Surviving and Moving On After a High Demand Group Experience
A Workshop for Second-Generation Former Members

Friday 3:00 p.m. April 17, 2009 to Sunday 2:00 p.m. April 19, 2009

Canterbury Retreat and Conference Center, 1601 Alafaya Trail, Oviedo, FL 32765 (407-365-5571)

Online Information and Registration: Copy and paste the following URL into your browser:

http://icsahome.com/infoserv_conferences/Workshops/2009_SGA_FL.asp

The International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) has run workshops for former members of high-demand, "cultic" groups for many years. In recent years increasing numbers of people born or raised in such groups (i.e., "second generation adults" - SGAs) have attended these workshops. These ex-members have special needs, which can be most effectively addressed through a workshop that focuses on them. SGAs do not have a "pre-cult identity" to which they can return. SGAs raised in fringe subcultures have to learn the implicit rules and expectations of mainstream culture. SGAs frequently have educational and other skill deficits that interfere with adjustment to mainstream culture. Having grown up in high-control groups that are often based on irrational belief systems, SGAs tend to struggle with issues of dependency, self-esteem, and social conflict. Because many SGAs were physically or sexually abused, they often have to deal with anger, resentment, and other emotions related to trauma. SGAs have difficulty getting help because they tend to lack finances and be wary of other people, including helpers.

This workshop will address the needs of SGAs through a series of brief didactic presentations (supplemented by written handouts) followed by discussions, to which attendees may contribute according to their comfort levels. Specifically, the workshop will address:

* critical thinking
* socialization, culture shock, and acculturation
* psychological development, child abuse and neglect, parenting styles, boundaries, and trust
* long-term psychological, educational, and emotional effects of growing up in a culture of abuse and neglect
* relationships with families and others

This workshop has been made possible by special donations and the willingness of facilitators to volunteer large amounts of their time. Without the dedication of these people, registration fees would be much higher than what is listed below. The donations cover a substantial portion of the total cost. Therefore, the fees listed below reflect a significant discount. Because many SGAs struggle economically, additional financial assistance is available for those in need. If you would like to apply for financial assistance, please contact ICSA.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Denial Makes the World Go Round

An interesting article about the dual purpose that denial serves for human coping.

Many of us crossed the line to detrimental denial in justifying continued Movement involvement, or avoiding facing it full-on after departure. Enjoy!

Denial makes the world go round.

Calling a spade a spade may be painful, but it's the only way to wake up and recover.

If it walks like a cult, quacks like a cult, acts like a cult, and looks like a cult.. well then...

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Something(s) Good IS Happening

Despite our harping on ultimate motives and damage within the TM Organization, some good folks who succumbed spurned creatively inspiring projects. Caring friendships often cross lines of belief-systems.

At Amherst's 1979 first "World Peace Assembly" and ongoing afterwards, M encouraged entrepreneurship. M's ultimate goal was to glean a percentage of proceeds from followers' successes and abject failures (through which M & family benefitted).

Individual determination generated some interesting & successful enterprises from TM practitioners. These individual successes are not TM successes. No need to "Jai Guru Dev" for individual determination and work ethic.

FF's "Ru" community now includes former TMers who continue to reside locally, devoted TMers, and grown TM-children who may not necessarily practice TM but know no other home.

For those interested, online radio KRUUFM of Fairfield Iowa features the creative upside of FF's TM's remnants - in a community at peace with its colorful identity.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Seeking Reader Submissions

A number of emailers have inquired lately about sharing their stories on TM-Free Blog. We are actively seeking new voices, stories, and viewpoints.

Consider posting with attribution or anonymously, if you prefer. Or if you don't trust your writing skills, consider working with one of our editors via telephone interview.

No matter how you contribute, you will retain copyright to your story, no story will post until you give final approval, and your confidentiality is assured.

If you are interested, drop me a line at jmknapp53@gmail.com.

THINK FREE: 05/10/07

THINK FREE is an irregular feature of TM-Free Blog. It features a summary of news about TM and other orgs labeled "cults" by critics.

Have a hot tip? See something we missed? Email jmknapp53@gmail.com.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

The Stages of Faith

Many TMers claim to be avidly "Spiritual."
Leaving the Movement may create a spiritual void.
This is a common experience when leaving a religiously based cult.

Some might find the following essay of interest - M. Scott Peck's analysis of personal spiritual development.

Peck is known for many writings including "The Road Less Traveled," "People of the Lie,"
"Abounding Grace an Anthology of Wisdom" and others.

The Stages of Faith that every victim of a destructive religious cult should know!

By M. Scott Peck, M.D.
Abridged by Richard Schwartz

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

THINK FREE: 04/10/07

THINK FREE is a regular feature of TM-Free Blog. It features a summary of news about TM and other orgs labeled "cults" by critics.

Have a hot tip? See something we missed? Email jmknapp53@gmail.com.

Monday, April 09, 2007

THINK FREE: 04/09/07

THINK FREE is a regular feature of TM-Free Blog. It features a summary of news about TM and other orgs labeled "cults" by critics.

Have a hot tip? See something we missed? Email jmknapp53@gmail.com.

Friday, March 30, 2007

THINK FREE: 03/30/07

THINK FREE is a regular feature of TM-Free Blog. It features a summary of news about TM and other orgs labeled "cults" by critics.

Have a hot tip? See something we missed? Email jmknapp53@gmail.com.

Thursday, March 29, 2007