Maharishi Mahesh Yogi


TO TM OR NOT TO TM?

The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi movement raises a storm everywhere




An educated Englishman once told me in the 1980s that in his view there had only been two things of value to come out of Asia in recent times: yoga and TM. I think by “yoga” he meant primarily hatha yoga and by TM transcendental meditation.

Leaving the yoga side out of the remit, one hears a great deal about TM. During the 1950s the Beatles were involved with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who said that if only a small proportion of the world’s population practised TM for 20 minutes every day international disputes and all manner of human problems would dissolve like night frost in morning sunshine.

I also seem to remember that after a time the Beatles put some distance between themselves and the Maharishi and one of them said afterwards that they had “thought he was God” and finally realised that he wasn’t. Not good publicity for TM.

I come into the picture to some extent because during the 1980s I was involved as a student in the School of Economic Science which, strange to relate, was mostly to do with philosophy and taught a kind of TM which had been adapted to the West by a man called Rolls.

At any rate, TM is set apart from other Eastern derived meditative practices in that it is part of but transcends the New Age category. Professionals such as medical doctors and lawyers, that is to say, people with their heads firmly on their shoulders, practice TM and say they benefit enormously.

The TM practitioner’s organisation, the Maharishi Vedic Educational trust states: “There is a rich, unbounded field of creativity, energy, and intelligence within each of us. To the degree we’re able to draw from this inner field of life, we grow in health, happiness, and success in our outer life.

“The Transcendental Meditation technique is a simple, natural procedure to gain deep rest - and contact that inner reservoir of creativity, energy and intelligence - to gain its support in all you do and to enrich your life day by day.

“Everyone can learn to practice the Transcendental Meditation technique successfully. It’s easy and enjoyable - just 20 minutes twice a day sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. It requires no effort or concentration, no special skills or change of lifestyle. You don’t even have to believe that it works! Meditate regularly twice a day and you’ll get results.

“During the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique, the mind and body settle down to experience a unique state of restful alertness. As the mind becomes more silent, the body becomes deeply relaxed. At the most settled state of awareness, the mind transcends all mental activity to experience the simplest form of awareness, Transcendental Consciousness.

“Scientific research has shown that the experience of Transcendental Consciousness is correlated with greater creativity, improved learning, higher IQ, better grades, higher moral reasoning, increased brainwave coherence, and improved neurological functioning of the body.

“The Transcendental Meditation technique is a practical, proven procedure for developing more energy, creativity, and intelligence - for awakening the unlimited potential of your mind and body and enjoying greater health, happiness, and success in life.”

Furthermore the Transcendental Meditation Program at the Maharishi University of Management in Iowa, USA states:

"As a student at Maharishi University of Management you discover that when you experience transcendental consciousness, you are experiencing the ocean of consciousness or intelligence, which is at the basis of the life and evolution of the universe.

"Over 500 scientific studies conducted at more than 200 universities and research institutions in 33 countries have documented the benefits of Transcendental Meditation for mind, body, behavior, and environment."

The Sceptics Dictionary is not convinced. It states: “TRMED (transcendental meditation) recruiting literature is full of charts and graphs demonstrating the wonders of TRMED. Things like metabolic rate, oxygen consumption rate, bodily production of carbon dioxide, hormone production, brain waves, etc. are measured and charted and graphically presented to suggest that TRMED really takes a person to a new state of consciousness. Some of the studies done by TRMED scientists simply show that some of the same physiological results you can achieve by relaxing completely are achievable by TRMED. Nevertheless, according to TRMED advocates, tests have shown that TRMED produces ‘neurophysiological signatures that are distinctly different from relaxation and rest’ Critics disagree.

“Probably the least believable claim of TRMEDers is that they can fly - well, not really fly, more like hop. TRMED loudly promoted levitation in its early days. Television news programs featured clips of TRMEDers hopping around in the lotus position, claiming to be hovering. Apparently, this claim was too easily disproved and now TRMEDers do not claim to be able to fly or hover, but say they believe that they can advance so that some day in the future they will be able to truly levitate as have many holy ones before them. Robert Kropinski sued TRMED (to be precise, he sued The World Plan Executive Council-United States and the Maharishi International University of Fairfield, Iowa) and was awarded $137,890 for making a false promise to him that he could learn to fly. Kropinski said he suffered psychological and emotional damage during his 11-year association with TRMED. He testified that he was given false promises including ‘that twice-daily practice of chanting a single sound, would reduce stress, improve his memory, reverse the aging process and promote good health.’

“One of the demonstrable powers claimed by TRMED is the ‘Maharishi effect.’ According to TRMED scientists: ‘collective meditation causes changes in a fundamental, unified physical field, and...those changes radiate into society and affect all aspects of society for the better’. One TRMED study by a MUM physics professor, Dr. Robert Rabinoff, claimed that the Maharishi effect was responsible for reducing crime and accidents while simultaneously increasing crop production in the vicinity of Maharishi University in Fairfield, Iowa. James Randi checked with the Fairfield Police Dept, the Iowa Dept of Agriculture, and the Department of Motor Vehicles and found that the Rabinoff’s data was invented (Randi 1982, 99-108). The study was never published. Rabinoff made his claims before a small group at the University of Oregon early in October 1978 (Randi 1982, 99). Similar claims have been made by Dean Radin and other parapsychologists regarding what they call "field consciousness" or ‘global consciousness’ Roger Nelson, for example, thinks that if enough people want good weather, they will get it:
“Reunion and commencement activities at Princeton University, involving thousands of alumni, graduates, family and others, are held outdoors, and it is often remarked that they are almost always blessed with good weather. A comparison of the recorded rainfall in Princeton vs. nearby communities shows that there is significantly less rain, less often, in Princeton on those days with major outdoor activities. (“Wishing for Good Weather,” The Journal for Scientific Exploration Vol. 11, No. 1.

“Radin believes that the outpouring of feeling shown while millions watched the funeral of Princess Diana caused random event generators to come to attention in an orderly fashion. Maybe someday we'll bring about world peace just by getting enough people to think about it at the same time. My guess is that the effect will be about the same as it's been when millions have prayed for peace.”

A Dr Dennis Roark, a physicist, writing in 1992 stated: “"During my time at MIU, I had occasion to examine the scientific claims of the movement, to interact with those who had reportedly performed the research, to study the metaphysics, philosophy and religion associated with the TM technique, and to work with the founder of the movement and the college. It is my certain belief that the many scientific claims both to factual evidences of unique, beneficial effects of TM and to theoretical relationships between the experience of TM and physics are not only without any reasonable basis, but are in fact in many ways fraudulent." "Confirmed to me by investigators at MIU was the suppression of negative evidence that these investigators had collected. Strong bias was present in selecting only data favourable to a conclusion that was made prior to the data collection. Because of the strong authoritarian (essentially cultic) aspects of the movement, only results supporting ideas generated by the movement leadership could receive any hearing. The 'scientific research' is without objectivity and is at times simply untrue."

John W Patterson of the Iowa Academy of Sciences writes: "Many of the claims issued by the TM organization in their news releases and recruitment campaigns are not just badly mistaken and ill-conceived; they are worse. No competent scientist, on the basis of present scientific understanding, could seriously subscribe to the TM views.”

By contrast, Juliet Howard-Allen of Scarramouch New Age shop in Cheltenham says: “I know about it (TM). I did a course about it ten years ago in Cheltenham. After four to five hours I was given my mantra. If I did it morning and evening I will be high. I know some people who meditate and it seems to do them good. Sometimes when I do it I become meta-aware of time and space. They only charge £30.00. It is not Buddhist meditation.”

Finally, at the Windsor Free Festival 1974 I met one man who said he did TM “sometimes” and that it benefited him. He certainly seemed alert, alive and healthy in every sense of the word.

I have given you both sides of the question. Whether or not you take the TM plunge is up to you.

THE END

This article was published in the 8 March 2007 issue of the Bangla Mirror, the first English language weekly for the united Kingdom's Bangladeshis - read all over the world from the Arctic Circle to the sub-Antarctic.