[Buddha-l] FW: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi dies

[S.A. Feite]

On Feb 8, 2008, at 4:08 AM, Erik Hoogcarspel wrote:

> I practised TM from 1970 untill 1974. Later I discussed the  
> technique with
> the late Bhante Mettaviharee. It gives to much concentration in to  
> short a
> time. I saw people getting nervous breakdowns because of this. Another
> effect is that it makes people gullible. I found the teachers have  
> become
> numb and there was very little compassion. When I started I paid  
> $20,- for
> the mantra (or bhija), now the fee is $3000,- I tought a guy  
> meditation
> who had followed a hopping course in Switzerland. He said that  
> after my
> instructions he finally began to understand what meditation  
> actually was
> about.


I was always surprised at the damage I saw TM do to certain people  
(nervous breakdowns, psychosis, tourettes-like symptoms, etc.). One  
person i know had terrible scarring on his back due to kundalini from  
the "sidhi" program. He said it almost killed him.

I just recently reread the landmark study by the research scientist  
(and Buddhist meditator) who did the research on high amplitude gamma  
waves in Buddhist meditators (Davidson). They thoroughly investigated  
TM and found their research didn't wash. It's actually a very  
superficial meditation, in terms of EEG not outside the normal human  
circadian rhythms. The type of coherence it generates is not  
statistically significant from what's normally seen in the waking state.

In fact, so many people were damaged by imbalanced kundalini  
arousals--which none of these people are trained in--there is a swami  
from the Saraswati order, now in Tennessee, who helps these people  
get "unstuck". I've spoken to several people who went through that  
process. One woman had pain every time she meditated for 30 years!

Most people avoid TM now it seems, but are instead going to Sri Sri  
Ravi Shankar who used to be a pundit for Mahesh.

-Steve