[Buddha-l] FW: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi dies

[S.A. Feite]

On Feb 9, 2008, at 4:16 AM, Erik Hoogcarspel wrote:

> It's amazing how easy a model catches on. Our brain is not a radio,  
> that picks its info from waves out of the sky. And even then: if  
> everybody listens to ABC, it doesn't make it more likely for an  
> individual with his own radio to tune in to the same station, unless  
> someone tells him to.

The TM org's idea doesn't require "tuning in" at all, it instead  
postulates that since TMers produce EEG alpha coherence, if enough  
people do TMSP (the square root of 1%), there will be a field effect  
that will cause others within the range of the square root of 1%,  
population wise, through some magical form of quantum mediated  
entrainment non-meditators brains will become similarly "coherent".

But as I already pointed out, legitimate scientists have already shown  
that the style of "coherence" (alpha coherence) in TMers is really no  
big deal. And two, quantum mechanics might be an interesting *analogy*  
for what happens in our consciousness, but the realm of quantum  
physics just describes the grossest physicalities. It does not and  
cannot describe consciousness. Any sort of attempt to take the two  
(consciousness and physics) and connect them beyond an analogy is BS.  
At a certain point the TM org scientists began conflating the two  
beyond a mere analogy and entered the fun world of pseudoscience.

In fact, former physicist (now the "Raja of America") Dr. John Hagelin  
was awarded the igNobel Prize for his paper on the "Maharishi Effect"  
as such a fine example of pseudoscience!

> It is true of course that one angry person can cause an angry mob,  
> but this is caused by perceptible signs. A holy person is supposed  
> to have this benign effect on his envirinment in many religions. In  
> a recent documentary on the BBC, called 'Extreme Pilgrimage', a guy  
> stays 20 days in a recluse's cave in Egypt. His instructor tells him  
> to pray all day. He asks why. The answer is that he prays for all  
> humanity and if he doesn't humanity will go to hell. Is this holy  
> arrogance?

Yes. :-)

-Steve