Transcendental Meditation
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| − | '''Transcendental Meditation''' is a meditation technique invented by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who, briefly, was the personal [[guru]] for The Beatles until their publicized falling out. TM teaches that by meditating and chanting a "mantra", several levels of "higher consciousness" can be reached. Eventually, the practitioner is supposed to attain "cosmic consciousness", then "god consciousness", and finally "unity consciousness". | + | '''Transcendental Meditation''' (known popularly as "TM")is a meditation technique invented by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who, briefly, was the personal [[guru]] for The Beatles until their publicized falling out. TM teaches that by meditating and chanting a "mantra", several levels of "higher consciousness" can be reached. Eventually, the practitioner is supposed to attain "cosmic consciousness", then "god consciousness", and finally "unity consciousness". |
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| + | Despite the veneer of spirituality, and widespread comparisons to [[wp:New religious movement|New Religious Movements]], most adherents of TM methods take pains to state that the movement is not based on any type of faith or religion, and it can be practiced alongside other spiritual beliefs without incongruity. However, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has also described TM as "a path to God". | ||
Reportedly, taking up TM got The Beatles to give up [[marijuana]] and [[LSD]] (briefly) and they promptly headed for India to study under their new guru, only to return denouncing the supposedly [[celibacy|celibate]] Maharishi as a womanizer and a fake. This didn't prevent them from including George Harrison's personal TM mantra in the lyrics of "I Am the Walrus"<ref>Really? "Smoke pot smoke pot everybody smoke pot" is George Harrison's personal mantra? The mind boggles</ref>. Nor did it prevent John Lennon from shortly moving on to another guru, Arthur Janov of "primal scream therapy" fame. | Reportedly, taking up TM got The Beatles to give up [[marijuana]] and [[LSD]] (briefly) and they promptly headed for India to study under their new guru, only to return denouncing the supposedly [[celibacy|celibate]] Maharishi as a womanizer and a fake. This didn't prevent them from including George Harrison's personal TM mantra in the lyrics of "I Am the Walrus"<ref>Really? "Smoke pot smoke pot everybody smoke pot" is George Harrison's personal mantra? The mind boggles</ref>. Nor did it prevent John Lennon from shortly moving on to another guru, Arthur Janov of "primal scream therapy" fame. | ||
Revision as of 23:03, 7 March 2008
Transcendental Meditation (known popularly as "TM")is a meditation technique invented by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who, briefly, was the personal guru for The Beatles until their publicized falling out. TM teaches that by meditating and chanting a "mantra", several levels of "higher consciousness" can be reached. Eventually, the practitioner is supposed to attain "cosmic consciousness", then "god consciousness", and finally "unity consciousness".
Despite the veneer of spirituality, and widespread comparisons to New Religious Movements, most adherents of TM methods take pains to state that the movement is not based on any type of faith or religion, and it can be practiced alongside other spiritual beliefs without incongruity. However, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has also described TM as "a path to God".
Reportedly, taking up TM got The Beatles to give up marijuana and LSD (briefly) and they promptly headed for India to study under their new guru, only to return denouncing the supposedly celibate Maharishi as a womanizer and a fake. This didn't prevent them from including George Harrison's personal TM mantra in the lyrics of "I Am the Walrus"[1]. Nor did it prevent John Lennon from shortly moving on to another guru, Arthur Janov of "primal scream therapy" fame.
Oh, and something called "yogic flying" is supposedly also possible through TM, the meaning of which isn't quite clear but apparently is some sort of imagined state of levitation brought about by hopping around on mats while seated in the lotus position.
Not to be left out of the whacky world of fringe third-party politics, TM buffs in the United States started the Natural Law Party in 1992. The Natural Law Party's solution to every single issue? Transcendental Meditation, of course! Very funny. However, they were never able to get anyone elected dog catcher, much less to higher public office, and they finally had a flash of cosmic consciousness reality and disbanded the party in 2004. John Hagelin, their perennial presidential candidate, once offered the services of 7000 yogic flyers to create enough positive vibes to end the war in Kosovo.
References
- ↑ Really? "Smoke pot smoke pot everybody smoke pot" is George Harrison's personal mantra? The mind boggles