I think the TM movement is mostly dead for the forseeable future. It's been destroyed by all the absurdities and blatant outlandish bullshit [which doesn't even need to be pointed out as we all know what it is], and it's public perception and reception will never again be on the scale of what it was in the late 60's and early 70's.
Unfortunately the idea that the movement belongs to "those who move" seems to have been the cause of its demise. Those who moved in the later years turned out to be the creeps we see today at the helm. The whole operation took on their creepy character. Maybe sometime in the distant future the movement will be resurrected by some legitimate respectable representative of an obvious high calibre of spiritual development and presence - either in conjunction with or not - a dramatic transforming global event. But seriously I doubt it. In my view the TM movement was an evolutionary, generationally appropriate response to a deeply pressing specific collective need at a particular time in our human history. The fire of that particular generation has pretty much been tamed. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB <no_re...@...> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Joe" <geezerfreak@> wrote: > > > > Fascinating idea. Rick, I notice you use the word "movement" > > below. I'm curious how you would envision a transformed TMO. > > Would the goal be to get as many people meditating as possible? > > The word "movement" implies that there is a goal...moving from > > here to "there". > > > > Would it be enough to simply offer the TM tech to those who want > > it for a reasonable price...and eliminate the idea that world > > domination is the goal or even desirable? > > > > These are just questions. The idea that "Rajaism" (great phrase) > > could be a passing phase is highly appealing. > > > > I wonder how many fit my profile: I still meditate every day, > > but I want absolutely nothing to do with secretive, paranoid and > > elitist thing that the TMO has become over the last 30 years or > > so. I would actually be interested in gathering with like minded > > people who meditate if the whole shebang could be given a massive > > enema and allowed to start over. > > > > As someone just noted, those with power are highly unlikely to > > give it up on their own. You also have the mafia like behavior > > of the Shrivastava/Varma clan in India who will fight tooth and > > nail against any attempt to upset the money flow into the family > > business. > > > > Still, I like your idea of proposing a statement of change to > > Jerry, Bobby Roth and Keith. It would be fascinating to find out > > what they would say....to find out if they even feel they can > > speak freely at this point in time. > > > > Good luck with this. > > I agree, but I also agree that Joe, as he often does, has > nailed the deeper issue: "Transform the TMO into WHAT?" > > The problem with "revolutions" is that most of the time > they have no clear idea of what they want to transform > the society, government, or organizations they're revolting > against INTO. They can't think past "against." > > I would see that as the problem with any such letter/ > initiative. To make it an effective challenge to what the > TMO has become, you have to be able to express exactly > what you'd like to see it become in the future. > > And that is? > > One can only hope that it is not like the things that > Doug/Buck expresses here. His elitism and his disdain for > "non-meditators" is as loathsome in its way as the TMO's > obvious disdain for "non-TBs." Also, as Joe points out, > I think Doug would not only say that the "goal" of any > such initiative would not only be to encourage as many > people to meditate as possible, but to use any means > necessary to *force* them to meditate. whether they > want to or not. > > That is certainly not my idea of what a real meditation > movement would be like. It would be more along the lines > Joe expresses -- making a potentially valuable practice > *available* to as many people as possible, without the > pseudo-scientific bullshit used to sell it, and at a > *very* reasonable cost, which I would roll back to no > more than $75.00 for working adults, $35 for students, > and free for those who can not afford either fee. > > Would the "New TMO" still have residence courses, during > which every single moment of a participant's time is > controlled and monitored? Would it still try to pressure > "meditators" into taking "advanced" courses that aren't > the least bit advanced? Would it still pressure them to > learn the TM-Sidhis, the value of which has *never* been > proved? Would it still gouge them every time it got for > "donations?" Would it still encourage the modern-day > counterpart of indentured servitude and sponsor "pundits?" > > All of these are things to consider. But they're all > things to be *against*, with still very little said about > what you would be *for*. > > I think some serious thought needs to go into this letter > before it is even posted here for "peer review." IT IS > NOT ENOUGH to be *against* the things about the TMO > one doesn't like. That's an "easy out," but is a trap > in that even if you managed to accomplish it, you'd be > in the position of looking around and saying, "What now?" > > I think that a more productive point of view would be > to *start* with "What then?" and go from there. Design > the way you'd like it to BE, without dwelling overmuch > on the way it is now, and how much you don't like that. > > Just my two centimes... >
