That the TMO should release such a document now is an encouraging sign of progress
I disagree - they did it only because they were forced to by the three suicides in Fairfield last year and the rank and file meditators and siddhas taking the initiative to do something about it. From: "s3raph...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]" <FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com> To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2015 8:59 PM Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: Well, well, well. salyavin, I was about to post a message making pretty much the same points : MMY touted TM as a universal panacea ;That the TMO should release such a document now is an encouraging sign of progress ; As the TMO moves at a snail's pace we'll probably all be dead by the time it develops a sober assessment of TM's (undoubted) strengths and limitations. What limitations? Well, I don't rule out the possibility that for some disturbed individuals doing TM could actually exacerbate their condition. You've spared FFL from my disjointed thoughts with your admirably lucid message. (Are you a writer in some professional capacity?) As there has been an alarming rise in mental health problems in recent years I've wondered if a combination of meditation and mainstream techniques of psychotherapy could be a helpful marriage. For the TMO to investigate different combinations of TM and assorted therapies could be a fruitful area of research. I suspect that at least one contribution to modern neurosis is that people feel guilty that they are not happy! In the West we've created stable, peaceful and affluent societies and are subject to a constant stream of ads telling us how this or that consumer good will bring us fulfilment. But anxiety and depression are endemic as there's always something missing. One thing that TM hopefully does is develop that sense that right here and right now you lack nothing essential. That has to help inculcate an ability to live at peace in each moment as it arises which, other things being equal, should have a spiritually beneficial effect. And it won't do any harm to tackle the social insecurities and inequalities that also plague our existence. Even a dismal subject like politics has a role to play. ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <no_re...@yahoogroups.com> wrote : ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <mjackson74@...> wrote : At least they are addressing the issue. Not really addressing it though, this reads more like that article on Scientology that Turq posted a few days ago. In particular the chapter on how they cover up the homophobia that was a major part of Hubbard's teaching and is apparently caused by subconscious "stress" that could be relieved by Scientology auditing. They cope with that intellectual and therapeutic error nowadays by denying that Hubbard ever said it, and they have the tapes to prove it - not that you'll ever hear them - but it's all in the books in black and white. In the same way, TM being the cure for all psychiatric problems is a major part of Marshy's teaching and forms a chapter of its own in his main book "The Science of Being and Art of Living". Seeing a counsellor was actively discouraged and the techniques they employ were rubbished as being "shallow" compared to TM which deals with problems from the infinitely powerful level of the unified field. But it's good the TMO is climbing down from that demonstrable absurdity, sooner or later everyone knows someone with mental health problems or has them themselves, what they were telling us clearly wasn't true. But the trouble for them in future is that once you start questioning hallowed teaching you can't just stop with one example. Sooner or later someone is going to put other aspects of the teaching under the microscope, this will be seen as a "bad thing" at first and will face the usual denial and counter activism, until the evidence becomes too well known for them to hide behind the "knowledge" any longer and more caveats and contradictory clarifications will be published. But it isn't a bad thing as it's how knowledge - genuine knowledge and not religious dogma - progresses. Someone has an idea and it gets tested for accuracy and is either accepted or rejected or modified depending on how well it stands up to scrutiny. Nothing to be scared of but it will be interesting to watch how the TMO adapts to a reformation, especially one caused by the scientific processes they were hoping would ultimately justify their beliefs as revealed to them by Marshy. Which sacred cow will be next? This is straight off the MUM web page for faculty. What does it mean when someone practicing the TM technique develops a mental illness or commits suicide? It does not mean thetechnique does not work. The TM program is neither an instant nor astand-alone cure for all the illnesses people may suffer, nor is itrepresented as such. People may be born withcertain conditions, stresses, and susceptibilities that emerge atvarious stages in their lives. As published research has indicated, theTM technique triggers a global repair mechanism in the physiology andpsychology of everyone — but it cannot be predicted how, when, or towhat degree the benefits of the TM program will unfold for a particularindividual. #yiv7397819305 #yiv7397819305 -- #yiv7397819305ygrp-mkp {border:1px solid #d8d8d8;font-family:Arial;margin:10px 0;padding:0 10px;}#yiv7397819305 #yiv7397819305ygrp-mkp hr {border:1px solid #d8d8d8;}#yiv7397819305 #yiv7397819305ygrp-mkp #yiv7397819305hd {color:#628c2a;font-size:85%;font-weight:700;line-height:122%;margin:10px 0;}#yiv7397819305 #yiv7397819305ygrp-mkp #yiv7397819305ads {margin-bottom:10px;}#yiv7397819305 #yiv7397819305ygrp-mkp .yiv7397819305ad {padding:0 0;}#yiv7397819305 #yiv7397819305ygrp-mkp .yiv7397819305ad p {margin:0;}#yiv7397819305 #yiv7397819305ygrp-mkp .yiv7397819305ad a {color:#0000ff;text-decoration:none;}#yiv7397819305 #yiv7397819305ygrp-sponsor #yiv7397819305ygrp-lc {font-family:Arial;}#yiv7397819305 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