At what level of psychosis would you suggest that someone shouldn't meditate? And how do you define psychosis, what symptoms are manifesting in those you checked? For example do they exhibit paranoia or compulsive obsessive behaviors? Are they schizophrenic? I know someone who always looks to their right when they eat as if someone is watching them. They also talk to themselves quite habitually as if another person is in the room. Would you initiate someone like this? How do you judge at what level someone's psychosis becomes a hazard to the practice and that TM would make it worse?
On another note, what do you think psychosis is? Why and how does this behavior manifest itself? Do you think it's purely an organic defect that has some expression in the personality such as paranoia? Why does TM make it worse? Mark --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > In my tradition we don't teach anyone with a mental disorder. Instead > we have external healing techniques that can help. > > I can recall a few psychotics I checked that really shouldn't have been > doing TM. I couldn't tell them that of course. > > > > Peter wrote: > > Yes, anixiety disorders, depressive disorders, but > > absolutely not psychosis, it only makes it worse, much > > worse. > > > > --- suziezuzie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > >> Transcendental Meditation is a natural and effective > >> cure for mental > >> illness. > >> > >> A large body of research has demonstrated that > >> Transcendental > >> Meditation produces comprehensive improvements in > >> mental health, > >> enhancing positive features and reducing various > >> forms of > >> psychological distress. A systematic review of 144 > >> studies found that > >> Transcendental Meditation was markedly more > >> effective in reducing > >> anxiety than other techniques (including progressive > >> muscular > >> relaxation, methods claimed to induce a 'relaxation > >> response', and > >> other forms of meditation) > >> > >> The superiority of Transcendental Meditation > >> remained highly > >> significant when only the strongest and most > >> rigorous studies were > >> included in the analysis. Transcendental Meditation > >> has also > >> consistently been found to reduce depression, > >> hostility, and > >> emotional instability, indicating the growth of a > >> more stable, > >> balanced, and resilient personality > >> > >> In another statistical review of 42 independent > >> research results, > >> Transcendental Meditation was found to be three > >> times as effective as > >> other meditation and relaxation procedures in > >> increasing self- > >> actualization-an overall measure of positive mental > >> health and > >> personal development. Further analysis revealed that > >> the technique is > >> exceptionally effective in developing three > >> independent components of > >> this dimension: emotional maturity, a resilient > >> sense of self, and a > >> positive, integrated perspective on ourselves and > >> the world > >> > >> An exhaustive survey conducted by the Swedish > >> National Health Board > >> found evidence that psychiatric hospital admissions > >> may be much less > >> common among people practicing Transcendental > >> Meditation than in the > >> general population > >> > >> > >> > >> The following excerpt is from Maharishi's book The > >> Science of Being > >> and Art of living > >> > >> Mental health depends upon the normal functioning of > >> the nervous > >> system, so that the full mind is brought to bear > >> upon the external > >> world. The normal functioning of the nervous system > >> results in > >> physical good health so that the body is able to > >> carry out the > >> dictates of the mind, fulfill its desires, and > >> fulfill the purpose of > >> existence. > >> > >> As long as the coordination of the mind with the > >> nervous system is > >> intact, mental health is maintained. When this > >> coordination breaks > >> down, either because of some failure on the part of > >> the mind or of > >> the nervous system, ill health is the result. Such > >> failure of the > >> mind is brought about by a continued inability to > >> fulfill its > >> desires. > >> > >> The main reason for this is weakness in the clarity > >> and power of > >> thought, which thus fails to stimulate the nervous > >> system to the > >> extent that it can successfully carry out the > >> activity needed for > >> fulfillment of the desire. For the most thorough > >> coordination and the > >> most perfect functioning, a profound power of > >> thought on the part of > >> the mind, together with a corresponding efficient > >> executive ability > >> in the nervous system, is required. > >> > >> The integrity of the organic nature of the nervous > >> system is > >> certainly as essential as the power of the mind. As > >> far as their > >> functioning is concerned, they are interdependent. > >> It has been found > >> that while the nervous system remains unchanged, an > >> improvement of > >> the state of the mind results in an improved state > >> of thinking and > >> better coordination between the mind and the world > >> around it. When > >> the full mind is brought out to express itself in > >> the external world, > >> the subject comes into a more perfect and rewarding > >> relationship with > >> the needs of the mind. A mind that is happy and > >> contented produces > >> health. > >> > >> It has also been found that, if the physical state > >> of the nervous > >> system is improved by means of medicine, while the > >> state of mind > >> remains the same, the thinking becomes more profound > >> and the mind > >> functions more energetically and more efficiently. > >> Thus, we find that > >> the mind and the nervous system are interdependent, > >> but since the > >> mind is obviously of a more subtle nature than its > >> organ, the nervous > >> system, it seems wiser to assume that the mind is > >> primary. > >> > >> Any number of factors might interfere with the > >> growth of a tree, but > >> weakness in the seed itself would overshadow them > >> all in importance. > >> In the same way, any number of factors might prevent > >> the fulfillment > >> of a need, but weakness of the power of thought must > >> certainly > >> overshadow the rest. A strong seed will produce a > >> tree even in a > >> desert, while no amount of nurturing will help a > >> weak seed. If the > >> basic power of thought is strong, it will find its > >> way to fulfillment. > >> > >> If, because of the failure to satisfy the needs and > >> desires of the > >> mind, discontent begins to produce tension within > >> it, then the way to > >> remove these tensions will be to strengthen the mind > >> by increasing > >> its power to think - the force of thought. This is > >> achieved by > >> enlarging the conscious mind through the practice of > >> deep meditation, > >> as has already ben explained. > >> > >> When tensions build up in the mind, they are > >> reflected through the > >> nervous system upon the body. The anxious mind, > >> constantly flitting > >> back and forth amongst its problems in its > >> discontented state, > >> exhausts and irritates the nervous system and the > >> body. As a servant > >> whose master constantly gives indecisive and > >> confusing orders become > >> tired and irritable and eventually fails to do > >> anything, likewise, > >> the nervous system and the body become tired and > >> exhausted and > >> eventually fail to function efficiently when the > >> mind is in a state > >> of stress due to confusion and indecision. > >> > >> In this way, mental stress produces disease, and > >> even organic changes > >> in the body. Obviously the cure of all such > >> suffering is to create > >> such a situation in the mind that it may become and > >> remain unwavering > >> and steady. This is achieved by expanding the > >> conscious mind, thereby > >> making it strong. As a result of strengthening the > >> conscious mind, a > >> better coordination between mind and the nervous > >> system is > >> established, and smooth and efficient functioning of > >> the body is the > >> natural result. Perfect mental health is maintained > >> because of this > >> coordination of the mind with the nervous system and > >> with its end > >> organ, the body. > >> > >> > >> > > === message truncated === > > > > > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ ______________ > > Do you Yahoo!? > > Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta. > > http://new.mail.yahoo.com > > > > >
