Perhaps MMY's real achievement to date is his original target of "multiplying" himself. He has not bothered with fostering a mass movement but has focused on thoroughly embedding his own idiosyncratic vision on maybe a few hundred thousand die hard supporters. He is now leaving the Movement with a more complete elaboration of his initial philosophy, espoused in the Science of Being, and presumably believes that even without a mass movement he can achieve the whole range of "effects" on individual and society his Vedic tradition aspired to. Moreover because his approach so often seemed so insane, and he was no real threat to the establishment - spiritual or political - and has therefore managed to minimize resistance. The really interesting thing now is that in THEORY at least his philosophy is the only one (as far as I know) that offers a comprehensive antidote to the range of intractable problems facing individuals and societies at the present time - from individual stress to collective madness in the form of terrorism or climatic change. The need for his programme is at its height and the Movement is united and primed to respond, should a breakthrough opportunity emerge. Given that so many idiotic movements in the world have managed, undeservedly, to gain acceptance and support in the past there is a good chance that sooner or later a breakthrough for MMY, or his heirs, will surely come. I just hope by then they will remove the embarassing music and voiceovers in their video presentations - although in fairness that would be a small price to pay for world peace etc etc. Even if the reality in practice never matches the glory of the theory I'd see it as one of those noble, glorious failures that just HAD to be tried out. Nevertheless it could all have worked equally had there been a "secular" branch of TM, just teaching the technique and getting mass support, and a more "esoteric" branch of the Movement for those so inclined, much like the Buddhist enjoy viz the Benson researchers & the CBT psychologists in Massachussets. But then even this way MMY has proved himself a maverick odd-ball. Interesting to see whether he'll just manage to do enough now to die a hero too...
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "mainstream20016" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Rick Archer" <rick@> wrote: > > > > From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > On Behalf Of mainstream20016 > > Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2007 7:51 PM > > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > > Subject: [FairfieldLife] was: Moments of movement now: Relax. Response > > precipitated Sidhis ? > > > > > > The widespread popularity of TM probably led Benson to research TM > > > > Somehow Benson linked up with Keith Wallace to do the early research. I > > forgot how they met. > > > > and the creation of > > the generic RR technique. > > > > The popularity of TM definitely inspired him to do that. Benson never > > learned TM, because he claimed that he wanted to remain objective. But for a > > while he was a TM spokesman. One time I drove up to Cambridge from > > Connecticut to drive him down to Yale for a lecture, and then back to > > Cambridge. > > > > Benson's claims of RR technique's equality with TM coincided with the > > development > > of the TM-Sidhi program (earliest development of TM-Sidhi courses in late > > 1975). Might > > the development of the Sidhis program been a premature reaction to the > > competition from > > the RR technique? > > > > Might have been. Benson tried to follow suit for a while, or at least made > > some initial investigations. He travelled to Tibet to find yogis who could > > perform sidhis. He did find some who could do more than any TMer I've ever > > met. He observed a group of monks who could dry wet clothing in 10 degree > > weather by generating body heat. This adventure inspired him to write Beyond > > the Relaxation Response - http://tinyurl.com/2goac8 > > > > The development of the Sidhis caused a huge inward stroke in the TM > > movement's organization, and a corresponding decreased presence in the > > market - the > > field TM teachers vacated the market in favor of attending long rounding > > courses that > > taught the teachers the Sidhis. > > > > It also scared away a lot of celebrities like Mary Tyler Moore and > > professionals like Dr. Charles Glueck head of The Institute of Living > > who had become a supporter. > > > > I'm curious to hear any suggestions as to how the TM movement might have > > thrived with just the basic TM instruction remaining as its only product, > > rather than what > > actually happened with the introduction of the Sidhis as the product that > > represented the > > movement. > > > > My guess is that if MMY had stuck to his core message of TM, and conducted > > himself sensibly and with compassion for his teachers, the movement would be > > much more mainstream than it is today. It still wouldn't be in the schools > > because of the puja and other Hindu associations, but far more people would > > have become participants than have. Claims of flying, Rajas, etc., put TM > > far outside the mainstream, and although the movement tries to put up a > > public façade which hides these things, anyone who becomes more than mildly > > curious discovers them and most steer clear. > > How might the TM movement today offer instruction of just the basic TM technique? > Might a fully certified branch organization be created that would have as its mission to > teach only the TM technique, residence courses, and SCI, and nothing else? > Perhaps if a certified yet distinctly independent organization were created, the general > public might be secure in approaching such a setting where just basic TM instruction > occured --a setting where the basic experience of transcendence was considered self- > sufficient to generate maximum well-being, and where one would never be enticed to > consider acquiring additional products or services? How might such an arrangement be > created today, to the benefit of all ? >
