I just joined the FFL group today and just want to say I'm enjoying the posts and wide range of outlooks. I learned the TM technique off campus, no puja. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing the contempt prior to investigation thing. Having spent a fair amount of time researching and practicing various meditation styles (more 'buddhistic' usually) I can say from this outsiders very circumspect viewpoint that the benefits of TM are very real and readily quantifiable and I would suggest learning TM to anyone. I would though, and do, suggest to people that they learn off campus and avoid the Movement. Sadly, I've seen at close range, people in my immediate social circles who've suffered from their lack of caution. I get minimalization and denial from some of my favorite Ru friends when this is mentioned.....so I worry a bit. No group, political ,social, or spiritual thats last for any amount of time goes without the need of reform. I'd like to pose this question: is there within the autocracy of the TM movement any realization of the need for change...........or is it just fringe people that are making noise about the dishonsty, the harm, the oppressive secrecy that are the definitive characteristics of the TM organization as the rest of the world see's it? I'm a monotheist (of sorts) but I practice a combination of buddhist meditation and holosync meditation developed by Bill Harris who left the movement some time ago. Being a rather adventurou seeker myself I have respect for any who come to TM to develope spiritually. I LOVE Fairfield and I dearly love my meditator friends. But I have concerns and would love to see the special community North of town become what many decent good hearted TM'ers would like it to. Or in the wake of Maharishi's passing will we see a solidifying of this autocracy that in my possibly incorrect opinion, perpetuates occult psuedo science and mind control? I don't intend to be antagonistic, but this strikes me as group where I might get a variety of viewpoints, all of which I'd appreciate. I'd like to know what people think. Thanks
Apologetic for any presumptousness, Ed Raines