Thread by @CultExpert

Transcendental Meditation, also known as "TM," has become quite popular in recent years. Celebrities like David Lynch, Jerry Seinfeld, Paul McCartney, & Russell Brand have been VOCAL proponents of TM.

But TM has a dark legacy with some striking cult-like aspects. Let discuss:🧵

TM was created by Mahesh Prasad Varma in the 1950s. After creating TM, he changed his name to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. He began teaching in India but then did a global tour in 1958 and eventually established centers in the U.S., Canada, the UK and Switzerland.

Many came to know about Maharishi through the band The Beatles. The group spent some time "studying" with Maharishi in India. In 1968, the remaining 2, John Lennon & George Harrison left after realizing Maharishi was taking sexual advantage of women, including Mia Farrow.

Mia Farrow said Maharishi groped her, and John Lennon wrote “The Maharishi Song” about his sexually exploitative proclivities.

Here's that song (with explosive lyrics in the description of the video).

But back to TM…

There are many ways to meditate, but TM teaches a "mantric meditation" (the repetition of a word or sound). In TM, people recite and repeat a “secret” mantra given to them (by paying money). Members of TM are initially encouraged to meditate 20 mins a day.

But.....

As members become more deeply drawn in, meditation of 2+ hours, twice a day, is often encouraged. Excessive meditation can cause a dissociative state, even psychosis.

The state people get into with TM often leads to "thought-stopping." Just what is "thought-stopping?"

Thought-stopping is a technique many cults employ to control followers. Whenever there is a negative thought that conflicts with the TM message, a follower is instructed to immediately start meditating & chanting in their head to rid themselves of the negative thought or feeling.

This is something I learned to do in the Moonies. Whenever someone would say something negative about my cult or my cult leader, I would chant in my head:

"Crush Satan, Glory to Heaven, Peace on Earth, True Parents!" & other cult slogans & songs to neutralize the “negativity.”

A German study noted that TM increases anxiety in 40% of those studied. The rhythmic chanting & meditation is not always soothing and can have detrimental results. Unfortunately, TM leaders refuse to recognize this and often advise those having adverse reactions...to do more TM!

Another issue with TM is cost. Beginner’s sessions are sometimes free or cheap but programs get more expensive. TM employs a pyramid-like structure charging more and more as a person strives to become “more enlightened” (similar to Scientology's "Bridge to Total Freedom").

What are the upper-level members paying for? Among other things, they are told they will learn to levitate, fly, walk through walls, & even become invincible. When these impossibilities don’t manifest, members are told they just have to meditate better and pay for more training.

TM devotees are invited to participate in eastern religious ceremonies as part of the movement. They are also taught to revere the guru as a god-like master. The leaders of the group are seen as having divine authority over followers...just like other cult leaders.

Serious devotees of TM give up many aspects of their lives & it is not uncommon for families to be strained or broken.

Now.

There's a VERY important distinction we need to make. Like most cults, not ALL TM participants are in a cult. Let's look at my Destructive Cult Structure:

Most people that practice TM are what would be called "Fringe Members." Maybe they received a mantra years ago, they practice at home, and don't really participate in a larger group.

But. It is these fringe members in any cult that often become more entrenched in a group.

For this week's blog, I interviewed Gina Catena. Gina's parents were deeply entrenched in the TM cult. She moved with her parents to a TM compound in Fairfield, Iowa when she was just a teenager. There she experienced many troubling things.

Parental guidance was scant (as meditation took priority over everything) and she saw many people become exceedingly mentally unwell. As they still do today, TM conducted "studies" but always omitted these people.

If you or someone you know is dabbling in TM, here's a few links:

Here's my blog and interview with Gina Catena. In our conversation, she talks about the cult mind control that lasted long after she left and how it manifested in her life. We also talk about how to get better.
freedomofmind.com/escaping-trans…

Here's another blog of mine that outlines the specific mind-control techniques TM uses and the cult-like structure of the organization.
freedomofmind.com/meditation-yes…

And finally, here's a movie I recommend. The film is called "David Wants To Fly" and it's rentable on Amazon Prime. It details a man looking for answers who becomes captivated by TM...but soon learns there's a much darker story.

Hope this all helps!
amazon.com/David-Wants-Fl…