Transcendental Meditation

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Transcendental Meditation (TM) refers to the Transcendental Meditation technique,[1] a specific form of mantra meditation, and to the Transcendental Meditation movement, a spiritual movement.[2][3] The TM technique and TM movement were introduced in India in the mid-1950s by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1914–2008) and had reached global proportions by the 1960s.

The TM technique came out of and is based on Indian philosophy and the teachings of Krishna, the Buddha, and Shankara, as well as the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali,[4] and is a version of a technique passed down from the Maharishi's teacher, Brahmananda Saraswati. The Maharishi also developed the Science of Creative Intelligence (SCI), a system of theoretical principles to underlie this meditation technique. Additional technologies were added to the Transcendental Meditation program, including "advanced techniques" such as the TM-Sidhi program (Yogic Flying).

TM is one of the most widely practiced, and among the most widely researched meditation techniques.[5][6][7][8] Independent[9]systematic reviews have not found health benefits for TM beyond relaxation or health education.[10][11][12] Skeptics have called TM or its associated theories and technologies a pseudoscience.[13][14][15]

In the 1950s, the Transcendental Meditation movement was presented as a religious organization. In 1977, the Transcendental Meditation technique was held to be a religion in a New Jersey court case.[16][17] By the 1970s, the organization had shifted to a more scientific presentation while maintaining many religious elements in an attempt to appeal to the more secular West.[4] Practitioners of Transcendental Meditation assert that their movement is not religious and describe it as a spiritual and scientific organization. [4]

The TM movement has programs and holdings in multiple countries while as many as six million people have been trained in the TM technique, including The Beatles, Russell Brand, Oprah Winfrey and other well-known public figures.

History

Main article: History of Transcendental Meditation
Brahmananda Saraswati

Historically, the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program and the Transcendental Meditation movement have their beginnings when Maharishi Mahesh Yogi first taught the technique in the late 1950s, and continue beyond his death (2008). Although he had initiated thousands of people, the Maharishi began a program to create more teachers of the technique as a way to accelerate the rate of creating new meditators. The Maharishi began a series of world tours which promoted the technique, and this, the celebrities who practiced the technique, and later scientific research endorsing the technique helped to popularize the technique in the 1960s and '70s. As well, in the 1970s advanced meditative techniques were introduced. The movement has grown to encompass schools and universities that teach the practice, and includes many associated programs offering health and well-being based on the Maharishi's interpretation of the Vedic traditions. By the late 2000s, TM had been taught to millions of individuals and the Maharishi was overseeing a large multinational movement.

Despite organizational changes and while additional techniques were added, the Transcendental Meditation technique itself remained relatively unchanged.

Among the first organizations to promote TM were the Spiritual Regeneration Movement and the International Meditation Society. In the U.S., major organizations included Student International Meditation Society, World Peace Executive Council, Maharishi Vedic Education Corporation, and Global Country of World Peace. The successor to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and head of the Global Country of World Peace, is Maharaja Adhiraj Rajaraam.

Technique

Main article: Transcendental Meditation technique

The Transcendental Meditation technique is a specific form of mantra meditation[18] often referred to as Transcendental Meditation or simply, TM. It was introduced in India in 1955[19][20][21] by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1914–2008).[22] The meditation practice involves the use of a sound or mantra and is practiced for 15–20 minutes twice per day, while sitting comfortably with closed eyes.[23][24] The TM technique is made available worldwide by certified teachers trained by the Transcendental Meditation movement. TM is taught in a standardized, seven-step course over a four day period by certified teachers.[23] The fees vary from country to country. In the United States the adult fee is $1,500, while prices in the United Kingdom (UK) are based on income. Transcendental Meditation is a registered trademark of the Maharishi Foundation.[25]

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi taught his meditation technique in a series of world tours beginning in 1957.[26] From the late 1960s through the mid 1970s, both the Maharishi and TM received significant public attention in the USA, especially among the student population.[27][28] During this period, a million people learned the technique, including well-known public figures.[27] Worldwide, as many as six to ten million people are reported to be practitioners of the TM technique.[29]Notable practitioners include The Beatles, David Lynch, Deepak Chopra, Andy Kaufman, and Mia Farrow[citation needed].

Transcendental Meditation is part of the Maharishi Vedic Approach to Health.[30] The theoretical basis developed to underpin the Transcendental Meditation technique is the Science of Creative Intelligence (SCI), which describes the Maharishi's view of Natural Law. Skeptics question whether SCI is actually scientific[citation needed]. According to proponents, practicing the TM technique can lead to higher levels of consciousness and supernormal effects, including the Maharishi Effect[citation needed].

TM is reported to be one of the most widely practiced, and among the most widely researched meditation techniques.[31][32][33][34] Independently done systematic reviews have not found health benefits for TM beyond relaxation or health education.[35][36][12] It is difficult to determine definitive effects of "meditation practices in healthcare" as the quality of research has design limitations and a lack of methodological rigor,[12][37][38] due in part to the fact that many studies on TM appear to have been conducted by authors connected to the TM organization and on subjects predisposed positively towards TM.[39][40] Despite that TM research has moved from "kooky margin to respectable mainstream", TM's more recent appeal has been attributed to its ability to relax without chemical assistance rather than to the research.[41]

TM is actively marketed as a scientifically proven technique but not a religion, while there are sociologists and governmental bodies that have categorized it as part of a new religious movement.

Movement

Main article: Transcendental Meditation movement

The Transcendental Meditation movement (also referred to as Transcendental Meditation (TM), "Maharishi's worldwide movement", and the Transcendental Meditation organization) is a world-wide organization, sometimes characterised as a neo-Hindu new religious movement, and also as non-religious,[42][43] founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the 1950s. Estimated to have tens of thousands of participants, with high estimates citing as many as several million,[44] the global organization also consists of close to 1,000 TM centers, and controls property assets of the order of USD 3.5 billion (1998 estimate), including real estate holdings, schools, and clinics.[45][46]

The term Transcendental Meditation movement refers to programs and organizations connected to the Transcendental Meditation technique that were developed and or introduced by the founder. These programs include the TM-Sidhi program, Maharishi Ayurveda and Maharishi Sthapatya Veda. The TM-Sidhi program is an advanced form of Transcendental Meditation and includes "Yogic flying". Maharishi Ayurveda is an alternative system of health care that aims to restore balance in the physiology, eliminate impurities, and awaken the body's natural healing mechanisms.[47] Maharishi Sthapatya Veda is a system of architectural and planning principles based on "ancient Sanskrit texts"[48][49] The movement also operates numerous schools and universities, offers monastic programs called Mother Divine and Thousand Headed Purusha, operates health centers such as The Raj and Maharishi Ayurveda Health Center, assorted businesses such as Maharishi Ayurveda Products International and several TM-centered communities.

The first organization of the Transcendental Meditation movement was the Spiritual Regeneration Movement, founded in India in 1958. The International Meditation Society and Student International Meditation Society (SIMS) were founded in the US in the 1960s. The organizations were consolidated under the leadership of the World Plan Executive Council in the 1970s. In 1992, a political party, the Natural Law Party (NLP) was founded based on the principles of TM and it ran candidates in ten countries before disbanding in 2004.[4] The Global Country of World Peace is currently one of the primary organizations.

The TM movement has been described as a spiritual movement, as a new religious movement, and a "Neo-Hindu" sect.[50] It has been characterized as a religion, a cult, a charismatic movement, a "sect", "plastic export Hinduism", a progressive millennialism organization and a "multinational, capitalist, Vedantic Export Religion" in books and the mainstream press,[50][51] with concerns that the movement was being run to promote the Maharishi's personal interests.[52][53][54] Other sources assert that TM is not a religion, but a meditation technique; and they hold that the TM movement is a spiritual organization, and not a religion or a cult.[55][56] Participation in TM programs at any level does not require one to hold or deny any specific religious beliefs; TM is practiced by people of many diverse religious affiliations, as well as atheists and agnostics.[57][58][59]

Research

Main article: Transcendental Meditation research

There has been ongoing research into the Transcendental Meditation technique since studies first conducted at UCLA and Harvard University in the early 1970s.[60] The research has included studies on physiological changes during meditation, clinical applications, cognitive effects, mental health, addiction, and rehabilitation. Beginning in the 1990s, a focus of research has been the effects of Transcendental Meditation on cardiovascular disease, with over $20 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health.[61]

Independent systematic reviews have found that research to date is insufficient to draw any conclusions as to effect, if any, of TM on managing high blood pressure and anxiety.[35][12] It is difficult to determine definitive effects of meditation practices in healthcare, as the quality of research has design limitations and a lack of methodological rigor.[12][62][63] Part of this difficulty is that studies have the potential for bias due to the connection of researchers to the TM organization, and enrollment of subjects with a favorable opinion of TM.[64][65][66]

Practitioners of the Transcendental Meditation technique (TM) claim that in its practice and results, the technique is distinguished from other types of meditation or self-development "by its naturalness, effortlessness and profound effectiveness".[67]

References

  1. ^ "Transcendental Meditation". Oxford English Dictionary. http://dictionary.oed.com/. 
  2. ^ "Transcendental Meditation – Britannica Online Encyclopedia". Britannica Online Encyclopedia. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/602436/Transcendental-Meditation. 
  3. ^ Dalton, Rex (July 8, 1993). "Sharp HealthCare announces an unorthodox, holistic institute". The San Diego Union – Tribune: p. B.4.5.1. "TM is a movement led by Maharishi Mehesh Yogi,...." 
  4. ^ a b c d Bromley, David G.; Cowan, Douglas E. (2007). Cults and New Religions: A Brief History (Blackwell Brief Histories of Religion). Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 48–71. ISBN 1-4051-6128-0. 
  5. ^ Murphy M, Donovan S, Taylor E. The Physical and Psychological Effects of Meditation: A review of Contemporary Research with a Comprehensive Bibliography 1931–1996. Sausalito, California: Institute of Noetic Sciences; 1997.
  6. ^ Benson, Herbert; Klipper, Miriam Z. (2001). The relaxation response. New York, NY: Quill. p. 61. ISBN 978-0-380-81595-1. http://books.google.com/?id=TJDGTP9Sa5UC&pg=PA61&dq=transcendental+meditation&q=transcendental%20meditation. 
  7. ^ Sinatra, Stephen T.; Roberts, James C.; Zucker, Martin (December 20, 2007). Reverse Heart Disease Now: Stop Deadly Cardiovascular Plaque Before It's Too Late. Wiley. p. 192. ISBN 978-0-470-22878-4. http://books.google.com/?id=4TfJqNA8sOIC&pg=PA192&dq=transcendental+meditationlr=#v=onepage&q=transcendental%20meditation. 
  8. ^ Travis, Frederick; Chawkin, Ken (Sept–Oct, 2003). New Life magazine. 
  9. ^ "Methods Co-ordinator | The Cochrane Collaboration". Cochrane Collabortion. http://www.cochrane.org/news/opportunities-jobs/methods-co-ordinator. "The Cochrane Collaboration is an independent, not-for-profit, research organisation" 
  10. ^ Ospina MB, Bond TK, Karkhaneh M, Tjosvold L, Vandermeer B, Liang Y, Bialy L, Hooton N, Buscemi N, Dryden DM, Klassen TP. (June 2007). Meditation Practices for Health: State of the Research. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. p. 4. http://www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/meditation/medit.pdf. "A few studies of overall poor methodological quality were available for each comparison in the meta-analyses, most of which reported nonsignificant results. TM had no advantage over health education to improve measures of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, body weight, heart rate, stress, anger, self-efficacy, cholesterol, dietary intake, and level of physical activity in hypertensive patients" 
  11. ^ Krisanaprakornkit T, Ngamjarus C, Witoonchart C, Piyavhatkul N (2010). Krisanaprakornkit, Thawatchai. ed. "Meditation therapies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)". Cochrane Database Syst Rev 6 (6): CD006507. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006507.pub2. PMID 20556767. "As a result of the limited number of included studies, the small sample sizes and the high risk of bias, we are unable to draw any conclusions regarding the effectiveness of meditation therapy for ADHD." 
  12. ^ a b c d e Krisanaprakornkit T, Krisanaprakornkit W, Piyavhatkul N, Laopaiboon M (2006). Krisanaprakornkit, Thawatchai. ed. "Meditation therapy for anxiety disorders". Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (1): CD004998. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004998.pub2. PMID 16437509. "The small number of studies included in this review do not permit any conclusions to be drawn on the effectiveness of meditation therapy for anxiety disorders. Transcendental meditation is comparable with other kinds of relaxation therapies in reducing anxiety" 
  13. ^ "James Randi Educational Foundation — An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural". http://www.randi.org/encyclopedia/Transcendental%20Meditation.html. 
  14. ^ Sagan, Carl (1997). The demon-haunted world: science as a candle in the dark. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 16. ISBN 0-345-40946-9. 
  15. ^
  16. ^ Church-state issues in America today (1. publ. ed.). Westport, Conn. [u.a.]: Praeger. 2008. pp. 159. ISBN 978-0-275-99368-9. http://books.google.com/books?id=zzOn09EaETgC&dq. 
  17. ^ American Bar Association (Jan 1978). "Constitutional Law... Separating Church and State". ABA Journal 64: 144. http://books.google.com/books?id=eDu0e8buVPAC&pg=PA124&dq=Transcendental+Meditation+was+held+to+be+a+religion+in+a+New+Jersey+court+case#v=onepage&q=Transcendental%20Meditation%20was%20held%20to%20be%20a%20religion%20in%20a%20New%20Jersey%20court%20case&f=false. 
  18. ^ "Transcendental Meditation". Oxford English Dictionary. http://dictionary.oed.com/. 
  19. ^ "Beatles guru dies in Netherlands". USA Today. Associated Press. February 5, 2008. http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2008-02-05-maharishi-obit_N.htm. 
  20. ^ Epstein, Edward, (December 29, 1995). "Politics and Transcendental Meditation". San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1995/12/29/MN65432.DTL. 
  21. ^ Woo, Elaine (February 6, 2008). "Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; founded Transcendental Meditation movement". Baltimore Sun. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/la-me-maharishi6feb06,0,2399627,full.story.  reprinted from LA Times
  22. ^ Morris, Bevan; Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (2001). "Foreword". Science of Being and Art of Living. New York: Plume/The Penguin Group. ISBN 0-452-28266-7. 
  23. ^ a b "Learn the Transcendental Meditation Technique – Seven Step Program". Tm.org. http://www.tm.org/learn-meditation. Retrieved 2009-11-15. 
  24. ^ Lansky EP, St Louis EK (November 2006). "Transcendental meditation: a double-edged sword in epilepsy?". Epilepsy Behav 9 (3): 394–400. doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2006.04.019. PMID 16931164. 
  25. ^ "Definition of Transcendental Meditation – NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms, Definition of Transcendental Meditation – NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms". http://www.nci.nih.gov/dictionary/?CdrID=44991. 
  26. ^ Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Thirty Years Around the World, Volume One, 1957–1964. MVU Press. pp. 213–237. ISBN 90-71750-02-7. 
  27. ^ a b "Behavior: THE TM CRAZE: 40 Minutes to Bliss". Time. 1975-10-13. ISSN 0040-718X. http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,947229,00.html. Retrieved 2009-11-15. 
  28. ^ Woo, Elaine (2008-02-06). "Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; founded Transcendental Meditation movement". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-maharishi6feb06,1,4208394.story. Retrieved 2009-11-15. 
  29. ^ The Hindu Life & Style/Metroplus: Mind over Matter, Kamala Thiagarajan, June 16 2011, retrieved Oct 2011
  30. ^ Briganti, John (October 31, 2000). "Testimony to the White House Commission On Complementary And Alternative Medicine Policy". http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/whccamp/meetings/transcript_10_30_00_s7_8_9_10.html. Retrieved September 14, 2010. 
  31. ^ Murphy, Michael; Donovan, Steven; Taylor, Eugene (1997). The physical and psychological effects of meditation : a review of contemporary research with a comprehensive bibliography, 1931–1996. Sausalito, Calif.: Institute of Noetic Sciences. ISBN 978-0-943951-36-2. 
  32. ^ Benson, Herbert; Klipper, Miriam Z. (2001). The relaxation response. New York, NY: Quill. p. 61. ISBN 978-0-380-81595-1. http://books.google.com/?id=TJDGTP9Sa5UC&pg=PA61&dq=transcendental+meditation&q=transcendental%20meditation. 
  33. ^ Sinatra, Stephen T.; Roberts, James C.; Zucker, Martin (2007-12-20). Reverse Heart Disease Now: Stop Deadly Cardiovascular Plaque Before It's Too Late. Wiley. p. 192. ISBN 978-0-470-22878-4. http://books.google.com/?id=4TfJqNA8sOIC&pg=PA192&dq=transcendental+meditationlr=#v=onepage&q=transcendental%20meditation. 
  34. ^ Travis, Frederick; Chawkin, Ken (Sept–Oct, 2003). New Life magazine. 
  35. ^ a b Ospina, MB.; Bond, K.; Karkhaneh, M.; Tjosvold, L.; Vandermeer, B.; Liang, Y.; Bialy, L.; Hooton, N. et al (June 2007). "Meditation practices for health: state of the research". Evid Rep Technol Assess (Full Rep) (155): 1–263. PMID 17764203. http://www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/meditation/medit.pdf. "A few studies of overall poor methodological quality were available for each comparison in the meta-analyses, most of which reported nonsignificant results. TM® had no advantage over health education to improve measures of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, body weight, heart rate, stress, anger, self-efficacy, cholesterol, dietary intake, and level of physical activity in hypertensive patients" 
  36. ^ Krisanaprakornkit, T.; Ngamjarus, C.; Witoonchart, C.; Piyavhatkul, N.; Krisanaprakornkit, Thawatchai (2010). Krisanaprakornkit, Thawatchai. ed. "Meditation therapies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)". Cochrane Database Syst Rev 6 (6): CD006507. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006507.pub2. PMID 20556767. "As a result of the limited number of included studies, the small sample sizes and the high risk of bias, we are unable to draw any conclusions regarding the effectiveness of meditation therapy for ADHD." 
  37. ^ Ospina MB, Bond K, Karkhaneh M, et al. (June 2007). "Meditation practices for health: state of the research". Evid Rep Technol Assess (Full Rep) (155): 1–263. PMID 17764203. "Scientific research on meditation practices does not appear to have a common theoretical perspective and is characterized by poor methodological quality. Firm conclusions on the effects of meditation practices in healthcare cannot be drawn based on the available evidence." 
  38. ^ Krisanaprakornkit T, Ngamjarus C, Witoonchart C, Piyavhatkul N (2010). Krisanaprakornkit, Thawatchai. ed. "Meditation therapies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)". Cochrane Database Syst Rev 6 (6): CD006507. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006507.pub2. PMID 20556767. "As a result of the limited number of included studies, the small sample sizes and the high risk of bias" 
  39. ^ Canter PH, Ernst E (November 2004). "Insufficient evidence to conclude whether or not Transcendental Meditation decreases blood pressure: results of a systematic review of randomized clinical trials". Journal of Hypertension 22 (11): 2049–54. doi:10.1097/00004872-200411000-00002. PMID 15480084. http://meta.wkhealth.com/pt/pt-core/template-journal/lwwgateway/media/landingpage.htm?issn=0263-6352&volume=22&issue=11&spage=2049. "All the randomized clinical trials of TM for the control of blood pressure published to date have important methodological weaknesses and are potentially biased by the affiliation of authors to the TM organization." 
  40. ^ Canter PH, Ernst E (November 2003). "The cumulative effects of Transcendental Meditation on cognitive function—a systematic review of randomised controlled trials". Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. 115 (21–22): 758–66. doi:10.1007/BF03040500. PMID 14743579. "All 4 positive trials recruited subjects from among people favourably predisposed towards TM, and used passive control procedures ... The association observed between positive outcome, subject selection procedure and control procedure suggests that the large positive effects reported in 4 trials result from an expectation effect. The claim that TM has a specific and cumulative effect on cognitive function is not supported by the evidence from randomized controlled trials." 
  41. ^ Tennant, Laura (July 10, 2011). "Transcendental Meditation: Were the hippies right all along?". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/transcendental-meditation-were-the-hippies-right-all-along-2307898.html. 
  42. ^ For new religious movement see:
    Beckford, James A. (1985). Cult controversies: the societal response to new religious movements. Tavistock Publications. p. 23. ISBN 978-0-422-79630-9. http://books.google.com/books?id=0pc9AAAAIAAJ. 
    Parsons, Gerald (1994). The Growth of Religious Diversity: Traditions. The Open University/Methuen. p. 288. ISBN 978-0-415-08326-3. http://books.google.com/books?id=tlKkZoNPi0oC&pg=PA288. 
    For neo-Hindu, see:
    Alper, Harvey P. (December 1991). Understanding mantras. Motilal Banarsidass Publ.. p. 442. ISBN 978-81-208-0746-4. http://books.google.com/books?id=V8Upy4ApG_oC&pg=PA442. 
    Raj, Selva J.; William P. Harman (2007). Dealing With Deities: The Ritual Vow in South Asia. SUNY Press. p. 129. ISBN 978-0-7914-6708-4. http://books.google.com/books?id=Ov2oltTLinkC&pg=PA129. 
  43. ^ Chryssides George D. Defining the New Spirituality http://www.cesnur.org/conferences/riga2000/chryssides.htm One possible suggestion is that religion demands exclusive allegiance: this would ipso facto exclude Scientology, TM and the Soka Gakkai simply on the grounds that they claim compatibility with whatever other religion the practitioner has been following. For example, TM is simply – as they state – a technique. Although it enables one to cope with life, it offers no goal beyond human existence (such as moksha), nor does it offer rites or passage or an ethic. Unlike certain other Hindu-derived movements, TM does not prescribe a dharma to its followers – that is to say a set of spiritual obligations deriving from one’s essential nature.
  44. ^ "tens of thousands": New Religious Movements (University of Virginia) (1998), citing Melton, J. Gordon, 1993, Encyclopedia of American Religions. 4th ed. Detroit: Gale Research Inc, 945–946. Occhiogrosso, Peter. The Joy of Sects: A Spirited Guide to the World's Religious Traditions. New York: Doubleday (1996); p 66, citing "close to a million" in the USA. The three million estimate appears to originate with The State of Religion Atlas. Simon & Schuster: New York (1993); pg. 35. O'Brien, J. & M. Palmer. The State of Religion Atlas. Simon & Schuster: New York (1993); p. 35. Petersen, William J. Those Curious New Cults in the 80s. New Canaan, Connecticut: Keats Publishing (1982), p 123 claims "more than a million" in the USA and Europe. The Financial Times (8 February 2003) reported that the movement claims to have five million followers, Bickerton, Ian (February 8, 2003). "Bank makes an issue of mystic's mint". Financial Times (London (UK)): p. 09. 
  45. ^ "Maharishi Mahesh Yogi". The Times (London (UK)). February 7, 2008. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article3320882.ece. 
  46. ^ "Maharishi Mahesh Yogi". Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. http://www.answers.com/topic/maharishi-mahesh-yogi. 
  47. ^ Sharma & Clark 1998, Preface
  48. ^ Welvaert, Brandy, Vedic homes seek better living through architecture", Rock Island Argus, (August 5, 2005)
  49. ^ Spivack, Miranda (September 12, 2008). "Bricks Mortar and Serenity". Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/11/AR2008121103497.html. 
  50. ^ a b Persinger, Michael A.; Carrey, Normand J.; Suess, Lynn A. (1980). TM and cult mania. North Quincy, Mass.: Christopher Pub. House. ISBN 0-8158-0392-3. 
  51. ^ Sagan, Carl (1997). The demon-haunted world: science as a candle in the dark. [New York: Ballantine Books. p. 16. ISBN 0-345-40946-9. 
  52. ^ McTaggart, Lynne (July 24, 2003). The Field. HarperCollins. p. 211. ISBN 978-0-06-093117-9. http://books.google.com/books?d=uivwpQIRMwUC&pg=PA211&dq=transcendental+meditation&lr=#v=onepage&q=transcendental%20meditation&f=false. 
  53. ^ Syman, Stefanie (2010). The subtle body : the story of yoga in America (1st ed.). New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. pp. 201–202. ISBN 978-0-374-23676-2. http://books.google.com/books?id=fFYFEmSVtQAC&pg=PA201. 
  54. ^ Mason, Paul (2005). The Maharishi : the biography of the man who gave transcendental meditation to the world (New ed. revised and updated. ed.). Lyndhurst: Evolution Publishing. pp. 254–255. ISBN 978-0-9550361-0-1. 
  55. ^ "TM is not a religion and requires no change in belief or lifestyle. Moreover, the TM movement is not a cult."
  56. ^ The Herald Scotland, April 21, 2007 Meditation-for-old-hippies-or-a-better-way-of-life?
  57. ^ ["the TM technique does not require adherence to any belief system—there is no dogma or philosophy attached to it, and it does not demand any lifestyle changes other than the practice of it." [1]
  58. ^ "Its proponents say it is not a religion or a philosophy."The Guardian March 28, 2009 [2]
  59. ^ "It's used in prisons, large corporations and schools, and it is not considered a religion.” [3] Concord Monitor
  60. ^ Lyn Freeman, Mosby’s Complementary & Alternative Medicine: A Research-Based Approach, Mosby Elsevier, 2009, p. 163
  61. ^ QUICK, SUSANNE (October 17, 2004). "Delving into alternative care: Non-traditional treatments draw increased interest, research funding". Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee, WI). Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070929124114/http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=267105. 
  62. ^ Ospina MB, Bond K, Karkhaneh M, et al. (June 2007). "Meditation practices for health: state of the research". Evid Rep Technol Assess (Full Rep) (155): 1–263. PMID 17764203. "Scientific research on meditation practices does not appear to have a common theoretical perspective and is characterized by poor methodological quality. Firm conclusions on the effects of meditation practices in healthcare cannot be drawn based on the available evidence." 
  63. ^ Krisanaprakornkit T, Ngamjarus C, Witoonchart C, Piyavhatkul N (2010). Krisanaprakornkit, Thawatchai. ed. "Meditation therapies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)". Cochrane Database Syst Rev 6 (6): CD006507. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006507.pub2. PMID 20556767. "As a result of the limited number of included studies, the small sample sizes and the high risk of bias" 
  64. ^ Canter PH, Ernst E (November 2004). "Insufficient evidence to conclude whether or not Transcendental Meditation decreases blood pressure: results of a systematic review of randomized clinical trials". Journal of Hypertension 22 (11): 2049–54. doi:10.1097/00004872-200411000-00002. PMID 15480084. http://meta.wkhealth.com/pt/pt-core/template-journal/lwwgateway/media/landingpage.htm?issn=0263-6352&volume=22&issue=11&spage=2049. "All the randomized clinical trials of TM for the control of blood pressure published to date have important methodological weaknesses and are potentially biased by the affiliation of authors to the TM organization." 
  65. ^ Krisanaprakornkit, T.; Ngamjarus, C.; Witoonchart, C.; Piyavhatkul, N. (2010). Krisanaprakornkit, Thawatchai. ed. "Meditation therapies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)". Cochrane Database Syst Rev 6 (6): CD006507. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006507.pub2. PMID 20556767. "As a result of the limited number of included studies, the small sample sizes and the high risk of bias, we are unable to draw any conclusions regarding the effectiveness of meditation therapy for ADHD." 
  66. ^ Canter PH, Ernst E (November 2003). "The cumulative effects of Transcendental Meditation on cognitive function--a systematic review of randomised controlled trials". Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. 115 (21–22): 758–66. doi:10.1007/BF03040500. PMID 14743579. "All 4 positive trials recruited subjects from among people favourably predisposed towards TM, and used passive control procedures … The association observed between positive outcome, subject selection procedure and control procedure suggests that the large positive effects reported in 4 trials result from an expectation effect. The claim that TM has a specific and cumulative effect on cognitive function is not supported by the evidence from randomized controlled trials." 
  67. ^ "The Transcendental Meditation program". TM.org. http://www.maharishi.ca/10-facts.php. Retrieved 27 August 2011. "The Transcendental Meditation technique is unlike any other form of meditation or self-development—in practice and results. The technique is distinguished by its naturalness, effortlessness and profound effectiveness." 

Further reading

Scholarly
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Other Researches

The depersonalization and derealization experiences of novice subjects while meditating by gazing at a blue vase are strikingly similar to the experiences reported by TM meditators.

TM and Cult Mania by Michael Persinger with Normand J. Carrey and Lynn A. Suess. ISBN 0-8158-0392-3

By the movement

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