From: mikenews@access.digex.com (Mike Doughney)
Subject: TM and religious experience (was: Re: TM is a copy)
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, Maryland USA
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 06:43:28 GMT

In article <1992Jul20.232445.28089@bcrka451.bnr.ca> mkfeil@bcrki9.bnr.ca () writes:
>In article <1992Jul20.102757.451@massey.ac.nz> news@massey.ac.nz (USENET News System) writes:
>] Jesus loves you - why get out of your mind 
>]                   when you can have a living relationship with God.
>]                   Jesus died that we all might have life not nothingness!
>]  
>]For god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son (jesus) that who
>]ever believes in him should have life and have it abundently!!

Well, this newsgroup was about due for this kind of visit...

>Note that prayer and meditation have a lot in common. In fact most religions
>have a long history of some form of one, the other, or both.
>
>John of RuysBroeck, a flemish mystic in the 13th century, states that through
>"inward exercises man feels a ghostly union with God. Whosoever then has,in
>his inward exercise, an imageless and free ascent unto his God, and means
>nought else but the glory of God, must taste of the goodness of God; ....

The phenomena experienced during meditation can include all sorts of
novel things, but they are all nothing more than the product of
bringing the mind to a particular state.  This can happen any number
of ways, some more effective than others, through suggestion,
deprivation, or drugs.

Attributing meditation experiences to a god only leaves a person vulnerable
to manipulation and control by religious organizations.  

>An anonymous christian monk writing in the 14th century states in 'The Cloud
>of Unknowing': "And if you think that the labor is great, then you may seek
>to develop special ways, tricks, private techniques, and spritual devices by
>means of which you can put other thoughts away. And it is best to learn these
>methods from God by your own experience rather than from any man in this
>life.  Although this is so, I will tell you what seems to me to be the best
>of these special ways. Test them and improve upon them if you can." He goes
>on talking about one of these means - the use of a single syllable such as
>"God" or "love".  "Choose whichever one you prefer, or if you like, choose
>another that suits your tastes..."

Every religious tradition has its ways of making its followers feel good.

>There are many other example of Christian and other writers discussing "this
>manner of prayer". See "The Relaxation Response" by Herbert Benson MD,
>chapter 5.

Getting back to the subject of this newsgroup... I am inclined to
think that the TM program is, for whatever reason, one of the most
effective ways for the average person to experience these states of
mind/consciousness.  My family and I experienced many of the
advertised benefits after beginning the program; my parents had no
success at all with the techniques in the Benson book.

HOWEVER.  Looking back on it in hindsight, the program is a
double-edged sword.  The whole introduction to the technique is a
carefully guided suggestive path, and every following event is
preceded by a short period of meditation to help get everyone in a
nice relaxed and receptive state for the message which follows.
As the initiation process is one of suggestion by the teacher followed
by gratification (enjoying the experience of meditation), the subject may
be receptive to more suggestions from the teacher(s) which would
presumably lead to more gratifications.  

After awhile, an individual might find themselves doing things on
behalf of the organization that they would have thought unwise before
starting the program, and believing things they would not have
considered before, like that people can levitate at will.

This process may not be that different from that of religious
conversion. 

>P.S. People:Before posting, please ensure that the information content of your
>     article is not zero or negative...

Just an armchair analysis from a former meditator, no warranty
expressed or implied.  It's too late in the evening to analyze
information content. :-)

>Max Feil  mkfeil@bnr.ca 

Mike Doughney, not speaking for my company, but a crass commercial
message follows...
-- 
Mike Doughney              mike@access.digex.com               +1 301 220 2020
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