More Dirt In The Sea Of TM™ Whitewashing
File under: Gurubusting, Satscams and The Siddhi of PR
A little more truth has surfaced in the ocean of inveterate whitewashing that's been occurring in the international press over the last week; an article by the last news writer to interview the Maharishi when he was alive. Get ready for the Austin Powers-level wackiness of Yoga's Dr. Evil, the late, yet not so great, Maharhishi Mahesh Yogi:
For the historic interview I was ushered into the so-called brahmastan, a sort of giant pagoda-style wooden palace.Arrogant, full of pride, deluded. This was your leader, TM™.
I was flanked by two sternfaced, light-suited "ministers", who introduced me, to the untold thousands of disciples watching this bizarre charade via the live global video-link by which the Maharishi communicated his edicts, as a "distinguished international journalist" - which was certainly a first for me.
Then, just as I was expecting him to make his entrance, a giant screen flickered to life and I was greeted not by a real live guru but by a sort of hologram with a cotton-wool beard and a shiny, teak-brown pate.
Only then did I realise that the Maharishi would be addressing me only via closed-circuit TV from his chamber, presumably somewhere upstairs.
"His Holiness never meets anyone because his doctor is concerned that he might catch germs," Roth whispered.
"He hasn't been outside for years."
In truth, it was more a monologue than an interview.
The Maharishi spouted incomprehensible mumbo jumbo for several minutes-then launched into a diatribe against Britain - a terrible country which believes in "divide and rule" and was responsible for much of the misery besetting the world.
This, he said, was why he had decided to "excommunicate" this country, meaning that his disciples were banned from teaching TM here (a state of affairs which, I regret to report, he later reversed).
My one small victory was that I managed to ask him - ever so politely - about The Beatles.
Given all the bad blood, did he regret his involvement with the band who made him a household name?
Suddenly, all that serenity evaporated and the mystic came over all mortal.
"Forget about it!" he spluttered furiously.
"If at all, (The) Beatles became substantial by my contact.
"I did not become great by association of The Beatles! Beatles make Maharishi great? Pah! It is a waste of thought."
Labels: Gurubusting, Satscams, The Siddhi of PR
posted by guruphiliac @ 8:08 PM
10 Comments:
I guess you were never initiated in TM, so you don't feel what you're talking about. And... about some human reactions by MMY. If he had not been human, but kind of an unreal nonsexual monk, I would have been as critical as you. I am sure you're very influenced by a comparison with Jesus and his many inhuman qualities.
3- about this mysophobia (fear for germs and clinging to cleanliness): that is really typical indian hindu, not a worry. Hinduism is all about clearing the clutter and ayurveda is all about how keeping the dirt outside. I hope you clear it in your head, dear bloke.
Drinking the TM™ Kool-Aid has clouded your judgement.
ain't no kool-aid except that from one's own ignorance... cannot blame jim jones, got to blame the idiotic followers
Hi, Jody, funny reaction. I don't even know that stuff "Kool-Aid". I never was that addicted: I make a clear and cut distinction between the basis technique and the mumbo jumbo of the international structure around it full of megalomania. TM as an organization sucks: two examples I know of: 1- every further "technique" which promises enhancing results was/is fake. And now even the basis is much much too expensive. 2- they let the original building bought in Vlodrop decay to a ruin: so far for the promising yearly keywords like "invincibility" 3- a friend of mine who went all the way (flying, panchakarma massage, using all kinds of medicine like this KoolAid...) paid his courses by being a servant for the staff in Vlodrop. But this paying off never really stopped. In the end he was desillusioned, not being allowed to become a teacher: they don't like poor western people! He felt exploited in a hard capitalistic way.
My question: when (what year) did this interview or visit of yours happen and was it in Vlodrop?
P.S. Robschop (=old name) same person as RobinArrow
Robschop, the people most critical of Maharishi are people who were initiated and were initiators. Veneration and deification of self serving scumbags has been going on since time immemorial. Because of the internet, we have a chance now of
interrupting this process and letting some truth in. This in my opinion is far more valuable a gift to humanity than building self important towers to a false god.
Hi, Jody, funny reaction.
That's because I'm not influenced by any comparisons of anybody with Jesus. He was as much a figment of the historical imagination as any other supposedly miraculous guru.
My question: when (what year) did this interview or visit of yours happen and was it in Vlodrop?
In the article I'm quoting it says the interview happened in 2006, and it happened in Vlodrop.
the economist obit
tycoon dead
Sorry, Jody, I am hoaxed by you. As a matter of fact, KoolAid has nothing to do with TM, only with Jim Jones. So, it's not funny anymore.
"Yet the maharishi was generally benign": sentence in the Economist (link "tycoon dead" by Gregory). That sentence and the following summarize a lot.
Betty, the internet as far more a valuable gift to humanity? Sure, I agree. Although, there is much junk in the forums. Your reaction is not free from general rubbish like mixing up facts and alike. English is not my native language, so I won't say anything more here after this: I try in my comments to be specific and clear. Terms like "(false) god", "deification" and "truth" are way too heavy to discuss about in a blog. But in my feeling they are not bearing upon TM as a practice.
KoolAid has nothing to do with TM, only with Jim Jones.
But buying into a particular guru's ideology wholesale is drinking Kool-Aid to this particular writer. It denotes the retardation of critical thinking which occurs in duped devotees.
"Yet the maharishi was generally benign": sentence in the Economist (link "tycoon dead" by Gregory).
He was benign like a senile grandmother is benign. Economically, he was a huge waste of resources for an org purporting to be saving the world. It's all based on an out-and-out fantasy, the so-called "Maharishi Effect." We all know how truly effective that's working out to be.
Your reaction is not free from general rubbish like mixing up facts and alike.
She's been there, done that as far as TM™ is concerned, making her an expert in this forum.
But in my feeling they are not bearing upon TM as a practice.
TM™ as a practice is kindergarden level mantra meditation. It's no big deal in any regard, despite its horrifically-overpriced teaching fee.
Kool-Aid was Ken Kesey's Kaper, Korrect?
By the way, he had a point about Britain.
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