Talk:Transcendental Meditation/Technique or Movement?

Brief statements in support of TM meaning a technique

• Most dictionaries and encyclopedia defines TM as a technique (see below). In practice, TM as a noun is used most of the times to mean a technique (see below) and only in some occasions to mean a movement, a religion or a philosophy (see below). Moreover, we can also find statements in the Internet such as "Global Warming is a religion", "Evolution is a religion", etc. and these special cases do not mean that these terms are ambiguous. The same is true for "Transcendental Meditation". Edith Sirius Lee (talk) 14:04, 31 October 2010 (UTC)

On what basis do you say "most"? An assertion like that requires checking all of the dictionaries and encyclopedias and then assessing their view. All we can say is that "most citations to dictionaries and encyclopedia posted by an editor..." define TM in a certain way. The ways in which evolution might be considered a religion and the ways in the TM are considered a religion are quite different. I don't think it's a helpful comparison. TM is considered a religion by just about everyone who writes books about new religious movements. Some even call it a "cult". No scholar of religion calls evolution a religion. Since Olive tells us that a technique can not be a cult, those references are all to the TM movement.   Will Beback  talk  11:04, 2 November 2010 (UTC)

I am not replying here. We should keep this page clean. It is not for long threads. We should use the talk page for that. I would suggest that you move your brief comment in the proper location. Edith Sirius Lee (talk) 12:38, 2 November 2010 (UTC)

Why don't we move the whole thread back to the talk pages? I don't see the need for "brief statements" on this page.   Will Beback  talk  12:43, 2 November 2010 (UTC)

Fine, I really felt that brief statements where useful, but long threads will just make the whole thing a mess. That was just a suggestion. Edith Sirius Lee (talk) 20:21, 2 November 2010 (UTC)

(undent) Sources per google are split about 50/50 in how they use TM. Half use it to mean a technique and half use it to mean a movement / religion.Doc James (talk · contribs · email) 15:16, 2 November 2010 (UTC)

Let's not conflate a description of sources that describe or imply TM is a movement with those sources that define or describe TM as a religion.(olive (talk) 15:33, 2 November 2010 (UTC))

Why not? The argument being advanced by some editors is that TM can only mean the technique. If TM is used by reliable sources for anything other than the technique, whether that anything is movement, group, religion, cult, philosophy, science....is pretty much immaterial for purposes of this discussion. Fladrif (talk) 17:43, 2 November 2010 (UTC)

What? (olive (talk) 17:51, 2 November 2010 (UTC))

Was I unclear about something? Fladrif (talk) 18:46, 2 November 2010 (UTC)

IIRC Olive has previously asserted that a technique cannot be a cult. Therefore, any source that is referring to TM as a religion or cult is referring to it as a movement, not a technique.   Will Beback  talk  21:03, 2 November 2010 (UTC)

Exactly. Fladrif (talk) 21:38, 2 November 2010 (UTC)

Brief statements in support of TM meaning a movement, a religion or a philosophy

A lot of the sources below use TM to mean a movement, a religion or a philosophy. Doc James (talk · contribs · email) 15:15, 2 November 2010 (UTC)

I don't see that. Do you mean that because we see many expressions like "Transcendental Meditation Movement", then "Transcendental Meditation" is a synonymous for "Transcendental Meditation Movement"? Edith Sirius Lee (talk) 20:11, 2 November 2010 (UTC)

Sources that define "Transcendental Meditation" as a movement

• Definition: Transcendental Meditation is a religious movement largely developed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, although he learned much of it from his teacher Swami Brahmananda Saraswati Maharaj. TM became popular in the West to a great extent because of various celebrities, like the Beatles, who started to join it. Adherents believe that dedicated following of TM teachings will not only allow them to attain supernatural powers, like levitation, but will also allow them to gain psychic influences over society. For example, groups have meditated in an effort to reduce crime, but to no real effect. Although followers will try to claim that TM is a science rather than a religion, courts have ruled otherwise and have prohibited the teaching of TM courses in public schools as a result.
  • About.com[1]

• Transcendental Meditation, also called TM, spiritual movement that was founded by the Indian teacher the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1917?–2008).
  • Encyclopedia Britannica[2]

• Transcendental Meditation, service mark for a religious movement based on Vedanta Vedanta , one of the six classical systems of Indian philosophy. The term "Vedanta" has the literal meaning "the end of the Veda" and refers both to the teaching of the Upanishads, which constitute the last section of the Veda, and to the knowledge of its ultimate philosophy, founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Stressing natural meditation and the liberating pleasures such practices could invoke, the movement's meditation method is believed to help individuals achieve a higher level of consciousness. Brought by Maharishi from India to the West in 1959, Transcendental Meditation was a distinct subculture within the 1960s youth movement, attracting actress Mia Farrow, cultural philosopher Marshall McLuhan, and the Beatles, who eventually rejected the Yogi's teachings.
  • The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia® Columbia University Press. [3]

1. http://books.google.ca/books?id=uvzztfNaFaEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Transcendental+Meditation&hl=en&ei=D4bETJM3jpqwA4--6bQF&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CFEQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q&f=false
2. Roth, Robert J. (1988). Transcendental mMditation. New York: Plume. ISBN 1-55611-085-5.
3. http://books.google.ca/books?id=ZPokHByS3N0C&pg=PA295&dq=Transcendental+Meditation&hl=en&ei=sobETIeWA4K0sAOXg9TfCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CEUQ6AEwBjgK#v=onepage&q=Transcendental%20Meditation&f=false
4. Bromiley, Geoffrey William; Fahlbusch, Erwin; Lochman, Jan Milic; Mbiti, John S.; Vischer, Lukas (1999). The encyclopedia of Christianity. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans. ISBN 0-8028-2417-X.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
5. [4]
6. Etc.

Sources that use "Transcendental Meditation" to mean a movement, a religion or a philosophy

Transcendental Meditation was a distinct subculture within the 1960s youth movement, attracting actress Mia Farrow, cultural philosopher Marshall McLuhan, and the Beatles, who eventually rejected the Yogi's teachings.

• The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia® Columbia University Press. [5]

Sources that have used "Transcendental Meditation" within three words of terms like "movement", "group", etc., since 2008

• Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was the leader of the Transcendental Meditation religious movement, notable for influencing The Beatles.
  • Lifespan; From John Lennon to Michael Jackson, and from Heather Mills to the love of his life, Linda, the ex-Beatle relives his life in pictures Sir Paul McCartney. Daily Mail. London (UK): Apr 17, 2010. pg. 6

• About six million people worldwide practise Transcendental Meditation, according to the movement's official website.
  • Curing depression by the Yogi technique Anonymous. The Statesman. New Delhi: Apr 11, 2010.

• For a time, Smith Center had been something of a focal point for the group that subscribes to the teachings of the late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's transcendental meditation. The group initially had talked of building a new city, first known as the world capital of peace and later the U.S. Peace Government, but that's an idea that apparently has been pushed onto the back burner.
  • Meditation group's Kan. project stalls; Followers of TM guru's teaching eyed site near Smith Center for school, but local support was nil. Mike Corn. The Hutchinson News. Hutchinson, Kan: Apr 9, 2010.

• Dr. Chopra, a former leader of the Transcendental Meditation movement, participates in an enlightening evening to discuss the path one should follow in order to create the desired self.
  • Lamott recalls, revisits IRENE MUNIZ. Boston Globe. Boston, Mass.: Apr 6, 2010. pg. G.3

• As a young man, Shankar worked with spiritual teachers such as Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the leader of the Transcendental Meditation movement and the "Beatles' guru," who influenced the band from Liverpool and other celebrities.
  • 'Guru of joy' to visit Isles Maureen O'Connell. Honolulu Advertiser. Honolulu, Hawaii: Apr 3, 2010.

• The celebrity sightings faded around 2000, when the center was moved to North Carolina by founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who started the transcendental meditation movement in the 1970s. A small group of Lancaster employees brought back some of the old clientele, but they could not survive the recession. "I have a base here," said Mr. Brooks, who grew up in Cambridge. "And I have a desire to see this wonderful place succeed. It has a historic place in the Transcendental Meditation movement."
  • Rejuvenation for Maharishi Center; Lancaster center regroups around Ayurveda practice Karen Nugent. Telegram & Gazette. Worcester, Mass.: Nov 4, 2009. pg. B.10

• Years of practicing meditation, initially through the Transcendental Meditation movement and then with Synchronicity, had enhanced his natural calm.
  • Unshakable Faith; The Mumbai terrorist attacks killed two pilgrims from Virginia, but not their companions' belief that everything, and everyone, is connected April Witt. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: Aug 23, 2009. pg. W.10

• Not all the planned Peace Palaces were abandoned, and the Transcendental Meditation movement got a big publicity boost recently when former Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr performed at a fundraiser.
  • World-Herald Exclusive; If you lived here, you'd be om now Paul Hammel. Omaha World - Herald. Omaha, Neb.: Apr 27, 2009. pg. B.1

• Leaders of Rhode Island's Transcendental Meditation movement say they have been promised at least $625,000 by the David Lynch Foundation to provide scholarships to 1,000 "at-risk" young people in the city's public schools to learn to meditate -- provided the schools agree to allow TM practitioners to teach in the schools.
  • Paul, Ringo and a transcendental proposal Richard C Dujardin. The Providence Journal. Providence, R.I.: Apr 3, 2009. pg. A.1

• The Transcendental Meditation Group will meet at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 5, at 56-B Cadiz for group meditation and discussion.
  • briefly // Briefs 3 Anonymous. Orange County Register. Santa Ana, Calif.: Apr 2, 2009.

• SCHOOLS run by the Transcendental Meditation movement, where pupils would meditate in class, are being considered by the Government.
  • Ministers consider meditation academies Graeme Paton Education Editor. The Daily Telegraph. London (UK): Feb 13, 2009. pg. 2

• If a further 1% can be persuaded to take up yogic flying in groups, world peace would follow, according to the Transcendental Meditation Movement, of which Lynch is the public face.
  • Front: And now children, it's time for your yogic flying lesson Jacqueline Stevens, Patrick Barkham. The Guardian. London (UK): Jan 27, 2009. pg. 1

• The Transcendental Meditation movement of the late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi paid $750,000 for a Hampshire County tract and plans a $15 million spiritual retreat.
  • EDITORIAL: Potpourri: Jan. 19, 2009 Anonymous. McClatchy - Tribune Business News. Washington: Jan 19, 2009.

• Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, 91 Indian guru who inspired Beatles and founded transcendental meditation movement.
  • Late and great of 2008; [We pay tribute and say a last goodbye to the people who left their mark on our lives 1] Anonymous. The Daily Mirror. London (UK): Dec 31, 2008. pg. 21

• Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, 91 Guru to the Beatles, he originated the Transcendental Meditation movement in the 1950s and later bought two islands off the coast of Nova Scotia where he planned, but never erected, an international peace palace.
  • Passages: A year of the departed The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ont.: Dec 31, 2008. pg. A.10

• Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, 91; founder of the Transcendental Meditation movement (Feb. 5)
  • REMEMBERING; Notable people who died in 2008 Anonymous. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, Calif.: Dec 28, 2008. pg. B.10

• The house was once the home of former prime minister Lord Rosebery but when Halabi bought it the owners were the Maharishi Yogi's transcendental meditation movement. Mentmore had suffered considerable wear and tear.
  • The crumbling empire of a [pounds]2 billion property tycoon; As Simon Halabi is dropped from one rich list and his place in another is in doubt, his plans to renovate two of Britain's finest buildings are now being questioned KEITH DOVKANTS. Evening Standard. London (UK): Dec 15, 2008. pg. 20

• A spokesman for the American Institute of Architects said Vedic architecture is not well known in the United States. Fairfield, Iowa, a center of the Transcendental Meditation movement, has several Vedic buildings, and there are buildings based on Vedic principles in at least 13 other states.
  • Bricks, Mortar and Serenity; New Rockville Building Has a Peaceful, Meditative Air Miranda S Spivack - Washington Post Staff Writer. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: Dec 12, 2008. pg. B.1

• Killed at Mumbai's Trident Hotel were Alan Scherr, 58, of Faber, Va., and his 13-year-old daughter, Naomi, who were followers of a transcendental-meditation group.
  • Pakistani Link Boosts Tensions Jackie Range, Krishna Pokharel, Zahid Hussain. Wall Street Journal. (Eastern edition). New York, N.Y.: Dec 1, 2008. pg. A.1

• In a 2000 essay Alan Scherr published on Realization.org, he also described an affiliation with the Transcendental Meditation organization, which teaches a trademarked and "very simple, natural mental process that people practice for 20 minutes, twice a day," spokesman Steven Yellin said.
  • Scherr sought inner peace through spiritual journey Tony Gonzalez. McClatchy - Tribune Business News. Washington: Nov 29, 2008.

• It somehow seemed fitting that the Mosaic meeting was held just down the hall from a conference on Transcendental Meditation. Both groups -- the Mosaic shareholders and the transcendentalists -- appeared in a trancelike state as they crossed paths in the hotel lobby.
  • heard on the prairie; Shareholders staying bullish on Mosaic; Stock in the fertilizer maker may be undervalued from fears of a farm credit crunch that hasn't materializd. CHRIS SERRES. Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minn.: Oct 19, 2008. pg. D.2

• In the 1990s, the house was inhabited by a group of transcendental meditation practitioners for a considerable period.
  • 'Too big' Victoria home quickly became just right; Huge gardens and character prevailed Katherine Dedyna. The Vancouver Sun. Vancouver, B.C.: Aug 23, 2008. pg. L.4

• Invincible SA, an initiative of the Maharishi Transcendental Meditation movement, says it has a plan to reduce crime in SA by 30% by 2010, simply by collecting 1000 people and having them do advanced transcendental meditation twice a day for 20 minutes.
  • Putting mind to the fight against crime Franny Rabkin. Business Day. Johannesburg: Aug 18, 2008. pg. 4

• Movements like transcendental meditation and the work of wellness guru and bestselling author Dr. Deepak Chopra "occupy a similar space in the popular consciousness and life of Americans," he said.
  • Trail of inspiration leads to Watertown ashram Erica Noonan. Boston Globe. Boston, Mass.: Aug 17, 2008. pg. 1

• I spent the 1980s working full-time with the transcendental meditation organisation.
  • Preparing for a leap of faith - and better care Anonymous. The Sentinel. Stoke-on-Trent (UK): Jun 28, 2008. pg. 21

• Discusses some of the scientific claims made by some meditation practitioners, specifically the transcendental meditation group.
  • De-stressing through meditation Ellen Whyte. New Straits Times. Kuala Lumpur: Jun 2, 2008. pg. 15

• Those principles set forth the alignment and geometry of the homes in a way that the late Transcendental Meditation movement founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi said was most healthful and beneficial to occupants.
  • Efficient living: Homes still look conventional David DeWitte. McClatchy - Tribune Business News. Washington: Mar 14, 2008.

• David Rae, Scottish director of the Transcendental Meditation Movement and Donovan's spokesman on the issue, said the singer was determined the institute should be recognised as a university.
  • Donovan school put under threat Stuart MacDonald. Sunday Times. London (UK): Mar 9, 2008. pg. 11

• Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the giggling guru who founded the Transcendental Meditation movement, proclaimed throughout his 50-year career that he knew the secret to worldwide peace.
  • Sites for 'Maharishi Effect' (Welcome to Parma) Spread Across U.S. Sean D. Hamill. New York Times. (Late Edition (East Coast)). New York, N.Y.: Feb 22, 2008. pg. A.14

• The Maharishi created the global movement called Transcendental Meditation.
  • RITES FOR MEDITATION MASTER Anonymous. Boston Globe. Boston, Mass.: Feb 12, 2008. pg. A.3

• Amidst chanting of Vedic hymns, the mortal remains of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of Transcendental Meditation movement, were consigned to flames at the Arail ashram on Monday.
  • Maharishi Mahesh Yogi cremated in Allahabad [India] Rajiv Mani. The Times of India. New Delhi: Feb 12, 2008.

• A senior functionary of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement in India Girish Varma, also the seer's nephew, lit the pyre decorated with incense and marigold in the presence of two of the Maharishi's close relatives Anand Prakash and Ajay Prakash, both part of the seer's TM family, a host of dignitaries, global leaders of the organisation and at least 70,000 devotees.
  • Mahesh Yogi cremated as large gathering pays tribute The Hindustan Times. New Delhi: Feb 11, 2008.

• With a clear message that the show will go on at the Transcendental Meditation organisation, the disciples of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on Sunday formally 'crowned' Tony Nader of Lebanon as his successor.
  • Tony Nader to lead Maharishi's mission [India] Rajiv Mani. The Times of India. New Delhi: Feb 11, 2008.

• The obituary of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, which ran in the California section Wednesday, misspelled the surname of John Hagelin, head of the Transcendental Meditation organization in the United States, as Hegelin.
  • For the Record Anonymous. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, Calif.: Feb 10, 2008. pg. A.2

• Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement who taught The Beatles to meditate, made mantra a household word in the 1970s and built a multimillion-dollar empire on a promise of inner harmony and world peace, died on Tuesday in Vlodrop, The Netherlands. [..] Bob Roth, a spokesman for the Transcendental Meditation organisation, said the Maharishi died peacefully of natural causes at his private residence in Vlodrop, the Dutch village about 120 miles south of Amsterdam where he moved his headquarters in 1990.
  • Founder of TM movement who was guru to the stars Irish Times. Dublin: Feb 9, 2008. pg. 12

• His handlers in the Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement he headed said he was generations old, that one of the perks to his considerable enlightenment was to live impossibly long- -and prosper impossibly well.
  • Transcendental love; [National Edition] Dawn Rae Downton. National Post. Don Mills, Ont.: Feb 9, 2008. pg. A.27

• "He died peacefully at about 7 p.m.," said Bob Roth, a spokesman for the Transcendental Meditation movement that Maharishi founded. He said his death appeared to be due to "natural causes, his age."
  • Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Beatles' guru, dies MIKE CORDER. Bennington Banner. Bennington, Vt.: Feb 8, 2008.

• "He died peacefully at about 7pm," said Bob Roth, a spokesman for the Transcendental Meditation movement that the Maharishi founded and which introduced the West to a Hindu practice of mind control, once dismissed as hippie mysticism but which gradually gained medical respectability.
  • BRITAIN: Beatles' guru dies ; Maharishi Mahesh Yogi dies at home in Holland; [NORTH WALES Edition] PAT HURST. Daily Post. Liverpool (UK): Feb 7, 2008. pg. 15

• The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, once a spiritual advisor to the Beatles, has died in his Dutch home, a spokesman for the Maharishi 's Transcendental Meditation movement said. [..] He had been living in the tiny village of Vlodrop in the Netherlands since 1990. The worldwide headquarters of his Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement was also in Vlodrop. Originally from India the Maharishi started his worldwide movement in 1958. [..] According to TM followers mass meditation sessions can generate positive powers that can end negative processes like war and violence. On the TM web site the movement claims that a mass meditation session of 7,000 followers in 1988 coincided with the fall of the Berlin wall.
  • Beatles yogi dies at home Anonymous. 7Days. Dubai: Feb 7, 2008.

• The Maharishi originated the transcendental meditation movement in 1957 and brought it to the United States in 1959.
  • Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Beatles' guru OBITUARY; [4 Edition] Lily Koppel. International Herald Tribune. Paris: Feb 7, 2008. pg. 4

• He has died at his home in the grounds of the Franciscan monastery now used by his Transcendental Meditation movement in the Dutch town of Vlodrop, at a reported age of 91. [..] Known from his early days in India as the "giggling guru" because of his sparkling eyes and witticisms, Maharishi succeeded in making TM his personal trademark, netting for his organisation assets that came to be measured in billions, with an estimated 5 million practitioners worldwide.
  • Obituary: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: Guru and inventor of Transcendental Meditation, he influenced the Beatles Malise Ruthven. The Guardian. London (UK): Feb 7, 2008. pg. 40

• Some sources say he was born in 1911, which would have made him 96 or 97, but a spokesman for the transcendental meditation movement said he was 91.
  • Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; Was Meditation Guru to the Beatles Patricia Sullivan - Washington Post Staff Writer. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: Feb 7, 2008. pg. B.7

• Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of the Transcendental Meditation movement, who taught the Beatles to meditate, made "mantra" a household word in the 1970s and built a multimillion-dollar empire on a promise of inner harmony and world peace, died Tuesday in Vlodrop, the Netherlands. [..] Bob Roth, a spokesman for the Transcendental Meditation organization, said the Maharishi died peacefully of natural causes at his private residence in Vlodrop, a village about 120 miles south of Amsterdam where he moved his headquarters in 1990. [..] John Hegelin, the director of the TM organization in the United States, told The Times on Tuesday that the Maharishi had a transformative effect on Western society.
  • OBITUARIES; Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; Guru brought meditation West Elaine Woo. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, Calif.: Feb 6, 2008. pg. B.7

• The Transcendental Meditation movement he founded gained worldwide fame after the Beatles visited his ashram in India in 1968 but he later fell out with them.
  • Beatles' Maharishi dies at 91; [1 STAR Edition] TOM PETTIFOR. The Daily Mirror. London (UK): Feb 6, 2008. pg. 11

• The most celebrated and famous of the 1960s spiritual gurus, the Maharishi drew high-profile celebrities to his Transcendental Meditation movement.
  • Maharishi, guru who cast a spell over the Beatles dies at 91 Ben Rooney. The Daily Telegraph. London (UK): Feb 6, 2008. pg. 005

• His Spiritual Regeneration Movement was renamed as Transcendental Meditation in 1959 in the U.S.
  • 'Giggling guru' gained fame through Beatles; Founder of transcendental meditation. 'He certainly succeeded at turning the world's attention to things Indian,' biographer says; [Final Edition] JAY SHANKAR. The Gazette. Montreal, Que.: Feb 6, 2008. pg. C.7

• A spokesman for the Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement said he had died peacefully, apparently from "natural causes, his age".
  • National: Free spirit Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, in peace Martin Hodgson. The Guardian. London (UK): Feb 6, 2008. pg. 5

• The Jabalpur-born founder of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement "passed away peacefully" at the ripe old age of 91, a spokesperson for the organisation in the US confirmed to IANS.
  • His work "complete", Mahesh Yogi passes away at 91 The Hindustan Times. New Delhi: Feb 6, 2008.

• The Maharishi had stepped down last month as the head of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement which he founded in 1958.
  • Meditation guru Mahesh Yogi breathes his last The Hindustan Times. New Delhi: Feb 6, 2008.

• The Indian spiritual leader, who founded the Transcendental Meditation movement, passed away "peacefully" at home in Vlodrop, Holland.
  • Maharishi dies at 91; [Final 2 Edition] The Sun. London (UK): Feb 6, 2008. pg. 13

• Died: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of the Transcendental Meditation movement.
  • World-Wide Wall Street Journal. (Eastern edition). New York, N.Y.: Feb 6, 2008. pg. A.1

• After more than 50 years of leading his Transcendental Meditation movement, the one-time Indian guru to the Beatles has retreated into near-silence and turned over daily management of his global network to aides. [..] "He had been involved very dynamically administratively in his worldwide movement for over 50 years, so it's quite a significant change to see him dive back purely into knowledge and let other people take care of the administration," American physicist John Hagelin, an adviser to the Maharishi, said at the movement's Dutch headquarters.
  • Former guru to Beatles gives up the daily grind MIKE CORDER. Houston Chronicle. Houston, Tex.: Feb 3, 2008. pg. 22

• The Transcendental Meditation movement claims six million practitioners worldwide, and centres in more than 100 countries.
  • Mahesh Yogi reopens meditation centres in Britain The Hindustan Times. New Delhi: Jan 31, 2008.

• Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who became a guru to the Beatles, stepped down this month as the head of the organization that brought transcendental meditation to the West, an aide said yesterday. [..] Maharaja Nader Raam, a Lebanese doctor, will take over the organization.
  • Maharishi retires from meditation business in order to, um, meditate more; [National Edition] National Post. Don Mills, Ont.: Jan 29, 2008. pg. AL.9

Sources that define "Transcendental Meditation" as a technique

• Definition of TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION—service mark, used for a meditation technique
  • Merriam-Webster[6][7]

• transcendental meditation –noun, a technique, based on ancient Hindu writings, by which one seeks to achieve a relaxed state through regular periods of meditation during which a mantra is repeated. Abbreviation: TM
  • Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010 [8]

• transcendental meditation (TM), “a psychophysiologic exercise designed to lower levels of tension and anxiety and increase tolerance of frustration. TM has been described as a state of consciousness that does not require any physical or mental control. During meditation, the person enters a hypometabolic state in which there is reduced activity of the adrenergic component of the autonomic nervous system.”
  • Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. © 2009, Elsevier.[9]

• A form of meditation practiced over 2500 years ago in Eastern cultures and which was recently made popular in the West by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi as a means to help increase energy, reduce stress, and have a positive effect on mental and physical health; it involves the person sitting upright for 20 minutes, with eyes closed, and silently speaking a mantra (a key stimulus word used uniquely by each individual to return to the proper meditative state) whenever thought occurs.
  • Monodofacto [10]

• transcendental meditation a technique for attaining a state of physical relaxation and psychological calm by the regular practice of a relaxation procedure that entails the repetition of a mantra to block distracting thoughts.
  • Dorland's Medical Dictionary for Health Consumers. © 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. [11]

• transcendental meditation--Technique of focusing the mind, based in part on Hindu meditation. Meditators are given a mantra (a special word or phrase) to repeat over and over in the mind; such meditation is believed to benefit the practitioner by relieving stress and inducing a feeling of well-being and relaxation. It was introduced to the West by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and popularized by the Beatles in the late 1960s.
  • Encylopedia Farlex © Research Machines plc 2009. All rights reserved. Helicon Publishing [12]

• Transcendental Meditation--Transcendental Meditation service mark for a meditation technique and program founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and based on Vedic philosophy. Stressing natural meditation and the mental and physical benefits and personal development that could be achieved, Transcendental Meditation is said to help individuals achieve a higher level of consciousness. Brought by Maharishi from India to the West in 1959, Transcendental Meditation was a distinct subculture within the 1960s youth movement, attracting actress Mia Farrow, cultural philosopher Marshall McLuhan, and the Beatles, and continues to have many practitioners.
  • The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

• "A technique, based on Hindu traditions, for relaxing and refreshing the mind and body through the silent repetition of a mantra. Disseminated by an international organization founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (born 1917), an Indian-born guru” Abbreviation TM
  • Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers [13]

• transcendental meditation noun Abbr. TM, A technique of meditation derived from Hindu traditions that promotes deep relaxation through the use of a mantra.
  • The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language[14]

• Transcendental Meditation, a method of meditation based on such Hindu techniques as frequent repetition of a personal mantra
  • Webster's New World College Dictionary [15]

• Definition: Introduced into the United States and Europe in the 1960s by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Transcendental Meditation is supposed to teach people how to improve physical and spiritual health through mental and physical discipline. Adherents must meditate at least twice a day and repeat mantras. Through this, amazing feats such as levitation and invulnerability are supposed to be possible.
  • About.com [16]

Sources that use "Transcendental Meditation" to mean a technique

• Transcendental Meditation (TM) was introduced worldwide in 1957 by the Indian ascetic Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It is a form of mantra meditation used to achieve deep relaxation and revitalisation.
  • The Express, July 9, 2009 Thursday U.K. 1st Edition, Bluffer's guide to . . . TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION

• Transcendental meditation involves sitting in a quiet place for 15 to 20 minutes and gently repeating a personalized mantra, typically a phrase from Hindu scriptures.
  • The Washington Times, LIFE - HEALTH; Pg. B01, December 9, 2003, Tuesday, Final Edition

• New research appears to be strengthening the case for teaching transcendental meditation in U.S. schools, showing it to be a means to improve the concentration of students and a way to enhance their physical and mental well-being....The technique was developed 50 years ago by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and consists of silently repeating a mantra for about 20 minutes a day.
  • International Herald Tribune, SPECIAL REPORT; Pg. 21, February 15, 2005 Tuesday

• This took transcendental meditation, which he had trademarked, to the world, with Hollywood one of the first stops. Disciples paid $2,500 for a five-day course, learning how to reach a "deeper level" of consciousness by inwardly repeating a mantra twice a day for 20 minutes.
  • The Economist, OBITUARY, February 16, 2008 , U.S. Edition

• The physical and mental benefits derived from regular practice of transcendental meditation sound so impressive, it makes you wonder why we don't learn the technique in school.
  • The Irish Times, CITY EDITION; HEALTH; Pg. 11, May 14, 2001

• Former Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr will reunite on stage next month to raise money to teach transcendental meditation to children around the world to "help provide them a quiet haven in a not-so-quiet world," McCartney said. ... The goal of the project -- which is called "Change Begins Within" -- is to teach the meditation technique to ...
  • CNN [17]

• In 1958 the Maharishi (he adopted the name in 1955) founded the Spiritual Regeneration Movement and began to spread the practice of transcendental meditation internationally. ... Transcendental Meditation uses one of a variety of Sanskrit mantras, each of which is a short word or phrase that, repeated in the mind, helps the user still the activity of thought and find a deeper level of consciousness. ... To practice Transcendental Meditation, a person must be initiated by a teacher. ... Many physiologists and psychologists have recognized Transcendental Meditation’s relaxing and vitalizing effects on the body and the mind. ... The early 1970s was a period of rapid growth for the movement. In 1971 the Maharishi founded a university and introduced Transcendental Meditation into public schools in New Jersey. Practitioners claimed that it was a nonreligious practice aimed at improving people’s quality of life ... In 1987 a former instructor of Transcendental Meditation successfully sued the organization, alleging that the program had failed to deliver on its promises.
  • Encyclopedia Britannica[18] Edith Sirius Lee (talk) 23:09, 24 October 2010 (UTC)