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Recent Articles
RESEARCH |  "TM & Improving Human Performance" Renowned social scientist Daniel Druckman, of the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, discusses social science research consulting in the context of a three-year study undertaken for the National Research Council on improving human performance. This study is of importance to TranceNet readers for its findings that: (1) TM is ineffectual in improving human performance, and (2) its finding that the meta-analysis that pro-TM researchers have put forward as finding benefit for the technique are deeply flawed in their methodology. "Meditation and Its Side-Effects in Therapy" This article, by Alberto Perez-De-Albeniz and Jeremy Holmes, reviews 75 scientific selected articles in the field of meditation, including Transcendental Meditation among others. It summarizes definitions of meditation, psychological and physiological changes, and negative side-effects encountered by 62.9% of meditators studied. While the authors did not restrict their study to TM, the side-effects reported were similar to those found in the "German Study" of Transcendental Meditators: relaxation-induced anxiety and panic; paradoxical increases in tension; less motivation in life; boredom; pain; impaired reality testing; confusion and disorientation; feeling 'spaced out'; depression; increased negativity; being more judgmental; feeling addicted to meditation; uncomfortable kinaesthetic sensations; mild dissociation; feelings of guilt; psychosis-like symptoms; grandiosity; elation; destructive behavior; suicidal feelings; defenselessness; fear; anger; apprehension; and despair."The Use of Psychological Skills by Female Collegiate Swimmers" This article, >by Kaia E. Thiese and Sharon Huddleston, presents research on 147 female collegiate swimmers, approximately 50% of whom use psychological "skills" to enhance performance, such as autohypnosis, autogenic training, blank meditation, bracing, color, cue words, mantra meditation, and Transcendental Meditation. Of interest to TranceNet readers are the results that Transcendental Meditation had no significant effect, although techniques ridiculed by the Maharishi, such as positive self-talk, showed some indication of value. "Analyzing the Maharishi Effect" In this balanced and deeply researched paper, philosopher of science Evan Fales and sociologist Barry Markovsky, both of the University of Iowa, discuss standards to which exotic scientific theories should be held. Using the "Maharishi Effect" -- Transcendental Meditation's claim that groups of advanced meditators can bring about peace in war- or crime-torn areas -- as an example, they give strong reasons why unusual theories deserve a hearing -- but not necessarily an endorsement -- from serious scientists.As they point out, newspaper accounts, promotional materials, subsequent research reports, and their own communications with TM researchers, representatives, followers and defectors all indicate that the "Maharishi Effect" provides a special source of pride, vindication, and scientific legitimation for all affiliated with the movement. But when the authors analyze the theory and methods with the tools of the scientific method, they find the probability of the Maharishi Effect Theory is very close to zero. The Maharishi Effect Theory fails to predict or explain its purported effects, a crucial property of any scientific theory. Worse yet, the authors find mundane alternatives to the Maharishi Effect that may explain the data. Their final conclusion? The Maharishi Effect theory and evidence are not ready to be given serious scientific consideration. The theory is vague and poorly constructed, and aspects of the methods and statistics used to test it are highly questionable. As an interesting side note, Professor David Orme-Johnson, lead author of the study that was examined by Fales and Markovsky, repeatedly refused to supply Professor Markovsky with his raw data. This violates a standard scientific practice designed to allow the replication and further analysis of results. Within the scientific community, refusal to supply data generally calls into question any findings based on those data, and may severely damage the reputations of researchers who engage in such behavior. Reprinted with permission from December 1997 in Social Forces Volume 76 (2):511-25. |
PERSONAL STORIES | The Knapp Papers Musings on life, love, and spirit in and out of cults -- all digitally remastered and refurbished! |
TM NEWS ARCHIVE | News Archive We add stories from the news media on a continuing basis. Largest independent archive of TM news on the Web!Past Issues of TranceNet. |
How You Can Use This Site
There are many hundreds of documents and tens of megabytes of information stored at TranceNet on Transcendental Meditation, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the Natural Law Party, and other related topics -- all available for free over the World Wide Web. So you may find locating the particular piece of information you are interested in difficult at times. There are four good ways to research TM using TranceNet.First, try entering keywords into the search engine at the top of this page. Provided as a service by PicoSearch, this search engine is very flexible and powerful -- and should be easy to use even by the novice. Another good way to explore is to try clicking on the department buttons at the top and bottom of most pages: "home" will always bring you to the trancenet.org home page; "research" is linked to our archive of scientific research that has found inconclusive or even destructive effects from the practice of Transcendental Meditation; "getting started" is intended for those with little or no knowledge about TM or this site; "personal stories" are the experiences of dozens of former TMers who feel they have been seriously harmed psychologically, financially, emotionally, and spiritually by their contact with the Maharishi and his TM organization; "secrets" include suppressed material on the selection and meaning of the mantras, the TM-Sidhi techniques (including "levitation"), the "Checking Notes" and other material hidden from the public -- and even some TM insiders; "news" features a growing archive of media reports on the TM movement; and finally, "about TranceNet" gives a little background about this publication and the organization that publishes it. You can also explore by clicking on the "Past Issues of TranceNet" link at the bottom of this page. TranceNet has grown in a series of "issues" over the years, as we release large amounts of information in chunks to the public. By clicking on this link you will be taken to previous tables of content complete with article summaries; each of these pages will have a similar link at the bottom of the page. Finally, if you have exhausted all these avenues, e-mail us. We do ask, however, that you consider this as a last step. While we are always ready to respond to an individual or family in need, we ask that those seeking simple research help try the methods above first.[ Return to top ]
TranceNet Is a Critical Site
TranceNet is a critical resource on TM; by this we mean that our web site focuses on material that is critical of the TM program. We do, however, include many links to online resources maintained by the TM movement and enthusiastic supporters of the TM movement. We offer our site not as a complete answer to questions about TM, but rather as a balance to the largely unbalanced and uncritical resources published by the TM movement and its followers. Many thousands of former members of TM have contacted us in the last 5 years. A large number of these people report that they believe that they had a cultic relationship with the TM organization. Neither trancenet.org Society nor its editorial staff conclude that any group discussed on this site is necessarily cultic in nature. We provide suppressed and alternative information so that you may make informed decisions for yourself.[ Return to top ]
A (Mostly) Good Word about Meditation
Over the years we at trancenet.org have received many communications that are variations on a basic theme, "What do you have against meditation?" (Feel free to substitute "alternative health," "multi-level marketing," you name it, for "meditation.") Many of us are not critical of meditation itself for most people. Meditation is one of nature's miracles. For most people it is an extraordinary experience that adds much to life. Dr. Herbert Benson, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard University, and other researchers have shown that many forms of meditation offer specific benefits, such as lowered blood pressure and increased relaxation when practiced regularly. And TM seems to be as good or better than any of the forms of meditation that we know of. (Coauthor, with Maharishi University of Management's Keith Wallace, of seminal research on Transcendental Meditation, Dr. Benson later denied that the results from TM were substantively different from other forms of meditation.) We believe that the majority of people who practice TM will find that they enjoy it. We believe it is as good as similar techniques taught by Hindus, Christians, Muslims, hypnotherapists, and others. We do, however, think there is evidence that it is either not effective, not enjoyable, or downright dangerous for a certain percentage of the population, on the order of 10% to 20%. But the bottom line is if you enjoy Transcendental Meditation -- and the religious aspects or repressive policies of the TM movement do not conflict with your beliefs -- why not do it? We do feel, however, that the Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation movement and the Natural Law Party are in need of serious reform to bring it in line with the ethical -- even legal -- standards our culture expects. It's not our purpose to debate satisfied members of these groups. We have no reason to doubt that many, many have experiences and beliefs that are very fulfilling. Who can ask for more? It is our hope, however, that by raising concerns that many of us on all sides have in common, we can move the discussion of TM -- and similar groups -- past futile name-calling and on to meaningful discussion of where we might go from here. The jury is still out on whether TM and similar groups will become yet more radical -- or whether they will enter the mainstream. Honest attempts at measured reform may hold the balance. Current and former members together, the future of our groups is in our hands.[ Return to top ]
This site includes the submissions of numerous former members of Transcendental Meditation and the Natural Law Party. Neither TranceNet nor
trancenet.org are associated in any way with the Natural Law Party, the Transcendental Meditation movement, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, or any of the various front organizations that hold copyrights or other legal rights to their products.| [home] [research] [getting started] [law] [personal stories] [secrets] [news] [about TranceNet] |
Some topics discussed on this site: Transcendental Meditation, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Deepak Chopra, Ayur Veda, Psychology, Alternative Medicine, Politics, mantra, sutra, TM-Sidhi program, TM, consciousness, health, Natural Law Party, Maharishi University of Management, stress reduction, Cult Awareness Network, CAN, Deprogramming, and their connection to cult, cults, cultic studies, thought reform, and mind control.
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