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The TM technique is simple mental repetition of a "mantra" or word. The TM
movement claims that only specific "words" can be used. They claim that the
selection of words is based upon a secret formula. Court documents have shed
some light on this "secret" process. It is nothing other than a set of words
given out by age, and/or age and sex, depending on the teacher training course
the TM teacher attended. The TM Mantra Tables:
1961 1969-Male 1969-Female Fiuggi, 1972
Sex Mantra Age Mantra Age Mantra Age Mantra
MALE :RAM 0-15 'ING 0-15 'IM 10-11'ING
FEMALE :SHIRIRAM 15-30'AING 15-30'AIM 12-13'IM
30-45`SHRING 30-45`SHRIM 14-15'INGA
46 + "SHIAM 46 + "SHIAMA 16-17'IMA
18-19'AYING
20-21'AYIM
22-23'AYINGA
24-25'AYIMA
> 25 `SHIRING
1976 1977 1978 October,1978 1987
Age Mantra Age Mantra Age Mantra Age Mantra Age Mantra
03-10 'ENG 03-10'ING 0-11 'ENG
10-12 'EM 10-12'IN 10-12'ENG 10-12'ENG
12-14 'ENGA 12-14'INGA 12-14'EM 12-14'EM 12-13'EM
14-16 'EMA 14-16'INA 14-16'EMGA 14-16'ENGA 14-15'ENGA
16-18 'AENG 16-18'AING 16-18'EMA 16-18'EMA 16-17'EMA
18-20 'AEM 18-20'AIM 18-20'AENG 18-20'AING 18-19'AING
20-22 'AENGA 20-22'AINGA 20-22'AEM 20-22'AIM 20-21'AIM
22-24 'AEMA 22-24'AIMA 22-24'AENGA 22-24'AINGA 22-23'AINGA
24-26'AEMA 24-26'AIMA 24-25'AIMA
24-30 `SHIRING 24-30`SHIRING 26-30`SHIRING 26-30`SHIRING 26-29`SHIRING
30-35 `SHIRIM 30-35`SHIRIN 30-35`SHIRIM 30-35`SHIRIM 30-34`SHIRIM
35-40 ^HIRING 35-40^HIRING 35-40^HIRING 35-40^HIRING 35-39^HIRING
40-45 ^HIRIM 40-45^HIRIN 40-45^HIRIM 40-45^HIRIM 40-44^HIRIM
45-50 ~KIRING 45-50~KIRING 45-50~KIRING 45-50~KIRING 45-49~KIRING
50-55 ~KIRIM 50-55~KIRIN 50-55~KIRIM 50-55~KIRIM 50-54~KIRIM
55-60 "SHIAM 55-60"SHIAM 55-60"SHYAM 55-60"SHIAM 55-59"SHAM
60 + "SHIAMA 60 + "SHIAMA 60 + "SHYAMA 60 + "SHIAMA 60 + "SHAMA
Notes: The year at the top of each column indicates the year the teacher was
trained. "Age" is that of the initiate at the time of learning the technique.
The symbol preceding each mantra indicates the meaning: ' Saraswati, devi
of learning, music, speech; ` Lakshi, devi of wealth; ^ Bhuvanesvari; ~ Devi
Kalika; " Shiva; : deva of fire; shri means glorious.
The Maharishi himself, in a quote from the Beacon Light of the Himalyas,
admits that the mantras he dispenses invoke householder gods: "For our
practice, we select only the suitable mantras of personal Gods. Such mantras
fetch to us the grace of personal Gods and make us happier in every walk of
life." (Beacon Light of the Himalyas, Maharishi [Bala Brahmachari] Mahesh Yogi
[Maharaj], 1955, p. 65
All materials from World Wide Web archives of the Meditation Information
Network ( http://minet.org/ ) and Trancenet ( http://www.trancenet.org/ ).
Below are some suggested questions to ask the lecturer, most taken from
Combatting Cult Mind Control, by Steven Hassan. Learning to be an educated
consumer can help save you time, energy, and money. These questions work best
if yo ask them in a very direct yet friendly manner and demand very specific
answers. Don't accept vague generalities, attempts to change the subject, or
evasive remarks. And don't be in a rush. A long time member of any legitimate
organization will know the answers to all these questions. If he/she doesn't
know the answers, ask that they get them and you will call for them:
- How long have you been involved? Are you enlightened? Why not?
- In 1979 a federal court ruled that TM is a religion and that it cannot be
taught in school. This decision was later upheld by a federal appeals court.
This paper says that the mantras are the names of Hindu gods. Is TM a religion?
- Is TM a life style? What were you doing before you started TM? What do you
do now?
- Can you tell me the names of the all the other organizations that are
affiliated TM?
- Is TM considered to be controversial by anyone? If people are critical of
TM, what are their main objections?
- Who is the top leader? What are his background and qualifications? What
are the three things you like least about the group and the leader?
Below is a translation of the ceremony of thanksgiving in which you will parti-
cipate when you start TM. You will be required to bring fruit, flowers, and a
new white handkerchief to be used in the ceremony. You will be required to re-
move your shoes before entering the initiation room. After the ceremony is per-
formed, you will be invited to kneel to the picture of Maharishi dead master:
- Whether pure or impure, whether all places are permeated by purity or
impurity, Whoever opens himself to the expanded vision of unbounded awareness
gains inner and outer purity.
- Invocation: To Lord Narayana, to lotus-born Brahma the Creator, to Vasishtha,
to SHAKTI and his son, Parashara, to Vyasa, to Shukadeva, to the great Gauda-
Pada, to Govinda, ruler among yogis, from him to his disciple, Shri Shankara-
charya, from him to his disciples, Padma Pada and Hastamalaka, to him, Trotaka-
charya and Vartika-Kara, to others, to the eternal tradition of our abode of the
wisdom of the Shrutis, Smritis and Purana, to the abode of compassion, to the
personified glory of the Lord, to Shankara, emancipator of the world,I bow down.
- To Shankaracharya, the Emancipator, adored as Krishna and Badarayana, to the
two authors of the commentary on the Brahma Sutras, I bow down To both expres-
sions of the Divine, in Shankara, I bow down again and again At whose door the
whole galaxy of gods pray for perfection day and night Adorned with immeasurable
glory, preceptor of the whole world, having bowed to Him we gain complete ful-
fillment. Skilled in dispelling the cloud of ignorance of the people, the be-
stower of happiness, the glorious emancipator, Brahmananda Sarasvati, full of
brilliance, Him I bring to my awareness.
- Offering the invocation to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- Offering a seat to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- Offering a ablution to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- Offering cloth to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- Offering sandalpaste to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- Offereing full rice to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- Offering a flower to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- Offering incense to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- Offering light to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- Offering water to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- Offering fruit to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- Offering water to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- Offering a betel leaf to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- Offering a coconut to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down
- Offering camphor light.
- White as camphor, the incarnation of kindness, the essence of creation
garlanded by the Serpent-King. Ever dwelling in the lotus of my heart, Lord
Shiva with Mother Divine to Him I bow down.
- Offering light to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- Offering water to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- Offering a handful of flowers.
- Guru Dev is the glory of Brahma the Creator, Lord Vishnu the Maintainer, and
the great Lord Shiva Guru is the glory of the Supreme Transcendent personified,
to Him, to the glory of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- The Unbounded, like the endless canopy of the sky, the omnipresent in all cre-
ation, the sign of That has been revealed, to Him, to Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- Guru Dev, Shri Brahmananda, Guru Dev, in the glory of the bliss of the
Absolute, in the glory of transcendental joy, in the glory of Unity, the very
embodiment of knowledge, who is beyond the universe like the sky, as the goal of
"that thou art" and other (Shrutis which grant eternal unity of life).
- The One, the Eternal, the Pure, the Immovable, the Witness of all intellects,
whose status transcends thought-- the Transcendent along with the three gunas,
the true preceptor, to Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
- The blinding darkness of ignorance has been removed by the application of the
ointment of knowledge, the eye of knowledge has been opened by Him, therefore to
Him, to Shri Guru Dev, bow down.
- Offering a handful of flowers to the lotus feet of Shri Guru Dev, I bow down.
