I'm reading a biography of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, published in 1994 -- long after I left the TM movement. I've heard bits of this story my whole life, but this is the first time that I've actually sat down with the whole thing.

Anyway...if y'all will indulge me, I'd like to occasionally send some interesting quotes and see what you think. To begin, some early words from the Maharishi himself, part of a lecture in Cochin in southern India in 1955:

"'Om' is the Mantra for the Sanyasi. The Sanyasi repeats 'Om Om Om'. It is given to him at the time of 'Sanyas-Diksha', at the time when he has completely renounced attachment to the world. Renunciation and detachment increase with the repetition of 'Om'. 'Om' is chanted aloud by a Sanyasi to put an end to his desires. Desiers are destroyed by loudly chanting the mantra 'Om'. And if there is any desire deeply rooted in the mind of a Sanyasi, the chanting of 'Om' will result in the destruction of the object of such desire in order to make the Sanyasi wholly desireless.

If unfortunately, the householder begins to repeat the pranava Mantra vis. 'Om', 'Om', 'Om' he experiences destructive effects in this materila life. The effect starts with monetary loss and then goes on to destroy objects of affections, one by one. Such a man, when he finds loss of money and separation from the dear ones, he is reduced to utter peacelessness and frustration.

It is not at all necessary for the householder to go for direct practice of 'Tyaga' or 'Vairagya' [Renunciation] for realization. That practice is unnatural for him, antagonistic to his nature and opposed to his way of life."

He then went on to teach what we now know as Transcendental Meditation, a simple, seated, mantra-based meditative form.