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.