eptem er 30—page s

 

Devoted followers on campus

TM instructors: fooling the sko tics

ByJulieBrand
“Transcendental Meditation
(TM) isn't a lifestyle, selfv
hypnosis, a philosophy, a yoga
exercise, a religion, a diet, a
special way of dressing, or difficult
to learn," claim several posters
around campus. This is especially
true at Grinnell where more are
currently three TM instructors
holding classes. Brian Riedesel,
Kent Uchiyama, and Randall
Dishaw have all been trained at
Maharishi International
University to teach the TM
technique.

Brian, the Resident Advisor of
Norris, explained what TM is. “It
is a simple. natural. effortless
mental technique that is practiced
twice a day for fifteen or twenty
minutes while sitting in a cums
fortable position with the eyes
closed. What happens during the
practice is that mental activity
spontaneously settles down to less
excited states and the mind
becomes quieter. Correspondingly
the body also calms down due to
mind-body coordination and the
body experiences a state of great
quietness or deep rest.

“THIS experience has been
verified through research on the
physiological components. of the
rest gained during TM and it has
been found that this deep rest is
typified by ease and order. Ease in
the sense that respiration, heart
beat and various other parameters
of the activities of the body reﬂect
deep rest, deeper than even the
point ofdeep sleep. The orderliness
is reflected in terms of a more
coherent functioning of the nervous
system of the mind, as indicated by
the EEG, (electroencephalogram)
research which shows that the
brain begins to function in a more
orderly manner. This has profound
effects upon the individual’s ac,
tivity outside of meditation. TM is

a preparation for more dynamic
and enjoyable activity."

The actual TM technique is
never fully disclosed when
students are first being introduced
to it, though it is fairly public
knowledge that a “mantra" (a
particular word repeated silently
in meditation) is assigned to a
meditator to induce the State of
rest. Yet, this comes only after
many lectures and personal
consultations with the instructor.
Since there is a fear of the program
being abused and misunderstood
teachers very rarely talk about its
specifics.

KENT a
emphasl

sophomore here,
that there are no

mechanical basis (the automatic
response of the nervous s stem)
anyone can do it successful y. And
this is regardless of faith or belief
in the technique itself. A person
can be absolutely convinced that
the technique is not going to work,
and yet. because it’s based on the
nature of the mind itself,, on an
inherent response in his mind,
anyone who practices the
technique benefits from it.”
INDEED there are many people
who are skeptical about the TM
technique. Randy, who is not in-
structing this semester but is
devoting most of his time to his
studies, voiced his opinion on the
skepticism he constantly must

TM is described as a “simple,
natural, effortless” technique that
is practiced twice a day while
sitting in a comfortable position
with the eyes closed.

prerequisites for learning TM.
”Anyone can learn TM technique if
they have the ability to think a
thought and the ability to follow
simple instructions. The TM
technique has been taught to a
wide spectrum of people, ranging
from Nobel prize winners to
retarded children. It has worked
for all of them and has brought
them all benefits.

“The reason it can be taught to
so many different types of people is
because it’s based on the
mechanics of thinking itself. it's
something that anyone with a
reasonably intact nervous system
can practice and because it’s on a

' . luiicsli Yogi listens to Grinnell [in Brian Riedesel at n
ng course in La Autilla. Spain in 1973.

face, “Anytime you make the
claims that TM claims ,you're
bound to [ace skepticism. No one
I’ve ever taught has remained
skeptical as to the Value of TM,
Belief or nunrbeliei has nothing to
do with the benefits. It is not an
idea experience.”

Brian added, “The benefits are
automatic. I’ve had some of the
most fun instructing skeptics,
especially people who have been
trained in the functioning of the
mind. Psychiatrists and the like,
have been quiet skeptical, right up
to the point of personal instruction
and yet I've never had an in»
dividual who has completed the
course not’be satisfied with having
learned the technique and ad-
mitting that it does work.”

THERE have probably been as
many conﬂicting reports as there
have been supporting reports
concerning TM. Yet the teachers of
TM contend that it produces a
“folu‘th state of consciousness,"
different from the states of being
awake, in Sleep or dreaming. “The
TM technique is unique,”
reiterated Brian, “and it is fun»
damentally different from any
other practice of meditation in the
form of mental development for a
couple of very important reasons.
It's affects are producing a state of

 

Maharishi Meihesh Yogi

relaxation, But the important point
is that the mind at the same time
becomes more alert, it becomes
more orderly, it becomes more
coherent. Whereas other programs
of just relaxation the mind
becomes dull, the body approaches
a state of sleep during the prac-
tice."

IN relating his personal pers
Ceptions of the effect of TM, Brian
gave this example. “if internally
I'm in a quiet state, a rested state,
any kind of stimulus which comes
into the nervous system through
the senses is easily picked up.
Whereas if I'm internally, like the
waves of an ocean, chaotic and
disorderly as in a storm—if we
throw a pebble in that ocean it
gives some input in the nervous
system, but it's hard to tell that
input was actually put in. But if
internally the system is calm, like
the surface of a lake, and we toss a
small pebble into it, it’s very easy
to perceive that input to the ner-
vous system through the senses."

The program was originated by
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who is
highly respected by most
meditators. But there is no
relationship other than that of a
founder and a trainer of teachers.
Kent believes, “Maharishi never
tries to put himself up as a prophet

Brian has had “some of the most
fun instructing skeptics. ” He
claims to have never had a person
who has completed the course
“not be satisfied with learning

the technique. ”

restful alertness in the mind. There
are certain aspects of the exs
perience of restful alertness that
can be likened to sleep, but there
are other aspects of this ex
perience, this physiological

, signature, which are quite a bit

different than sleep.

“The important thing about the
TM technique is that the mind
becomes more alert, more
coherent through the practice.
Relaxation can be produced in a
number ol ways, tthe degree of it
can be measured) and the TM
technique seems to provrde a state
of relaxation which is as deep if not
deeper than any other technique of

or as God's gift to the world, He is
one of the most humble people
you’ll ever run into."
SIMILARLY, Kent also said
“Maharishi never asks anyone to
adopt a particular religion, many
people feel that since he comes
from India that he must be
teaching Hinduism In fact he
encourages people to stay with
thalr own religion. The religion of a
man who has come up with
something that he has found to be
working and beneficial does not
allect the fact that other people
can take advantage of what he has
found wrthout joining his religion.
For instance. Mendel, who was a

 

Catholic monkdiscovered the laws
of genetics; now a person can
study the laws of genetics and
become a very proficient
geneticist without having to
become a Catholic monk."

Another source of concern is that
of the fee that is charged to be
taught TM. For the student, the fee
is $85.00, while for a working adult
it is $165.00. Robert Greenberg, for
instance, feels that ”the charge for
TM is the biggest rip-off on cams
pus.” He feels that “persons may
turn to TM when in reality it may
not solve their problems."

BRIAN defends the large charge
by presenting the idea that “we
don‘t hesitate to spend $5000 a year
to educate ourselves or to spend
$4000 on a new car. If we are using
5 or 10 per cent of our mental
potential it would seem a logical
move to invest in expanding our
potential in some way, If we get
our priorities straight, $85.00 is a
drop in the bucket in terms of an
investment in our own well being.
The $85.00 is a one time fee that
covers the steps of learning the TM
technique and a lifetime folloqup
program.”

Brian also pointed out that it is a
nonprofit organization. “The
$85.00 is used to support the
organization and the teachers so
that we can make the TM program
available to more and more people
around the world, We support
teachers that go to developing
countries where the economy is not

possible to support the teachers.”

“BY definition,” said Brian,
"Transcendental Meditation
means to go beyond thinking."
Both he and Kent are optimistic
that they can bring this experience
to Grinnell students.

Deio VII

Records
(Above Wards)
om n m to
9 m
s ours A WEEK

 

