MAHARISHI MAHESH YOGI AND TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION
His Life (Maharshi Mahesh Yogi and Transcendental Meditation)
Mahesh Yogi comes from M.P. Mahesh Yogi did his early education in Allahabad. He completed his B. Sc. degree from Allahabad University. While he was studying in Allahabad he used to visit the Sankaracharya of Badrinath Brahmanand Saraswati who use to be at Allahabad during winter. After his education in Allahabad he did not have much interest in doing any job. He got a job but had ho interest. Although he was a science student, he started learning, Sanskrit language and Indian scriptures. The he received initiation under a guru.
Before his death, Mahesh’s guru commissioned Mahesh and asked him to go to all English speaking countries and teach the people in those countries the simple yoga techniques. After receiving this commission he went to the Himalayas. He stayed there for two years. During this time he learned the simple yoga. His yoga technique is called Transcendental Meditation (TM). His earlier name was Mahesh. Later on he added Maharishi and Yogi to his name Mahesh. Maharishi means ‘great seer’ and yogi means ‘one who has realized the ultimate.’
He came out of Himalayas and went to Madras to teach the people his new yoga techniques. He spent there six months but his efforts were not successful because the people were very slow in learning his yoga techniques. Finally, he decided to take it to the West where the people have the habit of accepting every new idea.
First of all he went to England and wanted to convert the Britishers. The ‘Beatles,’ who were the famous singers during the late fifties got converted to Mahesh Yogi’s TM. In 1959 he went to America and established Spiritual Regeneration Movement (SRM) for the propagation of his yoga techniques. In America TM attracted many young people and college students. There were also industrialists, beaurocrats, housewives, actors, professionals, scientists, sports figures and political leaders among those who got interested in TM.
He wrote two books, “The Science of Being and Art of Living.” And another book is a commentary on Bhagavat Gita. It was a commentary upto six chapters of Bhagavat Gita.
Practicing TM
To know TM first a person need to take initiation. He/she should wear loose clothes. The person needs to bring a white handkerchief, and a flower. Then the initiator will take the person to a dark room.
In the initiation, first the guru-mantra is pronounced to the ears of the candidate. Then the seed-mantra (beej-mantra) is pronounced. It is said that this mantra works inside the man. It acts like a kick. While the individual continues to meditate, he/she comes to a point where there are no thoughts in his/her mind and Mahesh Yogi calls this Creative Intelligence. Mahesh yogi calls this experience ‘god.’ This whole meditation and experience is called TM.
Maharshi Mahesh Yogi claims that TM:
- Can be learned easily and enjoyed by everyone.
- Provides deep rest.
- Improves clarity of perception.
- Develops creative intelligence.
- Demands awareness.
- Ensures full development of the individual in a natural way.
Maharshi Mahesh Yogi had a big dream to train one teacher of TM for every 1000 people in all parts of the world. Approximately 7000 TM teachers were initiating new members at the rate of 30,000 new members per month in 1990s. In order to achieve his goals he established many institutions and movements. They are: –
- Spiritual Regeneration Movement (SRM)
- Students international Meditation Society.
- International Meditation Society.
- Maharishi International University.
- An ashram in Noida, New Delhi.
Why A Christian Should Not Practice TM
- TM is a false religion. The Bible says there will be many false teachers and religions in the end days (Rev. 13). T.M is shaping up to become one of the largest false religions in the world.
- Using meditation as means to forget one’s sin and guilt is fooling oneself. Christian meditation is not designed for that purpose. Sin must be taken care of by repentance, confession and receiving of God’s forgiveness.
- Meditation for Christians should become a continues state of mind that results from an experience of a clean heart and mind.
- A Christian should meditate upon Jesus Christ who has born our grieves and carried our sorrows.
- A Christian should read scripture every day and use this scripture as the focal point for meditation. Selecting a verse or few verses and thinking about their meaning works very well as a starting point for meditation.
- Christian meditation is decidedly a Christ-centered experience. It must be progressively developed.
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