Kind of...after thinking about it, I did a lot of the same stuff (no skills, savings, or education, at age 30 - hadn't even ever had a checking account!), due to my allegiance to the TMO for about ten years. Once I left, I had to work-my-ass-off, full-time job and school while starting a family - That went on for awhile. So if someone feels like they pissed away a decade or two, I am a member of that club.
I am also a big proponent of sharing personal impressions - However, when does it stop? I have known people in my life who as a result of a significant trauma, which the TMO experiences appear to be for some, have made that their central and defining moment, like wearing a millstone of failure around their necks constantly. It seems like such a waste of time. See a therapist, talk to sympathetic friends, write a letter, make a phone call - something to get out of the cycle, as you suggested. The larger point --- In [email protected], doctordumbass@... <no_reply@...> wrote: > > I agree. > > --- In [email protected], "Susan" <wayback71@> wrote: > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], doctordumbass@ <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > Hi WB, I know that, also - I worked for the TM guys, on staff, for a > > > total of three years, and bought into *everything*. Everything. Well, > > > almost everything...my guardian angels stopped me literally on the verge, > > > from going on TTC - it wouldn't have been pretty.:-0 > > > > > > Working for the TMO, I went on tons of residence courses, earned my TMSP > > > - read the Gita numerous times, took SCI - and earned the princely sum of > > > $25/mo., slept in an unheated garage, or a run down shack in mid-Winter > > > with no plumbing - in the Midwest and Catskills. Had all the *right* > > > posters on the walls though.:-) > > > > > > Continued TMSP for 13 years, and TM since 1975. Took part in some key TMO > > > events - attended Doug Henning's second wedding in the Dome, helped build > > > the first dome, helped build a Capital of the Age of Enlightenment. > > > Attended the Taste of Utopia course in DC. > > > > > > Got screwed in many of the same ways as have been already described here > > > ad nauseum - Experienced loss of course credit, arrogance of the Govs, > > > blatant hypocrisy, pitiful living and working conditions, though > > > thankfully, except for my overall income for those three years working > > > for the TMO, I didn't lose money on many courses. > > > > > > So, I just don't know what the standard is for investment in the TMO and > > > Maharishi, that continues to leave a bitter taste in so many mouths. > > > > > > After I left in the early 80's, I continued to pursue my own stuff, and > > > continued to carefully peel away the BS from whatever my truth was at the > > > time, and now. Got immersed in the world, family and career, so that any > > > BS in the TMO continued to burn itself out, in the course of integrating > > > myself into a normal, successful worldly life. > > > > > > > I did the same as you. But, I think working for the TMO for 3 years is a > > lot less time than many people invested. Also, for many back in the > > 1970's, they were of an age when people go to grad school, or get started > > in a career, begin to set up an adult life. I know of a few people who > > felt very angry in retrospect, that they had spent their 20's and early > > 30's working for the TMO, only to find that they were without credentials > > or any savings by the time they decided Enuf. Despite this, many got on > > with their lives and made great successes of things, even if later in life. > > Some did not and would have benefitted from a more traditional life plan. > > I did not see tons of young Indians spending their 20's and 30's working > > for little compensation for the TMO. That would not have been ok with > > Indian parents, tradition or values. I think one of the problems was that > > the Westerners tried to have a foot in each camp: householder and devotee, > > and they often ended up without funds or experience to manage much in the > > real world as well as lost faith in the guru. > > > > I feel really grateful for TM and all my time in it, and I was lucky enough > > to manage grad school and a career a bit later. But I still get why some > > might feel that taking a large chunk of time out of the mainstream might > > have left a mark - that they never caught up. Especially if they are > > disappointed about the results of TM itself. Then they lost on both counts. > > > > > If someone still feels the need to vent about their TMO experiences, and > > > trot out the same old tired stories and accusations, they can go ahead, > > > but when they say stuff like this, they *still* sound kinda dumb: :-) > > > > > > "The TMO is in my opinion no more corrupt and awful (and no less) than > > > any other spiritual organization or religion or cult in human history." > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "Ann" <awoelflebater@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], doctordumbass@ <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > "The TMO is in my opinion no more corrupt and awful (and no less) > > > > > than any other spiritual organization or religion or cult in human > > > > > history." > > > > > > > > > > this makes you sound kinda dumb...just sayin'... > > > > > > > > Not dumb, dear Doctor. Here is the key thing. Many people who appear > > > > the most bitter are those who spent the most time, invested much of > > > > themselves, in the Movement whether it was in in the form of years, > > > > sweat, dedication or belief. This was a cost on some level. When > > > > someone has put so much of themselves into something and found it, in > > > > the end, wanting it seems to me natural that there is disappointment, > > > > bitterness, a foundation for defining/revealing, what went wrong. It is > > > > never a valid excuse that something isn't wrong because it happens all > > > > the time. Frequency of transgression does not override the seriousness > > > > of it. > > > > > > > > <snip> > > > > > >
