--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Buck" <dhamiltony2k5@...> wrote: > > Beautiful. Thanks for taking the time and having the courage to post this > here. > -Buck in the Dome >
Ditto. In fact, worth saying again: *Beautiful*, Mr. Trowbridge. Perhaps it will be read by people with the ability to affect the changes of which you write. Doug, your last six words bothered me just a little. In what way? As in fearful of repercussions for expressing one's opinions? If so, do you really feel this way? > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "jwtrowbridge" <johnwtrowbridge@> wrote: > > > > I would like to give feedback from the perspective of one who loves TM, but > > not how the organization is run. I have wanted to do so for many years. I > > feel I have a unique perspective to do so. I am not angry. I am not > > dependent on TM other than my wonderful program I practice. I have no ax to > > grind other than a genuine desire to see the organization succeed. I wish > > to help this organization from the point of view of one who is a family > > man, a professional who sees the divinity of my practice, and the missteps > > of the organization. > > > > My TM program is the only time during the day that I know my activity is > > perfect. It is a perfect program. It is a perfect activity. It is perfect > > knowledge. I have recently obtained all of the advanced techniques. I have > > missed maybe five meditations in 40 years only because I enjoy it. There is > > no other reason. Not for health, not for enlightenment, such is the joy and > > power of my program. > > > > I have just finished 34 years as a public school teacher in North Carolina, > > and I am still teaching. I have been married 30 years. I have two children. > > My wife meditates. My two children have been initiated. From the beginning, > > I have provided support to the TM Movement through the use of my house for > > lectures, initiations, and whatever I have to offer all these years. I am > > your biggest fan. > > > > I started TM on November 13th, 1971 and got the sidhis in `80 or `81 at > > MUM. I practiced my program by myself over the decades until 5 years ago, > > when I went to MUM to fly in the dome for a 7-week visit. I have gone ever > > 2 years during the summer thereafter. I have never taken one dime of grant > > money. > > > > I mention specific names and impressions in this letter, not to target > > individuals, but to show relevant examples of what concerns me. I also want > > to describe what could be done differently, especially if you want to have > > credibility with Americans. The goal of this organization is not to appeal > > to a particular leader or person, but to the widest possible audience who > > will appreciate and practice the TM program in its purity. > > > > 2007: This incident exemplifies so many of the elements of what is wrong > > with how the TM organization is managed. When I came 5 years ago, I was in > > the dome for the IA course for just a few days when the men's group had to > > move because workmen were replacing the roof. We moved to a flying hall > > near the swimming pool. Unfortunately, a mistake had been made in preparing > > the new hall. The floor and walls had been painted with a toxic, oil-based > > paint, and the odor was awful, awful. The air in the new hall was extremely > > noxious. Fans in the eaves of the building were run night and day. Sidhas > > pleaded with Dr. Doug Birx not to move us into this situation. He said it > > could not be helped. I spent one day in the new hall experiencing bliss > > with an underlying headache. I never have headaches. > > > > I walked and hitchhiked to Vedic City to do program for most of the week > > instead of going to this toxic hall. Once I was picked up by a Board of > > Trustees member. I don't remember his name. In casual conversation, told > > him I had not come from North Carolina to huff paint fumes. The next day, > > thinking the fumes would be better, I went to fly in the newly painted > > hall. It was better, but still not good. During the 10 a.m. experience > > time, Dr. Bevan Morris asked Dr. Doug Birx an introductory question, "Is > > there a problem with the hall?" I assumed that the trustee I had talked to > > called Dr. Morris. Dr. Birx stated no. Who could question the bliss > > emanating from this hall? he asked. He added that there were some problems, > > but they had been worked out. He completely dismissed the issue. > > > > Who knows why Dr. Birx moved us into a hall that could have sickened the > > whole men's flying group, but the result was they were exposed to toxic > > fumes for a week due to his decision. And when he was questioned about > > this, he did not admit a mistake had been made and remedy the situation by > > moving the sidhas to a safe space. > > > > Systemic Issues: The TM movement employs managers who are brilliant and > > well versed in the Vedas or special knowledge. However, this does not make > > them skilled managers. The problems that allowed this one example to unfold > > are systemic in the organization. People are good, and when good people > > make wrong decisions, it is usually due to responding to the stressors and > > structure of the system that is in place. I blame the systems under which > > they are managing, and the environment of not recognizing issues that > > should be addressed when they emerge. > > > > This one example reveals a lot about the dynamics of how the organization > > is managed. This dynamic is repeated a thousand fold up and down the > > organization, resulting in less than stellar results. No one holds the > > leadership accountable. And there is no mechanism in place for the rank > > and file to report problems, concerns, or issues. There is no mechanism for > > addressing problems. There is no mechanism for reporting how problems are > > addressed. This is systemic throughout the organization. > > > > In any well-run organization, the manager would have stated the obvious: A > > mistake has been made. Let's go to our rooms for week, and do program there > > until this hall airs out. This should not have been a big problem. Dr. Birx > > could have called for help to solve the problem from staff below him, and > > staff above him. It appears his decision was made in isolation, as are so > > many others. I can infer also that the Board of Trustees is more of a paper > > tiger trusting on management to make the right decisions. Dr. Morris trusts > > Dr. Birx to make the right decision, and neither questions the other. > > > > The Nature of Conflict: There is a misunderstanding in the movement about > > what the nature of conflict is. I have seen this over and over. The > > Maharishi tape in which he talks about always seeking the positive instead > > of the negative, in which he describes the saint who was shown the dead > > cat, and comments on his beautiful teeth, has been greatly misunderstood, > > and used to the great misfortune of the movement. > > > > I have a master's degree in early childhood education with emphasis in > > guidance, and a bachelor's degree in mental retardation. I hold > > certifications in teaching students who are learning disabled, mentally > > handicapped, behaviorally emotionally disabled, as well as curriculum > > instruction and public school guidance. I am an expert in working with > > dysfunction, confrontation, and conflict. I deal with conflict all day > > long, and have for decades. > > > > There is a difference between being negative and dealing with conflict. > > Conflict is just the environment trying to normalize, evolve, grow. > > Conflicts that exist are a tool, a means of change that enable you to > > normalize the environment. If conflict is there it is OK. Conflict and > > confrontation are part of the normalizing process. It is part of life. > > > > This point alone could save the movement untold problems, and has lost it > > untold support. Through its unintended actions, (how it handles conflict) > > the TM movement has disenfranchised scores of TM teachers who would > > otherwise have been certified, scores of meditators who would be in the > > dome, scores of people who would start TM. > > > > There are of course many dissatisfied people who when even handled by best > > practices are still angry. It's just that so many have been mishandled, and > > feel the organization does not listen, will not change, say they are > > negative, and have been dealt with in such a fashion that their revenge > > energy is tapped, causing problems for the organization, and the individual. > > > > In an organization with enlightened management, almost all problems are due > > to poor management or poor systems. They manage from the point of view that > > if you believe that people are good, then good people want to be competent. > > They want to do a good job. If you believe that people are bad, then you > > believe they have to be closely supervised, and forced into doing a good > > job. > > > > The goal of management is to move people to autonomy. If a person is > > inexperienced, or incompetent you give more directing telling statements > > with the goal always of moving them to becoming as independent, and > > autonomous as possible. The successful manager's role would then be that of > > a cheerleader, one who provides resources, and removes obstacles to allow > > everyone to achieve his potential. It would enliven the basewin win. > > > > This means the organization is managed from bottom to top. The person who > > has the most information to solve a problem is closest to the problem-- the > > store clerk, the janitor, the citizen meditator, the TM teacher, the > > visitor. Enliven the bottom, and they will come out of the woodwork to help > > you. They possess untold passion, and ideas to help this movement do what > > management could only dream they could doreach the widest possible > > audience who will appreciate and practice the TM program in its purity. > > This is the goal. This is what the TM organization is about. > > > > Transparency in decision making: Good management is transparent. It has > > nothing to hide. When I managed in a residential facility for the severe > > and profound developmentally disabled (Black Mountain Center in North > > Carolina) we had a sentence or phrase with which we could measure every > > decision. This way any person in the organization, any person, could > > approach management, and state his problem, and suggest a solution based on > > our "what we are about" statement. > > > > Our phrase was "How does this help active treatment?" Active treatment was > > what we were about. It could be a goal to improve a client ability to hold > > a spoon, and increase independent dining, or a goal to reduce a behavior > > problem, increase mobility by getting out of a wheelchair, and so forth. > > > > All decisions were measured by this statement of what we were about. This > > mobilized the organization, and released immense creativity from all > > employees. The greatest desire of people in an organization is to have > > autonomy in their jobto feel needed and heard, to contribute, to make a > > difference. We saw evidence of this in the improvements made as a result of > > all players in the group. I have done this. It works. It works, and it is > > respectful of all people, and defuses, and enlivens, and keeps the > > organization on the cutting edge moving toward its organizational goals in > > a natural, life affirming way. It also promotes egalitarianism. We are all > > equal. We just have different roles. > > > > Making decisions based on a shared mission dismantles ego, status, hidden > > agendas. No one can use resources for selfish purposes or hidden agendas. > > It can empower the bottom employee, or in the case of the TM movement, the > > meditators who support the organization's mission through daily practice. > > > > These management principals I describe are so like the values of TM, yet > > they are the antithesis of what the TM movement actually practices. Even > > from his enlightened position, Maharishi constantly made adjustments and > > changes to see what would work and what didn't. > > > > An additional component to creating a transparent organization is openness > > in accountability and responsibility. This information is not publicly > > available on the TM website. Where is the information about who is on the > > Board of Directors? Where are the minutes from their meetings? Where are > > the organization's by-laws? Outside of the organization's 990, required > > under federal law, where are the annual reports that show what the > > organization has accomplished, performance metrics, details on income and > > expenditures? > > > > How do we know the current model isn't working? Just look at the anemic > > statistics on dome usage as an indicator. People vote with their feet. To > > determine why the dome program is foundering, go to the base for the best > > decision-making. The top of the tree does not speak to the roots. > > > > I tell people that the knowledge is the real deal. That they should trust > > their experiences, trust their program, trust the holy tradition, and if > > you see something you don't like just turn your head. We all do. That is > > because there is no system in place to do otherwise. > > > > I have meditated for over 40 years based solely on that I enjoy it. > > Something this powerful will not be stopped. It will get there, but nature > > demands it must evolve, and grow, and greet this day, this time, this > > culture, this age. > > > > How else do I know the current system isn't working? As I shared meals on > > the MUM campus, if the organization/management subject was broached, TM > > teachers and non-teachers alike just shook their heads in resignation. > > They see what I see, and have done as I have done. > > > > I do love you guys. It's just that the current model is not working, > > despite the fact that there is more talent in the TM movement than I have > > seen in any organization bar none. I could not shake a tree on the MUM > > campus without five brilliant TM teachers falling out. Use the talent that > > has been thrown at you, more plentiful than sand on the beach. Do not just > > depend on a handful of bright stars. There are many stars wishing to > > contribute toward your goal. > > > > And finally, there is no upward movement in the organization. If you become > > a TM teacher, the top leadership positions seem to be life appointed. The > > organization is stagnant, dependent on just a few leaders, though brilliant > > and talented, who seem to do it all with no structure in the organization > > to enliven all the myriad multitalented potential of the organization. > > > > There are so many examples of poor experiences I have had over the years > > that give the impression of unprofessionalism from the very trite to the > > significant. I know I am not the only person who sees these things and > > knows that below the tip of the iceberg lies a larger problem. These are > > well known. It is not the intention of my letter to enumerate, but to give > > but one more voice only to suggest, to prod, to affirm, to encourage you to > > recognize, and solve themto grow, to change. > > > > For lack of a better expression, I would like to suggest that their needs > > to be a separation of church and state. The church is the purity of the > > knowledge, and the state is how TM is administrated, the organization. The > > organization should consider some of the principles I have suggested. There > > is nothing wrong with conflict. Conflict is just an opportunity to solve a > > problem. It is how something maladaptive, and disorganized becomes > > beautiful. > > > > Sincerely, > > Jai Guru Dev, > > >