https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-03/muom-fsf030917.php https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-03/muom-fsf030917.php “The researchers first calculated a baseline trend for monthly fatality rates during 2002-2006, and then used time series intervention analysis to compare that baseline with the corresponding trend for the intervention period 2007-2010. A rapidly rising trend in the drug-related fatality rate (see Figure 1) during the baseline period leveled out and slowed significantly when the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi group exceeded 1,725 participants beginning in January 2007 (vertical dashed line). This flatter trend continued through 2010.” OK, these are “drug-related fatalities in general”, but, according to the TM researchers' hypothesis for the intervention period 2007-2010, drug overdose fatalities by opioid should show a fairly similar trend. Well, considering there is almost some kind of bias in groups of people with agendas, I have to ask myself which graphs do I trust to be presented in as unbiased a manner as possible? Now, to me, perhaps a science simpleton compared to those distinguished and knowledgeable men and women, I would rather that facts be presented to me plainly and simply, laying aside time-series-intervention-analysis for see-the-data-as-it-really-is pictorially. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6450a3.htm https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6450a3.htm See FIGURE 2. Drug overdose deaths involving opioids, by type of opioid — United States, 2000–2014 So, forgive this one for his ignorance but to me the data here does not show a marked decrease for the intervention period 2007-2010 for drug overdose deaths involving: * Opioids ---------
* Natural and semisynthetic opioids ----- ----- * Synthetic opioids (excluding methadone) ----- ----- -- * Heroin -- -- -- Only methadone appears to have decreased over the intervention period (2007-2010) to which the TM ME claim could be attributed, but this decrease continues well beyond the intervention period through to 2014. Indeed: * Natural and semisynthetic opioid deaths increase during the intervention period (2007-2010) up until 2011 and then decrease (2012, 2013). * Synthetic opioid (excluding methadone) deaths rise during the intervention period (2007-2010) and decrease for a couple of years after the intervention period (2011, 2012). This cannot be blamed on synthetic opioids (if that is a reason?) because deaths by heroin clearly increased to the highest level during the claimed intervention period (2007-2010) since the year 2000 (which makes complete sense as *the increase in heroin initiates reached its peak (2009) during the intervention period (2007-2010). See FIGURE 2 * https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/report_1943/ShortReport-1943.html https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/report_1943/ShortReport-1943.html Personally, the TM Sidhi program, even just the TM part, revives and rejuvenates me with the aliveness of something ‘special’ which is just waiting to be tapped in such a simple manner. My life would not be the same and I am eternally grateful for this meditation practice. I would love for the TM ME research claims to be true but at present I personally consider them well overstated even with the best intentions. I rather think that the power and energy created is more localised to the group itself and while there may be an enlivening and purification in the finer etheric environment elsewhere, it is not on the scale claimed, for if it were, I think we would see very different graphs. It is more about influence than anything else in my opinion. A calm, patient, kind, determined, disciplined, selfless, enlivened being can meet 100 people in a week and raise their consciousness even in the smallest, most subtle and even unintentional manner. 1%. Surely 1 in 100 can do this through regular meditation.
