--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > On Mar 13, 2006, at 9:21 PM, Rick Archer wrote: > > > An MUM staffer says that Bevan and lawyers are putting quite a bit > > into the > > lawsuit against MUM brought by the parents of Levi Butler. The suit > > draws a > > bigger line to include other TM organizations besides MUM; the two > > families > > make claims against the techniques too. A lawyer who helps MUM with > > legal > > issues said he feels we can handle the allegations about techniques > > but the > > claim against MUM for the wrongful death will be more difficult. > > > One of the dangers of canned meditation "techniques" is that they > don't allow for all the subtle nuances of a potentially infinite > variety of students. All these people would have to do is subpoena > (or whatever you call it) the checking procedures and show how there > are a limited set of responses, IIRC, none of which ever tell you to > 'stop meditating' or cut back if "x" happens (i'm sure someone will > correct me if I'm wrong here).
It's not in the checking notes per se, but it isn't uncommon for TM teachers to tell meditators to cut back when they report certain symptoms. But of course checking is not designed to be a deep psychological evaluation of a potentially infinite variety of students; it's designed to provide the correct experience of meditation to a potentially infinite variety of students. For that matter, universities aren't designed to provide deep psychological evaluations of a potentially infinite variety of students either. And actually they had this kid over- > meditating as it was. I'll be amazed if they get out of this one. > > Upside is, this would be a good time to modify and expand the > checking procedures to include what they darn well know are the > side-effects--and sometime dangerous side effects--of TM. But we > all know it is extremely unlikely this will ever happen. Actually you can ask questions of the teacher at the end of the checking session, including reporting any untoward effects. And some side effects *are* covered in the checking notes. Just how deeply do you want to invade the privacy of every TMer who comes for a checking session on the off- chance that you might uncover someone who needs help? Or are you suggesting that every TMer be required to have an annual mental health checkup? The thing is, Vaj, people routinely freak out on college campuses, for a variety of reasons. Just for one thing, the late teens and early 20s happen to be the period when schizophrenic symptoms first manifest in people who have previously appeared to be entirely normal. College is also just a difficult time for many young adults; they may be away from home on their own for the first time, and they're being required to perform in a way they may never have had to before. MUM is no different from any other university in that regard, nor have I ever seen any statistics indicating there are *more* freakouts, proportionately, on MUM than on other similar campuses. *Any* university should have ample mental health resources and procedures for forestalling or at least minimizing the potential damage of a freakout. But even with the best resources and procedures, sometimes somebody slips through the cracks. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Join modern day disciples reach the disfigured and poor with hope and healing http://us.click.yahoo.com/lMct6A/Vp3LAA/i1hLAA/UlWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
