[FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[dhamiltony...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

The '93 Survey results are available for download still in the files section of 
FairfieldLife for members. 
 

 See the Files section tab above of FFL while Yahoo still hosts them..
 

 
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FairfieldLife/files/FFL%20and%20Fairfield%20Community/
 
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FairfieldLife/files/FFL%20and%20Fairfield%20Community/

 
---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 

 # TSR Survey 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 Yes, this larger survey is interesting base-line data on the larger meditating 
community in Fairfield from back when the meditating community and the Dome 
numbers were more around their peak as the long decline (attrition) was then 
ensuing. You can see the seeds and the consequent beginning of the cultivated 
socioeconomic exclusivity sprouting then and the administrative separation of 
meditators from membership in the group meditation over visiting saints and 
spiritual people that had started in the late 1980's and through the 1990's to 
present. 
 
 
 Since the larger sample community survey of the early 1990's there have only 
been small sample surveys of sub-groups. In a way the recent book on Fairfield 
[How a New Age Movement Remade a Small Town in Iowa] by the journalist, Joseph 
Weber is a survey by extensive interviewing of the Fairfield meditating 
community that is current. A few years ago when there was such strife in the 
sustainable living students an interview survey was hired and conducted of the 
university SL students about their experience at the university. The results 
were presented to the administration and then defended against by the 
President. That survey and more recent surveying has been useful more recently 
in guiding some policy changes around the university and MSAE student life 
currently. 
 
 
 While the progressive side of the TM movement has been methodically tracking 
metrics and hiring marketing surveying related to the teaching of meditation, 
there have not been broad surveying of the meditating community of the scale of 
the 1994 survey. That could proly be too frightening for some of the key 
patriarchs of old administration on watch of the movement to see. 
 
 
 The closest thing to that kind of surveying would be a larger ongoing survey 
of collected first-person cases by a sub-committee of the Fairfield Mental 
Health Alliance compiling cases where people have felt their well-being was 
effected by their experience with the culture of the movement. There is a range 
and distribution to those collected cases which have clearly indicated areas 
for policy changes that could improve elements of culture and consequences in 
aspects of the movement. Elements of the movement are moving on some of this 
while some ideologues try to hold a dogmatic line against it. Having 
'data-points' has been extremely helpful towards seeing policy. There is a lot 
in process going on and things are also fluid.  -JaiGuruYou   
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 This is interesting but 20 years old. Is there anything more recent to compare 
this to? 
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 The Community Forum
 Community-wide Survey Results 
 (also saved as documents in the FairfieldLife at Yahoo-groups files section.)
 Dear Meditator,
 In late spring (1994), the Community Forum sponsored a community-wide survey 
to sample opinion on a wide range of issues that affect our lives. Based on a 
compiled list of Fairfield-area meditators, we sent out approximately 2,000 
surveys. We received 659 completed surveys, for a response rate of about 33%. 
(The response rate may even be higher; since we used bulk mail, we do not know 
the exact number of surveys delivered.) In the field of written surveys, a 
response rate of 33% is considered outstanding. 
 Survey respondents come from a cross-section of our community: 84% have been 
meditating for 16 years or longer; 68% have lived in Fairfield for seven years 
or more; and 68% are registered for Super Radiance. Although not every 
meditator filled out a survey, we believe the results provide significant 
insights into how meditators feel about important issues and about our lives in 
Fairfield.
 Survey Data
 This document provides the raw data for all questions except for the essays. 
For the essays, this document lists the more common suggestions and comments.
 Looking at the data, one can identify responses of general consensus and also 
responses reflecting widely diverse opinions. Where there is a clear need and 
desire in a particular area of concern, the Community Forum will hold open 
meetings so that interested people can come together, discuss options, and 
explore possible solutions. 
 The survey data can also be evaluated from a variety of different perspectives 
(e.g., age, gender, income, Movement status, etc.). We encourage anyone with 
statistical analytical skills to help us analyze the survey results 

[FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[dhamiltony...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

 # TSR Survey 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 Yes, this larger survey is interesting base-line data on the larger meditating 
community in Fairfield from back when the meditating community and the Dome 
numbers were more around their peak as the long decline (attrition) was then 
ensuing. You can see the seeds and the consequent beginning of the cultivated 
socioeconomic exclusivity sprouting then and the administrative separation of 
meditators from membership in the group meditation over visiting saints and 
spiritual people that had started in the late 1980's and through the 1990's to 
present. 
 
 
 Since the larger sample community survey of the early 1990's there have only 
been small sample surveys of sub-groups. In a way the recent book on Fairfield 
[How a New Age Movement Remade a Small Town in Iowa] by the journalist, Joseph 
Weber is a survey by extensive interviewing of the Fairfield meditating 
community that is current. A few years ago when there was such strife in the 
sustainable living students an interview survey was hired and conducted of the 
university SL students about their experience at the university. The results 
were presented to the administration and then defended against by the 
President. That survey and more recent surveying has been useful more recently 
in guiding some policy changes around the university and MSAE student life 
currently. 
 
 
 While the progressive side of the TM movement has been methodically tracking 
metrics and hiring marketing surveying related to the teaching of meditation, 
there have not been broad surveying of the meditating community of the scale of 
the 1994 survey. That could proly be too frightening for some of the key 
patriarchs of old administration on watch of the movement to see. 
 
 
 The closest thing to that kind of surveying would be a larger ongoing survey 
of collected first-person cases by a sub-committee of the Fairfield Mental 
Health Alliance compiling cases where people have felt their well-being was 
effected by their experience with the culture of the movement. There is a range 
and distribution to those collected cases which have clearly indicated areas 
for policy changes that could improve elements of culture and consequences in 
aspects of the movement. Elements of the movement are moving on some of this 
while some ideologues try to hold a dogmatic line against it. Having 
'data-points' has been extremely helpful towards seeing policy. There is a lot 
in process going on and things are also fluid.  -JaiGuruYou   
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 This is interesting but 20 years old. Is there anything more recent to compare 
this to? 
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 The Community Forum
 Community-wide Survey Results 
 (also saved as documents in the FairfieldLife at Yahoo-groups files section.)
 Dear Meditator,
 In late spring (1994), the Community Forum sponsored a community-wide survey 
to sample opinion on a wide range of issues that affect our lives. Based on a 
compiled list of Fairfield-area meditators, we sent out approximately 2,000 
surveys. We received 659 completed surveys, for a response rate of about 33%. 
(The response rate may even be higher; since we used bulk mail, we do not know 
the exact number of surveys delivered.) In the field of written surveys, a 
response rate of 33% is considered outstanding. 
 Survey respondents come from a cross-section of our community: 84% have been 
meditating for 16 years or longer; 68% have lived in Fairfield for seven years 
or more; and 68% are registered for Super Radiance. Although not every 
meditator filled out a survey, we believe the results provide significant 
insights into how meditators feel about important issues and about our lives in 
Fairfield.
 Survey Data
 This document provides the raw data for all questions except for the essays. 
For the essays, this document lists the more common suggestions and comments.
 Looking at the data, one can identify responses of general consensus and also 
responses reflecting widely diverse opinions. Where there is a clear need and 
desire in a particular area of concern, the Community Forum will hold open 
meetings so that interested people can come together, discuss options, and 
explore possible solutions. 
 The survey data can also be evaluated from a variety of different perspectives 
(e.g., age, gender, income, Movement status, etc.). We encourage anyone with 
statistical analytical skills to help us analyze the survey results more 
thoroughly. 
 
 Thank You!
 We would like to thank everyone who participated in the survey! We would also 
like to thank those who wrote to us with comments and suggestions about the 
survey.
 

 THE COMMUNITY FORUM, P.O. Box 1633, Fairfield, IA 52556 • 515-472-8132 (0ld)
 

 Summary of responses to..
 ESSAY QUESTIONS
 


 Of the 659 people who completed a survey, 548 wrote answers to the essay 
questions. Many 

[FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[dbra...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

One thing I have been curious about for a long time.  I lived briefly in 
Fairfield.  I think it was in early 2006 that Mother Divine relocated there.  
We went out to look at the property, and were astonished to see that a good 
number of the manufactured homes had primary southern and secondary western 
entrances.  What about sthapatya veda principles?  Were community members too 
fearful to bring up this point at meetings?  Did others, like us, take note and 
add it to the straw that eventually broke the camel's back of belonging to the 
movement?  Nevertheless, my many, many years of TM were life transforming, for 
which I am very grateful.

[FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[dhamiltony...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

 # TSR Survey 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 Yes, this larger survey is interesting base-line data on the larger meditating 
community in Fairfield from back when the meditating community and the Dome 
numbers were more around their peak as the long decline (attrition) was then 
ensuing. You can see the seeds and the consequent beginning of the cultivated 
socioeconomic exclusivity sprouting then and the administrative separation of 
meditators from membership in the group meditation over visiting saints and 
spiritual people that had started in the late 1980's and through the 1990's to 
present. 
 
 
 Since the larger sample community survey of the early 1990's there have only 
been small sample surveys of sub-groups. In a way the recent book on Fairfield 
[How a New Age Movement Remade a Small Town in Iowa] by the journalist, Joseph 
Weber is a survey by extensive interviewing of the Fairfield meditating 
community that is current. A few years ago when there was such strife in the 
sustainable living students an interview survey was hired and conducted of the 
university SL students about their experience at the university. The results 
were presented to the administration and then defended against by the 
President. That survey and more recent surveying has been useful more recently 
in guiding some policy changes around the university and MSAE student life 
currently. 
 
 
 While the progressive side of the TM movement has been methodically tracking 
metrics and hiring marketing surveying related to the teaching of meditation, 
there have not been broad surveying of the meditating community of the scale of 
the 1994 survey. That could proly be too frightening for some of the key 
patriarchs of old administration on watch of the movement to see. 
 
 
 The closest thing to that kind of surveying would be a larger ongoing survey 
of collected first-person cases by a sub-committee of the Fairfield Mental 
Health Alliance compiling cases where people have felt their well-being was 
effected by their experience with the culture of the movement. There is a range 
and distribution to those collected cases which have clearly indicated areas 
for policy changes that could improve elements of culture and consequences in 
aspects of the movement. Elements of the movement are moving on some of this 
while some ideologues try to hold a dogmatic line against it. Having 
'data-points' has been extremely helpful towards seeing policy. There is a lot 
in process going on and things are also fluid.  -JaiGuruYou   
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 This is interesting but 20 years old. Is there anything more recent to compare 
this to? 
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 The Community Forum
 Community-wide Survey Results 
 (also saved as documents in the FairfieldLife at Yahoo-groups files section.)
 Dear Meditator,
 In late spring (1994), the Community Forum sponsored a community-wide survey 
to sample opinion on a wide range of issues that affect our lives. Based on a 
compiled list of Fairfield-area meditators, we sent out approximately 2,000 
surveys. We received 659 completed surveys, for a response rate of about 33%. 
(The response rate may even be higher; since we used bulk mail, we do not know 
the exact number of surveys delivered.) In the field of written surveys, a 
response rate of 33% is considered outstanding. 
 Survey respondents come from a cross-section of our community: 84% have been 
meditating for 16 years or longer; 68% have lived in Fairfield for seven years 
or more; and 68% are registered for Super Radiance. Although not every 
meditator filled out a survey, we believe the results provide significant 
insights into how meditators feel about important issues and about our lives in 
Fairfield.
 Survey Data
 This document provides the raw data for all questions except for the essays. 
For the essays, this document lists the more common suggestions and comments.
 Looking at the data, one can identify responses of general consensus and also 
responses reflecting widely diverse opinions. Where there is a clear need and 
desire in a particular area of concern, the Community Forum will hold open 
meetings so that interested people can come together, discuss options, and 
explore possible solutions. 
 The survey data can also be evaluated from a variety of different perspectives 
(e.g., age, gender, income, Movement status, etc.). We encourage anyone with 
statistical analytical skills to help us analyze the survey results more 
thoroughly. 
 
 Thank You!
 We would like to thank everyone who participated in the survey! We would also 
like to thank those who wrote to us with comments and suggestions about the 
survey.
 

 THE COMMUNITY FORUM, P.O. Box 1633, Fairfield, IA 52556 • 515-472-8132 (0ld)
 

 Summary of responses to..
 ESSAY QUESTIONS
 


 Of the 659 people who completed a survey, 548 wrote answers to the essay 
questions. Many 

[FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[dhamiltony...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

# 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 # TSR Survey 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 Yes, this larger survey is interesting base-line data on the larger meditating 
community in Fairfield from back when the meditating community and the Dome 
numbers were more around their peak as the long decline (attrition) was then 
ensuing. You can see the seeds and the consequent beginning of the cultivated 
socioeconomic exclusivity sprouting then and the administrative separation of 
meditators from membership in the group meditation over visiting saints and 
spiritual people that had started in the late 1980's and through the 1990's to 
present. 
 
 
 Since the larger sample community survey of the early 1990's there have only 
been small sample surveys of sub-groups. In a way the recent book on Fairfield 
[How a New Age Movement Remade a Small Town in Iowa] by the journalist, Joseph 
Weber is a survey by extensive interviewing of the Fairfield meditating 
community that is current. A few years ago when there was such strife in the 
sustainable living students an interview survey was hired and conducted of the 
university SL students about their experience at the university. The results 
were presented to the administration and then defended against by the 
President. That survey and more recent surveying has been useful more recently 
in guiding some policy changes around the university and MSAE student life 
currently. 
 
 
 While the progressive side of the TM movement has been methodically tracking 
metrics and hiring marketing surveying related to the teaching of meditation, 
there have not been broad surveying of the meditating community of the scale of 
the 1994 survey. That could proly be too frightening for some of the key 
patriarchs of old administration on watch of the movement to see. 
 
 
 The closest thing to that kind of surveying would be a larger ongoing survey 
of collected first-person cases by a sub-committee of the Fairfield Mental 
Health Alliance compiling cases where people have felt their well-being was 
effected by their experience with the culture of the movement. There is a range 
and distribution to those collected cases which have clearly indicated areas 
for policy changes that could improve elements of culture and consequences in 
aspects of the movement. Elements of the movement are moving on some of this 
while some ideologues try to hold a dogmatic line against it. Having 
'data-points' has been extremely helpful towards seeing policy. There is a lot 
in process going on and things are also fluid.  -JaiGuruYou   
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 This is interesting but 20 years old. Is there anything more recent to compare 
this to? 
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 The Community Forum
 Community-wide Survey Results 
 (also saved as documents in the FairfieldLife at Yahoo-groups files section.)
 Dear Meditator,
 In late spring (1994), the Community Forum sponsored a community-wide survey 
to sample opinion on a wide range of issues that affect our lives. Based on a 
compiled list of Fairfield-area meditators, we sent out approximately 2,000 
surveys. We received 659 completed surveys, for a response rate of about 33%. 
(The response rate may even be higher; since we used bulk mail, we do not know 
the exact number of surveys delivered.) In the field of written surveys, a 
response rate of 33% is considered outstanding. 
 Survey respondents come from a cross-section of our community: 84% have been 
meditating for 16 years or longer; 68% have lived in Fairfield for seven years 
or more; and 68% are registered for Super Radiance. Although not every 
meditator filled out a survey, we believe the results provide significant 
insights into how meditators feel about important issues and about our lives in 
Fairfield.
 Survey Data
 This document provides the raw data for all questions except for the essays. 
For the essays, this document lists the more common suggestions and comments.
 Looking at the data, one can identify responses of general consensus and also 
responses reflecting widely diverse opinions. Where there is a clear need and 
desire in a particular area of concern, the Community Forum will hold open 
meetings so that interested people can come together, discuss options, and 
explore possible solutions. 
 The survey data can also be evaluated from a variety of different perspectives 
(e.g., age, gender, income, Movement status, etc.). We encourage anyone with 
statistical analytical skills to help us analyze the survey results more 
thoroughly. 
 
 Thank You!
 We would like to thank everyone who participated in the survey! We would also 
like to thank those who wrote to us with comments and suggestions about the 
survey.
 

 THE COMMUNITY FORUM, P.O. Box 1633, Fairfield, IA 52556 • 515-472-8132 (0ld)
 

[FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[dhamiltony...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

# TSR Survey 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 Yes, this larger survey is interesting base-line data on the larger meditating 
community in Fairfield from back when the meditating community and the Dome 
numbers were more around their peak as the long decline (attrition) was then 
ensuing. You can see the seeds and the consequent beginning of the cultivated 
socioeconomic exclusivity sprouting then and the administrative separation of 
meditators from membership in the group meditation over visiting saints and 
spiritual people that had started in the late 1980's and through the 1990's to 
present. 
 
 
 Since the larger sample community survey of the early 1990's there have only 
been small sample surveys of sub-groups. In a way the recent book on Fairfield 
[How a New Age Movement Remade a Small Town in Iowa] by the journalist, Joseph 
Weber is a survey by extensive interviewing of the Fairfield meditating 
community that is current. A few years ago when there was such strife in the 
sustainable living students an interview survey was hired and conducted of the 
university SL students about their experience at the university. The results 
were presented to the administration and then defended against by the 
President. That survey and more recent surveying has been useful more recently 
in guiding some policy changes around the university and MSAE student life 
currently. 
 
 
 While the progressive side of the TM movement has been methodically tracking 
metrics and hiring marketing surveying related to the teaching of meditation, 
there have not been broad surveying of the meditating community of the scale of 
the 1994 survey. That could proly be too frightening for some of the key 
patriarchs of old administration on watch of the movement to see. 
 
 
 The closest thing to that kind of surveying would be a larger ongoing survey 
of collected first-person cases by a sub-committee of the Fairfield Mental 
Health Alliance compiling cases where people have felt their well-being was 
effected by their experience with the culture of the movement. There is a range 
and distribution to those collected cases which have clearly indicated areas 
for policy changes that could improve elements of culture and consequences in 
aspects of the movement. Elements of the movement are moving on some of this 
while some ideologues try to hold a dogmatic line against it. Having 
'data-points' has been extremely helpful towards seeing policy. There is a lot 
in process going on and things are also fluid.  -JaiGuruYou   
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 This is interesting but 20 years old. Is there anything more recent to compare 
this to? 
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 The Community Forum
 Community-wide Survey Results 
 (also saved as documents in the FairfieldLife at Yahoo-groups files section.)
 Dear Meditator,
 In late spring (1994), the Community Forum sponsored a community-wide survey 
to sample opinion on a wide range of issues that affect our lives. Based on a 
compiled list of Fairfield-area meditators, we sent out approximately 2,000 
surveys. We received 659 completed surveys, for a response rate of about 33%. 
(The response rate may even be higher; since we used bulk mail, we do not know 
the exact number of surveys delivered.) In the field of written surveys, a 
response rate of 33% is considered outstanding. 
 Survey respondents come from a cross-section of our community: 84% have been 
meditating for 16 years or longer; 68% have lived in Fairfield for seven years 
or more; and 68% are registered for Super Radiance. Although not every 
meditator filled out a survey, we believe the results provide significant 
insights into how meditators feel about important issues and about our lives in 
Fairfield.
 Survey Data
 This document provides the raw data for all questions except for the essays. 
For the essays, this document lists the more common suggestions and comments.
 Looking at the data, one can identify responses of general consensus and also 
responses reflecting widely diverse opinions. Where there is a clear need and 
desire in a particular area of concern, the Community Forum will hold open 
meetings so that interested people can come together, discuss options, and 
explore possible solutions. 
 The survey data can also be evaluated from a variety of different perspectives 
(e.g., age, gender, income, Movement status, etc.). We encourage anyone with 
statistical analytical skills to help us analyze the survey results more 
thoroughly. 
 
 Thank You!
 We would like to thank everyone who participated in the survey! We would also 
like to thank those who wrote to us with comments and suggestions about the 
survey.
 

 THE COMMUNITY FORUM, P.O. Box 1633, Fairfield, IA 52556 • 515-472-8132 (0ld)
 

 Summary of responses to..
 ESSAY QUESTIONS
 


 Of the 659 people who 

[FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[dhamiltony...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

# TSR survey 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 Yes, this larger survey is interesting base-line data on the larger meditating 
community in Fairfield from back when the meditating community and the Dome 
numbers were more around their peak as the long decline (attrition) was then 
ensuing. You can see the seeds and the consequent beginning of the cultivated 
socioeconomic exclusivity sprouting then and the administrative separation of 
meditators from membership in the group meditation over visiting saints and 
spiritual people that had started in the late 1980's and through the 1990's to 
present. 
 
 
 Since the larger sample community survey of the early 1990's there have only 
been small sample surveys of sub-groups. In a way the recent book on Fairfield 
[How a New Age Movement Remade a Small Town in Iowa] by the journalist, Joseph 
Weber is a survey by extensive interviewing of the Fairfield meditating 
community that is current. A few years ago when there was such strife in the 
sustainable living students an interview survey was hired and conducted of the 
university SL students about their experience at the university. The results 
were presented to the administration and then defended against by the 
President. That survey and more recent surveying has been useful more recently 
in guiding some policy changes around the university and MSAE student life 
currently. 
 
 
 While the progressive side of the TM movement has been methodically tracking 
metrics and hiring marketing surveying related to the teaching of meditation, 
there have not been broad surveying of the meditating community of the scale of 
the 1994 survey. That could proly be too frightening for some of the key 
patriarchs of old administration on watch of the movement to see. 
 
 
 The closest thing to that kind of surveying would be a larger ongoing survey 
of collected first-person cases by a sub-committee of the Fairfield Mental 
Health Alliance compiling cases where people have felt their well-being was 
effected by their experience with the culture of the movement. There is a range 
and distribution to those collected cases which have clearly indicated areas 
for policy changes that could improve elements of culture and consequences in 
aspects of the movement. Elements of the movement are moving on some of this 
while some ideologues try to hold a dogmatic line against it. Having 
'data-points' has been extremely helpful towards seeing policy. There is a lot 
in process going on and things are also fluid.  -JaiGuruYou   
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 This is interesting but 20 years old. Is there anything more recent to compare 
this to? 
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 The Community Forum
 Community-wide Survey Results 
 (also saved as documents in the FairfieldLife at Yahoo-groups files section.)
 Dear Meditator,
 In late spring (1994), the Community Forum sponsored a community-wide survey 
to sample opinion on a wide range of issues that affect our lives. Based on a 
compiled list of Fairfield-area meditators, we sent out approximately 2,000 
surveys. We received 659 completed surveys, for a response rate of about 33%. 
(The response rate may even be higher; since we used bulk mail, we do not know 
the exact number of surveys delivered.) In the field of written surveys, a 
response rate of 33% is considered outstanding. 
 Survey respondents come from a cross-section of our community: 84% have been 
meditating for 16 years or longer; 68% have lived in Fairfield for seven years 
or more; and 68% are registered for Super Radiance. Although not every 
meditator filled out a survey, we believe the results provide significant 
insights into how meditators feel about important issues and about our lives in 
Fairfield.
 Survey Data
 This document provides the raw data for all questions except for the essays. 
For the essays, this document lists the more common suggestions and comments.
 Looking at the data, one can identify responses of general consensus and also 
responses reflecting widely diverse opinions. Where there is a clear need and 
desire in a particular area of concern, the Community Forum will hold open 
meetings so that interested people can come together, discuss options, and 
explore possible solutions. 
 The survey data can also be evaluated from a variety of different perspectives 
(e.g., age, gender, income, Movement status, etc.). We encourage anyone with 
statistical analytical skills to help us analyze the survey results more 
thoroughly. 
 
 Thank You!
 We would like to thank everyone who participated in the survey! We would also 
like to thank those who wrote to us with comments and suggestions about the 
survey.
 

 THE COMMUNITY FORUM, P.O. Box 1633, Fairfield, IA 52556 • 515-472-8132 (0ld)
 

 Summary of responses to..
 ESSAY QUESTIONS
 


 Of the 659 people who 

[FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[dhamiltony...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

What was the “average age” of meditating community survey respondents, back in 
1993-4?
  Add 20 years to that now as an estimate now?  Link to the survey results 
below..
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 Yep, is a fair assessment about the Fairfield Mental Health Alliance in your 
comments below. Out of an upward pressure showcased through a more public 
discussion the Fairfield Mental Health Alliance helped the .org-movement from 
its highest levels be brought to change and incorporate a lot that is modern on 
this in there being places and appropriate need at times for modern mental 
health practices. The surveying has been extremely important in this process. 
There is still ongoing discussion and practical work in progress towards 
improving particular policy effects within the 'culture' of the TM movement 
around this.
 

 dhamiltony2k5writes,
 

 Yes, this larger survey is interesting base-line data on the larger meditating 
community in Fairfield from back when the meditating community and the Dome 
numbers were more around their peak as the long decline (attrition) was then 
ensuing. You can see the seeds and the consequent beginning of the cultivated 
socioeconomic exclusivity sprouting then and the administrative separation of 
meditators from membership in the group meditation over visiting saints and 
spiritual people that had started in the late 1980's and through the 1990's to 
present.
 

 Since the larger sample community survey of the early 1990's there have only 
been small sample surveys of sub-groups. In a way the recent book on Fairfield 
[How a New Age Movement Remade a Small Town in Iowa] by the journalist, Joseph 
Weber is a survey by extensive interviewing of the Fairfield meditating 
community that is current. A few years ago when there was such strife in the 
sustainable living students an interview survey was hired and conducted of the 
university SL students about their experience at the university. The results 
were presented to the administration and then defended against by the 
President. That survey and more recent surveying has been useful more recently 
in guiding some policy changes around the university and MSAE student life 
currently.
 

 While the progressive side of the TM movement has been methodically tracking 
metrics and hiring marketing surveying related to the teaching of meditation, 
there have not been broad surveying of the meditating community of the scale of 
the 1994 survey. That could proly be too frightening for some of the key 
patriarchs of old administration on watch of the movement to see.
 

 The closest thing to that kind of surveying would be a larger ongoing survey 
of collected first-person cases by a sub-committee of the Fairfield Mental 
Health Alliance compiling cases where people have felt their well-being was 
effected by their experience with the culture of the movement. There is a range 
and distribution to those collected cases which have clearly indicated areas 
for policy changes that could improve elements of culture and consequences in 
aspects of the movement. Elements of the movement are moving on some of this 
while some ideologues try to hold a dogmatic line against it. Having 
'data-points' has been extremely helpful towards seeing policy. There is a lot 
in process going on and things are also fluid.  -JaiGuruYou
 

 awoelflebater writes
 This last paragraph is enlightening. This Mental Health Alliance group is 
important, it seems and the data it could produce would/could address all sorts 
of aspects with regard to the socio-economic factors that may have resulted in 
damage to individuals coupled with its relationship to their 
involvement/participation in or practice of TM. In the sense that TM is 
supposed to factor into all aspects of one's life this mental health thing is 
relevant in perhaps revealing where the meditation technique might not measure 
up to its promise. Those in the meditating community in FF are often old 
timers, not only in their practice of TM but chronologically. The mere fact of 
the existence of the Mental Health Alliance is evidence of the need for 
psychiatric aid for those practicing TM. How could anyone in the Movement cling 
to dogma in the face of such a fact? Perhaps they require the attention of the 
professionals in the psychiatric department there. Rabid or avid denial is a 
form of aberrational behavior, is it not?
 

 awoelflebater writes: 
 This is interesting but 20 years old. Is there anything more recent to compare 
this to?
 

 FFL#420254Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield
 

 text of early 1990's survey report:
 Fairfield Life 
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FairfieldLife/conversations/messages/420254 
 
 https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FairfieldLife/conversations/messages/420254
 
 Fairfield Life 
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FairfieldLife/conversations/messages/420254 
Fairfield Life focuses on topics of 

[FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[dhamiltony...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

Yep, is a fair assessment about the Fairfield Mental Health Alliance in your 
comments below. Out of an upward pressure showcased through a more public 
discussion the Fairfield Mental Health Alliance helped the .org-movement from 
its highest levels be brought to change and incorporate a lot that is modern on 
this in there being places and appropriate need at times for modern mental 
health practices. The surveying has been extremely important in this process. 
There is still ongoing discussion and practical work in progress towards 
improving particular policy effects within the 'culture' of the TM movement 
around this.
 

 dhamiltony2k5writes,
 

 Yes, this larger survey is interesting base-line data on the larger meditating 
community in Fairfield from back when the meditating community and the Dome 
numbers were more around their peak as the long decline (attrition) was then 
ensuing. You can see the seeds and the consequent beginning of the cultivated 
socioeconomic exclusivity sprouting then and the administrative separation of 
meditators from membership in the group meditation over visiting saints and 
spiritual people that had started in the late 1980's and through the 1990's to 
present.
 

 Since the larger sample community survey of the early 1990's there have only 
been small sample surveys of sub-groups. In a way the recent book on Fairfield 
[How a New Age Movement Remade a Small Town in Iowa] by the journalist, Joseph 
Weber is a survey by extensive interviewing of the Fairfield meditating 
community that is current. A few years ago when there was such strife in the 
sustainable living students an interview survey was hired and conducted of the 
university SL students about their experience at the university. The results 
were presented to the administration and then defended against by the 
President. That survey and more recent surveying has been useful more recently 
in guiding some policy changes around the university and MSAE student life 
currently.
 

 While the progressive side of the TM movement has been methodically tracking 
metrics and hiring marketing surveying related to the teaching of meditation, 
there have not been broad surveying of the meditating community of the scale of 
the 1994 survey. That could proly be too frightening for some of the key 
patriarchs of old administration on watch of the movement to see.
 

 The closest thing to that kind of surveying would be a larger ongoing survey 
of collected first-person cases by a sub-committee of the Fairfield Mental 
Health Alliance compiling cases where people have felt their well-being was 
effected by their experience with the culture of the movement. There is a range 
and distribution to those collected cases which have clearly indicated areas 
for policy changes that could improve elements of culture and consequences in 
aspects of the movement. Elements of the movement are moving on some of this 
while some ideologues try to hold a dogmatic line against it. Having 
'data-points' has been extremely helpful towards seeing policy. There is a lot 
in process going on and things are also fluid.  -JaiGuruYou
 

 awoelflebater writes
 This last paragraph is enlightening. This Mental Health Alliance group is 
important, it seems and the data it could produce would/could address all sorts 
of aspects with regard to the socio-economic factors that may have resulted in 
damage to individuals coupled with its relationship to their 
involvement/participation in or practice of TM. In the sense that TM is 
supposed to factor into all aspects of one's life this mental health thing is 
relevant in perhaps revealing where the meditation technique might not measure 
up to its promise. Those in the meditating community in FF are often old 
timers, not only in their practice of TM but chronologically. The mere fact of 
the existence of the Mental Health Alliance is evidence of the need for 
psychiatric aid for those practicing TM. How could anyone in the Movement cling 
to dogma in the face of such a fact? Perhaps they require the attention of the 
professionals in the psychiatric department there. Rabid or avid denial is a 
form of aberrational behavior, is it not?
 

 awoelflebater writes: 
 This is interesting but 20 years old. Is there anything more recent to compare 
this to?
 

 FFL#420254Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield
 

 text of early 1990's survey report:
 Fairfield Life 
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FairfieldLife/conversations/messages/420254 
 
 
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FairfieldLife/conversations/messages/420254 
 
 Fairfield Life 
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FairfieldLife/conversations/messages/420254 
Fairfield Life focuses on topics of interest to seekers (and finders) of truth 
and liberation everywhere. Fairfield, Iowa is home to Maharishi University of 
Mana...
 
 
 
 View on groups.yahoo.com 
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/FairfieldLife/conversations/messages/420254 
 

Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[Mike Dixon mdixon.6...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

yes
  From: "dhamiltony...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]" 
<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
 To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com 
 Sent: Thursday, September 3, 2015 9:39 AM
 Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield
   
    TheCommunity ForumCommunity-wideSurvey Results (also saved as documents in 
the FairfieldLife at Yahoo-groups files section.)DearMeditator, Inlate spring 
(1994), the Community Forum sponsored a community-wide survey tosample opinion 
on a wide range of issues that affect our lives. Basedon a compiled list of 
Fairfield-area meditators, we sent outapproximately 2,000 surveys. We received 
659 completed surveys, for aresponse rate of about 33%. (The response rate may 
even be higher;since we used bulk mail, we do not know the exact number of 
surveysdelivered.) In the field of written surveys, a response rate of 33%is 
considered outstanding.  Surveyrespondents come from a cross-section of our 
community: 84% have beenmeditating for 16 years or longer; 68% have lived in 
Fairfield forseven years or more; and 68% are registered for Super 
Radiance.Although not every meditator filled out a survey, we believe 
theresults provide significant insights into how meditators feel aboutimportant 
issues and about our lives in Fairfield.SurveyDataThisdocument provides the raw 
data for all questions except for theessays. For the essays, this document 
lists the more commonsuggestions and comments. Lookingat the data, one can 
identify responses of general consensus and alsoresponses reflecting widely 
diverse opinions. Where there is a clearneed and desire in a particular area of 
concern, the Community Forumwill hold open meetings so that interested people 
can come together,discuss options, and explore possible solutions.  Thesurvey 
data can also be evaluated from a variety of differentperspectives (e.g., age, 
gender, income, Movement status, etc.). Weencourage anyone with statistical 
analytical skills to help usanalyze the survey results more thoroughly.  
ThankYou!Wewould like to thank everyone who participated in the survey! We 
wouldalso like to thank those who wrote to us with comments andsuggestions 
about the survey.
THECOMMUNITY FORUM, P.O. Box 1633, Fairfield, IA 52556 • 515-472-8132 (0ld)
Summary of responses to..ESSAYQUESTIONS

Ofthe 659 people who completed a survey, 548 wrote answers to the 
essayquestions. Many people wrote multiple pages of comments andsuggestions; 
one individual sent in 12 typed pages. We are committedto making available an 
unedited compilation of all essay responses,and we need volunteers to help us 
complete this project. Please call472-7033 if you can help. Becausewe do not 
yet have an unedited compilation of the essay questions,volunteers read the 
surveys and categorized all answers. From thesecategories, they identified 
comments more commonly given. (Therefore,not every comment is listed here.) We 
have provided these comments inthis section. The summary to the essay questions 
necessarily involved a subjectiveevaluation. While the comments in this summary 
were commonlymentioned, it is difficult to determine whether they reflect 
amajority opinion or even a significant minority. They simply reflectthe more 
common essay responses as interpreted by the volunteers whoread them.

25.My comments and recommendations regarding economic issues inFairfield are:• 
Concern about limited jobopportunities.• Need for affordable housing.• Products 
and programs tooexpensive.• Fairfield residents should getdiscounts on all 
products and programs.• Monies generated in thiscommunity should stay here.• 
Concern about prevalence ofpoverty consciousness.

37.My comments and recommendations regarding social and family concernsare:• 
Need for more ethical conduct(most often mentioned were adultery and divorce).• 
Strengthening family life (mostoften mentioned were neglect of children, weak 
parenting skills, andlack of recognition of the value of counseling).• 
Resentment of classism, elitism.• Need for less arrogance towardlocal 
residents.• Complaints about fatigue; no timefor social activities, feeling of 
lack of balanced life, etc.

47.To make Fairfield a more attractive place to raise a family, I wouldlike:• 
More parental involvement inafter-school activities, dances, teenage clubs, 
etc.• Fairfield is a wonderful place toraise children. Desire for more 
interaction between MSAE, MIU, andpublic schools. Desire for ice-skating rink, 
bike paths, etc.• MSAE: less emphasis on Sanskrit;more on Western traditional 
academics. Need for more openness andcreativity; need to deal with drugs, 
alcohol, and sex education.• Better pay for teachers.• Movement should 
subsidize poorerparents so all kids can attend MSAE.

59&75.My comments and recommendations regarding TM or TM-Sidhi programs andto 
improve  superradianceare:• Treat participants with trust andrespect.• Need 
experience meetingsregularly.• It’s perfect just the

[FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[dhamiltony...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

The Community Forum
 Community-wide Survey Results 
 (also saved as documents in the FairfieldLife at Yahoo-groups files section.) 
 Dear Meditator,
 In late spring (1994), the Community Forum sponsored a community-wide survey 
to sample opinion on a wide range of issues that affect our lives. Based on a 
compiled list of Fairfield-area meditators, we sent out approximately 2,000 
surveys. We received 659 completed surveys, for a response rate of about 33%. 
(The response rate may even be higher; since we used bulk mail, we do not know 
the exact number of surveys delivered.) In the field of written surveys, a 
response rate of 33% is considered outstanding. 
 Survey respondents come from a cross-section of our community: 84% have been 
meditating for 16 years or longer; 68% have lived in Fairfield for seven years 
or more; and 68% are registered for Super Radiance. Although not every 
meditator filled out a survey, we believe the results provide significant 
insights into how meditators feel about important issues and about our lives in 
Fairfield.
 Survey Data
 This document provides the raw data for all questions except for the essays. 
For the essays, this document lists the more common suggestions and comments.
 Looking at the data, one can identify responses of general consensus and also 
responses reflecting widely diverse opinions. Where there is a clear need and 
desire in a particular area of concern, the Community Forum will hold open 
meetings so that interested people can come together, discuss options, and 
explore possible solutions. 
 The survey data can also be evaluated from a variety of different perspectives 
(e.g., age, gender, income, Movement status, etc.). We encourage anyone with 
statistical analytical skills to help us analyze the survey results more 
thoroughly. 
 
 Thank You!
 We would like to thank everyone who participated in the survey! We would also 
like to thank those who wrote to us with comments and suggestions about the 
survey.
 

 THE COMMUNITY FORUM, P.O. Box 1633, Fairfield, IA 52556 • 515-472-8132 (0ld)
 

 Summary of responses to..
 ESSAY QUESTIONS
 


 Of the 659 people who completed a survey, 548 wrote answers to the essay 
questions. Many people wrote multiple pages of comments and suggestions; one 
individual sent in 12 typed pages. We are committed to making available an 
unedited compilation of all essay responses, and we need volunteers to help us 
complete this project. Please call 472-7033 if you can help.
 Because we do not yet have an unedited compilation of the essay questions, 
volunteers read the surveys and categorized all answers. From these categories, 
they identified comments more commonly given. (Therefore, not every comment is 
listed here.) We have provided these comments in this section. 
 The summary to the essay questions necessarily involved a subjective 
evaluation. While the comments in this summary were commonly mentioned, it is 
difficult to determine whether they reflect a majority opinion or even a 
significant minority. They simply reflect the more common essay responses as 
interpreted by the volunteers who read them.
 


 25. My comments and recommendations regarding economic issues in Fairfield are:
 • Concern about limited job opportunities.
 • Need for affordable housing.
 • Products and programs too expensive.
 • Fairfield residents should get discounts on all products and programs.
 • Monies generated in this community should stay here.
 • Concern about prevalence of poverty consciousness.
 


 37. My comments and recommendations regarding social and family concerns are:
 • Need for more ethical conduct (most often mentioned were adultery and 
divorce).
 • Strengthening family life (most often mentioned were neglect of children, 
weak parenting skills, and lack of recognition of the value of counseling).
 • Resentment of classism, elitism.
 • Need for less arrogance toward local residents.
 • Complaints about fatigue; no time for social activities, feeling of lack of 
balanced life, etc.
 


 47. To make Fairfield a more attractive place to raise a family, I would like:
 • More parental involvement in after-school activities, dances, teenage clubs, 
etc.
 • Fairfield is a wonderful place to raise children. Desire for more 
interaction between MSAE, MIU, and public schools. Desire for ice-skating rink, 
bike paths, etc.
 • MSAE: less emphasis on Sanskrit; more on Western traditional academics. Need 
for more openness and creativity; need to deal with drugs, alcohol, and sex 
education.
 • Better pay for teachers.
 • Movement should subsidize poorer parents so all kids can attend MSAE.
 


 59&75. My comments and recommendations regarding TM or TM-Sidhi programs and 
to improve 
 superradiance are:
 • Treat participants with trust and respect.
 • Need experience meetings regularly.
 • It’s perfect just the way it is. Just keep on the program.
 • Movement recommending programs for evolution, such as Jyotish, Ayurveda 

Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[Mike Dixon mdixon.6...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

Let me rephrase that. Yes, everything's *f'ed* up.

  From: "dhamiltony...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]" 
<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
 To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com 
 Sent: Thursday, September 3, 2015 9:39 AM
 Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield
   
    TheCommunity ForumCommunity-wideSurvey Results (also saved as documents in 
the FairfieldLife at Yahoo-groups files section.)DearMeditator, Inlate spring 
(1994), the Community Forum sponsored a community-wide survey tosample opinion 
on a wide range of issues that affect our lives. Basedon a compiled list of 
Fairfield-area meditators, we sent outapproximately 2,000 surveys. We received 
659 completed surveys, for aresponse rate of about 33%. (The response rate may 
even be higher;since we used bulk mail, we do not know the exact number of 
surveysdelivered.) In the field of written surveys, a response rate of 33%is 
considered outstanding.  Surveyrespondents come from a cross-section of our 
community: 84% have beenmeditating for 16 years or longer; 68% have lived in 
Fairfield forseven years or more; and 68% are registered for Super 
Radiance.Although not every meditator filled out a survey, we believe 
theresults provide significant insights into how meditators feel aboutimportant 
issues and about our lives in Fairfield.SurveyDataThisdocument provides the raw 
data for all questions except for theessays. For the essays, this document 
lists the more commonsuggestions and comments. Lookingat the data, one can 
identify responses of general consensus and alsoresponses reflecting widely 
diverse opinions. Where there is a clearneed and desire in a particular area of 
concern, the Community Forumwill hold open meetings so that interested people 
can come together,discuss options, and explore possible solutions.  Thesurvey 
data can also be evaluated from a variety of differentperspectives (e.g., age, 
gender, income, Movement status, etc.). Weencourage anyone with statistical 
analytical skills to help usanalyze the survey results more thoroughly.  
ThankYou!Wewould like to thank everyone who participated in the survey! We 
wouldalso like to thank those who wrote to us with comments andsuggestions 
about the survey.
THECOMMUNITY FORUM, P.O. Box 1633, Fairfield, IA 52556 • 515-472-8132 (0ld)
Summary of responses to..ESSAYQUESTIONS

Ofthe 659 people who completed a survey, 548 wrote answers to the 
essayquestions. Many people wrote multiple pages of comments andsuggestions; 
one individual sent in 12 typed pages. We are committedto making available an 
unedited compilation of all essay responses,and we need volunteers to help us 
complete this project. Please call472-7033 if you can help. Becausewe do not 
yet have an unedited compilation of the essay questions,volunteers read the 
surveys and categorized all answers. From thesecategories, they identified 
comments more commonly given. (Therefore,not every comment is listed here.) We 
have provided these comments inthis section. The summary to the essay questions 
necessarily involved a subjectiveevaluation. While the comments in this summary 
were commonlymentioned, it is difficult to determine whether they reflect 
amajority opinion or even a significant minority. They simply reflectthe more 
common essay responses as interpreted by the volunteers whoread them.

25.My comments and recommendations regarding economic issues inFairfield are:• 
Concern about limited jobopportunities.• Need for affordable housing.• Products 
and programs tooexpensive.• Fairfield residents should getdiscounts on all 
products and programs.• Monies generated in thiscommunity should stay here.• 
Concern about prevalence ofpoverty consciousness.

37.My comments and recommendations regarding social and family concernsare:• 
Need for more ethical conduct(most often mentioned were adultery and divorce).• 
Strengthening family life (mostoften mentioned were neglect of children, weak 
parenting skills, andlack of recognition of the value of counseling).• 
Resentment of classism, elitism.• Need for less arrogance towardlocal 
residents.• Complaints about fatigue; no timefor social activities, feeling of 
lack of balanced life, etc.

47.To make Fairfield a more attractive place to raise a family, I wouldlike:• 
More parental involvement inafter-school activities, dances, teenage clubs, 
etc.• Fairfield is a wonderful place toraise children. Desire for more 
interaction between MSAE, MIU, andpublic schools. Desire for ice-skating rink, 
bike paths, etc.• MSAE: less emphasis on Sanskrit;more on Western traditional 
academics. Need for more openness andcreativity; need to deal with drugs, 
alcohol, and sex education.• Better pay for teachers.• Movement should 
subsidize poorerparents so all kids can attend MSAE.

59&75.My comments and recommendations regarding TM or TM-Sidhi programs andto 
improve  superradianceare:• Treat participants with trust andrespect.• Need 
experien

[FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[awoelfleba...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

This is interesting but 20 years old. Is there anything more recent to compare 
this to? 
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 The Community Forum
 Community-wide Survey Results 
 (also saved as documents in the FairfieldLife at Yahoo-groups files section.)
 Dear Meditator,
 In late spring (1994), the Community Forum sponsored a community-wide survey 
to sample opinion on a wide range of issues that affect our lives. Based on a 
compiled list of Fairfield-area meditators, we sent out approximately 2,000 
surveys. We received 659 completed surveys, for a response rate of about 33%. 
(The response rate may even be higher; since we used bulk mail, we do not know 
the exact number of surveys delivered.) In the field of written surveys, a 
response rate of 33% is considered outstanding. 
 Survey respondents come from a cross-section of our community: 84% have been 
meditating for 16 years or longer; 68% have lived in Fairfield for seven years 
or more; and 68% are registered for Super Radiance. Although not every 
meditator filled out a survey, we believe the results provide significant 
insights into how meditators feel about important issues and about our lives in 
Fairfield.
 Survey Data
 This document provides the raw data for all questions except for the essays. 
For the essays, this document lists the more common suggestions and comments.
 Looking at the data, one can identify responses of general consensus and also 
responses reflecting widely diverse opinions. Where there is a clear need and 
desire in a particular area of concern, the Community Forum will hold open 
meetings so that interested people can come together, discuss options, and 
explore possible solutions. 
 The survey data can also be evaluated from a variety of different perspectives 
(e.g., age, gender, income, Movement status, etc.). We encourage anyone with 
statistical analytical skills to help us analyze the survey results more 
thoroughly. 
 
 Thank You!
 We would like to thank everyone who participated in the survey! We would also 
like to thank those who wrote to us with comments and suggestions about the 
survey.
 

 THE COMMUNITY FORUM, P.O. Box 1633, Fairfield, IA 52556 • 515-472-8132 (0ld)
 

 Summary of responses to..
 ESSAY QUESTIONS
 


 Of the 659 people who completed a survey, 548 wrote answers to the essay 
questions. Many people wrote multiple pages of comments and suggestions; one 
individual sent in 12 typed pages. We are committed to making available an 
unedited compilation of all essay responses, and we need volunteers to help us 
complete this project. Please call 472-7033 if you can help.
 Because we do not yet have an unedited compilation of the essay questions, 
volunteers read the surveys and categorized all answers. From these categories, 
they identified comments more commonly given. (Therefore, not every comment is 
listed here.) We have provided these comments in this section. 
 The summary to the essay questions necessarily involved a subjective 
evaluation. While the comments in this summary were commonly mentioned, it is 
difficult to determine whether they reflect a majority opinion or even a 
significant minority. They simply reflect the more common essay responses as 
interpreted by the volunteers who read them.
 


 25. My comments and recommendations regarding economic issues in Fairfield are:
 • Concern about limited job opportunities.
 • Need for affordable housing.
 • Products and programs too expensive.
 • Fairfield residents should get discounts on all products and programs.
 • Monies generated in this community should stay here.
 • Concern about prevalence of poverty consciousness.
 


 37. My comments and recommendations regarding social and family concerns are:
 • Need for more ethical conduct (most often mentioned were adultery and 
divorce).
 • Strengthening family life (most often mentioned were neglect of children, 
weak parenting skills, and lack of recognition of the value of counseling).
 • Resentment of classism, elitism.
 • Need for less arrogance toward local residents.
 • Complaints about fatigue; no time for social activities, feeling of lack of 
balanced life, etc.
 


 47. To make Fairfield a more attractive place to raise a family, I would like:
 • More parental involvement in after-school activities, dances, teenage clubs, 
etc.
 • Fairfield is a wonderful place to raise children. Desire for more 
interaction between MSAE, MIU, and public schools. Desire for ice-skating rink, 
bike paths, etc.
 • MSAE: less emphasis on Sanskrit; more on Western traditional academics. Need 
for more openness and creativity; need to deal with drugs, alcohol, and sex 
education.
 • Better pay for teachers.
 • Movement should subsidize poorer parents so all kids can attend MSAE.
 


 59&75. My comments and recommendations regarding TM or TM-Sidhi programs and 
to improve 
 superradiance are:
 • Treat participants with trust and respect.
 • Need experience 

[FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[dhamiltony...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

Yes, this larger survey is interesting base-line data on the larger meditating 
community in Fairfield from back when the meditating community and the Dome 
numbers were more around their peak as the long decline (attrition) was then 
ensuing. You can see the seeds and the consequent beginning of the cultivated 
socioeconomic exclusivity sprouting then and the administrative separation of 
meditators from membership in the group meditation over visiting saints and 
spiritual people that had started in the late 1980's and through the 1990's to 
present. 
 
 
 Since the larger sample community survey of the early 1990's there have only 
been small sample surveys of sub-groups. In a way the recent book on Fairfield 
[How a New Age Movement Remade a Small Town in Iowa] by the journalist, Joseph 
Weber is a survey by extensive interviewing of the Fairfield meditating 
community that is current. A few years ago when there was such strife in the 
sustainable living students an interview survey was hired and conducted of the 
university SL students about their experience at the university. The results 
were presented to the administration and then defended against by the 
President. That survey and more recent surveying has been useful more recently 
in guiding some policy changes around the university and MSAE student life 
currently. 
 
 
 While the progressive side of the TM movement has been methodically tracking 
metrics and hiring marketing surveying related to the teaching of meditation, 
there have not been broad surveying of the meditating community of the scale of 
the 1994 survey. That could proly be too frightening for some of the key 
patriarchs of old administration on watch of the movement to see. 
 
 
 The closest thing to that kind of surveying would be a larger ongoing survey 
of collected first-person cases by a sub-committee of the Fairfield Mental 
Health Alliance compiling cases where people have felt their well-being was 
effected by their experience with the culture of the movement. There is a range 
and distribution to those collected cases which have clearly indicated areas 
for policy changes that could improve elements of culture and consequences in 
aspects of the movement. Elements of the movement are moving on some of this 
while some ideologues try to hold a dogmatic line against it. Having 
'data-points' has been extremely helpful towards seeing policy. There is a lot 
in process going on and things are also fluid.  -JaiGuruYou   
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 This is interesting but 20 years old. Is there anything more recent to compare 
this to? 
 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 The Community Forum
 Community-wide Survey Results 
 (also saved as documents in the FairfieldLife at Yahoo-groups files section.)
 Dear Meditator,
 In late spring (1994), the Community Forum sponsored a community-wide survey 
to sample opinion on a wide range of issues that affect our lives. Based on a 
compiled list of Fairfield-area meditators, we sent out approximately 2,000 
surveys. We received 659 completed surveys, for a response rate of about 33%. 
(The response rate may even be higher; since we used bulk mail, we do not know 
the exact number of surveys delivered.) In the field of written surveys, a 
response rate of 33% is considered outstanding. 
 Survey respondents come from a cross-section of our community: 84% have been 
meditating for 16 years or longer; 68% have lived in Fairfield for seven years 
or more; and 68% are registered for Super Radiance. Although not every 
meditator filled out a survey, we believe the results provide significant 
insights into how meditators feel about important issues and about our lives in 
Fairfield.
 Survey Data
 This document provides the raw data for all questions except for the essays. 
For the essays, this document lists the more common suggestions and comments.
 Looking at the data, one can identify responses of general consensus and also 
responses reflecting widely diverse opinions. Where there is a clear need and 
desire in a particular area of concern, the Community Forum will hold open 
meetings so that interested people can come together, discuss options, and 
explore possible solutions. 
 The survey data can also be evaluated from a variety of different perspectives 
(e.g., age, gender, income, Movement status, etc.). We encourage anyone with 
statistical analytical skills to help us analyze the survey results more 
thoroughly. 
 
 Thank You!
 We would like to thank everyone who participated in the survey! We would also 
like to thank those who wrote to us with comments and suggestions about the 
survey.
 

 THE COMMUNITY FORUM, P.O. Box 1633, Fairfield, IA 52556 • 515-472-8132 (0ld)
 

 Summary of responses to..
 ESSAY QUESTIONS
 


 Of the 659 people who completed a survey, 548 wrote answers to the essay 
questions. Many people wrote multiple 

[FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[awoelfleba...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 Yes, this larger survey is interesting base-line data on the larger meditating 
community in Fairfield from back when the meditating community and the Dome 
numbers were more around their peak as the long decline (attrition) was then 
ensuing. You can see the seeds and the consequent beginning of the cultivated 
socioeconomic exclusivity sprouting then and the administrative separation of 
meditators from membership in the group meditation over visiting saints and 
spiritual people that had started in the late 1980's and through the 1990's to 
present. 
 
 
 Since the larger sample community survey of the early 1990's there have only 
been small sample surveys of sub-groups. In a way the recent book on Fairfield 
[How a New Age Movement Remade a Small Town in Iowa] by the journalist, Joseph 
Weber is a survey by extensive interviewing of the Fairfield meditating 
community that is current. A few years ago when there was such strife in the 
sustainable living students an interview survey was hired and conducted of the 
university SL students about their experience at the university. The results 
were presented to the administration and then defended against by the 
President. That survey and more recent surveying has been useful more recently 
in guiding some policy changes around the university and MSAE student life 
currently. 
 
 
 While the progressive side of the TM movement has been methodically tracking 
metrics and hiring marketing surveying related to the teaching of meditation, 
there have not been broad surveying of the meditating community of the scale of 
the 1994 survey. That could proly be too frightening for some of the key 
patriarchs of old administration on watch of the movement to see. 
 
 
 The closest thing to that kind of surveying would be a larger ongoing survey 
of collected first-person cases by a sub-committee of the Fairfield Mental 
Health Alliance compiling cases where people have felt their well-being was 
effected by their experience with the culture of the movement. There is a range 
and distribution to those collected cases which have clearly indicated areas 
for policy changes that could improve elements of culture and consequences in 
aspects of the movement. Elements of the movement are moving on some of this 
while some ideologues try to hold a dogmatic line against it. Having 
'data-points' has been extremely helpful towards seeing policy. There is a lot 
in process going on and things are also fluid.  -JaiGuruYou   
 

 This last paragraph is enlightening. This Mental Health Alliance group is 
important, it seems and the data it could produce would/could address all sorts 
of aspects with regard to the socio-economic factors that may have resulted in 
damage to individuals coupled with its relationship to their 
involvement/participation in or practice of TM. In the sense that TM is 
supposed to factor into all aspects of one's life this mental health thing is 
relevant in perhaps revealing where the meditation technique might not measure 
up to its promise. Those in the meditating community in FF are often old 
timers, not only in their practice of TM but chronologically. The mere fact of 
the existence of the Mental Health Alliance is evidence of the need for 
psychiatric aid for those practicing TM. How could anyone in the Movement cling 
to dogma in the face of such a fact? Perhaps they require the attention of the 
professionals in the psychiatric department there. Rabid or avid denial is a 
form of aberrational behavior, is it not?

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com,  wrote :

 This is interesting but 20 years old. Is there anything more recent to compare 
this to? 
 


 

[FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[salyavin808]

 Fascinating read and thanks for posting.
 

 Will take time to read thoroughly but two things leapt out at me:
 

 What does concern for poverty consciousness mean?
 

 And, what do the 38% of people who answered agree or strongly agree to the 
question I will levitate in my lifetime think about it now?
 

 

---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, dhamiltony2k5@... wrote :

 Summary of responses to..

 ESSAY QUESTIONS
 


 Of the 659 people who completed a survey, 548 wrote answers to the essay 
questions. Many people wrote multiple pages of comments and suggestions; one 
individual sent in 12 typed pages. We are committed to making available an 
unedited compilation of all essay responses, and we need volunteers to help us 
complete this project. Please call 472-7033 if you can help.
 Because we do not yet have an unedited compilation of the essay questions, 
volunteers read the surveys and categorized all answers. From these categories, 
they identified comments more commonly given. (Therefore, not every comment is 
listed here.) We have provided these comments in this section. 
 The summary to the essay questions necessarily involved a subjective 
evaluation. While the comments in this summary were commonly mentioned, it is 
difficult to determine whether they reflect a majority opinion or even a 
significant minority. They simply reflect the more common essay responses as 
interpreted by the volunteers who read them.
 


 25. My comments and recommendations regarding economic issues in Fairfield are:
 • Concern about limited job opportunities.
 • Need for affordable housing.
 • Products and programs too expensive.
 • Fairfield residents should get discounts on all products and programs.
 • Monies generated in this community should stay here.
 • Concern about prevalence of poverty consciousness.
 


 37. My comments and recommendations regarding social and family concerns are:
 • Need for more ethical conduct (most often mentioned were adultery and 
divorce).
 • Strengthening family life (most often mentioned were neglect of children, 
weak parenting skills, and lack of recognition of the value of counseling).
 • Resentment of classism, elitism.
 • Need for less arrogance toward local residents.
 • Complaints about fatigue; no time for social activities, feeling of lack of 
balanced life, etc.
 


 47. To make Fairfield a more attractive place to raise a family, I would like:
 • More parental involvement in after-school activities, dances, teenage clubs, 
etc.
 • Fairfield is a wonderful place to raise children. Desire for more 
interaction between MSAE, MIU, and public schools. Desire for ice-skating rink, 
bike paths, etc.
 • MSAE: less emphasis on Sanskrit; more on Western traditional academics. Need 
for more openness and creativity; need to deal with drugs, alcohol, and sex 
education.
 • Better pay for teachers.
 • Movement should subsidize poorer parents so all kids can attend MSAE.
 


 5975. My comments and recommendations regarding TM or TM-Sidhi programs and 
to improve 
 superradiance are:
 • Treat participants with trust and respect.
 • Need experience meetings regularly.
 • It’s perfect just the way it is. Just keep on the program.
 • Movement recommending programs for evolution, such as Jyotish, Ayurveda 
products, yagyas, etc., then pricing them out of reach of the average 
Fairfielder.
 • More flexibility to come in and out of Domes, especially for parents.
 • Freedom from blacklisting for participating in personal growth programs.
 • Ease the dress codes, especially in the Domes.
 • Do away with reserved spaces in the Dome.
 • Too many sales pitches and hype on courses.
 • Bathroom access, especially in men’s Dome.
 


 
 


 107. My comments and recommendations to improve TM Movement relations are:
 • Need for more openness:
 • Foster non-judgmental attitudes.
 • Administration should exemplify in its actions what the Movement preaches.
 • Eliminate elitism and exclusivity.
 • People in authority alienate and sometimes offend with arrogance and lack of 
heart.
 • Eliminate secrecy and fear.
 • Administrative 
 • Hire administrators with real-world experience.
 • Need for fiscal accountability.
 • Hold administrators accountable (some suggested elections)
 • Dissatisfaction with Bevan Morris.
 • Run the Movement with contemporary American business standards and practices.
 • Fairfield community deserves to be rewarded with discounts across the board 
on all Movement courses, products, and services.
 • Reduce Movement hyperbole.
 • Get out of the hotel business and make Fairfield the focal point.
 • More and direct contact between Maharishi and the Fairfield meditating 
community.
 • A concern that the Movement is dying.
 


 108. My major concerns, in order of priority, are:
 • Money: price of Movement products and services, economic opportunities, and 
affordable housing.
 • Attitude: need for tolerance, love, openness, fairness, harmony, respect, 
togetherness, and freedom from 

[FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[dhamiltony...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

Summary of responses to..

 ESSAY QUESTIONS
 

 
 Of the 659 people who completed a survey, 548 wrote answers to the essay 
questions. Many people wrote multiple pages of comments and suggestions; one 
individual sent in 12 typed pages. We are committed to making available an 
unedited compilation of all essay responses, and we need volunteers to help us 
complete this project. Please call 472-7033 if you can help.
 Because we do not yet have an unedited compilation of the essay questions, 
volunteers read the surveys and categorized all answers. From these categories, 
they identified comments more commonly given. (Therefore, not every comment is 
listed here.) We have provided these comments in this section. 
 The summary to the essay questions necessarily involved a subjective 
evaluation. While the comments in this summary were commonly mentioned, it is 
difficult to determine whether they reflect a majority opinion or even a 
significant minority. They simply reflect the more common essay responses as 
interpreted by the volunteers who read them.
 

 
 25. My comments and recommendations regarding economic issues in Fairfield are:
 • Concern about limited job opportunities.
 • Need for affordable housing.
 • Products and programs too expensive.
 • Fairfield residents should get discounts on all products and programs.
 • Monies generated in this community should stay here.
 • Concern about prevalence of poverty consciousness.
 

 
 37. My comments and recommendations regarding social and family concerns are:
 • Need for more ethical conduct (most often mentioned were adultery and 
divorce).
 • Strengthening family life (most often mentioned were neglect of children, 
weak parenting skills, and lack of recognition of the value of counseling).
 • Resentment of classism, elitism.
 • Need for less arrogance toward local residents.
 • Complaints about fatigue; no time for social activities, feeling of lack of 
balanced life, etc.
 

 
 47. To make Fairfield a more attractive place to raise a family, I would like:
 • More parental involvement in after-school activities, dances, teenage clubs, 
etc.
 • Fairfield is a wonderful place to raise children. Desire for more 
interaction between MSAE, MIU, and public schools. Desire for ice-skating rink, 
bike paths, etc.
 • MSAE: less emphasis on Sanskrit; more on Western traditional academics. Need 
for more openness and creativity; need to deal with drugs, alcohol, and sex 
education.
 • Better pay for teachers.
 • Movement should subsidize poorer parents so all kids can attend MSAE.
 

 
 5975. My comments and recommendations regarding TM or TM-Sidhi programs and 
to improve 
 superradiance are:
 • Treat participants with trust and respect.
 • Need experience meetings regularly.
 • It’s perfect just the way it is. Just keep on the program.
 • Movement recommending programs for evolution, such as Jyotish, Ayurveda 
products, yagyas, etc., then pricing them out of reach of the average 
Fairfielder.
 • More flexibility to come in and out of Domes, especially for parents.
 • Freedom from blacklisting for participating in personal growth programs.
 • Ease the dress codes, especially in the Domes.
 • Do away with reserved spaces in the Dome.
 • Too many sales pitches and hype on courses.
 • Bathroom access, especially in men’s Dome.
 

 
 
 

 
 107. My comments and recommendations to improve TM Movement relations are:
 • Need for more openness:
 • Foster non-judgmental attitudes.
 • Administration should exemplify in its actions what the Movement preaches.
 • Eliminate elitism and exclusivity.
 • People in authority alienate and sometimes offend with arrogance and lack of 
heart.
 • Eliminate secrecy and fear.
 • Administrative 
 • Hire administrators with real-world experience.
 • Need for fiscal accountability.
 • Hold administrators accountable (some suggested elections)
 • Dissatisfaction with Bevan Morris.
 • Run the Movement with contemporary American business standards and practices.
 • Fairfield community deserves to be rewarded with discounts across the board 
on all Movement courses, products, and services.
 • Reduce Movement hyperbole.
 • Get out of the hotel business and make Fairfield the focal point.
 • More and direct contact between Maharishi and the Fairfield meditating 
community.
 • A concern that the Movement is dying.
 

 
 108. My major concerns, in order of priority, are:
 • Money: price of Movement products and services, economic opportunities, and 
affordable housing.
 • Attitude: need for tolerance, love, openness, fairness, harmony, respect, 
togetherness, and freedom from fear.
 • Movement Administration
 • Dissatisfaction with quality of contact with the Movement. Get back to 
basics as when the Movement had more heart and everyone was welcome; stop 
blacklisting. Too much emphasis on money. 
 • Improve physical plant: Domes and campus.
 • A sense that the techniques, services, and products are promoted for our 
evolution and then priced 

Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield

[Michael Jackson mjackso...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

Interesting - if TM works then how the hell can all these issues exist in 
FF?!?!?!? 

Get a clue Dougy, TM makes you feel nice while you got your eyes closed, it 
don't do shit to improve quality of life in ANY community.

  From: dhamiltony...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife] 
FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com
 To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com 
 Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2015 7:15 AM
 Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield
   
    Summary of responses to..
ESSAYQUESTIONS

Ofthe 659 people who completed a survey, 548 wrote answers to the 
essayquestions. Many people wrote multiple pages of comments andsuggestions; 
one individual sent in 12 typed pages. We are committedto making available an 
unedited compilation of all essay responses,and we need volunteers to help us 
complete this project. Please call472-7033 if you can help. Becausewe do not 
yet have an unedited compilation of the essay questions,volunteers read the 
surveys and categorized all answers. From thesecategories, they identified 
comments more commonly given. (Therefore,not every comment is listed here.) We 
have provided these comments inthis section.  The summary to the essay 
questions necessarily involved a subjectiveevaluation. While the comments in 
this summary were commonlymentioned, it is difficult to determine whether they 
reflect amajority opinion or even a significant minority. They simply 
reflectthe more common essay responses as interpreted by the volunteers whoread 
them.

25.My comments and recommendations regarding economic issues inFairfield are:• 
Concern about limited jobopportunities.• Need for affordable housing.• Products 
and programs tooexpensive.• Fairfield residents should getdiscounts on all 
products and programs.• Monies generated in thiscommunity should stay here.• 
Concern about prevalence ofpoverty consciousness.

37.My comments and recommendations regarding social and family concernsare:• 
Need for more ethical conduct(most often mentioned were adultery and divorce).• 
Strengthening family life (mostoften mentioned were neglect of children, weak 
parenting skills, andlack of recognition of the value of counseling).• 
Resentment of classism, elitism.• Need for less arrogance towardlocal 
residents.• Complaints about fatigue; no timefor social activities, feeling of 
lack of balanced life, etc.

47.To make Fairfield a more attractive place to raise a family, I wouldlike:• 
More parental involvement inafter-school activities, dances, teenage clubs, 
etc.• Fairfield is a wonderful place toraise children. Desire for more 
interaction between MSAE, MIU, andpublic schools. Desire for ice-skating rink, 
bike paths, etc.• MSAE: less emphasis on Sanskrit;more on Western traditional 
academics. Need for more openness andcreativity; need to deal with drugs, 
alcohol, and sex education.• Better pay for teachers.• Movement should 
subsidize poorerparents so all kids can attend MSAE.

5975.My comments and recommendations regarding TM or TM-Sidhi programs andto 
improve  superradianceare:• Treat participants with trust andrespect.• Need 
experience meetingsregularly.• It’s perfect just the way itis. Just keep on the 
program.• Movement recommending programsfor evolution, such as Jyotish, 
Ayurveda products, yagyas, etc., thenpricing them out of reach of the average 
Fairfielder.• More flexibility to come in andout of Domes, especially for 
parents.• Freedom from blacklisting forparticipating in personal growth 
programs.• Ease the dress codes, especiallyin the Domes.• Do away with reserved 
spaces inthe Dome.• Too many sales pitches and hypeon courses.• Bathroom 
access, especially inmen’s Dome.

 

107.My comments and recommendations to improve TM Movement relations are:• Need 
for more openness:• Foster non-judgmental attitudes.• Administration should 
exemplifyin its actions what the Movement preaches.• Eliminate elitism 
andexclusivity.• People in authority alienate andsometimes offend with 
arrogance and lack of heart. • Eliminate secrecy and fear.• Administrative • 
Hire administrators withreal-world experience.• Need for fiscal 
accountability.• Hold administrators accountable(some suggested elections)• 
Dissatisfaction with BevanMorris.• Run the Movement withcontemporary American 
business standards and practices.• Fairfield community deserves tobe rewarded 
with discounts across the board on all Movement courses,products, and 
services.• Reduce Movement hyperbole.• Get out of the hotel business andmake 
Fairfield the focal point.• More and direct contact betweenMaharishi and the 
Fairfield meditating community.• A concern that the Movement isdying.

108.My major concerns, in order of priority, are:• Money: price of Movement 
productsand services, economic opportunities, and affordable housing.• 
Attitude: need for tolerance,love, openness, fairness, harmony, respect, 
togetherness, and freedomfrom fear.• Movement Administration• Dissatisfaction 
with quality ofcontact