I'm trying to stay out of the "dueling science" debates recently not only because I'm not terribly interested in the nitpickery of "the science" (I'm not), but because I'm not terribly interested in the entire "Technique X is the best" mindset being expressed. It strikes me as so low-vibe that I'm going to rap in this cafe this morning on where I think the unquestioning acceptance of this mindset AS "acceptable" in TMers comes from.
I don't think there is any question that it comes directly from Maharishi. *He* was the one who first marketed TM as "the best" form of meditation. *He* was the one who carefully trained his parrots (TM teachers) in "answers we have already prepared" to deal with any comparisons of TM to other techniques of meditation. *He* was the one who went so far as to make studying other techniques of meditation or with other teachers an offense punishable by excommunication. *He* was the one who pushed for "TM science," the *only* purpose of which was to tout TM as not only valuable (which would have been acceptable) but "superior" to other forms of meditation (which is...uh...less so). This competitive, evangelistic approach to marketing TM is so ingrained in long-term TMers that I don't think most of them even know it's there, and that they're demonstrating it. It's a "given." It's less a "given" in other traditions. So much less that it's considered shocking and kinda low-vibe when you encounter it. MANY of the other traditions I've been exposed to would be *horrified* to hear any of its proponents speak of its techniques and practices as "the best." The most they could even *conceive* of saying would be something like "For this type of seeker, in this type of situation, this type of technique might be more appropriate than another. And that might change next year or next month, when the seeker is in another type of situation." All the difference in the world. One of the reason many of these more laissez-faire traditions can say this, of course, is that they have more than one technique to offer. Maharishi had only one, at least for many years. And when he invented more, they were marketed as "add ons" to the basic TM technique, not alternatives to it. So where did this 'tude come from? I think it can be logically traced to Shankara. He was pretty much the prototype for the "tent show evangelist," traveling throughout India and other parts of Asia promoting his ideas. He was in a very real sense like the cowboy who rides into town and heads straight for the saloon, there to "call out" anyone else packing a gun and challenge them to a showdown. If you think I'm exaggerating, read your history; this is pretty much *exactly* what Shankara's M.O. was. IMO Shankara was arguably more than a little personality disordered in feeling this NEED to "debate" the supposed "supremacy" of his ideas with all comers. It's either the very stuff of narcissism and ego, or the very stuff of spiritual capitalism, or both. I think Maharishi inherited some of the 'tude he infected TMers and TM teachers with from Shankara, and this 'tude that was passed down in the tradition he founded. The thing I'm rapping about, just to see if there are any "takers" here for a discussion about it, is whether this is either a productive 'tude or a "spiritual" one. I don't think it's either. I think that this 'tude -- whether it appears in TMers arguing for the "supremacy" of TM or in those arguing that some other technique is "more supreme" -- is kinda low-rent. The 'tude I'm more comfortable with, personally, is that there are an enormous shitload of meditation techniques out there -- all potentially valuable (for the right type of person at the right time of their life), all potentially liberating (for the right type of person at the right time of their life), and none any quantitatively or qualitatively "better" than another. Maharishi promoted a "one size fits all" marketing scheme, and that IMO drives the evangelistic "TM is best" approach he told his TM teachers to use. They still do, to this day. I'm not convinced it serves them well. [The best man cartoon I'll have you know. I'm the best of the bunch. That's not saying much, considering you hang out with a bunch of apes. Keywords: woman women female cartoonists humor humour comedy cartoon comic relationships husband wife boyfriend girlfriend bickering]
