TM-Sidhi program: Difference between revisions

Browse history interactively ← Previous editContent deleted Content addedVisual WikitextInline

Revision as of 02:41, 23 March 2009 editKeithbob (talk \| contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers47,111 edits →External links: added yogic flying video link← Previous edit		Latest revision as of 03:56, 23 April 2015 edit undo78.35.242.59 (talk) Transcendental_Meditation_technique#TM-Sidhi_program
Line 1:		Line 1:
			#REDIRECT ]
	{{articleissues\|disputed=March 2008\|POV=March 2008}}
	The '''TM-Sidhi program''' is a ] technique that was introduced by ] in the mid ], following the earlier introduction of the ] technique. Described as a natural extension of Transcendental Meditation, the TM-Sidhi program may be learned after a minimum of two months' practice of T.M., and is said to accelerate the benefits gained from T.M. practice.<ref>http://www.tm.org/sidhi/index.html</ref>

	Maharishi stated that he derived the TM-Sidhi program from the ], containing phrases or "sutras" (threads), the practice of which can supposedly lead to development of advanced human abilities, called ]s, including '''Yogic Flying''' and the creation of peace.<ref> http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/yogic%20flying%20-%20history%20of%20yogic%20flying/id/1958305 </ref>

	The practical and theorectical aspects of TM-Sidhi program are a modernized rendering of the meditative technique known as ], which is classically a part of the traditional ] school..<ref> http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/yogic%20flying%20-%20history%20of%20yogic%20flying/id/1958305 </ref>


	== Research on the TM-Sidhi program ==

	Research on practitioners of the TM-Sidhi program relative to subjects practicing Transcendental Meditation alone has shown increased EEG coherence during "Yogic Flying",<ref>TRAVIS, F. T., and ORME-JOHNSON, D. W. "EEG coherence and power during yogic flying. International Journal of Neuroscience", 54: 1-12, 1990.</ref> one of the components of the TM-Sidhi program, as well as long-term increases in EEG coherence.<ref>Orme-Johnson, D. W., et al: 1989,"Longitudinal effects of the TM-Sidhi program on EEG phase coherence", in Chalmers, R.A., et al, eds., Scientific Research on Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Pogram: Collected Papers, vol. 3 (Maharishi Vedic University Press, Vlodrop, Netherlands), pp. 1678–1686</ref>, differences in reflex,<ref>Wallace, R.K., et al: 1983, "Modification of the paired H-reflex through the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program," Experimental Neurology 79, pp. 77–86</ref> and changes in endocrinological performance. <ref>Werner, O.R., et al: 1986, "Long-term endocrinological changes in subjects practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program", Psychosomatic Medicine 48, pp. 59–65</ref> In addition, a study on EEG coherence associated with practice of the TM-Sidhi program is correlated with greater creativity as measured by the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking.<ref>Orme-Johnson, David W., and Christopher Haynes: 1981, "EEG Phase Coherence, Pure Consciousness, Creativity, and TM-Sidhi Experiences," International Journal of Neuroscience, vol 13, 1981, pp. 211–217</ref>

	== Reception ==
	According to proponents, the TM-Sidhi program can eventually lead to the ability to hover and fly; the organization says that TM-Sidhi practitioners (called Sidhas) have already achieved the first of the three stages of Yogic Flying – hopping. Further practice of the technique is said to lead to the second stage, which is hovering, and ultimately flying through the air, the third stage. Accounts within the organization of yogic flyers advancing beyond the hopping stage have varied over the years. For example, in ], when the host of The Merv Griffin (TV) Show asked Maharishi Mahesh Yogi how many of the 40,000 TM-Sidhi students he taught learned to levitate, he answered: "Thousands."<ref>{{Harvard reference \| First=James\| Last=Randi \| Year=1982 \| Title= Flim-Flam! Psychics, ESP, Unicorns, and Other Delusions; \| Chapter=Chapter 5, "The Giggling Guru: A Matter of Levity"\| Editor= \| Others=\| Place=Buffalo, New York\|Pages= \| Publisher=Prometheus Books\| ID=ISBN 0-87975-198-3 \| URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/search/?title=Special:Booksources&isbn=0879751983\| Authorlink= James_Randi}}</ref>

	== The Maharishi Effect ==

	Researchers associated with ] have hypothesized that practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs in a group produces a "Maharishi Effect", that is said to influence coherence and positivity in the social and natural environment.<ref>http://www.mum.edu/m_effect/</ref> According to these researchers, if the square root of one percent of the population (that is, first calculating 1% of the population and then taking the square root of the resulting number) regularly practices the TM-Sidhi program together, the entire population will experience greater coherence - including reduction in violence, crime, disease, deadly storms, and other destructive natural forces.{{Fact\|date=January 2009}}

	], a magician and critic of paranormal claims, investigated the claims of Dr. Robert Rabinoff, a former Maharishi International University physics professor. In his book ''Flim Flam'' Randi said that Ray Hyman said that Rabinoff said that a large gathering of TM practitioners had reduced crime and accidents and increased crop production in the vicinity of Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa. Rabinoff made the claims during a talk at the University of Oregon in 1978. Randi spoke with the Fairfield Police Department, the Iowa Department of Agriculture, and Iowa Department of Motor Vehicles and was unable to substantiate the claims.<ref> {{Harvard reference \| First=James\| Last=Randi \| Year=1982 \| Title= Flim-Flam! Psychics, ESP, Unicorns, and Other Delusions; \| Chapter=chapter 5, "The Giggling Guru: A Matter of Levity"\| Editor= \| Others=\| Place=Buffalo, New York\|Pages= \| Publisher=Prometheus Books\| ID=ISBN 0-87975-198-3 \| URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/search/?title=Special:Booksources&isbn=0879751983\| Authorlink= James_Randi}} </ref>

	According to a bibliography on the Maharishi University of Management web site, studies on the Maharishi Effect have been published in journals such as ''Social Indicators Research'', ''Journal of Mind and Behavior'', ''Social Science Perspectives Journal'', ''Journal of Conflict Resolution'', ''Journal of Crime and Justice'', and ''Psychology, Crime, and Law''.<ref>http://www.mum.edu/m_effect/summary_table.html</ref>

	=== Study on the Maharishi Effect in Washington, D.C. ===

	A study on the Maharishi Effect published in 1999 in the journal ''Social Indicators Research'' suggested that there was a correlation between the gathering of a group of 4,000 participants in the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs in the District of Columbia, and a reduction in violent crime in that city.<ref>Hagelin, J. S., Orme-Johnson, D. W., Rainforth, M., Cavanaugh, K., & Alexander, C. N. (1999). ''Results of the National Demonstration Project to Reduce Violent Crime and Improve Governmental Effectiveness in Washington, D.C.'' Social Indicators Research, 47, 153–201</ref> The experiment took place over a two-month period in the summer of 1993.

	At a 1994 press conference to announce the analysis of that study, ] said that, during the period of the experiment, Washington, D.C. experienced a significant reduction in psychiatric emergency calls, fewer complaints against the police, and an increase in public approval of President Clinton -- all of which was consistent with the hypothesis that a coherence-creating group of practitioners of the TM-Sidhi program can relieve social stress and reverse negative social trends. Overall, according to preliminary data released by the police department there was an 18% reduction in violent crime, he told the press. When a reporter asked, an 18% reduction compared to what, Hagelin answered, compared to the level of violent crime had the study not taken place. Hagelin said that criminologists have shown that violent crime fluctuates significantly relative to the temperature. Crime goes down when it's cold and up when it's hot. The standard methodology for assessing whether the crime rate changed or not is to compare it with what is expected for that particular season. Hagelin said that by using the standard methodology (time series analysis), they were able to show the level of violent crime in Washington had dropped well below the expected level based on previous data.<ref>, John S. Hagelin, et al</ref>

	In his book ''Voodoo Science'', physicist ] called the study a "clinic in data manipulation".<ref name="RLPark">Park, Robert, ''Skeptical Inquirer'', Sept 2000 </ref> Maxwell Rainforth, a coauthor of the Washington, D.C. study, says that Park does not support the assertion with either supporting data or analysis, and that Park's objection to the use of time series analysis isn't based on any scientific argument. The researchers also questioned whether Park had read the published study, since his criticism focused on a preliminary Interim Report released at a press conference in 1994.<ref>, Maxwell Rainforth</ref>

	Park questioned the validity of the study by saying that during the weeks of the experiment Washington D.C.'s weekly murder count hit the highest level ever recorded.<ref>{{cite web \|author=] \|url=http://bobpark.physics.umd.edu/WN94/wn100794.html#4 \|title=1994 IgNobel Prize winners are honored, in a fashion, at MIT! \|work=What's New \|date=7 October 1994}}</ref> According to the study, statistical analysis suggests that the murder rate, which typically goes up during hot weather, fell within the range of what would have been expected for that time of year. <ref>Hagelin, J. S., Orme-Johnson, D. W., Rainforth, M., Cavanaugh, K., & Alexander, C. N. (1999). ''Results of the National Demonstration Project to Reduce Violent Crime and Improve Governmental Effectiveness in Washington, D.C.'' Social Indicators Research, 47, 153–201</ref>

	In 1994, ] received an ] in peace based on this study.<ref></ref> This parody of the ] is given annually to "honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think".<ref></ref>

	== Yogic flying ==
	One component of the TM-Sidhi program is referred to as "'''Yogic Flying'''" or '''hopping'''. While sitting cross-legged or in a "lotus" position, Yogic Flyers hop about on foam mats. The TM organization says this is the first of three stages of Yogic Flying called "the perfection of leaping like a ]". The organization emphasizes that only the first stage of Yogic Flying has been shown.

	While Yogic Flying appears to be simply cross-legged hopping, EEG studies comparing Yogic Flyers with a control group voluntarily hopping found that the neurological characteristics were different. Immediately before hopping the yogic flyers showed significant shifts in EEG coherence and power, whereas the controls did not. The differences in EEG spatial distribution and mean amplitude between the two groups suggested that a different biological mechanism underlies the EEG activity in the two groups. <ref>TRAVIS, F. T., and ORME-JOHNSON, D. W. "EEG coherence and power during yogic flying. International Journal of Neuroscience," 54: 1-12, 1990.</ref>

	The TM organization has presented a number of public demonstrations of Yogic Flying, such as the one in 1999 described by ], professor of physics at the University of Maryland and author of the weekly science ] column, ''What's New.'' The Yogic Flying demonstration was presented at a press conference at the Washington, DC Press Club by physicist and ] Presidential candidate, ]. Hagelin had called the press conference to offer help in ending the war in ] by sending 7000 yogic flyers to create positive coherence in the violence-torn country. Proponents of Yogic Flying claim that ] and many other social and environmental benefits can be generated by having at least seven thousand yogic flyers around the world hopping at the same time. This is how Park described the demonstration:

	:''Mattresses were spread right there on the floor, and 12 fit-looking young guys seated themselves in the lotus position. The audience was cautioned to make no sound as they meditated. After a few minutes, one of them suddenly levitated. Well, he didn't exactly float, mind you, just sort of popped up a couple of inches and thumped back down. Then another levitated, and another, till the scene looked like corn popping. There was nothing to suggest they didn't follow parabolic trajectories."

	=== History of Yogic Flying ===
	Yogic Flying traditionally stems from the ] rishi Avatsara, "the flying-one". Later yogic texts also describe this ] ("perfection") in varying degrees of detail, most notably the '']'' of ].

	A system of Yogic Flying also exists within the inner ]s (anuttara-tantras) of ]an ] as a system to attain enlightenment. In this system the practitioners work at the dissolution of the vital airs, ], into the centermost part of being, the avadhuti or "central channel". In the initial stages this is used in a system of yogic-running where the practitioner is able to proceed across the ground in large jumps. Some of kings of the ]n kingdoms kept speed-runners or practitioners of yogic-running from this Buddhist tradition to carry messages over long distances.

	=== Facilities and practitioners ===
	Facilities for Yogic Flying are located at the ] in ], ], at Maharish Vedic School in Antrim, New Hampshire, and at Maharishi European Sidhaland in ], ]

	During the 1990s, various ] encouraged the use of Yogic Flying as part of their ]. Current plans by ], the founder of the Transcendental Meditation Program and related programs, include building 3000 Peace Palaces in major cities, and creating permanent groups of 8,000 yogic flyers to create permanent world peace. His plan also calls for a group of 1000 Vedic ]s, all flyers, to take up residence at Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa.

	=== Criticism of Yogic Flying ===
	In a 1987 ] article, the ] criticized Yogic Flying as "fake". A few former T.M. adherents from Maharishi University of Management say the activity was "strictly physical exercise ... nothing spiritual about it."

	In the 1998 ] News special ''The Power of Belief'', ] documents a series of disputed phenomena beginning with Yogic Flying. <ref> http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Yogic_flying/id/1959642 </ref>

	==References==
	{{reflist\|2}}
	{{refbegin}}
	<!-- add references here -->
	{{refend}}

	== External links ==
	* . Retrieved on ].
	*
	*
	*

	{{Transcendental Meditation}}

	]
	]
	]

	]
	]

Latest revision as of 03:56, 23 April 2015

Redirect to:

Transcendental Meditation technique#TM-Sidhi program