A sampling of the past few year's mail received here

My (sarcastic) comments appear in bold italics.

From: "John Mooter" <bach12@cl.research.earthlink.net>
To: <mike@mtd.com>
Subject: TM webslte
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 22:12:45 -0500

Your anti-TM websiet is sour grapes. Many have benefited from TM. If
you don't like it, try something else. Why spend all this energy
putting something down that is a choice? We all have free will. John
About 12 hours of work over the course of 10 years or so isn't a whole lot of "energy," and despite whatever benefits you attribute to TM, others haven't had such a great time with it, or got nothing from it. Your personal experience just isn't universal. 

From: Delmarkrouse@cs.com
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 11:07:06 EDT
Subject: sidhi-sutra info?
To: mike@mtd.com


Hello Mike,

I am collecting info on all the TM programs mental procedures and was
wondering if you have the complete "TM Teacher's Governors version" of
the sides program. Can you update or verify if the list I have is
correct: 

friendliness
<list mercifully snipped>
relationship of body and akasha - lightness of cotton fiber

Please let me know if this list is correct and if not can you update
it for me. Thanks and hope to hear from you. Louis
You're welcome to make a list, but I feel no need to assist you. The only purpose of the list here is to puncture the "mantra mystique" which benefits the movement. The mantras and techniques are no great mystery and there is nothing to be gained by over-analyzing them. They varied depending on the teacher training course and date, which is why the list on this website isn't necessarily accurate across all initiators and initiates. There's really nothing to be gained by making such lists, unless you were considering encouraging others to actually use the lists for their own practice, and you wouldn't want that to happen, now, would you? 
From: "Office Todo" <todo@remus.dti.ne.jp>
To: <mikemtd+dated+1054807201.9f289f@mtd.com>
Subject: on Mantra web
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2003 22:23:36 +0900

I am Japanese and visited your web site on TM mantra etc.
I think you must not show these knowledge like that.
The mantra is the ancient knowledge and it must be learned by guru. Did you
get permission from Maharish movement?

I ma meditator and it makes me happy without stress.
You American always brake and destroy other culture.

In this case, you are not doing justice.

You must remove these information.
And must be protected by the people.

You are happy but this makes me unhappy to other people inclosing me.

Please make happiness and peace by America.

Masaki
Requests for the removal of information from this website will always be rejected. If you don't like it, don't look at it. 
From: Shamantim@aol.com
Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2003 16:22:11 EDT
Subject: Had a question about TM?
To: mikemtd+dated+1050681600.faec96@mtd.com

                               Hello.
                                     I was wondering if you could give me a 
mantra since you are a former teacher of TM? I guess id like to save all that 
money,plus i am on medication for anxiety and depression and i thought maybe 
this would help. I hope you can do this for me i would be truly grateful.    
Tim in Niagara falls Ny.
I am not a teacher, nor do I give out mantras, nor is the mantra list placed on this website for the purpose of using the mantras in meditation. Take your meds. 
From: "DENNIS WAUGAMAN" <WAUGAMAN10@msn.com>
To: <mike@mtd.com>
Subject: After 32 years it still works for me. Sorry you had trouble with it.
Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2003 23:27:00 -0700
I don't recall ever having said that I "had trouble with it." 
From: "Beyond/Rudi de Graaf" <rudi@beyondbv.nl>
To: <mike@mtd.com>
Subject: tm question
Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2002 09:00:20 +0200

Dear Mike,

Ik read the website and hoped to find how the mantra's are selected by
the teachers. Do you know where to find this. Thank you very
much. Yours, Rudi
You weren't planning on selecting a mantra from the list on this website for your own meditation, now, were you? 
From: "avril smith" <avrilsmith@dol.ie>
To: <mike@mtd.com>
Subject: tm mantra pronounciation
Date: Sat, 14 Sep 2002 04:11:24 +0100

Hi Mike,
 
Is it possible to get an audio tape or cd of TM mantra pronounciation?
 
Looking foward to hearing from you !
 
Kind Regards,
 
Avril
You weren't planning on selecting a mantra from the list on this website for your own meditation, now, were you? 
From: "vv" <vtemplar@sprynet.com>
To: <mike@mtd.com>
Subject: hi
Date: Thu, 8 Aug 2002 12:49:12 -0700

hi Mike-Would happen to know the tm new "Patanjali Yoga Sutra/Siddhi"
Attunement.thanks =vic
You weren't planning on selecting... oh, never mind. How about going back and reading that disclaimer again? 
From: Suresh Fernando <Suresh@toroidlk.com>
To: mike@mtd.com
Subject: From Sri Lanka
Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2002 09:26:48 +0530 

Dear Mike,

I am from Sri Lanka.
Can I talk about TM with you.

Best regards
Suresh
No. 
Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2001 15:50:01 -0700
From: Larry Peluso <lpeluso4@pacbell.net>
Subject: question
To: mike@mtd.com


In Kropinski's first of five pieces interviewing the Shankaracharya
http://www.minet.org/Documents/shank-1 he says that the Shankaracharya
"stated that his Master had left a will which clearly stated the names
of those individuals who were to assume the title and responsibilities
of Shankaracharya after his death. After the murder of his Master, the
next in line was Shantinand. He said Mahesh immediately had him moved
into the ashram to assume authority."

This must be mistated. If Shantinand was next in line, then he should
have been moved in. I don't get it. If you can forward this message to
Robert Kropinski for me. I think I get what he is trying to say but I
think he made a mistake in the text. Thank you.
You wanna argue about such religious politics, go hang out on alt.meditation.transcendental, where you'll find plenty of others who still discuss Kropinski's article. I don't care, so don't bring it to me. 


From: "Polina Melik-Simonian" <hphmep01@phd.ceu.hu>
To: <mike@mtd.com>
Subject: asking for assistance
Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2001 23:58:45 +0400

Dear Mike,
 
I read your disclaimer, but I still want to use the chance of asking
you whether you do not know where I could see the translations of
other mantras which are not provided in your archive. I went through
the links you provided but could not find them. Thank you for the
information in the archive -- it was very interesting (I am a TM
practitioner (although quite open mindined) since 87 :)

Sorry for disturbance
Polina
How about going back and reading that disclaimer again? 
From: "vincent west" <ponderthus@hotmail.com>
To: mike@mtd.com
Subject: TM
Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 00:31:20 -0700

You sound just as ridiculous as all the rest.  What's the big idea of 
downgrading TM?  Are you some kind of evil entity just sitting on your fat 
ass all day looking for something to keep you busy.  There's just one 
problem with your defense.  All of your articles and so called prooofs are 
from the 80's on. If that were the case I'm sure it would do you some good 
to find 'stuff' from before.  TM has been around since you were sucking on 
your mom's breast.  So just sit tight and find something else like 
Christianity or Islam to fuck with.  Thank you for your time.
Looks like I recently got promoted to the rank of "evil entity." Nobody told me! Thanks for letting me know! 
From: "Marino Zeriali" <zeriali.marino@adriacom.it>
To: <mike@mtd.com>
Subject: revelation of a secret
Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 11:21:08 +0100

why did you do so?
are you in astressing?
maybe do you need a checking?
 
marino
tm teacher
 
jai guru dev
Old habits die hard, don't they? (The insistence that people doing... annoying... things must be "unstressing" was, and maybe still is, a common put-down in and around the TM movement.) 
From: "nisha" <nishajethlia@hotmail.com>
To: <mike@mtd.com>
Subject: instant meditation by pradeep dixit
Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 17:08:20 +0530

sir, I am trained in a technique of meditation in which a touch to the
forehead of a person is enough to get into the deep experience of
meditation.I am trained by my guru at himalays and offer this method
to try by a demonstration.If this interests you kindly
.contact. pradeepmdixit@hotmail.com
Ah, another entrepreneur trying to horn in on the Maharishi's business. Another guy with a funny name who says he's from a far away place, as usual. Yawn. 
X-Originating-IP: [208.145.207.60]
From: "lick mike" <mike_blows@hotmail.com>
To: mike@mtd.com
Subject: hello
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2000 04:10:10 GMT

WE want to know why you think that you have the right to post confidential 
information about the TM program all over the fucking internet.

Did you learn TM just to do so?

What is your purpose? There are a lot of people in this world that are 
strongly benefitted by TM, and value those sutras and mantras, that you just 
throw out there.

THere is a reason why you have to learn TM from a trained teacher, and
you dont even have all of the correct info up there. SO you'd better go 
snooping around in someone elses business to figure out where you went wrong 
and then maybe realize that what you are doing is fucking pointless.

If you have any sort of defense on this subject, please respond to this 
address.

Sincerely,

Concerned and in Awe of what you are doing.


Name:    agent.lisco.com
Address:  208.145.207.60
lisco.com is, or was, an internet provider to the Fairfield, Iowa area. They let you talk like that in the dome? 
From: "phil romano" <romanophil@hotmail.com>
To: mike@mtd.com
Subject: Is it safe to practice TM or not?
Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2000 14:57:21 EDT

Mike,

I came across your website as I was doing a search for the TM mantras.  I 
recently learned the TM technique 6 months ago, and have to say it has had a 
profoud effect on the quality of my life.  I understand that the mantras are 
rooted in Hinduism and are actually the names of Hindu gods.  But after 
reading all of these articles and perspectives of teachers dropping out of 
the movement, I am wondering if it is a good idea to practice TM long term.  
Do you practice TM or some other sort of meditation?  What would you suggest 
for a new meditator?  Do you have all of the mantras and the intiations 
posted so people can teach other people the technique?  If not, why is it 
there?

Thanks for the information you provided over minet.org.  Please respond when 
you have the time.

Sincerely,

Phil
You have to decide for yourself whether or not to practice TM. I have very little to add to the data and personal stories about the practice that's available online.
Date: Sat, 29 Apr 2000 09:50:17 -0400
To: mike@mtd.com
From: Roma Khemlani <sonar@rdc.cl>

good morning ,i came to know about you on internet.my name is
nari,e-mail sonar@rdc.cl. i will very much appriciate if you can let
me knoe stregnth of an elephant and moon sutra ,as taught in trascdent
meditation of mahesh yogi .thanks nari
I don't teach the sutras either. Have someone translate the disclaimer for you, okay? 
From: "Kamalini's Mail" <kamalinimalhotra@hotmail.com>
To: <mike@mtd.com>
Subject: Transcendental Meditation Not A Cult
Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2000 22:40:10 +1100

Dear Sir, 
 
It is so sad when people like yourself have nothing else to do, so
they continue to work for the devil.
 
Why don't you instead try to fight all the terrible and obvious
problems of society.  Can you see where the world is heading with
problems of crime, divorce, homelessness, child abuse, corruption,
poverty, gangs, drugs and a list that can continue yet a mile long.
 
The subjects that one cannot understand fully must be left to those
who do.
 
It would be a pleasure to see someone like yourself work hard to
change those agenda's that will make a difference for the better,
instead of being motivated by envy.  Today as many people make good
choices as those that make bad ones, needless to say that wrong
choices will have bad result's and good choices good result's.
 
Do you think people who join the Ku klux Klan are the same as the
one's who join Maharishi's organisation?  The only similarity being
they both know their motives.  It does not matter if the former
group's root problem lies in his own lack of confidence, ignorance or
sheer inferiority complex and the latter's, desire to realise the
higher self and bring peace and harmony in the world.

The end result is always based on the motives, good for good and bad
for bad.  That is why some one entering the clan not with malice but
thinking there is some good in it will soon realise he does not belong
there and also(pardon me) some one like yourself whose motive
obviously has not been to receive the benefits of meditation but to
merely speculate will end up just doing that.
 
An arm is an arm no matter what you call it in different languages.
Sugar tastes sweet no matter who in which country tastes it.

Fact is fact and the irony is in how one conceives it, nevertheless
fact does not, in fact change.
 
For people who understand the word science, cannot deny scientific
knowledge of the Vedic culture.  "Science not religion".  Hence your
idea of this scientific method being a cult is absolutely wrong.
 
If you actually meditate you will be wiser and know where your
energies should be diverted to do some good.
 
Meditate, for making good decisions one needs wisdom.
 
Your Well Wisher
 
Kamalini Malhotra
I suppose my paychecks are now signed by the devil, too... that started happening with the promotion, I suppose. 
From: "Dave Baker" <db87571@hotmail.com>
To: mike@mtd.com
Subject: techniques
Date: Mon, 08 Nov 1999 16:02:40 MST

Hey Mike-

I am a sidha and wanted to know if I might ask you a few questions
regarding technique through e-mail.

I got and started using the first advanced technique about a year ago
from your website and it has been a successful practice for me.

I look forward to hearing from you-

Dave Baker
And replying to your message should be important to me, why? 
From: "C G Anderson" <cganders@prodigy.net>
To: <mike@mtd.com>
Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 02:38:24 -1000

Concerning your Minet webpage: I am interested in the "most pleasing name of
God" that the TM mantra "shirim" refers to. Which Hindu God?       Thank you
cganders@prodigy.net
You wanna argue about those alleged Hindu gods, go take it to alt.meditation.transcendental. Being an atheist, the "Hindu gods" argument against TM isn't particularly compelling to me. It sounds like a "my god's better than your god" kind of thing. 
From: "J Chevalier" <jchevalier@sprint.ca>
To: <mike@mtd.com>
Subject: TM advancd Technique
Date: Tue, 6 Jul 1999 10:23:37 -0400

Hi I've just read your stuff on TM.  I have been meditating since 74, and
have had major changes in my life all good.  The people who have had major
problems were people on drugs which most of the early TMer's were.  some I
have met.  I expect you did not have satisfactory or expected results.. I
have no expectations and am quite happy.  I can't stand the movement's
prices I will admit.  Any way the reason I'm writing you is that most of
your information seems accurate.  But I will admit that your advanced
technique does not coincide with my own I have 5, and they don't correspond
with your information. Some similarity yes.  I'm happy to see that In spite
of not yet getting 6 and being unable to qualify for 7 I seem to have all I
need so thank you for your list.

caio J.
So what's the question?
Go back to the TM techniques page.
Go back to the home page.
Archive Maintainer: Mike Doughney, mike@mtd.com
Last updated: March 11, 2004