Quote:
I was hoping when you said you met Maharishi that we could actually have a conversation regarding the way of a Guru.
I met the Maharishi in 1964. A friend, who took the first pneumatology course I gave that spring, invited me to hear him speak. A group of about 100 listened to him.

It was a one-way and boring presentation. Neither my friend or I were impressed. Both of us had the feeling he was selling verbal snake oil. That evening, his offer was: For $75.00--a lot of money in 1964--we could be initiated and buy our "secret" mantra. I paid $2.00 for the boring lecture. IMO, a waste of money. Interestingly, with some research I later I found that my TM mantra is SHIRIM (for those 30-35). Send me a PM and, for a big fee--just joe king, the name of my eldest brother-- I will send you yours.

Yes--as I found out by doing some personal research--IMO, TM, like Scientology--Now there's a topic worth of exploration--Christian Science and the like, is based on certain basic and valuable principles. But why the secrecy and the commercialization? in offering basic spiritual principles to people?

THE ROLE OF MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS
BTW, I appreciate that motivational speakers need to earn a living. This is how I earned my living. And no regrets.

BTW 2, as a minister, for 40 years, I spoke to large audiences every Sunday. In addition, I spoke to smaller groups and gave many hours of personal counseling. I was, and still am, one who, like Eckhart Tolle, approached my work with the intention of motivating people to be integrated in soma/psyche/pneuma.
My salary? Over the years I kept pace with policemen with seven years experience. When my wife went back to teaching, she earned almost. Her income made all the difference in our standard of
living. So much for those who think that the "clergy racket" is a good one.

BTW, are you familiar with the fact that, in Canada, TM followers formed the Natural Law Party, and spent millions running candidates in 1993 Canadian federal elections?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Law_Party_of_Canada
In general:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Law_Party

Lots to dialogue about, eh?