Of all teachers, I think Maharishi Mahesh Yogi comes closest to Yogani's interpretation of Yoga: that the development of inner silence and inner bliss consciousness through deep meditation (transcending) is the basis for achieving enlightenment.
In the 1960's and 1970's, Maharishi and his teachers taught many people, including myself, how to transcend. His teachings (with a change of mantra) are virtually identical to Yogani's (and with such breakaway techniques as Natural Stress Relief
http://www.nsrusa.org). They are effective and effortless, and result in freedom from stress and bliss consciousness in daily life.
Unfortunately, Maharishi's recent activities do not seem to be conducive to the spreading of the knowledge of transcending:
- He charges $2500 for the basic instruction in Transcendental Meditation®.
- So that people won't give up easily, he teaches very few techniques: just TM, simple pranayama, simple asanas, and sanyama. This leaves eager spiritual aspirants without a full program of spiritual exercises or at least without customization.
- He focuses on esoteric/mystical claims, such as that houses having entrances facing south or west should be demolished and rebuilt facing east.
- He claims that only rich people deserve the technology of the infinite.
- He has forbidden TM teaching in England because of their government's support for the war against Iraq (although teaching in the USA continues).
I have followed Maharishi since 1970, including being one of his teachers. But I am alienated by his policies, which I see as the reason there is currently only a trickle of TM initiations. Society deserves better.
These are also some of the reasons I am so very glad that Yogani has written his lessons and his books and made them so easily available to everyone.
David Spector,
President, Natural Stress Relief/USA
