Customer Reviews

The Maharishi: The Biography of the Man Who Gave Transcendental Meditation to the World

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

First, let me state that I enjoyed reading this book. Right off the bat, it's hard to find anything about Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's life and this alone makes it worth reading. The style was also enjoyable. It was fun at times and when the author wasn't being coy, cynical or sarcastic, he could spin a good tale. The disappointing part for me was the author's lack of understanding about yoga and meditation in general, which often led to misinterpretations on his part. I'll site just one example. Mr. Mason states, and in a rather snide tone I might add, that Maharishi claimed his TM technique offered and embodied what other classical yogic paths offered. The example, found on pages 174 and 175, sites Maharishi as informing his students that they already were enjoying the benefits of Laya and Raja yoga which awaken kundalini energy and stabilize the enlightened state. The author responds; "It must surely have appeared unbelievable to his devotees that the Maharishi could teach them a system that could rival the most venerated schools of practice. But this was the Maharishi's claim, and certainly whilst they were in his company it appeared to them possible, even likely, that this was so. They were insufficiently knowledgeable in these matters to challenge his generalizations and they most certainly did not wish to engage in confrontation." The problem being, it is actually Mr. Mason who is 'insufficiently knowledgeable' in these matters. The awakening of kundalini is an essential part of almost every meditation and yogic path available, and it's typical and most frequent method of awakening is through repeating a mantra given by an enlightened Master. Maharishi was most likely simply telling his students what every other teacher or Guru tells their students. I've heard several well known Meditation Masters of both Hindu and Buddhist lineages say exactly the same thing. Sometimes kundalini is awakened through yoga asanas, sometimes devotion, sometimes mantra, etc. This is only one such example.

On another matter, Mr. Mason misses a great opportunity to explore Maharishi's stated purpose for yogic flying and the reasons for the organizations shift from a grassroots movement focused on individual development and TM, to a pyramid downward flow strategy, mirroring the governmental and corporate structures of our time. Maharishi stated during his Larry King interview aired, May 12, 2002 that individual development approaches and "talking" no longer worked because of the state of the world at large. Therefore, an attempt to effect the environment and world consciousness had become his organization's focus. This is the stuff that great stories are made of but once again Mr. Mason prefers to revert to sophomoric sarcasm and eyewinks towards his readers, prematurely ending his book, leaving the reader waiting for his next updated edition which may very well be his underlying purpose.

I myself am a meditator and I have to say, this is a great book. Paul Mason gets beyond hero worship and shows that even the enlightened are human. Maharishi never comes across as a monster and never comes across as a fool. However, I feel Mason's rendition of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was an essential viewing of the sage's aspirations, be they sometimes strange. Upon finishing this book I felt I had a little more insight into someone who previously seemed unbelievably flawless, and now felt like a human being one could relate to and come off with their own opinion.

...was completely left out of any experiential context of Paul's writing. Focusing on what happened, this and that, rather than on how, and why. Subtle, powerful, secrets, were conveyed to Maharishi's devotees in ways which were made clear only after the ego surrendered, and the Transcended realized....for even just a moment of two. Maharishi has proven the Wisdom he provided - allowed people to realize an established happiness completely without "using" Maharishi as their Guru, is quite revolutionary, and...well, new.

It's sad....those that "got it" don't want to write about it, those that "didn't" feel they have the authority to present not-so-accurate anecdotes to entertain.

In an effort to be *objective,* Mason's account bends to the
negative side. The author's voice was a little too impersonal and
left me without much insight into who Maharishi actually is.
However, the book includes some interesting quotes from hard
to find sources. If this isn't what you're looking for you may
want to read "Beyond Gurus" instead.

This author must have an axe to grind. I have some familiarity with Maharishi's TM Movement myself and continue to be blown away by the sheer volume of independent scientific research supporting the Movement's claims of health, relationship and societal benefits, much of it funded by the N.I.H. This book is definitely not the unbiased work it is purported to be.

There are many TM books written by those in the TM movement that are biased with all kinds of claims, from unbelievable health benefits to flying! This book is a very balanced account of Transcendental Meditation.

Well I bought this book used for three dollars and it was worth every penny.In the very beginning inside the cover it states that Paul Mason has practiced TM for over twenty years yet throughout the book he seems negative about his own Guru.Perhaps he is being truthful(the reason I gave three stars) but he does not mention the benefits of TM for himself REALLY so is he trapped in a mere habit of doing TM everyday? Also he fails to mention that capitalistic Westerners are running the TM movement for the elderly Guru and with or without his permission are ripping people off for ungodly sums of money for mere words. It costs $2,500.00 to learn TM and $3000.00 to learn to hop around in the lotus position for the Sidhi techniques.He goes farther to disprove and discredit TM than a lot of anti-TM authors....thanks Paul for telling people what a line of BS TM really is. :) Save your money and look elsewhere....