TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION [TM]:
the first really successful NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT of
the 1960s which emerged from HINDUISM as a therapy type GROUP offering psychological
well-being. The founder, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, denied that TM was a RELIGION thus
enabling his movement to appeal to a wide spectrum of people, who might otherwise have
ignored his teachings, and to apply for American Government funding, and other forms of
assistance. Taken to Court in 1978, TM was found to be a religion under the terms of
American law. It teaches a simplified FORM of YOGA, practices INITIATION with OCCULT
overtones using MANTRAS in SANSKRIT which appear to invoke various HINDU deities.
