Talk:TM-Sidhi program/Archive 1

Created new article by moving content from article on Transcendental Meditation

The TM-Sidhi program is a distinct technique from Transcendental Meditation, and this very long section didn't really belong in the article on Transcendental Meditation. Plus, that article exceeded the guideline on WP:Article size. So I've created this new article.

Tags added at top of article

Thanks to editor John Reaves for adding tags at the top of this ariticle indicating that it needs to be improved. Indeed, I and another editor are working on reorganizing the article and adding context.

I don't understand two of thw tags. One says tnat it reads like a review and needs to be more neutral in tone. The article is neutral in the sense that it contains differing points of view. It would be great to have feedback on how it could be made more neutral.

Second, a tag says that it needs a complete rewrite for reasons listed on the Talk page, but no reasons have been given here. Would be helpful to have those. Thanks!TimidGuy 15:50, 23 November 2006 (UTC)

I propose to remove tags three and four -- about the article sounding like a review and about it needing a complete rewrite. I've done some work on the article and hope that it's a bit beter. It still needs work (whether or not it stays as an independent article or is merged with TM article). But it seems like there's a surfeit of tags and that the top two are the most relevant. TimidGuy 12:48, 28 November 2006 (UTC)

Proposed Merger

User timidguy split this article off the Transcendental Meditation article after proposing the move and waiting less then three days, with no response and then moved it.

I believe there are other parts of the article which have less significance to the article then the TM-Siddhi program that could be trimmed down or moved before this part.

Part of his stated reason for moving the article is his belief that the TM article is JUST about the Transcendental Meditation technique. [[1]] As the article stands right now, this is not how the article is structured. Sethie 16:29, 25 November 2006 (UTC)

I waited three days and no one had objected. As no one objected to my earlier relocation of the Global Country of World Peace material. And generally I've gotten good feedback on my work on the TM article. So I went ahead.

A major part of the rationale is Article size. The article on Transcendental Meditation greatly exceeded the guideline on article size. Plus, I want to add more information to the Transcendental Meditation article. And Purple Iris and I are planning to add more content to this article on the TM-Sidhi program. If the two are merged, then it will create a humongous article.TimidGuy 17:38, 25 November 2006 (UTC)

I hear that is what you are saying right here and right now. And when I read what you wrote on the TM talk page, I hear a different emphasis, maybe I am misreading what you wrote, you'll have to tell me. When I read what you wrote there, my impression is, "Hmmm he's concerned with article lenght and REALLY concerned about people understanding that TM-siddhi is different from TM technique and that the article is not about the TM movement." That's my reaction to your explination there.... would you be willing to re-read what you wrote and tell me if I have misinterpretted what you wrote?Sethie 23:12, 25 November 2006 (UTC)

Hi, Sethie. I think that for the most part we agree on what I'm trying to say: The article exceeds the guideline on Article size, and a good way to divide it is to make a separate article out of the TM-Sidhi program material, because it's a different technique from Transcendental Meditation. But I didn't say that the Transcendental Meditation article is not about the TM movement. Please do Assume good faith. TimidGuy 12:58, 26 November 2006 (UTC)

I am in agreement that the article is too long. And I hear your desire for me to assume good faith.

On this page, I read you saying, "I didn't say that the Transcendental Meditation article is not about the TM movement."

On the TM page I read you saying: "Another reason for the move is that the TM-Sidhi program is different from Transcendental Meditation (the topic of this article). Most people who learn Transcendental Medtiation don't also subsequently learn the TM-Sidhi program. Best not to conflate these two techniques"

When I read this, what I hear is- he thinks the topic of this article is the Transcendental Meditation technique. He wants to split them off, because for him, he thinks that is what this article is about (i.e. "the topic of the article") and he wants to seperate these two techniques.

It is true that I have made assumptions about your motives and the motives of others on Wiki, hell in my life. For the most part I feel pretty clean about my thinking about your motives, I don't dwell there otftn, and in this case I believe I am asking about what you wrote, not my assumptions about you. I have read what you wrote on the TM page and shared my understanding of what I thought you were communicating. Would you be willing to re-read what you wrote and let me know what it is you were trying to say?Sethie 16:24, 26 November 2006 (UTC)

Thanks, Sethie, for your thoughtful response. When I said "topic of the article" I meant "title of the article." And I didn't mean to say that discussion of the TM movement doesn't lie within the scope of the article. TimidGuy 16:54, 26 November 2006 (UTC)

Timidguy, that really clears a lot up for me. Let me sit some and get back to you. love,Sethie 18:20, 26 November 2006 (UTC)

Great. Thanks, Sethie. By the way, if moving the TM-sidhi program to a new article stands, then I'm actually quite pleased with the overall organization and scope of the Transcendental Meditation article and don't foresee the need for any more changes to the organization or scope.TimidGuy 18:29, 26 November 2006 (UTC)

So I have removed the proposed merger... more comments to follow about structuring this and the other tm articles. Sethie 22:10, 28 November 2006 (UTC)

Thanks much, Sethie. I'm eager to hear your comments.TimidGuy 22:15, 28 November 2006 (UTC)

3 in 1?

So as I read this article, I find three topics- the TM-Siddhi program, yogic flying and the maharishi effect. I know they are all interelated, but why is the Maharishi effect here? I think it belongs in the TM article or with it's own article.

I am also curious about the inclusion of yogic flying info here, given that it has it's own artilce. My inital proposal is to delete the yogic flying article, or move that here.

Just some initial possibilities. Sethie 22:17, 28 November 2006 (UTC)

Thanks, Sethie. I'm kind of in a hurry right at the moment, but I'll do my best to make a quick post. As you seem to understand, Yogic Flying is one part of the TM-Sidhii program. The Maharishi Effect is hypothesized to be the result of group practice of the TM and TM-Sidhi programs. The Maharishi Effect isn't hypothesized for the practice of TM alone. So it would seem appropriate here. We can think further about the proposal to have it be a separate article.

By the way, when I say group practice of the TM and TM-Sidhi programs, here's what happens: people gather together twice a day, once in the morning around 7 am and again in the afternoon about 5 pm. People then practice TM, followed by practice of the TM-Sidhi program. Those who only have learned TM don't participate in this group practice.

I had the same thought about the Yogic Flying article. I agree with you that the best context for an understanding of Yogic Flying is within a discussion of the TM-Sidhi program. I had already posted a comment yesterday on the Yogic Flying talk page noting redundancy with this article and proposing that that redundancy be removed. But it seems like your solution is a good one -- to simply merge Yogic Flying into the TM-Sidhi program article. I'm not yet familiar enough with Wikipedia to get a sense for how to go about this.TimidGuy 01:48, 29 November 2006 (UTC)

I will start the process for the merger for yogic flying and tm-sidhi

"The Maharishi Effect is hypothesized to be the result of group practice of the TM and TM-Sidhi programs. The Maharishi Effect isn't hypothesized for the practice of TM alone. So it would seem appropriate here." Well, it hear that it seems more appropriate for you.

If it were a unique pheonomen to the TM-Sidhi program I would agree. However it isn't, so I can't agree! Given what you have said about it, for me it fits better with the TM article (which covers various aspects of the movment) or on it's own, but definatley NOT here. And those are my thoughts about it, right now. 04:24, 29 November 2006 (UTC)

Great. Thanks for starting the process. I'm open to having Maharishi Effect be a separate article.

I don't understand why you say that the Maharishi Effect not a unique phenomenon to the TM-Sidhi program. As far as I know, that's the hypothesis -- group practice of the TM and TM-Sidhi programs, including Yogic Flying, produces the Maharishi Effect when the number of practictioners in the group reaches the square root of the population in a given area. Again, those who have only learned don't participate in group practice. It's only for those who have learned the TM-Sidhi program.TimidGuy 12:15, 29 November 2006 (UTC)

I actually am reffering to your words here: "The Maharishi Effect is hypothesized to be the result of group practice of the TM and TM-Sidhi programs." When I read this, I think, "Oh the ME is produced by practitioners of the TM technique AND the TM-Sidhi program." If this is not the meaning you were trying to convey, would you be willing to re-read that sentence and communicate what you were trying to say?

You say, "those who only learned don't participate in group practice." Do you mean those who only learn the TM technique? If so, this is not true, based on my understanding of your above words and my own experience at MIU and my local TM group. Those who know just the TM technique DO do group practice.

Oops. My apologies. I meant to say that those who have only learned the TM technique don't participate in group practice. Group practice, which creates the Maharishi Effect, is only for those who have learned the TM-Sidhi program.

You say "It's only for those who have learned the TM-Sidhi program." When you say "It" do you mean group practice? Before I can respond to this I need to know what you mean by "it." Sethie 15:16, 29 November 2006 (UTC)

Yes, that's what I meant by "it." Thanks for your patience with my lack of clarity. : ) TimidGuy 15:46, 29 November 2006 (UTC)

In my direct experience it is factually incorrect to say "those who have only learned the TM technique don't participate in group practice." I have done many TM group meditations both at MIU and with my locak TM group.

On the other hand, I have searched the web, and the TM organization does say that a group of individuals practicing the TM-Sidhi technique is what creates the ME. However, nowhere do I find it called "group practice."

So given what you have told me and what I have found, I now understand why the three articles belong together. Sethie 20:33, 29 November 2006 (UTC)

Thanks, Sethie. It's nice working with you.TimidGuy 01:52, 30 November 2006 (UTC)

Reference for "Maharishi’s Supreme Military Science"?

Hi there folks. Hey, I get a "missing page" when I click on the reference that links to http://www.invinciblemilitary.org/articles/idc1.html. Tanaats 04:42, 3 December 2006 (UTC)

Never mind. It must have been a temporary problem. Tanaats 00:11, 8 December 2006 (UTC)

New and nav templates

I added a "main" template at the top and a nav template at the bottom Tanaats 01:16, 9 December 2006 (UTC)

Countering quote

Added quote from learntm website to point out that the TM organization characterizes the current stage of Yogic Flying using the traditional phrasing, "hopping like a frog." This isn't from the Yoga Sutras itself, despite what the website says, but from one of the later upanishads (yogattva upanishad) from about 1400AD, whch provides an informal commentary on aspects of the Yoga Sutras, but it shows that a good-faith attempt is definitely being made to point out that Yogic Flying, Stage One, is NOT floating. Sparaig 21:39, 12 December 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for doing this, Sparaig, and for beefing up the references.TimidGuy 16:02, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

"This is considered a mainstream interpretation of some kinds of EEG coherence" needs a citation

I added a "fact" template to "This is considered a mainstream interpretation of some kinds of EEG coherence." However, I rather doubt that it's supportable and should probably be taken out. Tanaats 22:39, 12 December 2006 (UTC)

Maybe this transition sentence could be rewritten to remove "mainstream interpretation" (which may be somewhat subjective wording for an encyclopeida) and more specifically references the info presented in the studies. It could simply read: "This correlation between EEG coherence and creativity is supported by a range of other studies." Or something like that. Looks like you found some good studies -- unrelated to meditation -- to support the point.TimidGuy 16:27, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

Sounds ok to me! Tanaats 19:34, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

Misplaced reference?

It looks to me as though the citation at the end of the paragraph beginning with "At a 1994 press conference to announce the analysis of that study" is a mistake. The citation is also found in the next paragraph, which is where it belongs. Tanaats 04:25, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

Fixed. Put in a proper reference for that paragraph. Thanks for catching that -- and for all your other great editing on the articles.TimidGuy 16:32, 13 December 2006 (UTC)