Transcendental Meditation. A Revitalization of the American Civil Religion / La Méditation Transcendantale, une revivification de la religion civile américaine - article ; n°1 ; vol.48, pg 5-20

Michael Phelan

Description

Archives des sciences sociales des religions - Année 1979 - Volume 48 - Numéro 1 - Pages 5-20
16 pages
Source : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Archives-des-sciences-sociales-des-religions
• Publié le: 01 janvier 1979
• Nombre de lectures: 50
• Langue: Français
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Michael Phelan
Transcendental Meditation. A Revitalization of the American
Civil Religion / La Méditation Transcendantale, une revivification
de la religion civile américaine
In: Archives des sciences sociales des religions. N. 48/1, 1979. pp. 5-20.
Citer ce document / Cite this document :
Phelan Michael. Transcendental Meditation. A Revitalization of the American Civil Religion / La Méditation Transcendantale,
une revivification de la religion civile américaine. In: Archives des sciences sociales des religions. N. 48/1, 1979. pp. 5-20.
doi : 10.3406/assr.1979.2186
http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/assr_0335-5985_1979_num_48_1_2186Arch Sc Soc des Rel 1979 48/1 juillet-septembre) 20
Michael PHELAN
TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION
Revitaliz.ation of the American Civil Religion
Le mouvement de la Méditation Transcendantale est hui
non seulement largement admis mais encore institutionalise puisque
sa doctrine est enseignée dans certaines écoles publiques pratiquée
par les membres des corporations compris les athlètes profession
nels et il même été cité dans le rapport du Congrès
La T.M prétend obtenir un soulagement immédiat du stress et
faire de ses adeptes des êtres imbattables en même temps elle
se propose de créer une société idéale Alors que ses animateurs
prétendent que la M.T est une forme unique de conscience béné
fique pour tous certains psychologues estiment que la méditation
attire plutôt des sulets anxieux ayant une conduite compulsive et
obsessionnelle
A.F Wallace estime que le mysticisme est pratiqué par des
mouvements monothéistes de réveil afin de soigner la dépression
et que le réveil est en lui-même une réponse au bouleversement
culturel et aux divisions qui en résultent En appliquant la théorie
de Bellah sur la religion civile américaine on peut voir dans la
M.T un renouveau des valeurs traditionnelles américaines qui assi
milent succès et vertu et dont la cote avait beaucoup baissé dans
les années 60 Puisant sa légitimité dans ancienneté de sa tradition
et la vérification scientifique la M.T permet ses adeptes effec
tuer une ré-synthèse en identifiant aux idéaux traditionnels et par
là de percevoir comme accessible un statut supérieur par rapport
une religion civile dépréciée et une contre-culture radicale Ce
processus identification et de réaffirmation est décrit métaphori
quement comme une transcendance et exprimé par le symbole de
invincibilité travers lui se manifeste la fonction sociale conser
vatrice de la M.T qui par de nouveaux moyens symboliques
véhicule des valeurs conventionnelles tendant créer une image de
soi plus satisfaisante et idéologiquement légitimée
The author wishes to express his appreciation for the generous assistance of Ronald
McAllister in the development of this paper ARCHIVES DE SCIENCES SOCIALES DES RELIGIONS
INTRODUCTION
The practice of Transcendental Meditation has become commonplace in
American society People of all age groups meditate and it has become so
widely accepted and respectable that TM has been taught in some public schools
That the practice of meditative technique derived from an Eastern mystical
tradition has been integrated into any conservative American institution an idea
unthinkable in the fifties is deserving of an explanation It is the thesis of this
paper that the success of TM is due to its reintegration of cultural values within
the American belief system in particular that it is revitalization of the American
civil religion
Meditators are often in professions which are socially prestigious However
TM is being opposed by many religious groups who believe that it is religious
practice Recently New Jersey court ordered halt to the teaching of TM in
public schools The decision was the result of suit filed by organizations such
as the Coalition for Religious Integrity and the Americans United for Separation
of Church and State 1)
The practice of meditation itself involves closing the eyes and repeating
mantra Hindu word said to be meaningless which is chosen for its suitab
ility for the individual meditator This has the affect of calming mental activity
Supposedly awareness is directed inward until the mind experiences pure aware
ness which is described as being awake inside without being aware of anything
except awareness itself and as an intimate glimpse of the innermost aspect
of the self Meditators who achieve this state regularly can direct their
energy toward the fulfillment of goals
The goals of meditators involve overcoming the stress of modem society
The goal of the Science of Creative Intelligence as the educational branch of the
TM organization is called is to change that society itself by increasing the
number of meditators to one percent of the world population In this way
global qualitative improvement all aspects of individual life must lead to
parallel improvement in all aspects of the social environment including the design
of social institutions To accomplish this end Maharishi Malesh Yogi founder
of TM has developed the World Plan Its seven objectives are
To develop the full potential of the individual
To improve governmental achievements
To realize the highest ideals of education
To solve the problems of crime and all behavior that brings unhappiness to
the family of man
To bring fulfillment to the economic aspirations of the individual and society
To maximize the intelligent use of the environment
To achieve the spiritual goals of mankind in this generation 4)
Virginia ADAMS Tom FARRELL Ruling Leaves No Room for Meditation
New York Times October 23 1977
Harold BLOOMFIELD D. Michael Peter CAIN Dennis JAPPE TM* Disco
vering Inner Energy and Overcoming Stress New York Delacorte 1975
Ibid. 13 192 TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION
While admitting that these goals are not new the organization refutes critics
who take these utopian aims lightly by stressing the uniqueness and achievements
of the Science of Creative Intelligence and the strategy of the World Plan The
World Plan and the entire TM organizational network is overseen by the Government which is divided into ten Ministries The organization claims
that TM is unique in being fourth state of consciousness different from every
other state of being The achievements of TM are said to include the relatively
new Sidhi Program This is development of the standard practice of meditation
which is said to allow the individual to overcome the physical environment
Using the advanced technique the meditator is said to be endowed with enhanced
extrasensory perception to be able to become invisible and even to fly The
organization has released photographs showing meditators in lotus position several
inches off the floor In general the Sidhi Program is said to allow for invincibility
The fundamental principles of Transcendental Meditation perhaps can best
be summed up in this quotation
The fundamental premise of the psychology of fulfillment is that within
every person exists seemingly inexhaustible center of energy intelligence and
satisfaction. To the extent that our behavior depends on the degree of energy
and intelligence available to us this center of pure creative may be
described as that resource which gives direction to all that we experience think
and do 5)
TM AS REVITALIZATION MOVEMENT
The TM objectives and methods are congruous with the criteria of revita-
lization movements defined by Anthony F.C Wallace Wallace suggests that
revitalization movements are any intentional organized endeavors by members
of society which have the goal of creating better culture Since the process
is usually religious revitalization is central to analysing the formation of new
religions cults etc The dualistic aims of TM constitute revitalization in that
they intend to provide for immediate salvation for individuals and attempt to
reconstruct the culture so that an ideal life replaces the present culture
At this writing the TM organizational system is directing intensive efforts
at creating ideal societies at selected areas of the world In the United States
Rhode Island and the State of Washington have been chosen as target areas
All available TM teachers are moving to these states with the intention of forming
teams to integrate with the local society and to instruct least five percent of
the population in meditation Maharishi believes that the affect on these areas
Ibid. 160
Anthony F.C WALLACE Religion An Anthropological View New York Random
House 1966 ARCHIVES DE SCIENCES SOCIALES DES RELIGIONS
after three months will be so dramatic that the results will convince every
government of the full range of effectiveness of the TM program 7)
The creation and progress of TM follows pattern of development
of revitalization rise to popularity during the upheaval of American culture
the 1960s compares with the typical appearance of revitalization following
period of increased individual stress and period of cultural