Reza AslanVerified account

Reza, we never call it a cult. And we note that, for lots of people, TM is a simple relaxation technique. But TM's leaders also claim, on the record, that it can trigger these supernatural powers, including the ability to end war and steer political events.

That's an ancient & well-established belief of Buddhism and practitioners of meditation and mindfulness: that the inner tranquility and release of resentments and angers that it brings can have positive effects on human relations, including decreasing tension: not exotic or weird

Yes. But can they fly?

Usually first class if they get enough followers.

Sure TM is just a meditation technique, however, a money-exchange exclusive club with powerful wealthy people as members is, by nature, both big business and a political entity. (It's a bit funny if Ivanka Trump thinks her brain can alter the world.)

But the headline and the twitter blurb drag the practice, not the shady business or politics of TM. It mocks the most extreme claims of the fringe and makes it sound like a crazy cult. I despise I&J but that's really misleading.

The problem is that TM is a registered trademark so I'm not sure if a journalist can legally separate the practice, (which in general isn't much different from many other forms of meditation), from the company that owns it.

Of course not. But they can frame the headline and clickpoints to read as something other than "check out the goofy crazy thing that I&J do!"