A Little Bit Culty

Master of the Cultiverse: Patrick Ryan on Transcendental Meditation

9 snips
Dec 27, 2021
Guest
Patrick Ryan
Patrick Ryan, expert in culty oral history, joins Sarah and Nippy to discuss transcendental meditation. The topics covered include the journey into TM, academic enlightenment, brainwashing in cults, hypnosis and the power of suggestion, embracing discomfort, normalization, and making time for meditation and gratitude.
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ANECDOTE

Introduction to TM

  • Patrick Ryan's introduction to Transcendental Meditation (TM) began in high school after Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's appearance on the Merv Griffin Show.
  • Intrigued, he wrote a newspaper article about TM, joined his school's TM club, and eventually learned the practice.
ANECDOTE

TM Initiation and Early Recruitment

  • The TM initiation involved a ritual with fruit, flowers, and a mantra whispered by the teacher.
  • Ryan's parents, concerned about his involvement, encouraged him to speak with a priest and a therapist, whom he subsequently recruited into TM.
ANECDOTE

False Memories of Yogic Flying

  • During a three-month advanced TM course, Ryan experienced what he now recognizes as a false memory of flying, an experience others in the group shared.
  • This powerful internal experience, combined with group validation, deeply impacted him.
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