The Rebbe’s Mission
GOAL #1: THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE WANTED PEOPLE TO EXPOSE THE HINDU BASIS OF TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION
Transcendental Meditation do not state they are a Hindu-based meditation practice, but reaffirm it is an entirely secular practice. There is overwhelming evidence this is not true (e.g. Pujas, Maharishi’s quotes about the Hindu basis of all TM mantras. The Lubavitcher Rebbe wrote a letter on February 21st 1978, 16th Adar I, 5738 "to discourage and include..involvement in Eastern cults”.
GOAL #2: REMOVE TM FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Malnick vs Yogi, Feb 2 1979, the US: Case Summary and Outcome
https://globalfreedomofexpression.columbia.edu/cases/malnak-v-yogi/
“The United States Court of Appeals Third Circuit affirmed a decision of the United States District Court of New Jersey which had found the teaching of an elective course called “The Science of Creative Intelligence – Transcendental Meditation” (SCI/TM) in five New Jersey public high schools constituted an establishment of religion in violation of the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution. A number of plaintiffs issued proceedings in the District Court for New Jersey seeking to enjoin the teaching of the SCI/TM course in public high schools on the basis of the non-establishment clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The Court found that there was sufficient evidence of religious activity and, therefore, the teaching of the SCI/TM course in public schools failed the three-prong test set by the Supreme Court in Committee for Public Education v. Nyquist, for violations of the first amendment’s non-establishment clause, namely that “to pass muster, the action in question must: (1) reflect a clearly secular legislative purpose; (2) have a primary effect that neither advances nor inhibits religion; and (3) avoid excessive government entanglement with religion”. Judge Adams’ concurring and extensive opinion has influenced how “religion” is interpreted in the context of the first amendment, noting that the law had moved towards a broader approach in recognition of the fact that adherence to the traditional definition would deny religious identification to the beliefs adhered to by millions of Americans.”
The Rebbe drew attention to this in his correspondence:
GOAL #3: MEDICAL MODEL OF MEDITATION & THE RELAXATION RESPONSE
The Rebbe wanted to provide alternative, secular meditation to be taught by therapeutic and medical practitioners. This is primarily for people while they require stress-relief, rather than on an ongoing basis. Although nowadays there are many people in long-term therapy and psychotherapeutic medications, so they would fit within the Rebbe’s definition. Why The Relaxation Response? Because it was defined by a Harvard professor and has over 100 scientific studies (approx) attesting to its efficacy. TM refers to 30 studies (approx) which lack scientific credibility, but it is essential to challenge them on the same playing field, and the Relaxation Response is the leading scientifically-proven form of secular mediation. The Rebbe was clear that he wanted a secular form of meditation as opposed to a form of Jewish meditation.
