My name is Gina Catena. I’m a Certified Nurse-Midwife and mother of three young adults. My parents were devotees of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (The Beatles’ Guru). For years, friends and acquaintances encouraged me to tell stories about the effects of Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Movement on my family. Trying to be “normal,” I avoided such discussions. Time provides the perspective to address issues of “undue influence” “coercive persuasion” ..errr… “brainwashing” pure and simple.
My parents raised me in devotion to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s Transcendental Meditation Programs, seasoned with a myriad of other psychic healers, astrologers and mystical life directives while avoiding licensed medical providers and discrediting mainstream education. We believed powerful thoughts and meditation would overcome all. I dutifully married, twice, within Maharishi’s Organization before stumbling into mainstream life with three children to obtain higher education and a career. Those three cult-born “children” are now self-sufficient, and compassionate young adults. Whew! We came to life together.
Current: My career as a Certified Nurse Midwife working with the poor provides an intimate view to America’s marginalized families. At a tertiary care medical center, my coworkers are brilliant, humble, compassionate, dedicated and overworked – together we support all variations of birth.
Dear Gina, dont you think your overworked coworkers would benefit from a little extra deep rest to help them recover and enjoy more energy to spend again on their dedicated great work ?
Hello Sol, Thanks for visiting. Are you referring to “deep rest” as the oft-used code terminology for “Transcendental Meditation.”?
I think those (of us) working in the USA health care system would appreciate a more functional system for health care access and delivery.
Dear Gina,
Just wanted to express appreciation for all that you have shared about your TMO experiences. I too was brought into the movement by my parents who became devotees in the sixties. Both went to TTC in Rishikesh and brought our family to courses in Humboldt, Mallorca & Fuiggi, etc. At 17 I, along with my younger brother and sister (14 and 11) were, no other word for it, pressured to become initiators. My mother and those 2 siblings remain very involved with TMO, while my youngest sister and I have taken pains to distance ourselves from the movement, while still staying connected as a family. My father left long ago, disgusted with MMY’s lack of compassion and unwillingness to take responsibility for the many people damaged by “heavy unstressing”. My husband and I cut our ties long ago as well, after learning first hand about MMY’s unscrupulous business dealings and lavish spending on his lifestyle. I never,ever wanted to become a teacher, but was the sort of young person who “goes along with the program” and does what parents say. I thank God that I was old enough when I started TM and experienced the movement to have my own (hidden) thoughts and opinions that eventually developed into actions and decisions that released me from the grip of TMO. My youngest sister always had a mind of her own and so was never sucked in. The other 2 are a different story.
Thank you again for your work and your voice and kudos for being a midwife as well! (All my children were born at home with midwives attending)
All The Best to you and your family!
Thank you, Stephanie, for your kind words! We may know one another from years ago.
Kudos to you and your husband for seeing through Maharishi’s smoke-and-mirrors, to leave and create your own life! Good job!
Yes, the TMO “family” is a big bag to carry — Ongoing family juggles here too, into the next generation.
Best of luck with yours!
Again thank you for your kind support.
If you travel west, please jot me a line and we can meet for Raja’s Cup tea or Amrit Kalash (NOT!)… coffee, wine or a hike!
g
That would be lovely! Will certainly make contact next time I’m in the Bay Area. If you ever find yourself in Oregon, please let me know as well.
Many, many thanks,
Stephanie
Steph’
We’re on! One day…
g