Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!think!bloom-beacon!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!rutgers!mtunx!mtuxo!mtune!petsd!cjh
From: cjh@petsd.UUCP (Chris Henrich)
Newsgroups: sci.misc
Subject: Re: Mantras Sacred and Profane.  Was: Transcendental Meditation....
Message-ID: <1234@petsd.UUCP>
Date: 14 Apr 88 23:39:01 GMT
References: <1126@maccs.UUCP> <549@amethyst.ma.arizona.edu> <404@wpg.UUCP>
Reply-To: cjh@petsd.UUCP (C. J. Henrich)
Organization: Perkin-Elmer DSG, Tinton Falls, N.J.
Lines: 40

In article <404@wpg.UUCP> russ@wpg.UUCP writes:
>
>
>From article <549@amethyst.ma.arizona.edu>, by hdunne@amethyst.ma.arizona.edu (|-|ugh):
>
>Mantras all depend on purring "m" or "n" sounds (prefixed by vowels) to 
>achieve their soothing effects.  Classical examples include "aum", 
>"hum", and "om", which are revered in the religions of India and Tibet, 
>as well as "Mom" and "OM-my-God" (as when you stub your toe).  The 
>latter sounds, BTW, are unintentioned mantras that deliver surefire but 
>fleeting results for the "uninitiated".  For sceptics, the mantric 
>effect is well documented, in anthropological, scientific, and medical, 
>as well as religious, literature.  (Bibliographies available on 
>request).  
Here are some roll-your-own mantras:
"scummmmmmm!!"
"dummmmb problemmmm! dummmmmmmmmb!"
"dummmmmm te dummm dummmmmm" (Dragnet theme)
>
>After perusing some of the possible sound combinations (ibm, for 
>starters!) I have to conclude that Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the foremost 
>proponent of TM, must have been right!
Well, there's another: "tee- emmmmmmmm!"
>   The wrong choice of a mantra 
>COULD have dire consequences for those under the spell.  

Yes indeed, consider James Thurber's _The_Secret_Life_of_Walter_Mitty_.
This is a report on the counter-productive effect of trying to
meditate on the mantra "ta pocketa pocketa."

Regards,
Chris

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