Harvard Divinity School: 'Lessons Learned from a Founder’s Abuse of Power'
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Doug Hamilton
Dec 23, 2022, 9:29:08 PM12/23/22
to Communal Studies Forum
Colloquia,
Lessons learned.
Concluding,
1
3
It is interesting to see that making 'safe space' for members of their L'Arche movement pre-existed in the mission culture of the group before this current time of turmoil in their leadership model. That has not been the case of the TM movement which was always very top-down authoritarian. As is pointed out by an interculturalist who lives in the meditating community, the contemporary TM movement is led by a Lebanese (Tony Nader) in the West and an Indian (Girish Varma) in the East, each coming from cultures seeing leadership as patriarchal top-down authoritarianism.
It would seem from recent experience in the TM communities that reconciliation of the past with the present may require attending to members' sense of safety in the group.
Lessons learned.
Concluding,
"..our spiritual response a humble recognition, that it is true that the best of people are people at best, and this applies especially to founding pioneers of faith based communities and movements. Therefore, the lesson is a warning against idolizing people in the past while allowing authentic, transparent reflection like today to shape a healthier better future."
The link below here is to an example of a community and organization dealing with their learning of a cherished founder's abusive behavior.
These kinds of communal rebuilding narratives often hold insight that I can project onto experiences of the TM (Transcendental Meditation) community.
In skimming the text of this case example, the group's name could easily be changed to the 'TM Community' while the founder's name can also change in the reading..
Brief Excerpts from the Transcript:
"So what happens when something like this comes out?
Our mission, I think, was a really strong driver for what we were trying to do.
It's not just about clearing ourselves off, maybe a perceived sense of guilt, it's about trying to get closer to the truth as we can.
we are a movement of communities
it called us as L'Arche. And our communities to stand up and to show up."
The link below here is to an example of a community and organization dealing with their learning of a cherished founder's abusive behavior.
These kinds of communal rebuilding narratives often hold insight that I can project onto experiences of the TM (Transcendental Meditation) community.
In skimming the text of this case example, the group's name could easily be changed to the 'TM Community' while the founder's name can also change in the reading..
Brief Excerpts from the Transcript:
"So what happens when something like this comes out?
Our mission, I think, was a really strong driver for what we were trying to do.
It's not just about clearing ourselves off, maybe a perceived sense of guilt, it's about trying to get closer to the truth as we can.
we are a movement of communities
it called us as L'Arche. And our communities to stand up and to show up."
This Harvard colloquia link below was posted on to a TM community Facebook group and these comments were given as added consideration to the original post:
1
".. In the Harvard colloquia discussion an aspect that was drawn out was their current sitting with (3) stages of the past of a spiritual movement and community: An early founding period with the charisma of the founder, an administrative era, and a post-founder era colored by what went before.
There was nuance in timing where at what points in that time frame scale the founder would give over his own administration of the movement or even withdraw. The story of this L'Arche group as it is explored is different in detail from TM's, as Maharishi kept his finger on the administrative pulse of the TMO to his end using an administrative team. But the observation of how the three eras play on the present becomes the consideration of something like a 4th era of getting beyond and going forward.
There was nuance in timing where at what points in that time frame scale the founder would give over his own administration of the movement or even withdraw. The story of this L'Arche group as it is explored is different in detail from TM's, as Maharishi kept his finger on the administrative pulse of the TMO to his end using an administrative team. But the observation of how the three eras play on the present becomes the consideration of something like a 4th era of getting beyond and going forward.
2
As the Harvard colloquia notes a 4th era, of possibly moving beyond a past, with a digested past into the future, the L'Arche community is just beginning this 4th era.
But then, this generalized observation of eras gets complicated in the TM shift to a Tony Nader administration in the West and Girish Varma in the East, in their leadership use of power dynamic the last 15 years, and what discovery about communal leadership and trauma that has come out in the last few years that has come to the contemporary era of TM.
But then, this generalized observation of eras gets complicated in the TM shift to a Tony Nader administration in the West and Girish Varma in the East, in their leadership use of power dynamic the last 15 years, and what discovery about communal leadership and trauma that has come out in the last few years that has come to the contemporary era of TM.
3
It is interesting to see that making 'safe space' for members of their L'Arche movement pre-existed in the mission culture of the group before this current time of turmoil in their leadership model. That has not been the case of the TM movement which was always very top-down authoritarian. As is pointed out by an interculturalist who lives in the meditating community, the contemporary TM movement is led by a Lebanese (Tony Nader) in the West and an Indian (Girish Varma) in the East, each coming from cultures seeing leadership as patriarchal top-down authoritarianism.
It would seem from recent experience in the TM communities that reconciliation of the past with the present may require attending to members' sense of safety in the group.
4
As to securing member safety, now 16 years after the death of its founder, TM communities evidently are unsettled in their 4th leadership era:
The 'Separation' in TM
A 'summary' written for some folks who were unaware of circumstances in the contemporary TM community:
"..For the last three or so years (2020-2023),
an administrative TM oligarchy has been expelling long time teachers of TM from the organizations, from teaching TM. This has been happening as administrative action in several places around the world as financial transparency and accountability has been asked for by peoples in the TM community.
This is quite a number of old TM teachers expelled in different places, of long time teachers who were taught to teach meditation by Maharishi. It has been very hurtful of people. The last six months or so it moved from requests for representation to outright separation and formation of separate groups to continue the teaching of meditation and other aspects of Maharishi's teaching separate from "The Global Country of World Peace". The position of the oligarchs would appear irreconcilable at this point."
A 'summary' written for some folks who were unaware of circumstances in the contemporary TM community:
"..For the last three or so years (2020-2023),
an administrative TM oligarchy has been expelling long time teachers of TM from the organizations, from teaching TM. This has been happening as administrative action in several places around the world as financial transparency and accountability has been asked for by peoples in the TM community.
This is quite a number of old TM teachers expelled in different places, of long time teachers who were taught to teach meditation by Maharishi. It has been very hurtful of people. The last six months or so it moved from requests for representation to outright separation and formation of separate groups to continue the teaching of meditation and other aspects of Maharishi's teaching separate from "The Global Country of World Peace". The position of the oligarchs would appear irreconcilable at this point."
5
Reconciliation possibly could come in TM.
The administration and teaching of ™ out in the world awaits the character of good people to lead it.
Reconciliation could come when people in the TM community feel safe from the lawsuits and the hurtful retributions by the raja oligarchs .
Circumstances will all have to get beyond that administrative violence of the raja and ministers of the Global Country of World Peace. .
Preparation for security from the raja oligarchs is needed. This can be worked on by people of good character and good will.
The administration and teaching of ™ out in the world awaits the character of good people to lead it.
Reconciliation could come when people in the TM community feel safe from the lawsuits and the hurtful retributions by the raja oligarchs .
Circumstances will all have to get beyond that administrative violence of the raja and ministers of the Global Country of World Peace. .
Preparation for security from the raja oligarchs is needed. This can be worked on by people of good character and good will.
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