“If you can clean the windows of perception, everything looks clear" - Wally Staffan and Thomas here! We just wanna say thanks again to Wally, our own Yoda! It’s wild how many hours you can spend with someone and still feel you can keep on listening and learning. Thanks Wally for being so passionate about spreading your wisdom. And thanks to Brian and everyone else we met in this very unique and unusual town of Fairfield. We are continuing our meditations, and we hope you enjoyed this video :) Please let us know in the comments. We love ya Yes Fam!
I'd just like to say that this can't possibly be a fair representation of the average experience, because of the fact that you're filming. Anyone would be aware of a camera and adjust their actions accordingly, especially a cult leader who knows (and counts on) that this will reach other people. I don't think that this video shouldn't be made... but if people take it at face value, it is essentially advertising for a cult. You paid them to advertise for them... just think about that.
12:20 Physician here, just to help clarify this. He is correct in stating that chronic high levels of cortisol are linked to increases in cholesterol levels which is clearly not ideal. The rest is well, less correct, or even just false. Cortisol is also needed to live and we all have it within us, just like cholesterol. The bad is excess of LDL Cholesterol, especially with low HDL cholesterol and increased cortisol levels (happens due to hormonal imbalances or chronic cortisol treatments). Excess LDL Cholesterol is directly linked to plaque formation in the arteries, which when occluded can result in brain infarcts and heart attacks, both which could be fatal, especially if the patient has other risk factors such as diabetes or smoking. Increased cortisol levels creates a whole syndrome on the other hand, known as Cushing's, which is also very bad overall, with associated risk of obesity, osteoporosis, diabetes, etc.
its pretty clear that the "Physician" in the video is not real doctor or scientist, even if he had studied medicine his work can not be objective since he wants to prove that the meditation works. Real scientist could accept defeat when his own view doesnt align with reality.
Our bodies make cholesterol in addition to getting it from outside sources. It repairs our body. The problem arises in much of the so-called foods eaten in a western or modern diet. Before the turn of the century there were no highly processed foods and now almost everything that is purchased inside a store falls into that category. Many do not know the correlation to what has been accepted into the mainstream now as fact in regards to what is healthy for us, etc. RJ Reynolds and Phillip Morris bought into the food business and turned their scientists loose on their newly acquired products to make them as addictive and unhealthy as they could so that they could then sell them the remedy in the pharmaceutical companies that they own stock or outright own. Seed / Vegetable oils are nothing but pure poison and should never be ingested. They cause nothing but inflammation and disease in the human body. High fructose corn syrup is full of mercury due to the way it's manufactured. Many of the grains used in cereals and other foods is GMO and on top of that has high levels of glyphosate "Roundup" which is highly toxic and has been shown to cause cancer. The tobacco companies paid a lot of money to influence what we now know as the food pyramid. They try to tell you that animal fats are bad but their highly processed seed oils are good for you. And we wonder why obesity, disease and cancer are on the rise in the western world.
I’m from Fairfield and I would highly suggest folks also keep in mind there’s a whole other side of Fairfield that isn’t TM. There are farmers, public school teachers, and everyone in between. This video is very misleading in the sense that this whole town is a cult. Although I myself am not a believer of TM, Fairfield is full of other vibrant experience like art walks, community theater, and sporting events. This is one very small side of Fairfield that some of us choose to keep separate from the rest.
The really should of stated Vedic City rather then Fairfield. It makes it seem like this is all Fairfield is which is far from accurate. My dad's family is from Fairfield born and raised and they were not apart of MUM. My uncle was actually the sheriff for many years.
As a graduate of Maharishi's University, I appreciate and thank all the local Fairfield people. Without you and your support the university community would not have had such beautiful place they call home. It's true that the local Fairfield people of Iowa has wonderful things offer as well, but at the same time what has made Fairfield internationally and throughout the US popular is the university and the meditating community. That is the real uniqueness of Fairfield compared to any other Midwestern small town. Today I don't see any chance of one without the other - the two communities have been beautifully integrated and make the best of life. What can make life even better in Fairfield is to understand each other better, share experiences and communicate more openly.
@@BarisTurkkanMAGA ❤️🤍💙. UNITE and stop fighting. I find my peace and serenity in nature and I find I don't have to pay millions of dollars for that, is just insane. Sorry. But whatever works for you, I personally like solitude. People are to weird THESE days and the ego is dangerous. Especially if you are TAX exemption status on your NDA. No thanks. I'm at maximum peace and enlightened, I have a Dome on the mountain over, I have been there, IT is high energy harvester's of ancient past, that everyone can get for free. Peace to everyone in this next reset. Let us make sure OUR America's are safe and sound and help the less fortunate. Or is everyone delt with the card's they hold. If you are trying to find your peace, how can you without helping other's, I find that arrogant and selfish that only seems the people with the means can go to the town and live w/o the Chao's of reality. Just wondering. Because I am poor, could I go and just be there, and just be taught something that everyone posseess anyway??? See the conundrum and the truth of the cult question. Scientologists are definitely involved in trafficing children and adults and sexual abuse's, your all adults having freak offs in your local community, as long as no children are Involved, fine, IT'S America. But again TAX exemption status IS A CULT.
As a resident of Fairfield, who is not involved in the Vedic practices, but not a native to the town (been here for about 20 years) Vedic city is only one small portion of what Fairfield has to offer. We are a very culturally diverse town with a lot more to offer than what is being advertised here. The isolationism isn’t as prevalent as one would think. Even for the pundits that attend from India, they are likewise engrained into the city. TM is a lifestyle that you can subscribe to, or not. In the 20 years I’ve been here, neither I, my family, or my friends have been approached or “coerced” to join the movement. Outsiders are free to come and go as they please in Vedic City, and even the residents of the city often have various businesses and jobs outside the confines of the city. The only true requirement that has been adhered to is the meditation schedule, and to be honest, it’s no different than going to church daily. They go, do their thing at the dome and then leave back to their lives. There IS a pull to Fairfield, but at least for the ones I know, who have left and come back, it’s due to a very steeped culture we have. For the most part, we aren’t judgemental of others beliefs, we are one of the top cities for sustainability in Iowa, we boast a steer towards personal and physical health, and we live our lives as we see fit. Outside of Fairfield, Jefferson county is a rich farm-based countryside.
Cool vid. The one thing I really like about you guys is the lack of drama, which is something humans are becoming more and more attracted to these days. Stay positive and stay safe. Looking forward to your next installment.
"This building actually has nothing in it... I just put 10 hits of acid into each of your cocktails" 🤣🤣🤣 Okay that was funny, Brian seems like a great guy.
My jaw dropped when I saw the thumbnail of this video! I grew up less than an hour from Maharishi and would compete in sports/music against kids from the nearby town of Fairfield. It’s a shockingly diverse city because of Maharishi and I admired that, but I was never able to find someone who could tell me what exactly went on within its confines and my parents (who are very knowledgeable about the area) would give me very vague answers whenever I asked. Never did I think Yes Theory would explore somewhere so close to home for me, so thank you!!!
I've tried a less exclusive version of "Transcendental Meditation" called 6-R Mindfulness Meditation developed by Bhante. An executive functioning coach of mine introduced me to it (he's even done a couple meditation retreats in-person facilitated by Bhante). Best way I can describe it is that it feels like falling asleep but not actually being asleep. Some of my meditation sessions have ended in falling asleep though 😅
@@definitelynotclickbait8283 Well the general stuff like clarity of mind for that part of the day and not being stressed or emotionally rocked by feelings as much. I don't do this everyday but it does help when I do it. And I just read on Wikipedia that Bhante died last year. His legacy will live on in the loving kindness 6-Rs 🙏
I think a lot of commenters are missing the point of this channel. They aren't doing investigative journalism. Their whole purpose is experiencing new things and new parts of humanity in the most immersive and least judgmental way they can. As someone who grew up in a cult and benefited greatly in my exit from people doing exposé pieces and deep research into the worst aspects, leave those things for the many other people who already work on them. Our world needs unique approaches like Yes Theory.
I love how yes theory approaches so many different cultures with love and respect. The channel is a great way to see aspects of the world that are normally out of reach. Please keep up this unique form of journalism.
With all due respect, for me this was a waaaaaaaaaaaaaay to uncritcal video. its good to see things more optimically than usual and really like this aspect of yes theory . still , i think some more critical quesitons would have been appropiate and a deeper dive into the controversies surrounding this place rather than just mentioning them
Agreed… enjoying an experience is fine, but if something is mired in controversy, it’s important to talk about that part of it too. It seemed a bit one sided and an unfinished video/topic.
@@mydogisbailey They only show one aspect of it, one that cannot even be trusted as real since everyone is aware cameras are rolling and based on that we make up our mind? ah yes, a good method indeed
While I fully respect you guys for going out there and being open minded and just experiencing something. I can't help but feel that ultimately you're just doing a puff-piece for what very well might be (and definitely sounds like) a cult. Simply saying that 'there are negative stories you can find online' but that you personally could not find a single negative thing to say feels like hand-waiving the issue. Not actually including a single person's account of their bad experiences or evidence of bad practices by the TM organisation to contrast the nice experience you had personally is, in my opinion, incredibly irresponsible! Also, considering you mentioned in the video how there have been people that claimed to have to pay 'substantial sums' to climb ranks, not mentioning whatsoever what the constants money transfers were for and how much they were seems like an oversight. I understand that you're not investigative journalists, but some standard of objectivity needs to be upheld when you have a potentially highly impressionable audience and you're tackling a subject as controversial as this. You have a responsibility in creating videos such as these to, at the very least, inform your audience of both sides adequately, lest you end up convincing someone to actually join a cult based on your positive 'review', so to speak.
Really it is just a video like many they make in their travels. Don’t you think people are intelligent enough to make their own decisions about participating or just viewing as any other video. Freedom of expression is allowed even if you have decided it is a dangerous cult, which I don’t think it is.
@WillFinch-k4j Of course you should expect people to do their own research. But they have a big following and there will be people who blindly believe their favourite youtuber. As a channel with such a huge following it kinda is importantl to show both sides on such topics. Pretty sure you would talk differently if they would make a video about lets say scientology and how amazing the 4 days were and how friendly everyone is, etc.
11:41 Aa soon as this guy started talking, I got Scientology vibes. Taking courses, getting clear, outlandish promises that completely unrelated things will get better...? No thanks. If it is promising everything for almost nothing, it is a scam. If that scam is operating like a religion, it is a cult.
Wally DeVasier is not 71, he is 63 and he's not a doctor. Or, rather, his degree isn't from an accredited college. This is a less aggressive, smaller version of Scientology. You give them money and your life is supposed to improve in every way. It is a cult and a scam.
Wally DeVasier is not 71, he is 63 and he's not a doctor. Or, rather, his degree isn't from an accredited college. They ask you for money and then promise you the world? Their leader is not who he says he is? Yeah, that's a cult and a scam.
Wally is not 71, he is 63 and he's not a doctor. Or, rather, his degree isn't from an accredited college. They ask you to wire them funds and then promise you the world? Their leader is not who he says he is? Yeah, that's a cult and a scam.
And don't even get me started with the "you can achieve everything by doing nothing" LOL - what a bunch of gibberish, nonsense BS he's trying to drill in people's heads
While normally I enjoy watching Yes Theory videos, this 1 felt like a big dissappintment to me. The main issue I had with this video is the lack of transparency. In this video, they only shared a small part of their experience, rather than everything or the majority of it. They did not share any specific things they learned about TM after all those 3+ hours sessions over several days, they did not share anything about how much it costs to join & go through the courses, they did not share anything specific about this town that explains it in more detail and/or what some places in this town are or represent (other than that guru teaching TM there for many years), NOTHING truly valuable If you are gonna go somewhere "strange" and share your experience about something that is controversial, you need to be fully honest, transparent, and share at least 80% of it + interview more locals and get their thoughts about this place - the good AND the bad, and then let ppl come to their own conclusions Instead, these guys only shared about 20% of their experience + info about this town and only 1 perspective/point of view Nothing informative or educational whatsoever in this video for their millions of viewers Very dissappointing to say the least.
I can see your POV on this. However, I think thats the point also is to give the lack of transparency in there journey since this was in fact there very own spiritual journey through this. This should open the door for you to research and dive into this subject if it is in fact something you are interested in and come up with your own experience in doing so. However, I agree with the other comments on this chain, part of there journey is sacred to them and also it is in ways a business to where what they offer does come at some financial cost. We cant lean on UA-cam channels to give us everything that we want.
@lcfflc3887 that just makes it all that much more shady, if you were proud of what you teach - you would be more than happy for someone with a large social media following to share more about it with their audience, rather than next to nothing Just lots of red flags and bad vibes about this "business", which seems kinda fake and not 100% authentic
Actually BOb ROth is the CEO of the David Lynch Foundation, and David Lunch is a painter, first and foremost. Movies are a side-hobby that makes him lots of money.
Would be great to have more transparency on how much they charged you for everything and of course as other commenters have said, more criticism and discussion around the scandals in order to provide more balance.
they were sucked in, like if you start practicing this meditation after being introduced to it i dont think you could have completely honest view on it.
@@evelynreynolds1447i won't call those clips but previews on the intro since he didn't even show them in the video, basically we got clickbaited, they got converted or don't want to get sued.
Staffan is the perfect guy for Thomas to take on this trip! He is so friendly and positive. I love seeing this type of adventure, interacting with locals , type videos Yes theory videos
Ommggg!!! I just started watching this channel and I live in Fairfield! I work at the café at the Maharishi university it was so cool to see your experience here!
You can tell when Thomas is nervous, and Staffan has helped with his nerves. The way Thomas was snug up against Staffan in the church.. You can really tell that this is a brotherhood. Staffan is Thomas's rock.
I'm sorry to see you guys doing such a whitewash. You didn't even try to peek under the covers. This looked very much like a paid infomercial. Some of the things you could have asked: ~ Who gets the money? ~ Once you've learned the basic TM, what expensive extra courses do they try to sell you on? ~ Who did the supposed "scientific" research? ~ What do Jim Carrey and Oprah Winfrey think now? ~ What relationships do the heads of the organization have with Hindu "megachurch" gurus? ~ What relationships do the heads of the organization have with militant Hindu sectarian organizations like the RSS? ~ How much do they charge the TM meditators to get Hindu priests to do prayers for them 12,000 miles away? ~ How many such prayers do they do in a month? ~ How can they prove they've actually done them? ~ When they talk "cultural integrity" (which they do a lot) do they just maybe really mean Hindu "sharia" law? ~ What do they see as the rôle of women? ~ What's their REAL view on the caste system? ~ Is MIU a Trojan Horse for Western Hinduism? ~ What's the drop-out rate from the "university"? I mean, come on guys.
Well spoken. What tilted me, personally, as a physician (I posted a different comment here), was the lack of fact checking when the host starts talking about how cortisol is bad and cholesterol isn't. LDL cholesterol is directly linked to arterial plaque formation and heart attacks/strokes! Increased cortisol chronically is also bad mind you, he is right on that, but I really would've appreciated bare minimum fact checking. I think Yes Theory is used to going to a place and taking people at face value as they tend to just explore areas of the world that are risky/less known, instead of actual journalism, which clearly shows in this episode. It is very different to visit Syria or Afghanistan and assess the people/culture, to visit Tuvalu, or to go to a hotel in a mountain, that it is to interview a possible cult. At least that is my opinion of what happened...
@afungusamungus2860 if tyler olivera can manage to answer questions like these in his videos, these guys could try. Lol obviously thats not their goal here.
This might be the only channel that can always make me smile no matter what the video is. I suffer from intense depression and anxiety and Yes Theory is like a form of meditation for me. Thanks.
Do you have a history of concussions? Think back. Even one mild concussion (mTBI) puts you at 30% increased risk of anxiety/depression. No one will tell you this even though it has been documented in the literature for years.
How lovely you have found this Chanel to help you cope with your depression sweetheart xxx much love and light to you 🙏🏼 I used to suffer from extreme anxiety and found my way through the darkness into light through positive thinking, meditation and projecting love x I no longer suffer from anxiety and live a happy and stress free life so never give up hope of finding who you really are and what you are capable of @nozzzzy
I learned how to do TM about 3 months ago. I was and am still put off by the secrecy and money side of things, but I was in a very dark place and was desperately looking for any solution. I had tried many different types of meditation, therapies and anti-depressants and none of them worked. 3 months into TM I can safely say I have never felt this mental clarity and consistent joy. Again I don’t understand all the weird cult stuff behind it, but I just stick to the technique an instructor taught me and it has changed my life.
BTW Transindental Meditation is a company. People pushing it are often like tupperware sales people. There are many free types of meditation, you dont need that company.
Yeah, just some scammy company like scientology, getting rich off of desperate and influenceable people. I bet there is also some sexcult shit in it and other terrible shit that did not came out yet.
I love that you went into this with a neutral mindset about this. Despite it seeming sketchy at first, and even a little scary, you guys embraced it, and gave it a try. Even if you don't trust the organization itself, the techniques seem like they help you and others.
I’m from Iowa but currently am Parisian neighbor of yours in Montmartre. So cool to see you visit my state that only few know about. You taught me something new! I hope we bump into each other on the streets on the 18eme ❤
I took the TM course during my cancer treatment and it gave me the peace I needed. I felt a level of calmness I could not ever remember feeling. I had tried various forms of meditation, but TM was very simple and most effective. That being said, I chose not to go any further into the organization and appreciate the fact that I have never been pressured to do so or to pay any additional money. Take what you will from that but I can say for me it worked. Cheers!
The attitude of the founder of TM was that you would spontaneously be attracted to the other stuff when you were ready to learn it, and that it was counterproductive to try to convince people to do stuff that they weren't ready to learn and do.
That is so great to hear! The peace it has brought me has also been significant. That first time transcending after years of suffering, brought a wave of peace that had been unmatched. And it was/is SO EASY! I taught it for many years (have since stopped) but I do think it is important that it isn’t pushed on people. I always wanted the next step and am grateful it was there for me! But it was never pushed on me. I sought it out and even when I didn’t know how I would do it, things always worked out for them to happen ❤🙏🏻. I think it was Wally in the video who mentioned support of nature. Call it what you will… good luck, synchronicities, manifestation etc. It happens a lot more frequently when you are doing TM regularly. I definitely have my theories as to why that is, but to put it simply, you just get into flow with the universe and your highest good, which makes a lot of things in life more enjoyable and rewarding 🎉
@@erin_skipper I wholeheartedly agree with your take on TM. Thank you for sharing. It is an innate skill we all possess but just need the process to connect to it. Cheers!
Got the same vibes. Possibly they felt a bit of anxiety related to gathering information from the opposing point of view. Unique to think of these guys having anxiety about that considering the places they've been and the things they've done haha
And my comment got deleted for saying that "I bet this is a goddamn cult that has a lot of bodies to hide and is probably some insane XXX-cult". Also said that "I bet the CEO or whatever prays on the money of people that are desperate and have other problems, just like scient*logy does".
Your comment makes zero sense. Who is being worshipped for you to use the word "Cult". And why should a paid service reveal every secret on a public video when they charge celebrities a lot of money for this knowledge. Please use your critical thinking, it will help you.
I have been there many times. Take what you want and leave the rest. Majority of people are very kind, but like any place in the world, one needs to use discernment.
@@SsLA2313 Among the early settlers that first located in the eastern part of Iowa were comparatively few of foreign birth. The great tide of European emigration to North America had not yet set in. Thus the first influx of settlers into the first and second "Black Hawk Purchases" came almost exclusively from the eastern states. It was first in the forties and the fifties that European emigrants in greater numbers began to reach the shores of United States, and spread westward over the great prairies in the interior where they have so largely contributed to the upbuilding of this great agricultural section. The Scandinavians, the Germans, the Irish, the Dutch, the Poles, and the Bohemians, have each contributed their large quota to the population of these middle states among which Iowa today occupies such a prominent place. None of these foreign nationalities (excepting the Germans) has played a greater part than the Swedes in the reclaiming of the great prairies from their primeval condition. Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, and the Dakotas, each received its valuable contribution of sturdy Swedish settlers, and the prosperous communities of their children and grandchildren now dot the plains of these states, and bear eloquent testimony to the foresight, industry and perseverance of those early pioneers. Of hardy Norse stock, and from early childhood inured to hardships, the Swedish immigrants who arrived here in the latter half of the nineteenth century were men and women especially fitted for the struggle, that confronted the homesteader on the western prairies, and they did their part with a courage and a vision that gave them rank among the most desirable of our early immigrant farmers. Their rugged honesty and straightforwardness, their respect for law and government, their love of liberty, and their ability to read and write their own language, made them, from their first arrival in this country, worthy residents who soon developed into valuable citizens, known and esteemed for their devotion to their adopted country and its institutions. As most of the Swedish immigrants came from the rural districts of their native land, their chief desire was to acquire ownership of a home and a piece of land. This desire attracted them to the western prairies, instead of the more densely populated eastern states, and made them brave the dangers and the hardships incident to pioneering in a new country. Many of them located on homesteads, and took up their first abode in a dugout, a sod house or a log cabin. Others purchased railroad land, or bought out earlier settlers who had tired of frontier life and were ready to dispose of their holdings. Their unfamiliarity with the English language and their devotion to their own form of religious services, in the only language that spoke to their heart, caused the Swedish pioneers to settle in groups, whenever convenient. Thus more or less compact Swedish settlements sprang up in various places all over the state of Iowa, and wherever a number of Swedish families located, a little frame church soon raised its spire heavenward, indicative of the religious fervor and fear of God that characterized those early pioneers. While, as stated above, no considerable number of Swedish immigrants reached the western states before 1840, some scattered ones came over much earlier. We have no record of who these earlier ones were, or where they located, but now and then a purely Swedish name appears in the early annals of the various eastern counties of Iowa. According to the census of 1850, there were living in Iowa at that time only 23.1 persons born in Sweden. Ten years later their number had increased to 10,796, and the census of 1910 numbers the inhabitants in Iowa of Swedish parentage at 66,135, counting the first and second generation. Owing to the anti-foreign agitation during and after the world war, which caused many American-born children of foreign parents to ignore their foreign ancestry, I have found the 1910 census more reliable than either of the two later ones, and for that reason have made use of the 1910 figures as a basis for report on the Swedish population in counties and cities of the state. Among the first known Scandinavians in Iowa was a Norwegian sailor by the name of Alexander Crookshanks who lived in Lee county, where he owned a big farm as early as 1833. A Dane by the name of N. C. Boye is mentioned in Muscatine county in 1837. In Des Moines county there lived in 1836 three families by the name of Anderson and two by the name of Nelson, but, although these are common Swedish names, they might also be of English or Scotch origin. The first permanent Swedish settlement in the state of Iowa was the so-called Cassel colony which was founded in 1845 at New Sweden in Jefferson county. Smaller Swedish colonies had before that year been established in Wisconsin, as the Friman settlement at Salem, in 1838, and the Unonius colony at Pine Lake, in 1841, but to Cassel belongs the distinction of leading the first large party of emigrants from Sweden into one of the prairie states of America, and founding a community that is still in existence. The second Swedish colony in Iowa was founded in 1846 at Swede Point, in Boone county, by the Dalander family. Its name was later changed to Madrid, by which name it is still known. In due time, a number of smaller settlements sprang up in the vicinity of Madrid, at Boonesboro, Moingona, Pilot Mound, Boxholm, and Ogden. The town of Burlington, in Des Moines county, became from the beginning a kind of port of entry for Swedish immigrants arriving in Iowa, and, as a result, a goodly number of them located in that town. Colonel F. Brydolph had his home there as early as 1846, and four years later the Swedes in and around Burlington were said to number 200. The Burgholm colony, in Wapello county, was founded in 1847. Its name was later changed to Munterville, in honor of a Swedish school teacher by the name of Munter. Other settlements were started at Dayton, in Webster county, and at Swede Bend (Stratford) in Hamilton county, about 1849. At Swedesburg, in Henry county, and at Chariton, in Lucas county, Swedish colonies were founded before 1850; and in Clayton and Allamakee counties Swedish settlers were found in the early fifties. Other settlements were started in the fifties in Lee, Muscatine, Guthrie, Kossuth, and Calhoun counties. From these earlier settlements the Swedish colonists migrated to other localities, and between 1860 and 1870, new communities of Swedish farmers grew up in Winnebago, Woodbury, Marshall, Montgomery, Clay, Page, Mitchell, Pocahontas, and other counties. Of a later date are the Swedish colonies in Appanoose, Clinton, Cherokee, Palo Alto, and Linn counties, besides which small communities of Swedes are now found in many other localities in the state.
Man, this video felt kinda uncomfortable to watch. This feels like a very incomplete video with almost zero critical thinking or any challenges presented to the people run the "organisation."
actually in the beginning they were open and very skeptical....their meditation experiences led them to greater experiences...they leave it all open to the individual....
I went to a local TM center about 8 years ago, and I’ve been meditating everyday ever since. It has done literal wonders for my well-being (in combination with therapy). I wasn’t really into the lectures and one can call the organization whatever, but the method is very effective.
@@jeffkapec4045same! I started in 1995 (after having learned it as a child, but not practicing for over 7 years). I had hid a rock bottom with drugs and alcohol and sat down to meditate one day out of desperation. It was so profoundly peaceful and I was completely enveloped in a feeling of love. I stopped drinking, smoking, and doing drugs immediately, without effort. I just didn’t want those things any more. It saved my life then, and has done so many times since. I haven’t had alcohol since then and have since done other therapies and recovery programs to dive deeper into healing trauma, but TM alone has done wonders to bring me peace of mind and body ❤
Meditation is a thing people can do. You do not need a guru. Being a decent person is a thing people can do. You do not need a religion. Being in your own control and power is a thing people can do. You do not need a leader. Wake up. Grow up.
Heres the practice for FREE :) 1. Find a Quiet Space Choose a comfortable and quiet location where you won’t be disturbed. 2. Sit Comfortably Sit in a comfortable position with your back straight. You can sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor or cross-legged on a cushion. 3. Close Your Eyes Gently close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to relax your body and mind. 4. Use a Mantra TM involves silently repeating a specific mantra. The mantra is typically a meaningless sound or word given to you during your TM training. If you haven’t been taught a specific mantra, you might use a general sound such as "Om" or "Shanti." Repeat the mantra silently in your mind, allowing it to flow effortlessly. 5. Focus on the Mantra As you repeat the mantra, if thoughts, distractions, or feelings arise, gently bring your focus back to the mantra. It’s normal for the mind to wander; simply acknowledge the thoughts and return to the mantra. 6. Meditate for 15-20 Minutes Continue this process for about 15-20 minutes. You can use a timer to keep track of the time without checking your watch. 7. Ending the Session When you’re ready to finish, stop repeating the mantra and sit quietly for a minute or two with your eyes closed. Gradually return to the present moment before opening your eyes. 8. Practice Regularly It’s recommended to practice TM twice daily for 15-20 minutes, ideally in the morning and evening.
This ain't no TM - not everything free is more valuable... Get properly trained if you want to experience it or gain the benefits mentioned for TM practice. It's worth the investment for yourself. If you really can't cover the course fee you can get scholarships as well....
@@TouchoftheTism420 Speaking from experience, it absolutely is not. I have no idea if meditation has any real benefits, but I suspect it's exactly like Christianity- entirely rooted in how gullible you're willing to be.
I’ve been practicing TM for about 14 years. I only ever paid $ for the initial course and have never been pressured to pay more not even for the smartphone app when it launched a few years ago. The brief offering at the beginning of the course (flowers, fruit) is less dogmatic than it sounds…it was to pay respect to the teacher. A great respect for teachers is part of many Asian cultures, including the sub continent. As for the technique itself, when I use it correctly (20 min. of meditation/twice a day), I feel better than when I don’t. The TM technique has assisted me in getting through some very tough times in my life. I find it particularly helpful in getting through the battering ram that is grief.
I have had the same experience, it truly is a tool that helps me on this journey of life. I’m not as consistent as I would like to be, but when I am, I feel grounded and calm and can handle anything.
I have been practicing TM for 7 years. There are centers teaching this technique and group meditation all over the world, I am Brazilian. Yes, you pay to take the course and learn the technique, but you can attend group meditation meetings if you want. I learned the technique and practiced it at home alone. I tried several meditation techniques and this was the one that worked best for me.
First of all let me start by saying this: To each their own. But this was not really one of the videos that I would usually learn from to some extent. With that being said, this feels, looks and sounds like a cult and as we all know cults are dangerous. I genuinely do not know how I feel about this whole experience you guys went on. However, you guys are adults and have free will, so obviously you can do and document whatever you want.
Thanks for this beautiful presentation of an American destination! I see both in the video and in the comments that Fairfield is a truly amazing place for all sorts of reasons. I'm a Nordic national with a secure life in Taiwan. Fairfield has entered into my wishlist for places to visit. "The world is our family" ❤
Thanks for yet again showing the world things that most of us don’t know about. I absolutely love how time after time you always get back so much love.
I took the TM course about 50 years ago. I have not practiced TM regularly for the whole time, but it has always been there when I needed it. I find that, all the religious trappings aside, it is a helpful technique for stress reduction and clarity.
Really enjoyable, penetrating look into a meditating community. Everyone so open and honest and real. No one compelled to do anything other than follow their own bliss. Staffan and Thomas notice the benefits of meditation right from the start - first hand - and are free to take it or leave it. No cult pressure to be anyone other than their own best selves.
“It’s just different” 😅😅😅 indeed it is! And that is why, after living all over the country and, most recently Europe, I keep returning to Fairfield. It is different. There is community, kindness, creativity, and love. I enjoyed meeting you guys and think you did an amazing job capturing the complexities, but also the essence of why people like living here. It would be impossible to capture ALL of the nuances and beauty of this bizarre little town in one video. When I moved back from EU this summer, I wanted to start making videos to showcase some of what makes Fairfield so unique. I’m grateful for all the beautiful weirdos who have devoted themselves to their meditation practice here for so many years because they laid the foundation of good vibes that we still benefit from. These days, many people move here who have nothing to do with TM, but they know it is an interesting community and crave peace. I love the friendliness, synchronicities, deep connections, and conversations that can happen everyday, everywhere you go. Even the grocery store 😅
Idk how people can watch this and come away feeling like it was an advertisement for this place. The two giant meditation "domes", the odd segmentation of the residential areas, the very strange and oversized installations, and frankly, the people... All of this was very off putting and uncomfortable. While I was familiar with TM prior to this video, I didn't know about this town or its connection to TM. Suffice to say, I'm less interested in TM than I was before and I find the town quite unsettling. I get that they didn't say or find anything explicitly negative, but there were definitely undertones of strangeness and anxiety, as well as clear cinematography of the town that captured its weirdness. So while I'm often critical of Yes theory videos, I'm not sure this is really one of those times... Delving into the bulk of the controversy and history of TM, this particular town, its leader, etc., is like a 6-hour documentary effort minimum. That's not what this channel does. Any reasonable person can understand they were given a very curated experience and draw their own conclusions from the scenery and the people.
Just because a person, place or event is strange to you doesn't mean that it is in fact, strange. It's just different from what you are used to seeing or being around. Fear of the unknown is all I'm seeing here in the comments.
Just a note: I am almost 60, and in middle school, we ALL were taught TM techniques...it was very different in 1977.... The problems are not in TM techniques but in the very questionable practices of some in the organization. I STILL use TM in my life, but I never subscribed to the Maharishi being all-knowing and able to literally transcend the physical realm. Its common knowledge that some very shady things happened at one time...I'm also wondering where all the students are?
As a native of Fairfield, I am happy to see you guys made the visit and put an honest effort into seeing what TM is really about. That said, it is disappointing that the younger generation isn't highlighted nearly as much as it could have been. There's little mention of the cultural diversity at the University, and it seems the older generation decided to 'keep the show to themselves' rather than highlight the vibrant community the younger generation brings to the town. These are the same people that are reaping the most financial benefit of anyone, and they've been doing so since the inception of the movement here; some may say to a fault. We have ethnic restaurants that are staples of the community, as well as a rare GEM of a space in Noble House Kava that promotes community and provides a safe space for all to enjoy. The separation between generations in this town is an apparent problem, and unfortunately it shows in this video. Hopefully you'll visit again and have the opportunity to experience all of what Fairfield has to offer.
SO STOKED that you are still posting fascinating new stories, since I've already binged on every vid you ever posted on this channel, and now wading deeply into the content on SEEK DISCOMFORT. Rock on, gentlemen!
I have been watching you guys from the beginning and have always been jealous of your adventures. This video takes place 2 hours from where I live, I am embarrassed that I did not know this town existed and I realize that there are still adventures to be had without even leaving Iowa.
What a ride of feelings, was blown away by the fact this was video was in Iowa, probably an hour from where I am. I've been in this state for my whole life and knew of this town, but never came across a thing about this whole practice or community if you would. I'm a little sad I missed the chance to meet you two, but to see the light you have shown to this state and very positive community is awesome. I might have to go check this place out because at least most time these kind of establishments don't get the light they deserve. If you ever do happen to stumble into Iowa I hope to see the both of you lol and thank you for everything Yes Theory does it a beacon of light.
I lived in Fairfield from 1981 until 1997. I was meditator from 1974 until 1994. Then I quit. It's a cult. I wrote several papers in college about the Transcendental Meditation organization. I never went back to Fairfield and I don't meditate any more.
You guys did a really good job on this video. I'm subscribed to you now. Thank you for this visit back to Fairfield where my husband and I lived for 15 plus years. quote @angelstar22
i was admitted into one of their masters programs - went for orientation new student week - and it didn’t feel right so i left and dropped out of the program. definitely weird things going on
I looked into picking up classes to maintain my education licensure. I live in Fairfield; I’d rather take classes in person than on-line. MIU would not allow me to enroll in classes unless I also became a meditator.
so nothing super wild since i was only there for a week. but definitely felt like they were OBSESSED with the main guru guy and were very secretive about their done which i was able to enter because of the orientation but i snuck other friends in with me. they were very in the box thinking when i asked a question they would basically not answer if it was anything that deviated from their thoughts and practices. it also felt like people around campus were placed strategically to meet certain people like very controlled encounters. for example the person who picked me up at the airport was from the same country my father is from which felt so random since it was middle of nowhere iowa and my dads country is small. i didn’t like the vibe overall and even though my program was online just 2x a semester on campus i decided to drop because i thought it felt cult-y and very narrow minded. this was in 2019
also they didn’t show a lot of the facilities but like the dining room and food was not very good and there are hundreds of international students there
I’m so shocked!! I’m born & raised in Fairfield and can’t believe you came all the way to the cornfields! It’s double hilarious because I’m in Europe right now. I love you guys and your inspire me every day ❤
This has been a really good watch! A lot of people in the comments seem to have wanted it to be something more than the actual experience of Thomas and Steffan. People can make up their opinions based on what's shown and prior insuniated by the title but some adventures could also turn out differently. That's what YES Theory is all about!
I've been TMing since 2018 and it has helped a lot. I grew up in a yelling household and had a lot of aggression and anxiety. I took the course here in Las Vegas so it was easy. Nothing culty about it from my perspective. When I feel myself out of gas I can better recognize it and just sit for 15-20 minutes and feels like I just had a cup of coffee. GREAT VIDEO!! As always :)
I've been practicing TM regularly, twice a day, for 49 years. It's great. It's not a cult or a religion, it's a technique that many doctors recommend. And it's enjoyable. It's done a lot for me and I'm so grateful I've had it all these years.
I've been practicing TM every day for 53 years. The rest and relaxation are so deep it makes sleep seem like work! I can't begin to describe all the benefits I've received.
Fun fact: John Hagelin, though a PhD physicist, suggested NATO create and deploy a special meditating corps in order to stop the Kosovo war back in the 90s
I remember having the Ram Dass book "Be Here Now" when I was a teen in the 80´s and it literally changed my whole life and way of thinking about humanity and the world around us
I hate to focus on the negatives here as I’ve been a fan for many years, but recently I’ve felt a strong disconnect between the community and the channel on a number of fronts - this video seems to be the cherry on top. Please know that this criticism comes from a place of love. This video raised a concern that others have voiced in a number of your other videos (see Graham Hancock), in which you often tell stories with limited perspectives. I understand that the focus of this content is on the experience that you personally had - which I always appreciate - but omitting the many other negative stories that have risen from the group, the controversy of financial investment in the program, and the cult-like nature of following the teachings of a single historical figure is frankly negligent to your audience. As much as I love the Yes Fam, there are many highly impressionable young people within the group who would accept the perspectives that you provide with little challenge. By leaving out key information around the other perspectives of Maharashi and Fairfield, you’ve imparted a profoundly positive message about what could be a potentially very dangerous influence on someone’s life. Not to go too Uncle Ben over here, but the power that you hold as a media outlet with a HUGE global audience does come with that responsibility. If I am to wear your slogans and merchandise in public, I have to have absolute trust in the due diligence you complete and the messaging you output. I feel as though that trust is beginning to slip, and I really hope that you take these things into consideration before it fails completely. Again, I only say all of this because I truly care. It’s a tough battle to face, but I believe you can figure it out if you genuinely take this feedback on board. Much love!
Most channels normally do end up focusing on a certain view point of experiences or ideas that they support over time. Things also change and morph over time and what might of once of been a channels view point might change as well. There are lots of channels that talk about the negatives of things or challenge things like this or like Graham Hancock. What I would call, the normal Main Stream view. This channel is introducing people to the non mainstream view of topics and since they still have quite a big mainstream crowd following them, that crowd ends up having big reactions cause they are not used to seeing these ideas presented in such a positive manner without all of the negativates front and centre. Think of channels like After Skool who has a big crowd who watches them but their videos focus more so on the non main stream line of thought. Then you have channels like Kurzgesagt - In a Nutshell who I would put into the main stream content point of view. Finally think of the channel name that you are on right now. Yes Theory and their slogan "Seek Discomfort" What did this video do to alot of people? It created Discomfort. The yes means to have an open mind to that Discomfort, embrace it and find out what the real truth is for you personally. Trying to shut something down because you feel discomfort or focusing on the negatives is the No Theory and goes along with "Seek Safety" The safety of accepted narratives to fit with your normal base view of reality. You can deny or accept whatever you wish if you have an open mind and have explored it for yourself.
They literally just went to a meditation retreat and had a relatively good time. They didnt go to "expose an oppressive hippy cult that rangles you in with fasle promises and sex" like there WAS no drama to report on. I felt like the beginning and the title alluded to a cult...which it clearly is just a bunch of hippies. And yes, hippies also have to pay bills by charging for retreats and courses. I agree that the whole point of this channel is to use your own discretion. I highly doubt any "impressionable" young person saw this this video, dropped everything and changed the entire direction of their lives for the worst. It still supirses me that people can pick out probelms from thin air it seems like.
Please come and tell people about what is happening in Western NC, Tennessee and Georgia. I go to App state and it is absolutely heartbreaking what is happening to my community currently. We need all the support we can get and I know that no one can do it better than you guys plus the Yes theory community. Need all of y’all’s support❤
Yes!!!! They need more boots on the ground reports with subscribers and resources. If they really want to help bring the world together, they'd definitely focus on my home and others being destroyed and the corruption of the government and Fema/Tema
many of us have been synchronizing our meditations in support....blessings to all of you...your communities are strong in spirit and will come together with our collective support...from all around the country...hopefully some musicians will come up with a fund raiser to help with the re-building in the following days...
Ha, good luck with that! They would stand out like sore thumbs. Boho Grove is in the same county where I live. Security is tight there. You would not be able to get in without permission. You would get caught and thrown out if you tried to sneak in. I have visited there twice during the off-season, when there are no gatherings, because my husband knows someone who is a member and is a musician who entertains at the gatherings. During the off-season, members can rent the “lodges” which are the buildings at the “camps” where people stay during the gatherings, and have friends and family come in for parties. This musician and another member took my husband and I on a tour of the grove area. It is gorgeous there!! I got up on the stage there where they have the “cremation of care” at the start of the annual gathering. They took us around but did not let us of their sight. Also, women have to leave by 9:00pm, supposedly. I’ve heard rumors that “models” are brought in during the annual gathering so, yeah, do they leave at 9:00? I know that lots of rich men and male government officials attend the gatherings over the years. I remember when Biden was there. I used to work near the airport and he supposedly came in aboard an Osprey aircraft that landed at the airport. That plane was LOUD!!! I wonder if they would let a woman President attend the gathering, if they allowed her to be elected, ha! Local young people are recruited to work there during the annual gathering. A lot of people in this area worked there during the summers when they were in high school. Maybe some teenage YesFam could get jobs there. I’m sure that the Boho Grove is very careful about who they hire though, as some people would love to sneak in that way.
I've listened to podcasts about this town & it's troubling. A large group moved to the town and basically took over by buying up property and getting elected to town positions. Over time, they built an expensive private school, offered all kinds of classes that cost money so over time people had given alot of money to this Guru. Like all cults he conned these people out of their fortunes, gave strict rules to follow, love bombed them at first then made them fearful to break rules and be shunned.
Not sure where that is coming from. They bought Parson's College nearly 50 years ago and renamed it Maharishi International University. In 1980, the school was accredited by the same organization that accredits the state-run universities in Iowa, and it remains accredited 44 years later. For ten years, the mayor of the town was a TMer and the new mayor is not, and yet the town's official website still links to the University website because anyone who is honest knows how much money the University and TM community brings to the local economy. And there are few rules involving TM: no smoking on campus; no smoking in the golden domes; no public sex; you know... the usual cultic stuff.
sorry that this is your perspective..you must understand as humans we are evolving and the lessons learned around groups and organizations are evolving also...often family dynamics get played out in work, in school, in churches and in future intimate partnerships so that the original dysfunction can be overcome, to be balanced, to be healed....if one holds on to the dysfunction then one is stuck in the past....learn from the situation and hopefully make internal changes and move on...meditation helps this process of disentangling from the trappings of the past...
Really nice vidéo ! Most people don't understand the video because they omit an important element, which is the personal and inner experience of the two protagonists! We see the images that should speak for themselves: smiles and joy of the two protagonists but yet... I've been praricing TM myself since 2017, morning and evening, I'm delighted! ❤
My mom comes from a small place in the Netherlands called Vlodrop. There is also a Maharishi complex that totally sticks out looking like an Indian temple, this is the village were Maharishi died as well. If you guys ever are nearby you should make a visit.
@@dianebekel9326 actually, he may have been wanted in *India*, but not in the USA: the USA has radicallly differnt tax laws, and the organization follows them to the letter.
I'm sorry, the TM organization's international HQ is in Vlodrop and it doesn't even remotely look Hindu: This is the planned final appearance: meru.international/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/MERU-3D-Master-plan-South-Side-update-2023-e1712854263500.jpg This is a drone flyby of the construction from a seven years ago: ua-cam.com/video/YyenV9c3LjM/v-deo.html
I to am, and was, into meditation. I later got addicted to pain killers because of a bad car accident. I got taken off painkillers by the doctors and started getting them off the streets, which led to my recent fentanyl addiction. Been clean 8 weeks now. Fentanyl causes you to transcend almost immediately. You close your eyes and off you go. At night when you sleep, you don't dream. You astral project. You wake up not feeling like your awaking from a dream, but coming back from another place. But like dreams, you'll begin to forget most of it pretty quickly. But not always. Sometimes you remember it all clearly. During these "dreams" you will be fully aware that you're body is sleeping in bed, while your consciousness is somewhere else. Night terrors are common when doing this. You will be begging for your body to wake up to get you out of it. Crazy stuff.
“If you can clean the windows of perception, everything looks clear" - Wally
Staffan and Thomas here! We just wanna say thanks again to Wally, our own Yoda! It’s wild how many hours you can spend with someone and still feel you can keep on listening and learning. Thanks Wally for being so passionate about spreading your wisdom. And thanks to Brian and everyone else we met in this very unique and unusual town of Fairfield. We are continuing our meditations, and we hope you enjoyed this video :) Please let us know in the comments. We love ya Yes Fam!
How much was spent for that trip? Seemed like you were sending payments every couple scenes, and only there for a few days
Love you guys!
how was the cult experience
@@autonomouspublishingincorp8241what did you expect from a cult
I'd just like to say that this can't possibly be a fair representation of the average experience, because of the fact that you're filming.
Anyone would be aware of a camera and adjust their actions accordingly, especially a cult leader who knows (and counts on) that this will reach other people.
I don't think that this video shouldn't be made... but if people take it at face value, it is essentially advertising for a cult.
You paid them to advertise for them... just think about that.
12:20 Physician here, just to help clarify this.
He is correct in stating that chronic high levels of cortisol are linked to increases in cholesterol levels which is clearly not ideal. The rest is well, less correct, or even just false. Cortisol is also needed to live and we all have it within us, just like cholesterol. The bad is excess of LDL Cholesterol, especially with low HDL cholesterol and increased cortisol levels (happens due to hormonal imbalances or chronic cortisol treatments). Excess LDL Cholesterol is directly linked to plaque formation in the arteries, which when occluded can result in brain infarcts and heart attacks, both which could be fatal, especially if the patient has other risk factors such as diabetes or smoking. Increased cortisol levels creates a whole syndrome on the other hand, known as Cushing's, which is also very bad overall, with associated risk of obesity, osteoporosis, diabetes, etc.
This needs more likes. I have NO idea why they added this part of the interview to the video without a SINGLE fact check!
its pretty clear that the "Physician" in the video is not real doctor or scientist, even if he had studied medicine his work can not be objective since he wants to prove that the meditation works. Real scientist could accept defeat when his own view doesnt align with reality.
Our bodies make cholesterol in addition to getting it from outside sources. It repairs our body. The problem arises in much of the so-called foods eaten in a western or modern diet. Before the turn of the century there were no highly processed foods and now almost everything that is purchased inside a store falls into that category. Many do not know the correlation to what has been accepted into the mainstream now as fact in regards to what is healthy for us, etc. RJ Reynolds and Phillip Morris bought into the food business and turned their scientists loose on their newly acquired products to make them as addictive and unhealthy as they could so that they could then sell them the remedy in the pharmaceutical companies that they own stock or outright own. Seed / Vegetable oils are nothing but pure poison and should never be ingested. They cause nothing but inflammation and disease in the human body. High fructose corn syrup is full of mercury due to the way it's manufactured. Many of the grains used in cereals and other foods is GMO and on top of that has high levels of glyphosate "Roundup" which is highly toxic and has been shown to cause cancer. The tobacco companies paid a lot of money to influence what we now know as the food pyramid. They try to tell you that animal fats are bad but their highly processed seed oils are good for you. And we wonder why obesity, disease and cancer are on the rise in the western world.
@@definitelynotclickbait8283 couldn’t agree more
@@Nyfeee_RL Indeed, I am a bit disappointed in this episode, not gonna lie.
Thomas stopping Staffan from joining cults should be the whole channel 🤣
Staffan personality is people pleasing. He can be easily manipulated.
@@Tar9p 100%
Do you know for a fact that it's all scripted?
@@Tar9p or he can join yes theory walking in his country we need to learn from him
I’m from Fairfield and I would highly suggest folks also keep in mind there’s a whole other side of Fairfield that isn’t TM. There are farmers, public school teachers, and everyone in between. This video is very misleading in the sense that this whole town is a cult. Although I myself am not a believer of TM, Fairfield is full of other vibrant experience like art walks, community theater, and sporting events. This is one very small side of Fairfield that some of us choose to keep separate from the rest.
Which of course says nothing about whetehr or not TM is a cult.
The really should of stated Vedic City rather then Fairfield. It makes it seem like this is all Fairfield is which is far from accurate. My dad's family is from Fairfield born and raised and they were not apart of MUM. My uncle was actually the sheriff for many years.
As a graduate of Maharishi's University, I appreciate and thank all the local Fairfield people. Without you and your support the university community would not have had such beautiful place they call home.
It's true that the local Fairfield people of Iowa has wonderful things offer as well, but at the same time what has made Fairfield internationally and throughout the US popular is the university and the meditating community. That is the real uniqueness of Fairfield compared to any other Midwestern small town.
Today I don't see any chance of one without the other - the two communities have been beautifully integrated and make the best of life.
What can make life even better in Fairfield is to understand each other better, share experiences and communicate more openly.
@@BarisTurkkanMAGA ❤️🤍💙. UNITE and stop fighting. I find my peace and serenity in nature and I find I don't have to pay millions of dollars for that, is just insane. Sorry. But whatever works for you, I personally like solitude. People are to weird THESE days and the ego is dangerous. Especially if you are TAX exemption status on your NDA. No thanks. I'm at maximum peace and enlightened, I have a Dome on the mountain over, I have been there, IT is high energy harvester's of ancient past, that everyone can get for free. Peace to everyone in this next reset. Let us make sure OUR America's are safe and sound and help the less fortunate. Or is everyone delt with the card's they hold. If you are trying to find your peace, how can you without helping other's, I find that arrogant and selfish that only seems the people with the means can go to the town and live w/o the Chao's of reality. Just wondering. Because I am poor, could I go and just be there, and just be taught something that everyone posseess anyway??? See the conundrum and the truth of the cult question. Scientologists are definitely involved in trafficing children and adults and sexual abuse's, your all adults having freak offs in your local community, as long as no children are Involved, fine, IT'S America. But again TAX exemption status IS A CULT.
@@LawsonEnglish its a cult
As a resident of Fairfield, who is not involved in the Vedic practices, but not a native to the town (been here for about 20 years) Vedic city is only one small portion of what Fairfield has to offer. We are a very culturally diverse town with a lot more to offer than what is being advertised here.
The isolationism isn’t as prevalent as one would think. Even for the pundits that attend from India, they are likewise engrained into the city.
TM is a lifestyle that you can subscribe to, or not. In the 20 years I’ve been here, neither I, my family, or my friends have been approached or “coerced” to join the movement.
Outsiders are free to come and go as they please in Vedic City, and even the residents of the city often have various businesses and jobs outside the confines of the city.
The only true requirement that has been adhered to is the meditation schedule, and to be honest, it’s no different than going to church daily. They go, do their thing at the dome and then leave back to their lives.
There IS a pull to Fairfield, but at least for the ones I know, who have left and come back, it’s due to a very steeped culture we have. For the most part, we aren’t judgemental of others beliefs, we are one of the top cities for sustainability in Iowa, we boast a steer towards personal and physical health, and we live our lives as we see fit.
Outside of Fairfield, Jefferson county is a rich farm-based countryside.
Crazy how simple it really is, but folks can’t grasp that it’s just another form of therapy.
I would be careful saying culturally diverse now. Americans are weary when they hear that
Cool vid. The one thing I really like about you guys is the lack of drama, which is something humans are becoming more and more attracted to these days. Stay positive and stay safe. Looking forward to your next installment.
Exactly. Beware the cult of negativity!
"This building actually has nothing in it... I just put 10 hits of acid into each of your cocktails" 🤣🤣🤣
Okay that was funny, Brian seems like a great guy.
There are many wonderful people like Brian in that town. When you go and visit there is no chance you won't bump into one :D
Brian got me thinking I was on acid 😂
Yeah anything with Oprah’s name associated with it is automatically sketch.
so true lmao
hahah yup...massive red flag
that is funny!!
Im so surprised it flew over many’s head!!!
Once you know, you know.
My jaw dropped when I saw the thumbnail of this video! I grew up less than an hour from Maharishi and would compete in sports/music against kids from the nearby town of Fairfield. It’s a shockingly diverse city because of Maharishi and I admired that, but I was never able to find someone who could tell me what exactly went on within its confines and my parents (who are very knowledgeable about the area) would give me very vague answers whenever I asked. Never did I think Yes Theory would explore somewhere so close to home for me, so thank you!!!
I've tried a less exclusive version of "Transcendental Meditation" called 6-R Mindfulness Meditation developed by Bhante.
An executive functioning coach of mine introduced me to it (he's even done a couple meditation retreats in-person facilitated by Bhante).
Best way I can describe it is that it feels like falling asleep but not actually being asleep.
Some of my meditation sessions have ended in falling asleep though 😅
@@handlemonium did you notice the benefits from it?
@@definitelynotclickbait8283 Well the general stuff like clarity of mind for that part of the day and not being stressed or emotionally rocked by feelings as much.
I don't do this everyday but it does help when I do it.
And I just read on Wikipedia that Bhante died last year. His legacy will live on in the loving kindness 6-Rs 🙏
Whatever’s going on it ain’t good. Definitely kids involved
Second this
I think a lot of commenters are missing the point of this channel. They aren't doing investigative journalism. Their whole purpose is experiencing new things and new parts of humanity in the most immersive and least judgmental way they can. As someone who grew up in a cult and benefited greatly in my exit from people doing exposé pieces and deep research into the worst aspects, leave those things for the many other people who already work on them. Our world needs unique approaches like Yes Theory.
Well said 👍
I love how yes theory approaches so many different cultures with love and respect. The channel is a great way to see aspects of the world that are normally out of reach. Please keep up this unique form of journalism.
That house is a hell of a acidtrip
I need to go there
Way cool.
It's essentially a "snoezelen."
Rumour has it old mate is still tripping 😂
With all due respect, for me this was a waaaaaaaaaaaaaay to uncritcal video. its good to see things more optimically than usual and really like this aspect of yes theory .
still , i think some more critical quesitons would have been appropiate and a deeper dive into the controversies surrounding this place rather than just mentioning them
Agreed… enjoying an experience is fine, but if something is mired in controversy, it’s important to talk about that part of it too. It seemed a bit one sided and an unfinished video/topic.
True. But I don’t think the purpose of this channel was ever to criticize anything. They experience stuff and show it to us, and we make up our mind
@@mydogisbailey They only show one aspect of it, one that cannot even be trusted as real since everyone is aware cameras are rolling and based on that we make up our mind? ah yes, a good method indeed
Feels like a promotional video 🤔
@@Powell2023 especially the ending comments.
While I fully respect you guys for going out there and being open minded and just experiencing something. I can't help but feel that ultimately you're just doing a puff-piece for what very well might be (and definitely sounds like) a cult.
Simply saying that 'there are negative stories you can find online' but that you personally could not find a single negative thing to say feels like hand-waiving the issue. Not actually including a single person's account of their bad experiences or evidence of bad practices by the TM organisation to contrast the nice experience you had personally is, in my opinion, incredibly irresponsible!
Also, considering you mentioned in the video how there have been people that claimed to have to pay 'substantial sums' to climb ranks, not mentioning whatsoever what the constants money transfers were for and how much they were seems like an oversight.
I understand that you're not investigative journalists, but some standard of objectivity needs to be upheld when you have a potentially highly impressionable audience and you're tackling a subject as controversial as this. You have a responsibility in creating videos such as these to, at the very least, inform your audience of both sides adequately, lest you end up convincing someone to actually join a cult based on your positive 'review', so to speak.
Really it is just a video like many they make in their travels. Don’t you think people are intelligent enough to make their own decisions about participating or just viewing as any other video. Freedom of expression is allowed even if you have decided it is a dangerous cult, which I don’t think it is.
@WillFinch-k4j Of course you should expect people to do their own research. But they have a big following and there will be people who blindly believe their favourite youtuber.
As a channel with such a huge following it kinda is importantl to show both sides on such topics.
Pretty sure you would talk differently if they would make a video about lets say scientology and how amazing the 4 days were and how friendly everyone is, etc.
Totally agree
@guppo26 Yes! Perfectly summed up and yes! It is a terrifying video knowing that they have minors watching...
Agree 100%
11:41 Aa soon as this guy started talking, I got Scientology vibes. Taking courses, getting clear, outlandish promises that completely unrelated things will get better...? No thanks. If it is promising everything for almost nothing, it is a scam. If that scam is operating like a religion, it is a cult.
Wally DeVasier is not 71, he is 63 and he's not a doctor. Or, rather, his degree isn't from an accredited college. This is a less aggressive, smaller version of Scientology. You give them money and your life is supposed to improve in every way. It is a cult and a scam.
Wally DeVasier is not 71, he is 63 and he's not a doctor. Or, rather, his degree isn't from an accredited college. They ask you for money and then promise you the world? Their leader is not who he says he is? Yeah, that's a cult and a scam.
Wally is not 71, he is 63 and he's not a doctor. Or, rather, his degree isn't from an accredited college. They ask you to wire them funds and then promise you the world? Their leader is not who he says he is? Yeah, that's a cult and a scam.
And don't even get me started with the "you can achieve everything by doing nothing" LOL - what a bunch of gibberish, nonsense BS he's trying to drill in people's heads
@@along1298 i like that, just give me socialist money and i dont need to work
While normally I enjoy watching Yes Theory videos, this 1 felt like a big dissappintment to me.
The main issue I had with this video is the lack of transparency.
In this video, they only shared a small part of their experience, rather than everything or the majority of it.
They did not share any specific things they learned about TM after all those 3+ hours sessions over several days, they did not share anything about how much it costs to join & go through the courses, they did not share anything specific about this town that explains it in more detail and/or what some places in this town are or represent (other than that guru teaching TM there for many years), NOTHING truly valuable
If you are gonna go somewhere "strange" and share your experience about something that is controversial, you need to be fully honest, transparent, and share at least 80% of it + interview more locals and get their thoughts about this place - the good AND the bad, and then let ppl come to their own conclusions
Instead, these guys only shared about 20% of their experience + info about this town and only 1 perspective/point of view
Nothing informative or educational whatsoever in this video for their millions of viewers
Very dissappointing to say the least.
Maybe they were asked not to because after all it's a business and this info is to be told to those who pay. Kind of like paid information only.
They seem to be trying really hard to expose it as a cult.. which it very clearly is
I can see your POV on this. However, I think thats the point also is to give the lack of transparency in there journey since this was in fact there very own spiritual journey through this. This should open the door for you to research and dive into this subject if it is in fact something you are interested in and come up with your own experience in doing so. However, I agree with the other comments on this chain, part of there journey is sacred to them and also it is in ways a business to where what they offer does come at some financial cost. We cant lean on UA-cam channels to give us everything that we want.
Yeah they are falling off hard unfortunately
@lcfflc3887 that just makes it all that much more shady, if you were proud of what you teach - you would be more than happy for someone with a large social media following to share more about it with their audience, rather than next to nothing
Just lots of red flags and bad vibes about this "business", which seems kinda fake and not 100% authentic
Lady Gaga, "I do transcendental meditation. Bob Roth taught me."
Oprah, "Bob Roth taught me."
Me, "I do painting. Bob Ross taught me." 😅
Best comment of all.
Same.
I guess my inner Mike Tyson translator converted “Roth” into “Ross”.
You win!!!
Actually BOb ROth is the CEO of the David Lynch Foundation, and David Lunch is a painter, first and foremost. Movies are a side-hobby that makes him lots of money.
🎯🎯🎯
Would be great to have more transparency on how much they charged you for everything and of course as other commenters have said, more criticism and discussion around the scandals in order to provide more balance.
aka it was too positive so we need to bring them down a notch
There were a couple of clips at the very beginning but nothing more in rest of the episode.
they were sucked in, like if you start practicing this meditation after being introduced to it i dont think you could have completely honest view on it.
They wanted to but they got converted.
@@evelynreynolds1447i won't call those clips but previews on the intro since he didn't even show them in the video, basically we got clickbaited, they got converted or don't want to get sued.
Staffan is the perfect guy for Thomas to take on this trip! He is so friendly and positive. I love seeing this type of adventure, interacting with locals , type videos Yes theory videos
lol
Its too much tbh
Ommggg!!! I just started watching this channel and I live in Fairfield! I work at the café at the Maharishi university it was so cool to see your experience here!
You can tell when Thomas is nervous, and Staffan has helped with his nerves. The way Thomas was snug up against Staffan in the church.. You can really tell that this is a brotherhood.
Staffan is Thomas's rock.
definitely a cult
How do you know?
doesn't know anything, yet he comments as if he had been there , classic
@@Slims00 clearly he at the beginning indicated they had never been there but he has had other meditation experiences. Don’t understand your point.
@@WillFinch-k4jCause its hindus... Have you looked up whats a cult? Look it up and then check hindu rules...
@@WillFinch-k4j I am talking about the guy who commented above, not yes theory
I'm sorry to see you guys doing such a whitewash. You didn't even try to peek under the covers. This looked very much like a paid infomercial. Some of the things you could have asked:
~ Who gets the money?
~ Once you've learned the basic TM, what expensive extra courses do they try to sell you on?
~ Who did the supposed "scientific" research?
~ What do Jim Carrey and Oprah Winfrey think now?
~ What relationships do the heads of the organization have with Hindu "megachurch" gurus?
~ What relationships do the heads of the organization have with militant Hindu sectarian organizations like the RSS?
~ How much do they charge the TM meditators to get Hindu priests to do prayers for them 12,000 miles away?
~ How many such prayers do they do in a month?
~ How can they prove they've actually done them?
~ When they talk "cultural integrity" (which they do a lot) do they just maybe really mean Hindu "sharia" law?
~ What do they see as the rôle of women?
~ What's their REAL view on the caste system?
~ Is MIU a Trojan Horse for Western Hinduism?
~ What's the drop-out rate from the "university"?
I mean, come on guys.
Excellent questions!
Well spoken. What tilted me, personally, as a physician (I posted a different comment here), was the lack of fact checking when the host starts talking about how cortisol is bad and cholesterol isn't. LDL cholesterol is directly linked to arterial plaque formation and heart attacks/strokes! Increased cortisol chronically is also bad mind you, he is right on that, but I really would've appreciated bare minimum fact checking. I think Yes Theory is used to going to a place and taking people at face value as they tend to just explore areas of the world that are risky/less known, instead of actual journalism, which clearly shows in this episode. It is very different to visit Syria or Afghanistan and assess the people/culture, to visit Tuvalu, or to go to a hotel in a mountain, that it is to interview a possible cult. At least that is my opinion of what happened...
What do you expect...every question you can think of being answered in a short UA-cam video. Do your own research.
@afungusamungus2860 if tyler olivera can manage to answer questions like these in his videos, these guys could try. Lol obviously thats not their goal here.
These days, studies published in reputable journals have to provide financial information.
This might be the only channel that can always make me smile no matter what the video is. I suffer from intense depression and anxiety and Yes Theory is like a form of meditation for me. Thanks.
Do you have a history of concussions? Think back. Even one mild concussion (mTBI) puts you at 30% increased risk of anxiety/depression. No one will tell you this even though it has been documented in the literature for years.
How lovely you have found this Chanel to help you cope with your depression sweetheart xxx much love and light to you 🙏🏼 I used to suffer from extreme anxiety and found my way through the darkness into light through positive thinking, meditation and projecting love x I no longer suffer from anxiety and live a happy and stress free life so never give up hope of finding who you really are and what you are capable of @nozzzzy
I learned how to do TM about 3 months ago. I was and am still put off by the secrecy and money side of things, but I was in a very dark place and was desperately looking for any solution. I had tried many different types of meditation, therapies and anti-depressants and none of them worked. 3 months into TM I can safely say I have never felt this mental clarity and consistent joy. Again I don’t understand all the weird cult stuff behind it, but I just stick to the technique an instructor taught me and it has changed my life.
Yeah, just meditate and enjoy it. You can try the rest but keep one foot in the real world. I still like it after 30 years!
Honestly the visiting random towns in America videos are some the best yes theory videos
BTW Transindental Meditation is a company. People pushing it are often like tupperware sales people. There are many free types of meditation, you dont need that company.
Yeah, just some scammy company like scientology, getting rich off of desperate and influenceable people. I bet there is also some sexcult shit in it and other terrible shit that did not came out yet.
MLM 💯
I Agee with this statement ‘ 😅
I'd call it a "Brand."
Meditation is a good thing and takes many forms.
There is no need to pay anyone to learn how to do it.
Some people may want to look into why The Beatles turned their backs on the Maharishi.
So many red flags
Like what
Agreed!
Yeah like meditation itself is fine but like the organization itself so many red flags. The comments about cholesterol made no sense
Let alone the Diddy rig going on
@@emobuddha Meditation is nearly always used in cults tho
I love that you went into this with a neutral mindset about this. Despite it seeming sketchy at first, and even a little scary, you guys embraced it, and gave it a try. Even if you don't trust the organization itself, the techniques seem like they help you and others.
I’m from Iowa but currently am Parisian neighbor of yours in Montmartre. So cool to see you visit my state that only few know about. You taught me something new! I hope we bump into each other on the streets on the 18eme ❤
I took the TM course during my cancer treatment and it gave me the peace I needed. I felt a level of calmness I could not ever remember feeling. I had tried various forms of meditation, but TM was very simple and most effective. That being said, I chose not to go any further into the organization and appreciate the fact that I have never been pressured to do so or to pay any additional money. Take what you will from that but I can say for me it worked. Cheers!
Hope you are doing well after treatments🙏🏻 Thank you for sharing your’ experience❤️
The attitude of the founder of TM was that you would spontaneously be attracted to the other stuff when you were ready to learn it, and that it was counterproductive to try to convince people to do stuff that they weren't ready to learn and do.
That is so great to hear! The peace it has brought me has also been significant. That first time transcending after years of suffering, brought a wave of peace that had been unmatched. And it was/is SO EASY! I taught it for many years (have since stopped) but I do think it is important that it isn’t pushed on people. I always wanted the next step and am grateful it was there for me! But it was never pushed on me. I sought it out and even when I didn’t know how I would do it, things always worked out for them to happen ❤🙏🏻. I think it was Wally in the video who mentioned support of nature. Call it what you will… good luck, synchronicities, manifestation etc. It happens a lot more frequently when you are doing TM regularly. I definitely have my theories as to why that is, but to put it simply, you just get into flow with the universe and your highest good, which makes a lot of things in life more enjoyable and rewarding 🎉
@@erin_skipper I wholeheartedly agree with your take on TM. Thank you for sharing. It is an innate skill we all possess but just need the process to connect to it. Cheers!
I feel like we didn't learn much from this episode like we normally do, which makes me think this is an ad for a cult lol
Got the same vibes. Possibly they felt a bit of anxiety related to gathering information from the opposing point of view. Unique to think of these guys having anxiety about that considering the places they've been and the things they've done haha
But damnit if I don't want to join...
And my comment got deleted for saying that "I bet this is a goddamn cult that has a lot of bodies to hide and is probably some insane XXX-cult". Also said that "I bet the CEO or whatever prays on the money of people that are desperate and have other problems, just like scient*logy does".
Your comment makes zero sense. Who is being worshipped for you to use the word "Cult". And why should a paid service reveal every secret on a public video when they charge celebrities a lot of money for this knowledge. Please use your critical thinking, it will help you.
100%
I have been there many times. Take what you want and leave the rest. Majority of people are very kind, but like any place in the world, one needs to use discernment.
I love that as Swedes, you visited Iowa. Many Iowans are of Swedish heritage.
thats interesting, why may i ask they moved to iowa
@@SsLA2313European here. Swedes are weird as fuck.
@@SsLA2313 Among the early settlers that first located in the eastern part of Iowa were comparatively few of foreign birth. The great tide of European emigration to North America had not yet set in. Thus the first influx of settlers into the first and second "Black Hawk Purchases" came almost exclusively from the eastern states. It was first in the forties and the fifties that European emigrants in greater numbers began to reach the shores of United States, and spread westward over the great prairies in the interior where they have so largely contributed to the upbuilding of this great agricultural section. The Scandinavians, the Germans, the Irish, the Dutch, the Poles, and the Bohemians, have each contributed their large quota to the population of these middle states among which Iowa today occupies such a prominent place.
None of these foreign nationalities (excepting the Germans) has played a greater part than the Swedes in the reclaiming of the great prairies from their primeval condition. Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, and the Dakotas, each received its valuable contribution of sturdy Swedish settlers, and the prosperous communities of their children and grandchildren now dot the plains of these states, and bear eloquent testimony to the foresight, industry and perseverance of those early pioneers. Of hardy Norse stock, and from early childhood inured to hardships, the Swedish immigrants who arrived here in the latter half of the nineteenth century were men and women especially fitted for the struggle, that confronted the homesteader on the western prairies, and they did their part with a courage and a vision that gave them rank among the most desirable of our early immigrant farmers. Their rugged honesty and straightforwardness, their respect for law and government, their love of liberty, and their ability to read and write their own language, made them, from their first arrival in this country, worthy residents who soon developed into valuable citizens, known and esteemed for their devotion to their adopted country and its institutions.
As most of the Swedish immigrants came from the rural districts of their native land, their chief desire was to acquire ownership of a home and a piece of land. This desire attracted them to the western prairies, instead of the more densely populated eastern states, and made them brave the dangers and the hardships incident to pioneering in a new country. Many of them located on homesteads, and took up their first abode in a dugout, a sod house or a log cabin. Others purchased railroad land, or bought out earlier settlers who had tired of frontier life and were ready to dispose of their holdings. Their unfamiliarity with the English language and their devotion to their own form of religious services, in the only language that spoke to their heart, caused the Swedish pioneers to settle in groups, whenever convenient. Thus more or less compact Swedish settlements sprang up in various places all over the state of Iowa, and wherever a number of Swedish families located, a little frame church soon raised its spire heavenward, indicative of the religious fervor and fear of God that characterized those early pioneers.
While, as stated above, no considerable number of Swedish immigrants reached the western states before 1840, some scattered ones came over much earlier. We have no record of who these earlier ones were, or where they located, but now and then a purely Swedish name appears in the early annals of the various eastern counties of Iowa. According to the census of 1850, there were living in Iowa at that time only 23.1 persons born in Sweden. Ten years later their number had increased to 10,796, and the census of 1910 numbers the inhabitants in Iowa of Swedish parentage at 66,135, counting the first and second generation. Owing to the anti-foreign agitation during and after the world war, which caused many American-born children of foreign parents to ignore their foreign ancestry, I have found the 1910 census more reliable than either of the two later ones, and for that reason have made use of the 1910 figures as a basis for report on the Swedish population in counties and cities of the state.
Among the first known Scandinavians in Iowa was a Norwegian sailor by the name of Alexander Crookshanks who lived in Lee county, where he owned a big farm as early as 1833. A Dane by the name of N. C. Boye is mentioned in Muscatine county in 1837. In Des Moines county there lived in 1836 three families by the name of Anderson and two by the name of Nelson, but, although these are common Swedish names, they might also be of English or Scotch origin.
The first permanent Swedish settlement in the state of Iowa was the so-called Cassel colony which was founded in 1845 at New Sweden in Jefferson county. Smaller Swedish colonies had before that year been established in Wisconsin, as the Friman settlement at Salem, in 1838, and the Unonius colony at Pine Lake, in 1841, but to Cassel belongs the distinction of leading the first large party of emigrants from Sweden into one of the prairie states of America, and founding a community that is still in existence.
The second Swedish colony in Iowa was founded in 1846 at Swede Point, in Boone county, by the Dalander family. Its name was later changed to Madrid, by which name it is still known. In due time, a number of smaller settlements sprang up in the vicinity of Madrid, at Boonesboro, Moingona, Pilot Mound, Boxholm, and Ogden.
The town of Burlington, in Des Moines county, became from the beginning a kind of port of entry for Swedish immigrants arriving in Iowa, and, as a result, a goodly number of them located in that town. Colonel F. Brydolph had his home there as early as 1846, and four years later the Swedes in and around Burlington were said to number 200.
The Burgholm colony, in Wapello county, was founded in 1847. Its name was later changed to Munterville, in honor of a Swedish school teacher by the name of Munter. Other settlements were started at Dayton, in Webster county, and at Swede Bend (Stratford) in Hamilton county, about 1849.
At Swedesburg, in Henry county, and at Chariton, in Lucas county, Swedish colonies were founded before 1850; and in Clayton and Allamakee counties Swedish settlers were found in the early fifties. Other settlements were started in the fifties in Lee, Muscatine, Guthrie, Kossuth, and Calhoun counties. From these earlier settlements the Swedish colonists migrated to other localities, and between 1860 and 1870, new communities of Swedish farmers grew up in Winnebago, Woodbury, Marshall, Montgomery, Clay, Page, Mitchell, Pocahontas, and other counties. Of a later date are the Swedish colonies in Appanoose, Clinton, Cherokee, Palo Alto, and Linn counties, besides which small communities of Swedes are now found in many other localities in the state.
There is a famous Swedish-American museum in the south of Iowa in a town called Swedseburg
@griffink7951 and it's like 25 mins away from fairfield
Man, this video felt kinda uncomfortable to watch. This feels like a very incomplete video with almost zero critical thinking or any challenges presented to the people run the "organisation."
actually in the beginning they were open and very skeptical....their meditation experiences led them to greater experiences...they leave it all open to the individual....
I am from Iowa, never have I even heard of this. This just proves that there are so many underlying stories of stuff that goes on around us! Amazing!
The less we trust in our own gut, the more we trust in charlatans. Buyer beware. Those who are led, probably want to be led.
And those with no trust in themselves as well as in anybody else suspect a trap behind every door 🤔
Speaking on something you know nothing about only says more about your character as a human being than anything shown in this video
@@Eldavide888 Realistic Optimistic. All is mind. If you think the world is going to crumble, your mind will make you feel that way.
crazy women
I went to a local TM center about 8 years ago, and I’ve been meditating everyday ever since. It has done literal wonders for my well-being (in combination with therapy). I wasn’t really into the lectures and one can call the organization whatever, but the method is very effective.
me too.. did wonders for me... two weeks after starting dropped all drugs, stopped smokiing , ptsd from Vietnam relieved.. works just fine.
@@jeffkapec4045 exactly what members of a cult would say
@@jeffkapec4045same! I started in 1995 (after having learned it as a child, but not practicing for over 7 years). I had hid a rock bottom with drugs and alcohol and sat down to meditate one day out of desperation. It was so profoundly peaceful and I was completely enveloped in a feeling of love. I stopped drinking, smoking, and doing drugs immediately, without effort. I just didn’t want those things any more. It saved my life then, and has done so many times since. I haven’t had alcohol since then and have since done other therapies and recovery programs to dive deeper into healing trauma, but TM alone has done wonders to bring me peace of mind and body ❤
I suggest the Hallow App
Meditation is a thing people can do. You do not need a guru. Being a decent person is a thing people can do. You do not need a religion. Being in your own control and power is a thing people can do. You do not need a leader. Wake up. Grow up.
Based
Facts!
Pro
Heres the practice for FREE :)
1. Find a Quiet Space
Choose a comfortable and quiet location where you won’t be disturbed.
2. Sit Comfortably
Sit in a comfortable position with your back straight. You can sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor or cross-legged on a cushion.
3. Close Your Eyes
Gently close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to relax your body and mind.
4. Use a Mantra
TM involves silently repeating a specific mantra. The mantra is typically a meaningless sound or word given to you during your TM training. If you haven’t been taught a specific mantra, you might use a general sound such as "Om" or "Shanti."
Repeat the mantra silently in your mind, allowing it to flow effortlessly.
5. Focus on the Mantra
As you repeat the mantra, if thoughts, distractions, or feelings arise, gently bring your focus back to the mantra. It’s normal for the mind to wander; simply acknowledge the thoughts and return to the mantra.
6. Meditate for 15-20 Minutes
Continue this process for about 15-20 minutes. You can use a timer to keep track of the time without checking your watch.
7. Ending the Session
When you’re ready to finish, stop repeating the mantra and sit quietly for a minute or two with your eyes closed. Gradually return to the present moment before opening your eyes.
8. Practice Regularly
It’s recommended to practice TM twice daily for 15-20 minutes, ideally in the morning and evening.
This ain't no TM - not everything free is more valuable... Get properly trained if you want to experience it or gain the benefits mentioned for TM practice. It's worth the investment for yourself. If you really can't cover the course fee you can get scholarships as well....
@@BarisTurkkanthere’s been traditions teachings things along these lines for millennia
You can pick plenty up for free
You could read the Bible for free and learn how to pray to Our Creator, Our Heavenly Father. It's infinitely more fulfilling.
@@TouchoftheTism420 Speaking from experience, it absolutely is not. I have no idea if meditation has any real benefits, but I suspect it's exactly like Christianity- entirely rooted in how gullible you're willing to be.
That’s not a TM practice, it’s basic meditation 101.
I’ve been practicing TM for about 14 years. I only ever paid $ for the initial course and have never been pressured to pay more not even for the smartphone app when it launched a few years ago. The brief offering at the beginning of the course (flowers, fruit) is less dogmatic than it sounds…it was to pay respect to the teacher. A great respect for teachers is part of many Asian cultures, including the sub continent.
As for the technique itself, when I use it correctly (20 min. of meditation/twice a day), I feel better than when I don’t. The TM technique has assisted me in getting through some very tough times in my life. I find it particularly helpful in getting through the battering ram that is grief.
Well said…
I have had the same experience, it truly is a tool that helps me on this journey of life. I’m not as consistent as I would like to be, but when I am, I feel grounded and calm and can handle anything.
I have been meditating the right way my whole life from being in a true religion and not a cult and i have never paid a single penny
Same, I love my TM 20 min twice a day and I’ve never been part of anything else they show in this video.
Living in America for the last few years, I would never expect to see things like this. Great video. Thanks Yes Theory!
I have been practicing TM for 7 years. There are centers teaching this technique and group meditation all over the world, I am Brazilian. Yes, you pay to take the course and learn the technique, but you can attend group meditation meetings if you want. I learned the technique and practiced it at home alone. I tried several meditation techniques and this was the one that worked best for me.
First of all let me start by saying this: To each their own.
But this was not really one of the videos that I would usually learn from to some extent.
With that being said, this feels, looks and sounds like a cult and as we all know cults are dangerous.
I genuinely do not know how I feel about this whole experience you guys went on.
However, you guys are adults and have free will, so obviously you can do and document whatever you want.
Thanks for this beautiful presentation of an American destination! I see both in the video and in the comments that Fairfield is a truly amazing place for all sorts of reasons. I'm a Nordic national with a secure life in Taiwan. Fairfield has entered into my wishlist for places to visit. "The world is our family" ❤
Thanks for yet again showing the world things that most of us don’t know about.
I absolutely love how time after time you always get back so much love.
WOW I never thought I would ever see Yes Theory come back to America. so welcome back to America.
How do you know this? From personal experiences or is that what you heard?
@@WillFinch-k4j from watching their videos duh!!!
@@CountryKarate you know this is a cult from watching a short video?
@@WillFinch-k4j No shit sherlock.
I can’t believe you guys came up Fairfield and I didn’t run into you 😭
That would have made my day.
I took the TM course about 50 years ago. I have not practiced TM regularly for the whole time, but it has always been there when I needed it. I find that, all the religious trappings aside, it is a helpful technique for stress reduction and clarity.
All meditation does that
@@jimmyryan5880 I'm sure that is true. I just happened to find TM
@@jimmyryan5880It is though what technique works best for each person.
@@jimmyryan5880 my meditation is listening to deathcore under 50 million lumen lights for 24 hours
@@jimmyryan5880 Really? Show me longitudinal studies of more than a year on other practices.
Really enjoyable, penetrating look into a meditating community. Everyone so open and honest and real. No one compelled to do anything other than follow their own bliss. Staffan and Thomas notice the benefits of meditation right from the start - first hand - and are free to take it or leave it. No cult pressure to be anyone other than their own best selves.
“It’s just different” 😅😅😅 indeed it is! And that is why, after living all over the country and, most recently Europe, I keep returning to Fairfield. It is different. There is community, kindness, creativity, and love. I enjoyed meeting you guys and think you did an amazing job capturing the complexities, but also the essence of why people like living here. It would be impossible to capture ALL of the nuances and beauty of this bizarre little town in one video. When I moved back from EU this summer, I wanted to start making videos to showcase some of what makes Fairfield so unique. I’m grateful for all the beautiful weirdos who have devoted themselves to their meditation practice here for so many years because they laid the foundation of good vibes that we still benefit from. These days, many people move here who have nothing to do with TM, but they know it is an interesting community and crave peace. I love the friendliness, synchronicities, deep connections, and conversations that can happen everyday, everywhere you go. Even the grocery store 😅
Idk how people can watch this and come away feeling like it was an advertisement for this place. The two giant meditation "domes", the odd segmentation of the residential areas, the very strange and oversized installations, and frankly, the people... All of this was very off putting and uncomfortable. While I was familiar with TM prior to this video, I didn't know about this town or its connection to TM. Suffice to say, I'm less interested in TM than I was before and I find the town quite unsettling. I get that they didn't say or find anything explicitly negative, but there were definitely undertones of strangeness and anxiety, as well as clear cinematography of the town that captured its weirdness. So while I'm often critical of Yes theory videos, I'm not sure this is really one of those times... Delving into the bulk of the controversy and history of TM, this particular town, its leader, etc., is like a 6-hour documentary effort minimum. That's not what this channel does. Any reasonable person can understand they were given a very curated experience and draw their own conclusions from the scenery and the people.
Just because a person, place or event is strange to you doesn't mean that it is in fact, strange. It's just different from what you are used to seeing or being around. Fear of the unknown is all I'm seeing here in the comments.
Just a note: I am almost 60, and in middle school, we ALL were taught TM techniques...it was very different in 1977.... The problems are not in TM techniques but in the very questionable practices of some in the organization. I STILL use TM in my life, but I never subscribed to the Maharishi being all-knowing and able to literally transcend the physical realm. Its common knowledge that some very shady things happened at one time...I'm also wondering where all the students are?
As a native of Fairfield, I am happy to see you guys made the visit and put an honest effort into seeing what TM is really about. That said, it is disappointing that the younger generation isn't highlighted nearly as much as it could have been. There's little mention of the cultural diversity at the University, and it seems the older generation decided to 'keep the show to themselves' rather than highlight the vibrant community the younger generation brings to the town. These are the same people that are reaping the most financial benefit of anyone, and they've been doing so since the inception of the movement here; some may say to a fault. We have ethnic restaurants that are staples of the community, as well as a rare GEM of a space in Noble House Kava that promotes community and provides a safe space for all to enjoy. The separation between generations in this town is an apparent problem, and unfortunately it shows in this video. Hopefully you'll visit again and have the opportunity to experience all of what Fairfield has to offer.
I’ve done TM you are reminding me to get back to meditation. It keeps you in a peaceful state when you actually practice it. Thanks for doing this.
SO STOKED that you are still posting fascinating new stories, since I've already binged on every vid you ever posted on this channel, and now wading deeply into the content on SEEK DISCOMFORT. Rock on, gentlemen!
I have been watching you guys from the beginning and have always been jealous of your adventures. This video takes place 2 hours from where I live, I am embarrassed that I did not know this town existed and I realize that there are still adventures to be had without even leaving Iowa.
It's a cult. Stay far away
You should visit! It’s a town full of diversity, art, good restaurants and nice people. It’s worth exploring.
@@mariamdaudi The next weekend that my wife and I have free, were are certainly going to check it out!
Brian is so happy! His laugh is contagious. He (and everyone else in the video) seem to love life and that’s needed now more than ever.
Love to all. ❤
What a ride of feelings, was blown away by the fact this was video was in Iowa, probably an hour from where I am. I've been in this state for my whole life and knew of this town, but never came across a thing about this whole practice or community if you would. I'm a little sad I missed the chance to meet you two, but to see the light you have shown to this state and very positive community is awesome. I might have to go check this place out because at least most time these kind of establishments don't get the light they deserve. If you ever do happen to stumble into Iowa I hope to see the both of you lol and thank you for everything Yes Theory does it a beacon of light.
I've been practicing TM for a little longer than 5 years, and I can't say enough good things about it. It's been a profound upgrade for my whole life.
Almost spit my tea out when i saw you posted my home town
SAME
Eden's Gate be looking different
The path to Eden is clear for those who have Faith
Sounds like Scientology to me! You have to pay to be enlightened and they plug you into measuring machines...
Bro i was thinking the same thing
What is Eden’s Gate?
@@kathykeene2092it's from Far Cry 5
The longest 33 minutes and 33 seconds Ad ever that I watched willingly until the end 😂
I lived in Fairfield from 1981 until 1997. I was meditator from 1974 until 1994. Then I quit. It's a cult. I wrote several papers in college about the Transcendental Meditation organization. I never went back to Fairfield and I don't meditate any more.
You guys did a really good job on this video. I'm subscribed to you now. Thank you for this visit back to Fairfield where my husband and I lived for 15 plus years.
quote @angelstar22
Really beautiful episode well done guys ❤🙏
That's so beautiful! We've been doing TM for over 4 years now! And it did change our lives! I'm happy that you guys get to practice that, too. 😊
That was a cool one
And Steffan brings perfect vibes to the channel!
starting the day off with a yes theory vid
its arleady night here
Thank you for doing that buddy! Let us know what you thought about the video :)) / Staffan & Thomas
9,500 views in 20 minutes bro u fell off 😂 @YesTheory
@@Strangetales_ r/wooosshhh
@Strangetales_ and it's 30,000 views not 9 million that's how many subscribers they have goober 😂😂
i was admitted into one of their masters programs - went for orientation new student week - and it didn’t feel right so i left and dropped out of the program. definitely weird things going on
What weird things?
I looked into picking up classes to maintain my education licensure. I live in Fairfield; I’d rather take classes in person than on-line.
MIU would not allow me to enroll in classes unless I also became a meditator.
so nothing super wild since i was only there for a week. but definitely felt like they were OBSESSED with the main guru guy and were very secretive about their done which i was able to enter because of the orientation but i snuck other friends in with me. they were very in the box thinking when i asked a question they would basically not answer if it was anything that deviated from their thoughts and practices. it also felt like people around campus were placed strategically to meet certain people like very controlled encounters. for example the person who picked me up at the airport was from the same country my father is from which felt so random since it was middle of nowhere iowa and my dads country is small. i didn’t like the vibe overall and even though my program was online just 2x a semester on campus i decided to drop because i thought it felt cult-y and very narrow minded. this was in 2019
dome*
also they didn’t show a lot of the facilities but like the dining room and food was not very good and there are hundreds of international students there
I’m so shocked!! I’m born & raised in Fairfield and can’t believe you came all the way to the cornfields! It’s double hilarious because I’m in Europe right now. I love you guys and your inspire me every day ❤
This has been a really good watch! A lot of people in the comments seem to have wanted it to be something more than the actual experience of Thomas and Steffan. People can make up their opinions based on what's shown and prior insuniated by the title but some adventures could also turn out differently. That's what YES Theory is all about!
This is the first time I have struggled to get through one of your videos
Right? It feels off
@@ya_boi_cribs1256 why??
I have a friend who grew up in this community... Imagine children growing up using these techniques! She is one of the nicest people I've ever met.
I've been TMing since 2018 and it has helped a lot. I grew up in a yelling household and had a lot of aggression and anxiety. I took the course here in Las Vegas so it was easy. Nothing culty about it from my perspective. When I feel myself out of gas I can better recognize it and just sit for 15-20 minutes and feels like I just had a cup of coffee. GREAT VIDEO!! As always :)
Mediation has changed my life in every way for the better. Thank you for this beautiful video. I hope someone reads this and tries this
What's your best tip for a beginner? I am going to try!
@@kaylastahlbaum7265 if you learn, be regular for 6 months, then evaluate -- for almost everyone, the changes are gradual -- Enjoy !
It's funny & lovely to see as from the 20th minute seeking DIScomfort slowly transforms into accepting this COMFORT...
Quite interesting what the lady at the cafe said “The best way to come to this place is with no intentions, that may help you better to find one.”
That lady was me. 😛
Also, I had no idea who they were or that they were filming me in that moment. I just loved their energy.
I've been practicing TM regularly, twice a day, for 49 years. It's great. It's not a cult or a religion, it's a technique that many doctors recommend. And it's enjoyable. It's done a lot for me and I'm so grateful I've had it all these years.
I've been practicing TM every day for 53 years. The rest and relaxation are so deep it makes sleep seem like work! I can't begin to describe all the benefits I've received.
I don’t think TM itself is a cult, but the town built around TM feels like a cult
Fun fact: John Hagelin, though a PhD physicist, suggested NATO create and deploy a special meditating corps in order to stop the Kosovo war back in the 90s
The ties are legendary on Walle
My mom was born and raised here and I’ve spent a lot of my life in Fairfield, it’s a lovely town with a diverse culture ❤
I remember having the Ram Dass book "Be Here Now" when I was a teen in the 80´s and it literally changed my whole life and way of thinking about humanity and the world around us
Love you guys! Only 2 minutes in but I think the immersion meter is a cool idea :)
Staffan reminds me of Joy from Inside Out hahaha
Definitely one of the best episodes I've seen from you all...thank you!
27:38 okay but that house is actually mesmerizing especially considering the fact that he built that all by himself 😮
I hate to focus on the negatives here as I’ve been a fan for many years, but recently I’ve felt a strong disconnect between the community and the channel on a number of fronts - this video seems to be the cherry on top. Please know that this criticism comes from a place of love.
This video raised a concern that others have voiced in a number of your other videos (see Graham Hancock), in which you often tell stories with limited perspectives. I understand that the focus of this content is on the experience that you personally had - which I always appreciate - but omitting the many other negative stories that have risen from the group, the controversy of financial investment in the program, and the cult-like nature of following the teachings of a single historical figure is frankly negligent to your audience.
As much as I love the Yes Fam, there are many highly impressionable young people within the group who would accept the perspectives that you provide with little challenge. By leaving out key information around the other perspectives of Maharashi and Fairfield, you’ve imparted a profoundly positive message about what could be a potentially very dangerous influence on someone’s life.
Not to go too Uncle Ben over here, but the power that you hold as a media outlet with a HUGE global audience does come with that responsibility. If I am to wear your slogans and merchandise in public, I have to have absolute trust in the due diligence you complete and the messaging you output. I feel as though that trust is beginning to slip, and I really hope that you take these things into consideration before it fails completely.
Again, I only say all of this because I truly care. It’s a tough battle to face, but I believe you can figure it out if you genuinely take this feedback on board. Much love!
^^ yeah the positivity stops being charming when they're spotlighting cults
Most channels normally do end up focusing on a certain view point of experiences or ideas that they support over time. Things also change and morph over time and what might of once of been a channels view point might change as well.
There are lots of channels that talk about the negatives of things or challenge things like this or like Graham Hancock. What I would call, the normal Main Stream view. This channel is introducing people to the non mainstream view of topics and since they still have quite a big mainstream crowd following them, that crowd ends up having big reactions cause they are not used to seeing these ideas presented in such a positive manner without all of the negativates front and centre.
Think of channels like After Skool who has a big crowd who watches them but their videos focus more so on the non main stream line of thought. Then you have channels like Kurzgesagt - In a Nutshell who I would put into the main stream content point of view.
Finally think of the channel name that you are on right now. Yes Theory and their slogan "Seek Discomfort"
What did this video do to alot of people? It created Discomfort. The yes means to have an open mind to that Discomfort, embrace it and find out what the real truth is for you personally.
Trying to shut something down because you feel discomfort or focusing on the negatives is the No Theory and goes along with "Seek Safety" The safety of accepted narratives to fit with your normal base view of reality. You can deny or accept whatever you wish if you have an open mind and have explored it for yourself.
They literally just went to a meditation retreat and had a relatively good time. They didnt go to "expose an oppressive hippy cult that rangles you in with fasle promises and sex" like there WAS no drama to report on.
I felt like the beginning and the title alluded to a cult...which it clearly is just a bunch of hippies. And yes, hippies also have to pay bills by charging for retreats and courses. I agree that the whole point of this channel is to use your own discretion.
I highly doubt any "impressionable" young person saw this this video, dropped everything and changed the entire direction of their lives for the worst. It still supirses me that people can pick out probelms from thin air it seems like.
Please come and tell people about what is happening in Western NC, Tennessee and Georgia. I go to App state and it is absolutely heartbreaking what is happening to my community currently. We need all the support we can get and I know that no one can do it better than you guys plus the Yes theory community. Need all of y’all’s support❤
THIS.
Yes!!!! They need more boots on the ground reports with subscribers and resources. If they really want to help bring the world together, they'd definitely focus on my home and others being destroyed and the corruption of the government and Fema/Tema
Check out bikesandbeards I know he did a video out there helping w relief efforts
It’s so sad 😢
many of us have been synchronizing our meditations in support....blessings to all of you...your communities are strong in spirit and will come together with our collective support...from all around the country...hopefully some musicians will come up with a fund raiser to help with the re-building in the following days...
Negative criticism is easy and gets a lot of views. I admire the hosts being honest about their experience and what they felt there.
Every time I watch a YesTheory video, I feel like i want to be a new person. Thank you, again.
lol Fairfield IS THE STRANGEST TOWN! And yes, the people and the vibe draw us back over and over. Thank you for visiting and sharing your experience ❤
YesTheory should do a video at The Bohemian Grove.
Ha, good luck with that! They would stand out like sore thumbs. Boho Grove is in the same county where I live. Security is tight there. You would not be able to get in without permission. You would get caught and thrown out if you tried to sneak in.
I have visited there twice during the off-season, when there are no gatherings, because my husband knows someone who is a member and is a musician who entertains at the gatherings. During the off-season, members can rent the “lodges” which are the buildings at the “camps” where people stay during the gatherings, and have friends and family come in for parties.
This musician and another member took my husband and I on a tour of the grove area. It is gorgeous there!! I got up on the stage there where they have the “cremation of care” at the start of the annual gathering. They took us around but did not let us of their sight.
Also, women have to leave by 9:00pm, supposedly. I’ve heard rumors that “models” are brought in during the annual gathering so, yeah, do they leave at 9:00?
I know that lots of rich men and male government officials attend the gatherings over the years. I remember when Biden was there. I used to work near the airport and he supposedly came in aboard an Osprey aircraft that landed at the airport. That plane was LOUD!!!
I wonder if they would let a woman President attend the gathering, if they allowed her to be elected, ha!
Local young people are recruited to work there during the annual gathering. A lot of people in this area worked there during the summers when they were in high school. Maybe some teenage YesFam could get jobs there. I’m sure that the Boho Grove is very careful about who they hire though, as some people would love to sneak in that way.
I've listened to podcasts about this town & it's troubling. A large group moved to the town and basically took over by buying up property and getting elected to town positions. Over time, they built an expensive private school, offered all kinds of classes that cost money so over time people had given alot of money to this Guru. Like all cults he conned these people out of their fortunes, gave strict rules to follow, love bombed them at first then made them fearful to break rules and be shunned.
A similar though crazier thing happened in a small town in Oregon. You can google it.
Not sure where that is coming from. They bought Parson's College nearly 50 years ago and renamed it Maharishi International University. In 1980, the school was accredited by the same organization that accredits the state-run universities in Iowa, and it remains accredited 44 years later. For ten years, the mayor of the town was a TMer and the new mayor is not, and yet the town's official website still links to the University website because anyone who is honest knows how much money the University and TM community brings to the local economy.
And there are few rules involving TM: no smoking on campus; no smoking in the golden domes; no public sex; you know... the usual cultic stuff.
sorry that this is your perspective..you must understand as humans we are evolving and the lessons learned around groups and organizations are evolving also...often family dynamics get played out in work, in school, in churches and in future intimate partnerships so that the original dysfunction can be overcome, to be balanced, to be healed....if one holds on to the dysfunction then one is stuck in the past....learn from the situation and hopefully make internal changes and move on...meditation helps this process of disentangling from the trappings of the past...
Can we acknowledge how awesome Wally's ties were!?
This is eye opening for me, im from Southwestern Iowa, and I've heard of Fairfield, but none of these things. Thanks for the video!
Really nice vidéo ! Most people don't understand the video because they omit an important element, which is the personal and inner experience of the two protagonists! We see the images that should speak for themselves: smiles and joy of the two protagonists but yet... I've been praricing TM myself since 2017, morning and evening, I'm delighted! ❤
My mom comes from a small place in the Netherlands called Vlodrop. There is also a Maharishi complex that totally sticks out looking like an Indian temple, this is the village were Maharishi died as well. If you guys ever are nearby you should make a visit.
Maharishi was living overseas in the Netherlands because he was wanted in the US for tax evasion.
@@dianebekel9326 actually, he may have been wanted in *India*, but not in the USA: the USA has radicallly differnt tax laws, and the organization follows them to the letter.
I'm sorry, the TM organization's international HQ is in Vlodrop and it doesn't even remotely look Hindu:
This is the planned final appearance: meru.international/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/MERU-3D-Master-plan-South-Side-update-2023-e1712854263500.jpg
This is a drone flyby of the construction from a seven years ago:
ua-cam.com/video/YyenV9c3LjM/v-deo.html
@@LawsonEnglish yupp we have so many fake guru wanted in india but white people be like " this is my god"
Missed you! Fav channel on the internet
I to am, and was, into meditation. I later got addicted to pain killers because of a bad car accident. I got taken off painkillers by the doctors and started getting them off the streets, which led to my recent fentanyl addiction. Been clean 8 weeks now. Fentanyl causes you to transcend almost immediately. You close your eyes and off you go. At night when you sleep, you don't dream. You astral project. You wake up not feeling like your awaking from a dream, but coming back from another place. But like dreams, you'll begin to forget most of it pretty quickly. But not always. Sometimes you remember it all clearly. During these "dreams" you will be fully aware that you're body is sleeping in bed, while your consciousness is somewhere else. Night terrors are common when doing this. You will be begging for your body to wake up to get you out of it. Crazy stuff.
Kind of like the Insidious movies or I think it's from 1 of the movies that would he so scary to experience
This is my home town! Welcome and I’m glad you guys were able to explore it!