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An Internet archive of information about cults, destructive cults, controversial groups and movements. The Rick A. Ross Institute of New Jersey (RI) is a nonprofit public resource with a vast archive that contains thousands of individual documents. RI on-line files include news stories, research papers, reports, court documents, book excerpts, personal testimonies and hundreds of links to additional relevant resources. This Internet archive is well-organized for easy access and reference.

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“Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: diverter of seekers, seducer of minds, stealer of souls.”

The climate of the 60s: America was to question everything, challenge “the system” and the established world view.

Experimenting with sex and drugs, toying with every new or forbidden philosophy. A better world was around the corner – we were sure of it. Soon we’d be, as Arlo sang, “walking hand in hand with every man, sleeping in the sun with everyone.”

What happened?

Where have all the flower children?

Some became followers of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of Transcendental Meditation (TM) and the Students International Meditation Society (SIMS), an organization that descended on US campuses, recruited kids and cleaned them up, turning them into "upstanding members of society."

TM gave them a mantra and taught them to meditate.

Hippies turned TM converts, trading in swear words for mantras, tie-dyed shirts for three-piece suits.

Many kids were recruited to become teachers, pulling in still more people.

Merv Griffin featured Maharishi on his prime-time TV show then started TM himself. First promoted by the Beatles, the giggling guru’s meditation program went mainstream, with courses taught in corporations and schools so that executives could relax and students could focus.