"Change Begins Within": My Interview with David Lynch

Poster: Shepard Fairey

This Is A Special Two Part Series Article.

Part One.

New York Press Conference On The Web

David Lynch, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and Russell Simmons are coming together for a New York Press Conference on the Web -- Friday April 3rd at 12:00 PM Eastern time. 2009's fab-four are coming together to teach at-risk children how to meditate. Registration to watch this event is required.

The "Change Begins Within" Benefit Concert.

On Saturday April 4th 2009, The David Lynch Foundation has put together a shin dig -- which is actually going to a monumental event. The "Change Begins Within" benefit concert will be hosted by David Lynch, Laura Dern, and Russell Simmons.

A concert to benefit the David Lynch Foundation (DLF) -- DLF reminisces back to 1968, to a time when The Beatles, Donovan, Paul Horn and The Beach Boys made a pilgrimage to India to study Transcendental Meditation® with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. In return enlightening us with meditation and music -- changing the way we see the world.

Check out this Beatles In India blog.

1968 The Beatles In India Part 1.

1968 The Beatles Part 2.

Headlining the "Change Begins Within" benefit concert at Radio City Music Hall are the biggest names in the music industry:

Sir Paul McCartney

Ringo Starr

Paul Horn

Donovan

Moby

Ben Harper

Jim James

Bettye Lavette

Eddie Vedder

Sheryl Crow

DLF was founded in 2005. Pioneering Awareness of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique for students and educators, is David Lynch, founder and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace. DLF is a registered 501(c)3, non-profit organization -- providing student scholarships and school and school district grants.

Proceeds from the "Change Begins Within" benefit concert go to the David Lynch Foundation, and will be used to pay for TM program instruction fees and scholarships for students in approved in-school programs.

The David Lynch Foundation was established to implement a simple and effortless personal development technique for every child to develop their full mental and physical potential -- a state of optimal health and well being. No belief or change in beliefs is required to learn and practice the TM technique -- and to gain all the benefits. Regardless of race, religious beliefs, sex or education -- every child can benefit from the TM technique. Part two will go into in-depth scientific medical details as to how and why the TM technique is so instrumental for children.

David Lynch explains how he started TM.

David Lynch discusses his first TM experience.

A Conversation About Making The World A Better Place To Reside In With David Lynch.

As I'm drinking my organic fairly traded David Lynch Coffee on a rainy Seattle day -- David Lynch and I have a conversation. This is our first discussion in my new series; Conversations About Making The World A Better Place To Reside In.

DL: Hello.

Tea: Yes, good afternoon to you.

DL: Good afternoon to you.

Tea: Thank you dearly David for agreeing to chat with me.

DL: No problem.

Tea: This is the first conversation in a new series I've created called; Conversations About Making The World A Better Place To Reside In. My intention for interviewing you is to ignite a personal conversation -- What are you're thoughts about the world today?

DL: Well, It's pretty much the same old world -- there's lots of problems and lots of negativity but I think the world is getting better and not worse. I think there is a field with in every human anywhere in the world. It's called by modern science a unified field -- the ocean of pure consciousness and that field -- when you experience it by learning the TM technique to dive in and experience that field makes life better and better. The more you meditate the better life gets. That's what my foundation is doing to raise money to give Transcendental Meditation technique to any student any where in the world who wants it.

Tea: As you're amazing foundation concludes the finishing touches to the "Change Begins Within" benefit concert -- how are you feeling?

DL: Well, It's a big concert -- it's going to be a very special concert. Fortunately, I'm not responsible for making it an absolutely smooth event. I'll be there and I'm really looking forward to it.

Tea: You have quit a shin dig going on at Radio City Music Hall with a stellar line up Sir McCartney, Ringo Starr, Donovan, and Peter Horn -- I'm interested in hearing how the idea came together and evolved?

DL: We've always talked about a concert -- musicians are such great people. A lot of musicians throughout time have been the ones who campaign causes -- they do benefits -- it always brings so much awareness and support for so many things. This is one of those cases -- where great great musicians have come in support of this foundation and to teach one million kids the Transcendental Meditation technique.

Tea: Would you explain the TM technique and how it effects ideas and the creative process?

DL: This ocean within -- the big treasury is an ocean of infinite creativity. It's a creativity that creates everything that is a thing -- it's mighty powerful creativity. When you dive in there you infuse it, every time you meditate, you grow in that creativity. It's an ocean of all knowingness -- it's an ocean that unfolds into intuition -- number one tool of the artist. The ocean of infinite energy you infuse that and fatigue starts going away -- you can work with so much more energy and in an ocean of infinite happiness and bliss -- you work in more happiness. It's really the most fantastic experience to meditate and then out of meditation, in whatever your doing -- that just gets better and better, more ideas flow. Negativity inhibits creativity it squeezes the hose -- the big conduit of ideas. So when negativity lifts, we expand consciousness -- negativity starts going away. All these things that are restricting us become less -- you work in freedom with all these positive qualities growing. Expanding consciousness means you can catch ideas on a deeper and deeper level -- the deeper you catch the ideas the more expansion they have the more of a thrill they are to catch.

DL: That's the other line but I'm going to ignore it.

DL: Arianna Huffingtion is as cute as a button and as smart as a whip.

Tea: She's amazing -- I had the pleasure of meeting her at NCMR last year and pitched the idea of blogging for her on the Huffington Post Green Section -- she graciously embraced me as one of her bloggers.

Tea: Okay, My last question for you -- I realize you have a very busy schedule this week and I'm so very grateful you took time out of your schedule to speak with me.

Tea: Would you summarize what you're life was like before integrating the TM technique into you're life -- utilizing the TM technique into you're daily life -- and what's you're life like today?

DL: I was a painter and then I got into film -- things were going pretty good. One day I looked at myself on a day when I should have been as happy as can be because I had a place to work I was starting my film Eraserhead I had a whole stables area down below and a 55 room mansion in Beverly Hills to work in with equipment I needed. I had the green light to make this film -- I only had a surface happiness. Inside it was hollow and I said: what is going on? I had heard a phrase; true happiness is not outside -- true happiness lays within. I thought meditation would be a way to go in to tap into that. That is what drove me to start. It proved to be more then true -- dive within -- come in and enjoy all glories worldly and divine.

Tea: Beautiful. I wish you a prosperous and fantastic weekend, David. This has been a great pleasure talking to you about making the world a better place to reside in.

DL: Bless you're heart. It's great to talk to you. Thanks a million and we'll talk later.

Comments

[Solaris123]

TM is a simple mantra meditation technique well adopted to Western lifestyle. Now as to the yogic flying... no comment.
The fee have been reduced from transcendentally high $5000, but need to be reduced even further.

[Patricia Amaya - Huffpost Blogger]

This article is about teaching children to meditate at schools for free. The "Change Begins Within" benefit concert was to help fund the fantastic program.

If I wanted to learn anything that would bring me a prosperous lifestyle -- monetary or spiritually -- I would have no issue with paying for it.

All teachers should be paid handsomely for teaching me -- my payoff is living a wealthy lifestyle in every way. Thanks once again for you're comment, Solaris123.

-Patricia

[ladybug97]

Patricia,
Great interview. Anything that helps children to improve their lives is of importance.

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Patricia, This is wonderful and important- meditation is a great gift and I hope more and more people wake up to is value
Deb and I have a new book that will be published October 2009 called:

BE THE CHANGE
How meditation Can Transform You and The World
foreword by HH the Dalai Lama - Introduction by Robert Thurman

Contributors include Marianne Williamson, Jack Kornfield, Byron Katie, HH the Karmapa, Jane Fonda, John Hagelin, Roshi Joan Halifax,Jon Kabat-Zinn, Michael Beckwith, Ellen Burstyn, Ed Begley, Joseph Goldstein, Father Thomas Keating, astronaut Edgar Mitchell, Seane Corn, Lindsay Wagner, Ram Dass Jean Houston, Joan Borysenko, Russell Bishop and others-

Joyfully,

Ed

[Patricia Amaya - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Ed,

How lovely to hear from fellow bloggers. I can't tell you how excited I am to hear you have written a book called "Be The Change."

What an amazing line up of some of the great folks the world has to offer! I look forward to reading your book when it's published in October. I'm becoming a fan of your blog -- so I can keep updated on the release date.

Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on my article. Take care and be well.

-Patricia

[PewterPan]

The concert was fantastic (and was recorded for PBS) as this cast of legendary musicians flowed through set after set of inspiring rock and roll with many artists making guest appearances on songs for others. During the many stage set ups David Lynch, Laura Dern, Howard Stern and Jerry Seinfeld added comments and comedy on the positive influence Transcendental Meditation has had in their lives. Background film clips of youngsters in schools around the world who practice TM gave us hope for a new era of peace and happiness. A charming and delightful evening that transcended all my expectations!

[Patricia Amaya - Huffpost Blogger]

Hello PewterPan,

I'm so happy you had a blast and hung out with some stellar and enlightened folks as well.

Reading you're comment about how the delightful children lit up the background screen is inspiring to hear. I can't wait to catch this on PBS. So exciting!

Thank you dearly for personal experience of the Change Begins Within benefit concert. Rad!

-Patricia

[bloggabix]

Great Article Patricia. The concert was beyond my expectations. What a show! And all to support the teaching of Transcendental Meditation to 1 million children. Imagine what the atmosphere in the schools would be with that many kids meditating! Well done to all and that to David Lynch for making it happen.

[Patricia Amaya - Huffpost Blogger]

Wow! So happy to hear you went to the shin dig and had a grand time -- that's so cool.

The David Lynch foundation helps children in countless ways through the TM technique. Giving children the simple technique of meditation is an eternal gift to all of our futures. Thank you for you're comment, bloggabix.

-Patricia

[BigAlD]

Here is an opportunity to provide young people with a tool that can help them focus on goals for today and tomorrow. Often young people have no idea what they want to do or how to do it. This tool can help them develop critical thinking skills to work through some of these issues.
Maybe if letsthink used a spell check and properly edited his comments maybe they would have a little more credibility.

[Patricia Amaya - Huffpost Blogger]

Good day BigAID,

I couldn't agree with you more. You are correct -- when we dive into ourselves with TM -- critical thinking skills, problem solving, goal setting and structured strategies develop. I think people will find they become more inclined to throughly read through blogs, and post more accurately fact based comments as well. Thank you for you're insightful perspective.

-Patricia

[letsthink]

I find the clam that TM is "just a technique" to be highly disengenous. You can't separate the technique from the claims that the proponents have about the technique. You can't separate the technique from the underlying philosophy.

The philosophy is that you will achieve god consciousness through meditation. The philosophy is that you will be freed from never ending reincarnation when you reach unity consciousness and become "one" with the universe.

The odd claims of the TM organizations are relevant because students of TM can be exposed to those claims. For example, claims of special powers acquired through the use of the siddhi techniques, like yogic flying. Claims that gatherings of yogic flyers can reduce crime. Claims that yogic flyers caused the stock market to rise (when it did rise).

Do we want organizations that promote such unscientific thinking in our schools? Give me a break. Can't we recognize idiocy when we see it anymore? Sometimes we are too soft in our thinking. This stuff isn't wishy washy harmless sit for 20 minutes and meditate. This stuff is the promotion of the kind of thinking we do not want our schools to promote. We want our schools to promote knowledge based on science. We want our schools to teach about philosophies and religions, not promote them. We want our schools to produce critical thinkers, not magical thinkers.

[Solaris123]

Well, do what a lot of other people did. Learn the basic TM mantric technique and ignore the other stuff like yogic flying, various expensive seminars and peace palaces.

[Patricia Amaya - Huffpost Blogger]

I have no idea what letsthink is talking about? "Flying Yogic" makes me laugh to no end. letsthinks is doing lots of hilarious thinking -- that's for sure. Thank you kindly for you're comment, Solaris123.

-Patricia

[PewterPan]

I have seen these crazy posts from Mr. Knapp before so I went to his web site. He is a social worker who surfs the Internet looking for patients who he 'counsels' over the internet for up to $85 per hour. Yea, can you believe it? On his web site he has a page of 96 symptoms that tell a person that they have been damaged by a cult. Get this, these symptoms include headaches, dry mouth, financial problems etc.. I'm not kidding! I think Mr. Knapp could use some counseling himself. But enough of that, I am soooooo excited about the show tonite! Can't wait !!!

[Patricia Amaya - Huffpost Blogger]

Good day PewterPan,

Agreed -- crazy and agenda oriented post from Mr. Knapp. Thank you for calling it for what it is. I ventured into his blog and sites as well -- my findings left me with a giggle... What folks will do to get their agenda across becomes rather transparent. Reevaluating motives is a great place to welcoming "Change Beginning Within." Thank you kindly for you're post.

-Patricia

[Kay0099]

Dear Patricia,

Thank you for your fascinating article and insightful comments. My children have been practicing Transcendental Meditation for several years now, and they have grown into mentally clear, emotionally grounded, and just overall happy people. Both of them tend to make good decisions, especially as they are moving through the teenage years. Transcendental Meditation is one of the best investments my husband and I could have made in our children’s future.

[Patricia Amaya - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Kay0099,

What a lovely comment. This is what it's all about. Minimal -- Simplistic -- "Change Beginning Within." Nothing fancy -- nothing more. You're children are truly fortunate to have parents so insightful and who get the big picture, such as yourselves. Truly fortunate, indeed. Thank you, take care and be well.

-Patricia

[BenBicknese]

Dear Mr. Knapp,

According to your website :"I define a cultic relationship as a relationship between any group and an individual in which the individual experiences such high-intensity demands on their time and resources that they experience dysfunction in one or more core life areas: family, friendships, love relationships, career or school, finances, community, law, spirituality, recreation, physical well-being, emotional well-being, and mental well-being­." The relationship I have with my workplace and employer, ABC 6 News, is "cultic"..­..or is it ABC 666? Mr. Knapp, the Catholic Church is a cult (from whose mental abuse i am still recovering), The Republican party is a cult, ....Transc­endental Meditation is a flipping technique used by hippies and yoga masters to center themselves­.....anyon­e who does not properly balance their life (spiritual, emotional, physical) will end up in a bad place....y­ou can take any belief or practice and pervert it with obsession.­....your 2,000 or so "former members" prolly had an existing condition before their "cult" time....th­eir "cult" experience only magnified the problem or allowed them to indulge in unhealthy obsession.­....the key is to always stay grounded and balanced whatever it is......ob­session is obsession whether its a shopaholic and new Guccii, or killer Kool-aid and Jim Jones.....­.."cult behavior" is a symptom or excuse for the weak willed, not a cause.....­.....

Remember, you are the magician who makes the grass green....n­o one else.

Peace,
Ben

[Patricia Amaya - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Ben,

Thank you for you're thought provoking and insightful comment. I agree with you -- if society is going to label anything as a cult -- it would behoove folks to acknowledge the Catholic religion as such -- you are correct -- there is so much evidence of mental abuse in that belief structure. Take care and be well.

-Patricia

[jmknapp53]

Hmm, the argument that other organizations do it certainly doesn't reflect well on the TM movement. I work with former members of many organizations. In fact, most of my work these days is with people leaving Christian or Bible-based groups. That being said, the fact that there are reports about other organizations, such as the Catholic Church, does not excuse alleged damaging behavior of the TM Org.

Do two wrongs ever make a right? Perhaps Scientology or the Inquisition were worse than TM. Shall we excuse TM, therefore?

I urge you Particia, and others with an interest, to read both TM promotion AND critical sites. It's a simple matter of a Google search to find extensive material on questionable actions of the TM Org. Try searching on "Transcendental Meditation cult."

The fact that celebrities are willing to promote TM surprises me no more than Tom Cruise or John Travolta pushing Scientology -- or Madonna pushing Kabbalah. Celebrities can be true believers just as readily as us regular folk.

[letsthink]

Young people are especially vulnerable to organizations such as the organizations that promote TM. They just don't have all the skills yet to be solid critical thinkers. To call kids weak willed is misplaced. My hunch is that most who become involved with cults start when they are in their teens and twenties. I know that I was a lot more vulnerable and trusting at that age.

If people feel that they were in a cultish relationship with an organization, they should be free to see a counselor. Why slam the counselors? If you don't feel the need, don't go.

[Patricia Amaya - Huffpost Blogger]

To the contrary -- No one researched in the TM technique has referred to children as "weak thinkers."

No one is slamming counselors, yet there is great resistance to businesses profiting and creating propaganda such as Knapp's.

Where do you come up with this stuff? Seriously.

-Patricia

[TakeSake]

The last picture of Mr. Lynch somewhat resembles Henry Spencer.

[Patricia Amaya - Huffpost Blogger]

I've become smitten with David and have developed a bit of a crush on him (geez, who wouldn't after talking to him) -- more so his intellect. He's a true genius -- the way he articulates and formulates a story is mind blowing. Dreamy, indeed -- giggle...

-Patricia

[Patricia Amaya - Huffpost Blogger]

Quite frankly, Mr. Knapp -- I think you're barking up the wrong tree -- it's true, there are rather disturbing cults these days. My research concluded no evidence of religion and or lure of any kind to join TM. My research findings found a simple meditation technique. I find it difficult to believe world renowned successful members in society like; David Lynch, Ringo Starr, Sir Paul McCartney, Russell Simmons, Moby and Donovan to name a few -- would be lured into a cult for all these years. Actually, I find that thought silly and humorous. Personally, I do not follow any religious beliefs and come from an outside perspective. As I conveyed in part one one my article -- please feel free to read part 2 in which goes into more in-depth scientific details of my research findings. Thank you for you're time.

-Patricia

[tka2aust]

Hi Patricia! I enjoyed your article, interview and presentation. I have practiced TM for nearly 40 years and found it to be the eye at the center of the storm. There is certainly no mysterious occult end game, here. Meditation is the immersion and identity with being. (and beyond.) ---the purpose of human life. Certainly, some people have difficulty with advanced meditation. Some people might have difficulty with anything. These individuals are increasingly assisted and weeded our earlier as Eastern meditation organizations become more Western, psychologically sophisticated. As a psychotherapist of 35 years, I've discerned that problematic meditators are usually psychologically challenged and should practice the most basic meditation techniques. There will always be some business to assist them otherwise. ( I'm not a TM teacher and largely uninvolved with the organization over the years.)

Keith Austin

[Patricia Amaya - Huffpost Blogger]

Good day Keith,

Thank you kindly for you're insight and personal perspective on my part one article on Transcendental Meditation technique. My in-depth research concluded mutual findings. I appreciate the positive feedback. Take care and be well.

-Patricia

[jmknapp53]

Patricia,

Thanks for the response!

There is much more to TM that your brief post alludes to. I certainly am not against meditation. I myself meditate daily.

But TM is hardly the only form of meditation. There are many others, with what some research indicates the same results, available for free. And there are techniques with no religious trappings. I will not go on at length about the reports of damage and pain that clients report to me.

Also, you may not know, but I was in the TM Movement myself for 23 years -- as a teacher for 16 years. I am now a full-time therapist specializing in working with individuals who report emotional and other negative side-effects from their involvement with TM.

If you or others are interested, you're welcome to email me or call me if you'd like to chat about this.

Thanks for your article and the time you took to respond to my post.

J.

[Patricia Amaya - Huffpost Blogger]

Taking a few moments twice a day to sit quietly with a positive mantra is by no means a cult. Scientifically, the research has found this practice to stimulate in sync brain patterns to formulate a peaceful conscious mindset to create, learn and problem solve in a more progressive way.

I invite you to read part 2 -- part 2 goes into more in-depth scientific review.

Take care.

[letsthink]

And who have you talked to when evaluating the research? Only TM organizations? I suggest talking to Barry Markowski (I might not exactly recall the spelling) a social scientist at the university of Iowa that has reviewed some claims of the TMO.

Also, I am concerned about the fact that many of the TM researchers are such strong proponents of the technique that they make claims that are not proved by the research. In fact, research rarely "proves" anything, it may show likelihoods, but not proof. But John Hagelin and David Orme-Johnson, who have been involved in much of the TM research make overblown claims of "proof" frequently.

Be careful when evaluating the research and above all work with a scientist that does not promote TM. Just because something gets published does not mean it is good science. Ask any scientist.

[PewterPan]

Chefs like to cook, children like to laugh and critics like to criticize and find fault. The facts are that the research on Transcendental Meditation has been conducted at over 200 universities in 20 different countries and published in scores of peer reviewed scientific journals.

[Patricia Amaya - Huffpost Blogger]

My research is extensive and unbiased. Why would I waste time speaking with nay-sayers when I can have a giggle at their web-sites and form the same conclusion?

My research concluded -- the folks who oppose TM are profiting from their opposition. Furthermore, they have no scientific proof backing their accusations.

Facts are facts -- nothing more -- nothing less. Dr. Haglin has a plethora of scientific research proving the TM technique works. It's been real, letsthink.

-Patricia

[jmknapp53]

While recognizing that meditation is good for most practitioners, many critics consider Transcendental Meditation a cult founded by the late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. For an alternative view of the TM Movement, readers may be interested in checking out http://tmfree.blogspot.com/ , http://trancenet.net/ , or my counseling site, http://KnappFamilyCounseling.com/cultsb.html , where individuals recovering from Transcendental Meditation and similar groups will find helpful information.

John M. Knapp, LMSW
http://KnappFamilyCounseling.com/cultsb.html