Well, I have and I started this relatively new meditation practice in Los Angeles. The term maum refers to mind but also encompasses soul and spirit in Korean. This meditation teaches that our mind and body are stored with images made up of memories and past experiences. These images in turn shape our belief and conditioned behavior. With this understanding, maum meditation seeks to cleanse the mind by throwing away the things that falsely define us. The practitioners claim this eliminating process ultimately leads us to discover our true selves and results in healthy mind and body.
So after completing the first level and seeing its benefits, I traveled to South Korea - where it originated - to go through its intensive 6 month regimen at the headquarter. Boy, was I in for a totally unexpected awakening! You can read more about my personal experiences with maum meditation, including photos, at www.healing-mind.com/modalities/meditati...
The following describes what practicing maum meditation does for individuals :
It allows one to be free from self-centered world of one's mind. It breaks one's conditioned habits and presuppositions. It makes one reflect on oneself and discern if what exists within is true or false. It results in an escape from the false, mind/picture world within to be reborn with true mind/consciousness.
Well, I have and I started this relatively new meditation practice in Los Angeles. The term maum refers to mind but also encompasses soul and spirit in Korean. This meditation teaches that our mind and body are stored with images made up of memories and past experiences. These images in turn shape our belief and conditioned behavior. With this understanding, maum meditation seeks to cleanse the mind by throwing away the things that falsely define us. The practitioners claim this eliminating process ultimately leads us to discover our true selves and results in healthy mind and body.
So after completing the first level and seeing its benefits, I traveled to South Korea - where it originated - to go through its intensive 6 month regimen at the headquarter. Boy, was I in for a totally unexpected awakening! You can read more about my personal experiences with maum meditation, including photos, at www.healing-mind.com/modalities/meditati...
The following describes what practicing maum meditation does for individuals :
It allows one to be free from self-centered world of one's mind. It breaks one's conditioned habits and presuppositions. It makes one reflect on oneself and discern if what exists within is true or false. It results in an escape from the false, mind/picture world within to be reborn with true mind/consciousness.
Maum Meditation = Death Cult
This new meditation in America is in fact a cult. They believe their leader, the manifestation of "the Truth", is an enlightened being who can bring others to enlightenment. However, the first practice and every day practice is to kill oneself in the mind through graphically violent death visions. After time, this form of brainwashing can remove inhibitions. Then throwing away every image in your brain, even the ones that pop up at every moment, which is impossible because our thoughts are infinite.
They purport that there are 8 levels, but after that you must continue because you haven't reached enlightenment yet. The charge monthly is $150.00, with a $1,000.00 "sky fund donation" required at level 5. They also suggest for members to purchase reading material and other products.
The founder, Woo Myung, lives on Long Island even though the main compound is in Korea. In either level 4 or 5, a hymn praising Woo Myung must be learned. All levels are secretive unless you are in that level and level 8 members are only privy to and granted access to the level 8 only web portal. There is a chair at all centers reserved only for Woo Myung, no one may sit on it. His wife is only allowed to meet with level 8 members although Woo Myung himself sometimes stops by centers to critique people's attitudes and progress. The fanaticism and devotion required to him and the brainwashing method is intense; thus creating a cult.
The "helpers", people who guide your meditation and are 8th level, even though reaching "enlightenment" themselves, show frustration, apathy, and dislike to some participants, especially when asked questions they cannot answer. Many helpers smile a fake smile and loving atmosphere, just to create a false sense of acceptance. When not present for more than 2 days, the calls begin. A person who doesn't fear death in a cult could be very dangerous person.
-Former practitioner with sense to know this isn't meditation, it's daily brainwashing.
DISCLAIMER: I am not perfect. This "cult" may or may not be the way to the truth, but the above observations are my opinions and mine alone. This has been added due to the dearth of opposing information about the group and from my own experiences. Do not judge this group by these words, but by your own experiences.
Please don't listen to other in regard to Maum Mediation being a "cult" It is not a cult. A cult is designed to seperate you from others and implant ideas of what is "right" or "wrong" into your mind. Maum Meditation is the opposite. It uses the method of subtraction and is a self affirming process, meaning, no one tells you what you should believe. By simple doing the practice, you will come to realize your True nature and Self. I have been practicing for over a year now, and it's truely been a amazing experiance. Please find out for yourself. That is the only way to truly confirm what Maum Meditation is. Thank you for your time! :D
But of course, everyone must try something to know what it is. That's why I wrote at the bottom of my spiel, in the disclaimer, one must try something to truly know it. However, most intelligent people also do know that we gain knowledge fom reading others' experiences as opposed to reinventing the wheel and doing everything for ourselves.
Since you've been doing this for a year, could you please tell us who is the " mother" in Maum Meditation? And why do we have to write a letter to her about personal things?
If you research cult, Maum Meditation fits the definition of cult to a T. Charismatic leader, centralized power with minions to help lead, a way to universal freedom/enlightenment/heaven, money involved ( 150.00 a month and $1,000.00 sky fund donation).
Woo myung didn't find something "new", he just combined a bunch of practices together and called it his own.
Please don't listen to other in regard to Maum Mediation being a "cult" It is not a cult. A cult is designed to seperate you from others and implant ideas of what is "right" or "wrong" into your mind. Maum Meditation is the opposite. It uses the method of subtraction and is a self affirming process, meaning, no one tells you what you should believe. By simple doing the practice, you will come to realize your True nature and Self. I have been practicing for over a year now, and it's truely been a amazing experiance. Please find out for yourself. That is the only way to truly confirm what Maum Meditation is. Thank you for your time! :D
Hey GratefulMe!
Thanks for this beautiful response post. It was very logical and uplifting to read it :)
But of course, everyone must try something to know what it is. That's why I wrote at the bottom of my spiel, in the disclaimer, one must try something to truly know it. However, most intelligent people also do know that we gain knowledge fom reading others' experiences as opposed to reinventing the wheel and doing everything for ourselves.
Since you've been doing this for a year, could you please tell us who is the " mother" in Maum Meditation? And why do we have to write a letter to her about personal things?
If you research cult, Maum Meditation fits the definition of cult to a T. Charismatic leader, centralized power with minions to help lead, a way to universal freedom/enlightenment/heaven, money involved ( 150.00 a month and $1,000.00 sky fund donation).
Woo myung didn't find something "new", he just combined a bunch of practices together and called it his own.
I'm very sorry about your resentment towards Maum Meditation. It sounds like you encountered some things that are certainly not representative of the organization. I have been doing the meditation for a few years now and I volunteer as a guide at one of the centers, but I have never even heard of some kind of mandatory letter.
You mentioned centralized power, but the center that I am at runs very smoothly and all the decision making is done by the three of us who volunteer here. Of course we try to remain consistent with the practice that is done around the world, but that is just logical.
Calling people minions is a clear reflection of your disdain, but it seems unfair. We all certainly volunteer willfully.
The membership fee covers overhead and allows to support growth when the center is doing well. Anything else is simply a donation, as you said.
Sure founder of the meditation is charismatic.
I have tried many other meditation methods and I would say this meditation is incredibly unique and far more effective than the others that I have tried.
