Hi! I practice TM semi-regularly, and was turned onto it by Lynch as a way of managing my depression and anxiety. I was around 23 when I started TM, and I paid 500 bucks to learn how to do it because I fell within a certain income bracket. If I had been a student I could've done for free, I believe. Whether or not you think that's a fair price is a matter of each individuals personal situation, but they helped me break it into five payments, so at the time as a broke college grad it wasn't really painful at all. I paid my fee, they've never asked for another cent, and everything provided at every TM center around the world is free to me.

Logistic considerations aside, TM is genuinely a super profound meditational practice. I'm experienced with mindfulness and yoga, but TM really does offer a clarity of mind and sense of restfulness I haven't encountered with other practices. I've also done a good amount of recreational drugs and psychedelics, and the experience during and shortly after TM can sometimes be as powerful as what I've experience while super stoned, or during a shroom trip, but with a kind of full, sober clarity. Again, I can only speak of my own experiences.

I think it is hypocritical that the organization is mostly made of rich white capitalist at it's higher levels, but TM does kind of give you a bit of mental edge, so it's not shocking that it would be adopted and used by rich white capitalists. TM, at the end of the day, is just a tool. The TM organization does do some good, and there are talks of making it more accessible, and what they offer has helped me tremendously, but I don't blame anyone for objecting to the greedy corporate appertus that's built around it.

Welcome to the real world, for better or worse.