LTRP Note: The following is posted for informational and research purposes. For many years, Lighthouse Trails has been reporting on public schools that have been making students participate in meditation practices (including mindfulness), often unbeknownst to parents. This class-action settlement described below could start making public school administrators and board members across the country think twice before enforcing their New Age/Eastern religion meditation on the lives of children and teens.
Press Release | By Tom Ciesielka
The Chicago Board of Education and the New York-based David Lynch Foundation will pay out $2.6 million to former Chicago Public Schools high school students over forced Transcendental Meditation indoctrination. On May 13, 2025, Judge Matthew Kennelly of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois approved the class action settlement.
The funds will be distributed among 773 individuals who, while students at Chicago public high schools, were either required to participate in Transcendental Meditation as part of their in-school curriculum or were deprived daily of a half-hour of academic instruction and required to maintain silence while their classmates focused their minds on secret mantras.
The Chicago Board of Education partnered with the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace, which was founded by filmmaker David Lynch to fund Transcendental Meditation instruction in schools. Though presented as a nonreligious exercise, Transcendental Meditation is rooted in Hinduism. The Hindu American Foundation describes the practice as “wholly and unequivocally Hindu.” Click here to continue reading.
(photo from istockphoto.com; used with permission; design by LT)
I can attest to the dangers. I did these by my own choice but it had been brought more to my attention by what my sister brought home. The Bhagavad Gita.
Though George Harrisons song was the first influence, My Sweet Lord.
It mixes Christian with Hindu …
I was taken in because I was familiar with the term ” Hallelujah” The Christian term of worshipping God. But then the song continues after that ” Halle Rama”.
At around 14 years old as a new believer I got led astray into practicing yoga and meditating and even chanting.
But to be clear. My sister had gotten this influence while attending a University. Her boyfriend even took her with him to India. All she did was bring the book home. I did the rest.
This was happening in 1968-71 Eastern religion was becoming very popular then, especially among Hippies. Many who just wanted peace and love.
I can definitely say this practice is Demonic.