20 Feb ZIMBROS – 19 FEBRUARY 2018 – Psychology, Communism and Yoga

Psychology, Communism and Yoga

When I finished highschool I was 18. The decision of choosing an academic option was tough. I felt uneasy choosing anything, nothing attracted me. An engineer father, psychologist mother with a degree in logopedic, both had very different ideas and advices. My father was more practical, he said psychology was something stupid and gave me the example of his broken marriage.

I decided to please them both: I started the Constructions University and after 6 years I was in the 3rd year. Something felt wrong. When I froze my academic year my father froze also.

My mother on the other side did a samba dance in praise of my switching to Psychology..

That’s the story with parents that never got along.

In 1977 when I was born, besides the earthquake, there was another quake in the field of Romanian Psychology that was banned by the Communist regime.

Yes, I don’t know if you were aware of that, but from 1977 to the Revolution, Psychology could not be studied in Romania. Ceausescu considered it  useless, much lime my father, obviously.

Therefore Romanians turned to a friend or a glass of something for relief. When you get to the psychologist you most probably don’t go alone, someone will take you there by hand, for you are probably in a stage when you don’t understand much.

So starting with 1977 Psychology remains only at a research level called “The Pedagogic and Psychological Research Institute” subdued to the Romanian Academy of Science.

And what do you think they start researching? Transcendental meditation, unbelievable, indeed, the old Vedic traditions for the benefit of the Communist party.

After only 5 years of research of transcendental psychology Security, that had surveilled the entire phenomenon, ends the study.

The Security’s operation regarding Transcendental Meditation had code name “the flyers”, as the word went that, during meditation, the believers could attain a state of levitation.

The Security were afraid that their subjects might escape by air and they thought they’d better stop the evolution lest we should have flyers above Bucharest like butterflies in the garden.

My Mom tells me that in the ‘80’s little shows were on National Television teaching yoga techniques.

Can you believe that?

Cand am terminat liceul aveam 18 ani. Tare apasatoare mai era decizia carierei universitare. Chiar nu puteam sa aleg un domeniu, nu ma atragea nimic.

Tatal inginer metalurg, mama psiholog cu specializare in logopedie au intervenit fiecare cu sfaturi cat mai utile si justificate.

Tata era mai practic, incerca sa-mi explice ca psihologia este o prostie, dovada sta casnicia ratata.

Eu am decis sa-i impac pe amandoi. Am inceput Facultatea de Constructii si dupa 6 ani eram in anul 3. Am zis ca ceva nu-i in regula.

Cand mi-am inghetat anul a inghetat si tata cand l-am anuntat!

Mama in schimb a inceput sa danseze samba cand a auzit ca voi continua cu facultatea de Psihologie.

Asa e cu parintii care nu s-au inteles niciodata.

In 1977 cand m-am nascut, in afara cutremurului de pamant a mai fost unul si in domeniul Psihologiei Romanesti cand a fost interzisa de catre regimul Comunist.

Da, nu stiu daca stiati, dar din 1977 pana la Revolutie, nu s-a putut studia Psihologia in Romania. Ceausescu a considerat ca nu e nevoie, ca si tata probabil.

In consecinta Romanii au invatat sa se descarce unui prieten, la un pahar de vorba. Cand ajungi la psiholog de fapt nu te duci singur, te duce cineva de manuta ca probabil esti in etapa in care nu stii nici cum te mai cheama nici pe ce lume traiesti!

Asadar incepand cu 1977, Psihologia ramane doar la nivel de cercetare sub denumirea de  “Institutul de Cercetări Psihologice și Pedagogice de pe lângă Academia Română de Științe”.

Si ce credeti ca se apuca astia sa cerceteze? Meditatia transcedentala daca va vine sa credeti, vechile traditii vedice in interesul partidului Comunist.

Bine, nu a fost chiar asa, pentru ca numai dupa 5 ani de cercetari in domeniul psihologiei transcedentale, securitatea care monitoriza tot fenomenul, pune capat studiului.

Operația securitatii special îndreptată împotriva Meditatiei Transcedentale purta numele de cod „Zburătorii”, întrucât umbla zvonul că în timpul meditației, adepții puteau ajunge la starea de levitație.

S-au speriat securistii ca le “zboara” suspectii si au zis ca e mai bine sa-i opreasca din evolutie, sa nu ajunga astia sa bazaie pe deasupra centrului Bucurestiului ca fluturii prin gradina.

Imi spunea mama ca erau prin anii ’80 niste mici pastilute la Televiziunea Romana unde se predau tehnici de Yoga.

Va vine sa credeti?