I’m actually a big believer in meditation—and most adherents of TM are merely meditating, but the mind is definitely a trippy thing.
It can also be a useful tool with which to manipulate weak people. I also meditate, it’s simply a method of calming the mind.
If he had been an honest man, he would have told them he was teaching them how to meditate...but the guru doesn’t operate that way, he wants accolades and followers.