None of these comments address the disparity between the traditional practice of Maitri Bhavana (the contemplative cultivation of loving kindness) versus the three little "impulses" used in tm-sanyama practice.
Having to follow strict institutional rules is no excuse for the absence of compassion. For example, Buddhist monks must strictly observe 253 rules, Buddhist female monastics must observe 348 rules. However, these monastics are not thereby allowed to be assholes to people. Administrative duties in Buddhist monasteries require many skill sets and yet maitri-bhavana is still enjoined as one of the most fundamental practices for everyone. Not that everyone in a monastery does them because most of their time is spent performing chants for the benefit of the lay people. That is how the monasteries earn donations. However, the administrators are answerable to the whole assembly of monastics for their behavior. A total of nine little "impulses" doesn't seem to do much for practitioners supposed "evolution". In actual results, this practice seems unconnected to these administrator's personal consciousness, whether surface or deep, no matter how long or how much they have performed sanyama. This disconnect basically stands alone as an example of "something is missing". That is why I included the example of the guided contemplation. It is one example of what seems missing. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Buck" <dhamiltony2k5@...> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "emptybill" emptybill@ wrote: > > > > > > People wonder why administrators who practice the tm-sidhi program for > > 40 years are so unkind and uncaring. Look no farther than the how the > > first three sutra-s are practiced - three reps of three ideas ... that > > is all. > > > > That job. I have friends who have experience working in the movement's course office over the years. Hopefully the guidelines facilitate what is going on. When the guidelines are less than fair to people there can be a lot of deep (spiritual) hurt in enforcing them where it wrecks people's lives as it can. At times this has been real bad. The course office position holds a lot of power over people. There is a lot of communal hurt around that and the people working there end up a conduit for that communal hurt and consequent anger. If someone doesn't have a thick skin before coming in to the job they get one or get out. It's an soul corrupting job if ever there was one like being a Ring-bearer in Lord of the Rings. Hopefully the guidelines help facilitate what we are doing and not get in the way of it. The guidelines evidently have caused a lot of trouble that way. There's a reality to that. > -Buck > > > > Although engaged with during tm-sanyama, the three sutra-s are initial > > ideas. Their possible results? According to MMY some feelings of > > "warmth". But why should only three repetitions of such introductory > > feelings produce a significant, lasting change in someone? > > > > MMY used to analogize every method other than tm/tm-sidhi as just > > another "cart and bullock" practice. > > > > As a counter-point, here is a condensed and succinct example of the main > > method used in the traditions of Patanjali Yogasutra-s and Gautama > > Buddha's eight-fold path. Once you get a feel for it, you will > > understand why these Abodes of Brahma (Brahma Viharas) are considered > > essential for actualizing and realizing awakened liberation. > > > > . > > > > The Four Brahma Viharas > > > > A guided meditation by Ven. Ayya Khema > > > > Think of the four brahma viharas, the four supreme emotions, > > loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy (joy with others), and > > equanimity. And see them, as the Buddha explained them, as the only > > emotions worth having. Nothing else has any real place in our hearts. > > And think your heart as yearning to be filled with love and compassion, > > with joy with others, and equanimity. See your heart as yearning for > > that and then fill it with those emotions. The warmth of love. The care > > of compassion. The generosity of joy with others. And the peacefulness > > of equanimity. Fill your heart to the brim. > > > > And now spread the love and compassion, and the joy with others, and the > > equanimity through this room. So that there is the warmth and the care, > > the generosity and the peacefulness of it all through this room, so that > > everyone can partake of it. > > > > And now let these four emotions, with their warmth and their caring, > > their generosity and their peacefulness emanate from your heart and > > reach out to the people who are close to you, so that they can have part > > of it, without expecting that you can get the same back. > > > > Now let all your friends partake of the beautiful emanation from your > > heart. Loving and compassionate. Caring and peaceful. > > > > Now reach out to other people you know. Neighbors. People you might work > > with. Those you meet in everyday life. Let the heart full of > > loving-kindness and compassion reach out to all these people that you > > can think of. > > > > Now think anyone towards whom you have some negative feeling in your > > ordinary life, and don't change your heart now. Allow it to retain love > > and compassion, joy with others, and equanimity and let those same > > emotions reach out to that > > difficult person. > > > > Now feel your heart emanating the beautiful rays of love and compassion, > > the warmth and the caring, the giving and peacefulness and let these > > rays go out into the world and touch people's hearts near and far. > > Think of people around here and then go further afield. Letting these > > beautiful rays and emanations from your heart go to as many hearts as > > you can find. > > > > And put your attention back on yourself and feel the warmth of > > loving-kindness and the peacefulness of giving permeate you, fill you > > and surround you. The warmth in the heart brings joy and the > > peacefulness that surrounds you brings a feeling of security. > > > > May beings everywhere love each other. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Share Long <sharelong60@> > > wrote: > > > > > > Dear Seek, I agree that TMers are not necessarily more evolved or > > knowledgeable or calmer in turmoil or overall better humans than > > others. However I also want to bring up an experience that has > > puzzled me for years. It came up when, for emotional healing, I got > > involved with non TM groups. BTW, both groups contained ex TMers as > > well as long term practicing TMers and non TMers. To me, the non > > TMers in general just did not feel natural, which is not exactly the > > best word but comes closest. Maybe unstraining is a better way to > > say it. Some subtle energy of settledness missing. Again, I'm > > fumbling for words and thinking out loud here. But wanted to > > mention to get your feedback.   > > > > > > > > > I also notice that a lot of people are familiar with New Age ideas and > > even wisdom. But much of that sounds more like common sense to > > me. Which is very good on that level. Or New Age knowledge > > often puts the cart before the horse. My favorite example is > > Eckhart Tolle and his teaching to be in the Now. It's my experience > > that being in the Now is a result rather than a path. It's also my > > experience that the Now contains both past and future so no need to > > avoid them. Anyway, I'm ever grateful to Maharishi for his teaching > > on consciousness and its unfolding. > > > > > > > > > At this point, I have not gone deeply into Buddhist or Taoist > > wisdom. But what I have encountered nourishes my spirit. I'm > > simply grateful for all the wisdom and practical help that is available > > these days. And that it's my dharma to explore. > > > Share     > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > From: seekliberation seekliberation@ > > > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > > > Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2012 9:20 AM > > > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: Apostate Meditators > > > > > > > > >  > > > I agree with you that transcendence is a deeper and more significant > > quality of consciousness and a major step towards evolution. But this > > doesn't mean that every person who meditates is automatically more > > knowledgeable on spiritual topics than everyone else, nor does it mean > > they are further advanced through this cycle of birth and death just > > because of a technique learned in one lifetime. > > > > > > For example, Michael Phelps could stop swimming for the next 5 years, > > and you and I could swim every day for the next 5 years. He would still > > be faster 5 years from now. In the same way you and I can't make up for > > all his mileage in just 5 years, meditators & Siddhas aren't necessarily > > going to make up for a lack of development for their last few lifetimes > > (or dozens/hundreds of lifetimes....however many there are). > > > > > > I'm not putting TM/TMSP down, i'm just saying that 'some' TMer's tend > > to assume they are ahead of everyone else out there who isn't practicing > > or hasn't learned TM. Moreover, TM is not the 'only' way of > > experiencing transcendence (although it does seem a lot easier, IMO). > > For example, i've met a lot of people in my life who don't meditate that > > seem a lot more calm and relaxed in the midst of turmoil than any > > meditators I know. How is that? My only explanation is that > > transcendance is not a quality of consciousness only experienced by > > practice of TM. > > > > > > This isn't just an issue with meditation either. It's everywhere. > > People sign up for a course, graduate from some class, attend a seminar, > > etc.... and all of a sudden they automatically assume they're more > > developed than anyone who hasn't signed up for that course. This could > > be anything, spiritual or material in nature. > > > > > > seekliberation > > > > > > > Dear Liberation Seeker; > > > > Yes, so the science says so; that transcendence is the way of > > evolution. > > > > For many good reasons that even the science is showing now that > > > > everyone should meditate, take time out and meditate. > > > > Yes, Transcendence is the way of any good meditation. > > > > According to TM research too. (There'll be time for scientific > > reconciliation with the buddhists later). > > > > > > > > Now then, bliss also as sat-chit-ananda on the other hand as > > experienced in the subtle of the heart which other meditational > > techniques like http://www.vedicvibration.com/ and > > > > the Ved and Physiology meditational technique would cultivate. > > http://www.mumpress.com/other-items-of-interest/mvhp.html > > > > Even for the awakened there is more work to do. > > > > But certainly for the seeker. > > > > > > > > Best Regards, > > > > -Buck > > > > > > > > > After leaving Fairfield and being exposed to some other teachings, > > i've begun to assume we might not be as enlightened or as far through > > this cycle of birth and death that we seem to assume we are. I admit I > > could be wrong, but that is my perception nonetheless. > > > > > > > > > > Perhaps my fatalistic and pessimistic views towards America and > > the world in general would give some the impression that i'm no longer > > meditating, or never did in the first place. So I guess one question > > would be how could you know or tell whether someone on FFL is or isn't a > > meditator unless they declare if they are or aren't? > > > > > > > > > > Besides, sometimes when we get wrapped up in our theoretical > > paradigms we never get the chance to test our theories where the rubber > > meets the road. We often times just sit in our little world accusing > > everyone else of being so stupid for not understanding our perfect > > perceptions or theories. Therefore, I think it is helpful to have the > > perceptions posted from someone who isn't a dedicated meditator. > > Sometimes it's irritating sometimes, but at the same time can help > > balance out perceptions and give a reality check to some people whose > > heads are in the clouds. > > > > > > > > > > seekliberation > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
