Good point Rick, though I the invective directed at Maharishi was getting a little too deep for my comfort.
On the one hand I deeply appreciate the unvarnished truth as we know it being expressed here. It is certainly vastly preferable to a bunch of TM clones parroting the 'party line' (which by the way is a useful exercise in training the mind, but something more appropriate for nursery school vs. kindergarten, where we now find ourselves...). On the other hand, to say that Maharishi is an extraordinarily enlightened man, i.e. one who's every action is selfless activity in the light of God, and then to criticize it, i.e. to criticize God's instrument, well you can see where I have an issue with that. It strikes me as supremely arrogant. Really chomping down on the hand that feeds us. So I am entirely OK if someone deeply questions what Maharishi is up to; that is the nature of our quest, question everything, take nothing for granted. It is the judgment of Maharishi though, hence of God, the inference that we can act out the Supreme Play better than God can that I completely disagree with. And as I look over that last statement, I can see someone may question my equating of Maharishi with God. What I mean by stating it so is that once one gets close enough to God, where is the difference? Whether we are submerged in Him, or Him Himself, what is the difference? I don't have the answer to that, just the question. So how do we know Maharishi is indeed flawed by what he says or does? We really don't. What I see instead are a couple of cultural and personal elements playing out here: 1. The western mind's desire for instant judgment, instant gratification. While it may be honest to reach hasty conclusions, they are often incorrect, seen in the light of a longer timeframe. (Although I am an average white american I grew up in Southeast Asia. The mentality regarding time in the east is very different. The thinking is different; wait and see, wait and see.) This is not an indictment of west vs east, just a statement on the relative value of time for western mind vs eastern mind. 2. A lot of us here bought into the idea of instant or quick enlightenment. Maharishi calls it as he sees it. On the background of infinity, what is ten years, fifty years, a lifetime? Guru Dev's programs are very pure and very powerful. Nonetheless it doesn't mean that we should not remain constantly vigilant towards our little ego's tricks. Guru Dev had no patience for the flailing of the little ego. He would kick its ass without a moment's hesitation. Along with infinite and universal love, that is his vibration. So all of the Maharishi is this and Maharishi is that means not much. Sure we all bought into various constructs of the mind, various trade- offs for 'enlightenment'. Examine them ruthlessly; let's not offer our failures as clothing for Maharishi. Thanks, Jim --- In [email protected], Rick Archer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > There's a third view, expressed here often by me, Dr. Pete, and others, > which is that Maharishi is an extraordinarily enlightened human being whose > relative personality is flawed in various ways, as reflected in things he > has said and done over the years. This view is invalidated by the belief > that everyone is perfect just as they are, if you choose to look at it that > way. To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
