It has actually taken me a long time to understand how to let TM occur in an effortless manner. Any kind of modification of the mindstuff initiated by the "doer" requires effort. When thoughts are no longer present yet awareness remains then that is transcendental consciousness, and that is effortless. No matter what practice was occuring beforehand.
You are confusing the TM claim of effortless with the attendant instructions. Initiating the sounding of the mantra by the mind is an effort that when allowed to fall away leaves an effortless state. MMY clearly states in the SBAL that all the traditional techniques that lead to transcendental consciousness are valid, only most are impractical for the majority of people existing on earth. Rick Carlstrom --- In [email protected], Vaj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Is Tm "effortless"? What *is* effortless meditation? > > Although Tm is characterized as effortless, by the standards of the > yogic tradition itself it is not effortless, but only believed to be > that way because people are lead to believe so--in fact they are told > this from the very beginning while in a hypnotic, suggestible state. In > other words, people are conditioned to believe it is effortless. This > serves several purposes. One is since Tm is a product being sold, it > makes the person feel they are getting something better--a much higher > form of meditation. Instead what they are getting is an intro form of > meditation, really no different from many other introductory forms of > meditation or relaxation techniques. Once indoctrinated and conditioned > to believe their method is "effortless". Users will often counter, > compare and contrast other forms of meditation which do the same thing > as Tm, often based on the illusion of "effortlessness" that they have > been taught to believe and taught to think, and they may counter that > these methods are "not Tm" for trivial reasons which have little basis > in actual facts. And this serves the second purpose of creating the > illusion of "effortlessness": adherents can also believe they have > something not only superior but unique or new or different than other > forms of meditation. The idea of uniqueness is very important to TM's > product image as it allows adherents to sell it as a product unique to > itself. It is not unique. > > Students who have been instructed in actual forms of effortless > meditation will immediately recognize the difference between truly > effortless meditation and meditation like Tm. > > TM or "bhava-tita dhyana" as it is known in India is reputed by many of > it's remaining adherents as an effortless form of meditation. Yet yogic > tradition clearly distinguishes between introductory forms of > meditation which use "support" (Skt.; alambanas) and mental intention > as opposed to the formless forms of meditation which use not even > subtle, mental forms. These formless, higher forms of meditation are > aimed at liberation, rather than "transcending" thought. > > An excellent way to see how effort and supports are used in Tm is to > look at the method of "checking", a basic indoctrination in the Tm > method and process. > > Efforts are subtle efforts which distinguish the open state of > awareness from those which exist within frameworks and use some kinds > of support. > > The first effort would be the decision to leave ones ordinary > activities to "meditate". Meditation therefore is somehow different > from ordinary activity. Meditators are encouraged to engage in this > separate activity. > > The next instruction given in Tm instruction and checking also involves > effort: > > "Let's close our eyes." > > One makes the effort to close ones eyes and change them from their > natural condition. > > Then another effort is added: > > "Let's sit comfortably, easily and again close our eyes." > > One modifies ones posture from the way it was in order to sit in the > prescribed fashion (which is also described as how it differs). > > These efforts are before the actual process of meditation begins, but > these are efforts which are used as part of the overall process. Some > forms of meditation one does not modify ANYTHING. Not posture, not > eyes, nor gaze, etc. But there are forms of formless meditation which > will modify position and then just enter into the meditative state > without props or supports. In forms of meditation with support and > forms which use this with a seed (e.g. a mantra)--something is > therefore intended to occur other than just an effortless, open > awareness. One must introduce this form of support in some way. This is > one of the next phases in Tm-style meditation methods. > > To summarize: so far we have been instructed to, by our own efforts, to > modify our position and our eyes. > > We are then instructed to: > > "All right, now close the eyes, sit easily, not minding anything, take > it easy." > > This time something is added. We modify the eyes and posture--but we > are also told to "take it easy"--in other to make the effort and > intention to do so. A subtle effort, but nonetheless different from > merely resting in non-dual awareness. > > Along with this one is subtly conditioned--as we are now in a > susceptible state--that these minor efforts are not in fact effort at > all. > > "Did you notice that thoughts come without effort?" you are asked. > > Then we are told: > > "This is how effortlessly we should think the mantra." > > OK. But you said "think the mantra". It's not totally effortless if I > have to think it though! Most won't notice this as you are in an even > more susceptible state now and the suggestion of what you are doing as > being effortless has already been planted. > > They continue: > > " Now this time, when we close our eyes, sit easily and after about > half a minute, begin to think the mantra in that same effortless way > we think any other thoughts." > > There was that word "think the mantra" again. So it's NOT totally > effortless after all--but again, at the same time they told me to > "think it", they used the word "effortless" again. > > Welcome to Tm--filled with various efforts--what yogis who do more > formless meditations call "the disease of effort." > > What if regular thoughts start coming? You will be instructed to: > > "When we become aware that we are not thinking the mantra, then we > quietly come back to the mantra. Very easily we think the mantra and > if at any moment we feel that we are forgetting it..." > > In other others, by mental effort, change something--"go back" to the > mantra, back to your support. These are all subtle efforts which from > the perspective of the meditation tradition would be considered > "disease of effort". This is common in many intro. meditation and > relaxation techniques. In the tradition of meditation these efforts are > called "sankalpas" or "mental intention". You have to make an effort to > "go back". Otherwise you would sit there still thinking thoughts. > > As a further aid to meditation, using a mantra or having the subtle > intention for the mantra to arise by itself introduces with effort a > "support", in this case a seed, a bija or a mantra. > > The Tm bijas are not unique either, they are the same as other > techniques with the exception that Tm mantras are not geared to the > specific mental qualities of the practitioner. > > While these represent relatively subtle efforts, from the perspective > of the entire tradition of meditation--both Hindu and Buddhist and > Chinese and Japanese, etc. these types of meditation are meditation > with form (a mantra) and support (the mantra, a certain position, eyes > a certain way, etc.). These all entail efforts of some sort. > > Thus it is clear, Tm is NOT effortless, but people are made to believe > it is. This is to make Tm not only look like a much, much more advanced > technique than it truly is, but to make it appear to be unique and to > market it more successfully as a product in the spiritual marketplace. 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/
