Richard J. Williams wrote: > Bhairitu wrote: > >> the TM methods are nothing new. >> >> > The TM technique is Raja Yoga - it has been taught in India > for centuries. However, the basic technique of transcending > was lost or overlooked. Many forms of concentration and mind > control were introduced which made transcending difficult. > You would be more correct if you just said TM is a new label for Raja Yoga. I disagree with the notion that the technique of transcending was lost or overlooked as the same methods are right there in most any book on meditation some published way before TM and those after by people who never even looked into TM. The term "concentration" is probably misunderstood (or misused) as particularly in Sivananda's book he is not talking about holding or forcing the mind. To many yogis "concentration" is just the state of transcendence achieved through meditation where it the transcendent is very "concentrated." Indians tend to play with words a bit. > For example, I used to practice zazen in a dojo - almost > everyone I talked to said it was difficult and extremely > boring. The transcending factor was completely overlooked. > Probably by you and not the other participants. > Same thing with Trungpa's instructions. Muktananda used > to chant bhajans all day and night to do some mood-making > but he never was able to teach the effortless transcending. > Bhativedanta used to dance in the streets and bang on a drum. > Nope. Muktananda and his teachers taught a form of meditation using shaktipat to give the initiate a jump start on transcendence. A friend who had practiced TM for several years went to Muktananda's center and learned that meditation and called me immediately as he said it was like a super powerful advanced technique. He definitely had an experience of transcendence with it. However we have to take into account that he had years of transcending with TM (not I'm not denying that the TM technique delivers transcendence just disputing the fact that it is the only technique that does so) meditating with about any other technique (even taken from a book) would do so. Likewise I transcended and the kundalini rose the first time I tried meditation years before TM learning out of a book. So even my first experience with TM would be jaded due to previous experience (even hearkening back to my nightime meditations on the concept of infinity when I was 4 years old).
And if you're going to fault Muktananda for chanting bhajans what about "Marshy's" Primal Sound stuff? > The closest instructions to TM practice that I ever received > were from Yogananda's course - the meditation on Hong Sau. > Yup that is also a well known "yogic meditation" for the masses. Is that Chevy you drive still like a Mercedes to you?
