"authfriend" wrote: "Actually, normal average life expectancy in India, where he lived most of his life, is about 70 years. In Holland, where he lived the last close to two decades, it's 80. He lived into his 90s, working 16- hour days, 7-day weeks, 50 weeks a year, for the last 50 years of his life. Looks to me as though he beat the odds in the direction of immortality by at least a decade.
Edg: Hmmm, maybe. But, I'm thinking that his intense lifestyle was his technique of keeping fit. It doesn't take much passion to keep one "in the body." That's why I think he could have gone much longer if he'd matched his mental life with a physical regimen equally keeping his systems "up to par." Then again, immortality was, er, "hinted at," as a definite goal of the TMP, and an extra 10 - 20 years of life is not exactly what the word "immortality" brings to mind. I don't know how the TMO could have pulled it off, but promising another 10-20 years of healthy life could be a hugely profitable service/product to offer. If the TMO had gotten us all to exercise daily, I'm thinking we could all be far better models -- marketingwise. So, nope, I'm not convinced TM increases lifespan "by magic." But, that said, I do think that choosing to do TM opens up one's mind as much as actually practicing TM in that such a choice is "out there," and this type of choosing-person can be expected also to "have an eye for" the vast number of other stimulating things to attend and thus have life grab one and get a passion going. Note that one doesn't have to do TM to get into living with a passion, and most TMers don't strike me as being more engaged with life than most non-meditators. I'd talk to the local farm kids at the county fair, and they were into being farmers with a passion, and I felt "good about them." Salt of the earth vibe and all that. They'll eat grease, paste, sugar, booze and red meat and still live to their 90s too. Chicken or egg? Both is the answer. Edg
