Lack of fucking will make you spacey. Good fucking makes you very centered and present. Also an occasional chicken sandwich before or after fucking will make you grounded too.
--- On Sun, 9/28/08, Bhairitu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > From: Bhairitu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] TMers: Do You "Space Out"? > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > Date: Sunday, September 28, 2008, 7:51 PM > It may well be that many "great Indian saints" who > were said to go into > "spontaneous samadhi" were just "spacing > out." We know how Indians are > and they'll make such overblown observations. Brigante > said a while > back that on his TTC that Maharishi said "Indians were > like Americans on > drugs." I think, unless they have been exposed and > have had to adapt to > western culture (such as Indians who attend universities > her to get > advanced degrees) they often have the emotional maturity of > an 11 year > old. But that also suggests a vata disposition. > > Meditation of any kind, as ayurveda states, usually > increases the ether > element. It is to help you rise about the muddy earth > element. But > what if you are already a "space case." I would > lay the spaciness more > to bad vegetarian diet or having such a diet if it is > inappropriate for > your constitution. Remember that many Indian yogis use > ashwaganda and > brahmi in conjunction with their practice which helps tone > the nervous > system and ground out. Yogis know the importance of > grounding out > whereas too many western meditators just want to fly away > like a leaf. > How many TM'ers you know need "lots of rest" > indeed up to 10 to 12 hours > of sleep? Whereas I see progress if I only need 4 to 6 > hours of sleep. > I also wonder if westerners because of their dispositions > accomplish > just as much in a fraction of the time meditating that an > Indian does? > > BTW, of that list I'm sure you'll find a lot of > aging boomers who have > never meditated relating to those symptoms. Maybe it's > the fluoride in > the water? They're known as "senior moments" > and sometimes by balancing > the doshas they start to go away. > > Vaj wrote: > > Great article from John Knapp. > > > > Transcendental Meditators: Do You "Space > Out"? > > Posted by John M. Knapp, LMSW at 9/25/2008 03:46:00 PM > > Transcendental Meditation & Dissociation > > > > In my cult counseling practice, I'm often asked > about "dissociation." > > Many people don't know what it is. Or if they > experience it. > > > > In TM, we called it "spacing out," > "blissing out," being a "space > > cadet," or many other dismissive names. > > > > But what did we mean? And what's the big problem > with it? A lot of > > people enjoy "blissing out." > > > > Basically, dissociation is any gap in the major > identity or cognitive > > functions: awareness, memory, conscious thought, > certain language > > abilities, and of course identity itself. > > > > We all dissociate sometimes. We daydream, get lost in > thought, stare > > off into space, forget for a moment where we are, or > lose track of our > > surroundings when deeply involved with a book. > > > > But, in extreme cases, our main personality disappears > during the gap > > — and another alter may take over. This is > full-blown Dissociative > > Identity Disorder, what used to be called Multiple > Personality > > Disorder. This is rare. > > > > The point is dissociation exists on a spectrum, from > mild and > > pleasurable to severely disabling. > > > > Dissociation is only a problem when it causes pain or > difficulty > > functioning in daily life. > > > > Some cultic studies scholars believe cultic > organizations teach trance > > states, a form of dissociation, because they increase > suggestibility — > > with obvious benefits to groups that control and > indoctrinate members. > > (Not all scholars agree with the link between trance > and > > suggestibility. This article offers evidence against > the > > suggestibility hypothesis.) > > > > Purposefully teaching dissociation to increase > suggestibility seems > > likely to me. Every cultic group I've worked with > promoted > > dissociation through trance, meditation, Ericksonian > or classic > > hypnosis, chanting, speaking in tongues, group > criticism sessions, > > singing hymns for hours, observing lengthy religious > rituals, > > protracted group workshops, lengthy baffling group > instruction, > > interminable incomprehensible videos, yoga, or other > methods. > > > > This doesn't mean dissociative techniques > can't be pleasurable — or > > beneficial. But like so many good things in life, they > may be > > perverted by leaders with dishonorable intentions. And > like salt, a > > little adds flavor and is necessary for life. But a > lot can kill you. > > > > Dissociation is one of our primary defense mechanisms. > Most readers > > have heard of the "fight or flight > response": The body pumps out > > adrenaline when presented with danger. To this > scholars add "freeze": > > Responding to a frightening stimulus with a > "deer-in-the-headlights" > > response, in the hope the danger will go away by > itself. > > > > I'd add to the physical fight-flight-or-freeze > triad two cognitive > > defenses: "appease" and "avoid." > Most mammals exhibit an appease > > response: Think of a low-status dog presenting his > belly to a > > threatening dominant pack leader. We humans may bow > and scrape before > > a threatening boss, for instance. > > > > "Avoiding" takes many forms: simply staying > away from hostile places > > and people, to denial, to mentally checking out — or > dissociating — > > when all other defense methods fail. Our minds protect > us from > > overwhelming stress. > > > > The classic example is the child who is raped. At the > time, the child > > may lose consciousness or enter into a fantasy world. > Later as an > > adult, the raped adult-child may dissociate — or > even develop alters — > > to protect the mind against the extreme stress of the > painful memory > > or self loathing. People with post-traumatic stress > disorder tend to > > dissociate. > > > > It's easy to understand how harsh criticism fits > into this model. > > Being denounced in front of a group is excruciating. > It makes sense > > the mind checks out. > > > > But what about chanting or meditating? > > > > It's possible trance is a response to the boredom > of repeating a > > mantra or maintaining a blank mind. Or it may be > trance is just an > > alternative way of invoking a natural response — a > kind of "back > > door," just as we can hike our adrenaline by > visualizing a dangerous > > situation when none is present. > > > > Eastern meditation cults, or any group practicing > extensive chanting > > or meditation, seem to cause unusually high levels of > dissociation for > > some people in my experience. (I find fewer problem > reports from > > mindfulness meditation practitioners — although > I've worked with > > followers of Goenka who report dissociation.) > > > > Mantra-based and similar meditations themselves are > forms of learned, > > voluntary, and controlled dissociation. > > > > For most people 20 or 30 minute meditations are not > only not > > dangerous, they appear to be beneficial — and > enjoyable. Meditation is > > one of Nature's miracles, I believe. > > > > But some people report meditation practice can lead to > involuntary, > > uncontrolled "spacing out" in daily life. > Some groups have members > > meditating for 4 or 8 hours a day. (TM is one of > these.) It appears > > the mind overlearns meditative states, and they may > occur > > spontaneously and without conscious control in daily > life. For some of > > my clients, this causes difficulty leading a normal > family or > > professional life. > > > > A side point: Trance and meditation appear to become > addictive for > > some people. (You may be interested in this article on > trance addiction.) > > > > Whatever mechanism allows meditation to induce > dissociation, for a > > significant minority of meditate excessively, it > becomes involuntary > > and dysfunctional. > > > > Many long-term meditating clients initially deny > dissociating in daily > > life. > > > > But after reviewing the symptoms, some tell me > they've dissociated for > > years. > > > > Are you dissociating? Is it a challenge in your life? > > > > Below is a list of possible symptoms. Nobody > experiences all of them. > > Even experiencing a few — if they interfere with > your life — is a > > matter for concern. > > > > I've also linked to an online test that may > indicate if you are > > experiencing dissociation. Please feel free to report > your own > > experiences of dissociating in the comments below — > maintaining your > > anonymity if you choose. > > > > > > Depersonalization: Symptoms of Losing Identity (Gaps) > > > > You sometimes stare off into space, not thinking and > unaware of > > passing time > > You sometimes feel like a "witness" to what > is happening to your body > > When driving, you sometimes realize you don't > remember all or part of > > the trip > > Listening to someone talk, you sometimes realize you > did not hear what > > was just said > > You sometimes talk aloud to yourself when you are > alone > > You sometimes find yourself somewhere, with no idea > how you got there > > You have no memory of some important life events, for > example wedding, > > graduation > > You sometimes feel your body does not belong to you > > You sometimes remember a past event so vividly you > feel you are > > reliving it > > You sometimes aren't sure whether things you > remember really did > > happen or a dream > > Sometimes you can't remember if you did something > or just thought > > about doing it > > You sometimes find a familiar place strange and > unfamiliar > > Watching TV or reading, you sometimes become so > absorbed you're > > unaware of the room around you > > You sometimes get so involved in a fantasy or daydream > it feels as if > > it is really happening (may be understood as a > "vision") > > You act so differently from situation to situation you > like two > > different people > > You find yourself dressed in clothes you don't > remember putting on > > You sometimes find new things among your belongings > you do not > > remember buying > > Sometimes people approach you whom you don't know. > They may call you > > by another name or insist you've met them before > > You notice or are told you sometimes do not recognize > friends or > > family members > > You sometimes are accused of lying when you do not > think you are > > You sometimes look in a mirror and do not recognize > yourself > > You sometimes find you are able to do things with > amazing ease and > > spontaneity that usually are difficult for you > (sports, work, social > > situations, etc.) > > You sometimes find evidence you've done something > you don't remember > > doing > > You sometimes find writings, drawings, or notes you > have done but > > don't remember doing > > You sometimes hear voices that tell you what to do or > comment on what > > you're doing > > > > > > Derealization: Symptoms of Losing Connection to > Reality > > > > You sometimes feel like you are falling into a void > > You sometimes feel like you are "outside your > body" — alongside, above > > or behind > > You sometimes feel like you are floating > > You sometimes feel kuje you and your surroundings do > not seem real > > You sometimes see stationary objects appear to move > > Sometimes people and objects appear far away or > unclear > > You sometimes see surroundings through a diffused > light, fog or mist > > (or "fiery" light) > > Sometimes your whole body enveloped in light > > You sometimes feel your body is expanded — feels > huge/larger than normal > > You sometimes feel your body has shrunk to minute > proportions/smaller > > than normal > > You sometimes feel your body is being pressed to the > ground > > You sometimes are unusually sensitive to light and > sound > > You sometimes have tunnel vision > > You sometimes find you can ignore pain > > > > > > You'll find a valid, reliable online questionnaire > for dissociation > > here. If you found yourself saying "yes" to > several of the symptoms of > > dissociation above, I recommend you check it out. > > > > You may be able to do some self-help with techniques I > mention here. > > > > But if you continue to experience discomfort or > difficulty functioning > > due to dissociation symptoms, I suggest you speak > about it with a > > mental health professional — if only to ease your > mind. > > > > John M. Knapp, LMSW > > Therapist. Cult counselor. Coach > > KnappFamilyCounseling.com > > > ------------------------------------ > > 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 > > >
