--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, ruthsimplicity <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > > Just as a general rule of thumb, people who think > > > MMY had it all wrong really ought to leave their > > > minds open a crack to the possibility that the way > > > they understand what he taught may not be the only > > > way, and that there are certain insights they may > > > not have fully grasped. > > > > Should we also have the same lack of confidence in our assessment of > > the teachings of Jerry Falwell, Chairmen Mao, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, > > everybody who gets on Access Hollywood? > > > > Seriously, I think you are confusing intellectual confidence with > > closed mindedness. > > > > > We make decisions. We have to in order to proceed with our life. Many > decisions I make are based on probabilities. Should I use a statin or > should I try naicin, or nothing at all? What are the risks and > benefits? My decisions are based on objective criteria as well as > subjective criteria, simply what feels right to me based on my own > experience. At a point I close the door on certain options. Now if > someone comes up with some new evidence that calls into question my > assessment, I am fine with reviewing my position. Whether it be on a > drug, a political candidate, TM or enlightenment. > > With TM, I read the books. I did the practice. I went on some > courses. I listened to my friends who are meditators and believe the > TM theories. I listened to what MMY said. I looked at what MMY seemed > like and what those around him had to say about him. I looked at what > my friends became like after years of involvement with the TMO and > using the TM techniques. I read research and theories, from > Orme-Johnson to Persinger, from Haglin to Markovsky. I read about > cognition and consciousness. I read research about research. I go to > this site and read what people say and how they interact. I go to TM > free blog and read what people say and see what they are like. I go > to TM sponsored websites and see what they say. I get checked. > > And I make a decision based upon all this homework. My decision is > that I am wasting my time with TM style meditation. It isn't a good > fit for me and the underlying theories are weak.
Based upon what Curtis quoted, I would add that I believe I understand the theories and that there are no insights that I have failed to grasp. I am smart, I get it. Interestingly, a number of my true believer friends maintain that I must not understand the workings of TM because if I did, I would practice TM and the siddhis. This is an impossible argument. No matter what you say, they will always respond with "you must not understand." Sorry guys, if you are reading this, I do understand, I just don't agree. >
