Mark, given these modern times and communications you would think so. In the marketplace people are way more studied and way more exposed to gurus and spirituality than probably ever before. However, on the ground in TM here in FF you need a valid badge. Effectively participation is with a one-guru badge in application. The TM-TB's left inside in control of participation are more strictly 'one-guru' devotees. Disciples. They put that standard over on everyone else, even on those who may just be practitioners and not devotees.
Here in Fairfield last week for Guru Purnima you had to have a 'valid' dome badge (be an eligible TM-siddhi practitioner) to go to the TM-movement's guru celebration. In effect that left thousands of old-time badge-less meditators out to themselves. The FF TM-no-badge-nik meditators. Inside there are only a few hundreds active left here with badges yet close to three thousand adults here who previously had come here to Iowa as TM-meditators. There essentially is a fealty test going on by the conservative elements in the middle putting up the threshold of a TM-Siddhis 'dome badge' to old meditators coming in to even celebrate Maharishi as a guru. It's a very calculated policy on the part of a TM taliban-like doctrine-bound element inside. You would think Guru Purnima could be a time to be forthcoming, hospitable. A time to gather. As I survey around on the street, there is still in the old meditating community a residual or latent hope that things could work out for TM here but practically folks express only dim hope given the general lack of social skills within TM in reality. Jai Guru Dev, -Buck in FF an old Iowa meditator --- In [email protected], Mark Landau <m@...> wrote: > > You're welcome, Richard. I'm glad. > Well, he definitely was my master from '71 till the late '70s or early '80s, > but, after that, no. > If we take the reality, I don't feel he would qualify as a true master. If > we can hold some idealized version of him, I suppose we could keep him as a > master. > I think Guru Dev would much more readily qualify as true master. > But perhaps it is time for us to move beyond masters. That was a viable way > to grow spiritually in the past, but, perhaps, not so much now. > I think our times call more for us to find our own way, or to find teachers > who will accept us without demanding that they be masters, teachers who serve > us well from where we currently are, but who acknowledge their own > imperfections and that not all they teach will perfectly serve everyone. > Hope this helps, > m > > On Jul 22, 2011, at 9:45 PM, richardnelson108 wrote: > > > Hi Mark, > > > > Thanks so much for all your recent posts. They have really been a wonderful > > read and very insightful. > > > > Since you had the opportunity to experience Maharishi in a way that most of > > us never did, I am wondering how you feel about Maharishi being a "master", > > and if you feel or felt that he was or is your personal master? Its an area > > that I have gone back and forth on many times throughout my life and still > > hold some confusion about. > > There is no question that TM has worked for me and that being around him > > was very powerful, but that doesn't necessarily mean he is in the league of > > a true master, particularly with all of the things that just don't make > > sense about him. > > > > Your insight would be most helpful 5'm sure if you don't mind. > > > > Thanks > > > > --- In [email protected], Mark Landau <m@...> wrote: > > > > > > On Jul 21, 2011, at 12:43 PM, curtisdeltablues wrote: > > > > Fruitful, fruitful! You continue to be a huge addition to the content > > > > here Mark. Your exchange with Robin on your experiences with Maharishi > > > > were fascinating. > > > > > > > > I was surprised to learn that Bevan wasn't a skin boy. I thought that > > > > was one of his claims to fame when he was first with Maharishi in > > > > India. > > > > > > > > The mega intense world at Maharishi's door is so worthy of a book, many > > > > books for each person who wants to tell this story. One of the most > > > > fascinating books I have read was by Mao's personal physician. You get > > > > an insight into his character you get nowhere else. Same for you guys > > > > in the hot seat carrying the hot seat. Any details you sprinkle here > > > > will fall on many delighted ears. I enjoy your divine experiences as > > > > much as any insights into the more human side of Maharishi. > > > > > > > Thank you, Curtis > > > > > > When I knew Bevan in the 70s, he confided in me that he was always > > > jealous of the skin boys because he had never gotten to do it himself. I > > > don't know what happened after I left, in '76. My guess is that he never > > > really played that roll, that M had bigger and better ideas for him and > > > didn't want to jeopardize them. I would think, though, he got to > > > physically carry the skin in brief, sporadic situations, but not in the > > > traditional up close and personal way for long periods of time. Please > > > correct me, anyone, if they know more. > > > > > > I started to write a book about it, but decided to let others do that. > > > One of those things... > > > > > > > >
