--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, nablusoss1008 <no_reply@...> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, nablusoss1008 <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Mark Landau <m@...> wrote: > > > > > > Thank you, Bob, I appreciate this. It doesn't seem to jibe with the > > > little I thought I knew, but I really didn't know anything. I had some > > > impression from somewhere that he left the movement for awhile and then > > > came back. But I really never knew. > > > > > > On Aug 6, 2011, at 6:28 PM, Bob Price wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > Mark, > > > > > > > > It looks like there is plenty of speculation on Devendra that can be > > > > found in the archives of FFL using his name. The following are some > > > > highlights from Joyce Collin-Smith who knew him both when he joined > > > > Maharishi and when he left. > > > > > > > > There are a number of great stories in 'Call No Man Master". For those > > > > that don't know-Joyce Collin-Smith, the author of the book, she was one > > > > of the early group of meditators-followers of Maharishi in the UK. > > > > Early 60's vintage not unlike Helena Olson. Where Mrs. Olson was a PR > > > > professional Colin-Smith was a journalist on fleet street. She was > > > > originally part of the UK Gurdjieff-Ouspensky- group run by Francis > > > > Roles that joined and financially supported Maharishi in his early > > > > visits to the UK as Ouspensky, on his death, had told them to find an > > > > eastern master because they needed Vedic techniques to actualize their > > > > philosophy. They provided the first UK TM center that Maharishi taught > > > > out of on Prince Albert Road in London but eventually there was a > > > > falling out (with Roles and some others) when they visited the TMO > > > > ashram in Rishikesh and met Sivananda at another ashram across the > > > > river. > > > > > > > > Two in this early British group were Joyce Collin-Smith and Philip > > > > Williams (Devendra). Collin Smith looked after Maharishi at this time, > > > > acted as his chauffeur and set up the his first lectures in London and > > > > Oxford. She also edited Maharishi's letters for him as well as making > > > > sure he was fed and had a comfortable place to sleep. Philip was an > > > > Anglo Indian and a practising international lawyer who had graduated > > > > with honours from Oxford when he met Maharishi in the early 60's. He > > > > left it all behind and became Maharishi's go to guy in the early 60's > > > > at the Albert Road center. Maharishi eventually renamed him Devendra > > > > and publicly named him his successor after Devendra took vows. Both > > > > Collin Smith and Devendra had been there for a number of years when the > > > > Beatles showed up. For why Joyce Collin Smith eventually left i > > > > recommend reading her book. > > > > > > > > According to Joyce Collin-Smith her and Devendra stayed in touch by > > > > letter. Devendra was eventually sent to India to mediate full time in > > > > the caves near Rishikesh. Eventually his letters to Joyce stopped and > > > > she didn't hear from him for 20 years (no idea what the dates are here) > > > > until he showed up in London penniless and broken. The story he told > > > > was that Maharishi had kept him fasting and meditating in dark caves > > > > for years and his meditation had become more and more bizarre. > > > > > > > > "In the end I thought I was going mad, alone in the caves", 'he said.' > > > > "Maharishi gave me no assistance , no guidance. he just laughed and > > > > told me to go on". 'Terrifying experiences had come to him as he sought > > > > to obey the will of his once beloved and now indomitable Master, as he > > > > had always done, without complaint' > > > > > > > > Long story short he eventually asked the Shankaracharya (the one on M's > > > > team) what he should do and was advised to sneak out of India without > > > > telling Maharishi > > > > which he did with borrowed money. He showed up in London, he was 60, > > > > and went to work in a Japanese restaurant and eventually moved to the > > > > Philippines to live with his sister and was never heard from again. > > > > > > Maharishi did everything humanly possible to help Philip. In every way > > imaginable, but it was not possible, it was not meant to be. > > > To add to this one could speculate what would happen if Devendra DID what > Maharishi told him to do; stay in that cave ! > > Experience hell; and then live. He had the opportunity but opted out when it > got heavy. > > Philip/Devendra would then be Maharishi's successor today. But he failed > because he was weak. Bless his soul !
"In the end I thought I was going mad, alone in the caves", 'he said.' "Maharishi gave me no assistance , no guidance. he just laughed and told me to go on". Jim and Rory; if Maharishi placed you in a cave like that, what would you do ?
