--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, iranitea <no_reply@...> wrote: > > Now, try to judge for yourself: > http://www.al-islam.org/al-tawhid/default.asp?url=kashkul.htm > (Robin describes his meeting of Khomeini) > > "Indeed I would say that the explosion of ecstasy and power > that greeted the Imam was itself not so much a simple reflex > based upon a fixed idea of the Imam; it was rather the natural > and exuberant hymn of praise, of celebration that was demanded > by the very majesty and overpowering charisma of this man. For > once the door opened for him I experienced a hurricane of energy > surge through the door, and in his brown robes, his black-turbaned > head, his white beard he stirred every molecule in the building > and riveted the attention in a way that made everything else > disappear. He was a flowing mass of light that penetrated into > the consciousness of each person in the hall. He destroyed all > images that one tried to hold before one in sizing him up. He > was so dominant in his presence that I found myself organized in > my sensations by that which took me far beyond my own concepts, > my own way of processing experience. I had expected-no matter > what the apparent stature of the man to find myself scrutinizing > his face, exploring his motivation, wondering about his real > nature. Khomeini's power, grace, and absolute domination destroyed > all my modes of evaluation and I was left to simply experience > the energy and feeling that radiated from his presence on the > stage. A hurricane he was, yet immediately one could see there > was a point of absolute stillness inside that hurricane; while > fierce and commanding, he was yet serene and receptive. Something > was immovable inside him, yet that immovability moved the whole > country of Iran This was no ordinary human being; in fact even > of all the so called saints I had met-the Dalai Lama, Buddhist > monks, Hindu sages-none possessed quite the electrifying presence > of Khomeini. For those who could see (and feel) there could be no > question about his integrity, nor about the claim, however muted > by people like Yazdi, by his people that he had gone beyond the > normal (or abnormal) selfhood of the human being and had taken > residence in something absolute. This absoluteness was declared > in the air, it was declared in the movement of his body, it was > declared in the motion of his hands, it was declared in the fire > of his personality, it was declared in the stillness of his > consciousness. There was no mystery about why he was so loved by > millions of Iranians and Muslims throughout the world and he > demonstrated, to this observer at least, the empirical foundation > for the notion of higher states of consciousness. Yes, the > severity, the humourlessness, the absolutist judgement was > apparent; yet given the circumstances within which he was placed, > there was the affirmation of appropriateness in his every gesture > and aspect. This was the most extraordinary person I had seen." > > Now, now, I know it's long time ago, but who wouldn't > immediately recognize the same elaborate, over-emotional, > overcast writing style, he also exhibited here on FFL? > That he changed his opinions, world-views a thousand times > during his life, and probably even at the moment you are > reading this now, doesn't do a damned thing, it just should > raise even a few more red flags, if you know the details, > you know what I mean?
Great find. I springboard off of your insight with these definitions from Wikipedia: Symptomatic recognition of hypomania The DSM-IV-TR defines a hypomanic episode as including, over the course of at least four days, elevated mood plus three of the following symptoms OR irritable mood plus four of the following symptoms: * pressured speech * inflated self-esteem or grandiosity * decreased need for sleep * flight of ideas or the subjective experience that thoughts are racing * easy distractibility and attention-deficit similar to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder * increase in psychomotor agitation * involvement in pleasurable activities that may have a high potential for negative psycho-social or physical consequences Symptomatic recognition of narcissistic personality disorder A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following: * Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements) * Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love * Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions) * Requires excessive admiration * Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations * Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends * Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others * Is often envious of others or believes others are envious of him or her * Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes
