--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <authfriend@...> wrote:
>
> --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "raunchydog" <raunchydog@> wrote:
> >
> > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <authfriend@> wrote:
> > >
> > > What was uncomfortable for you about making eye contact,
> > > Share?
> >
> > When I was in India with the Vedic Atom, there was a troop of baboons that
> > roamed freely at the walled boundary of a large park. After lunch we often
> > walked to the park from the nearby Indian Express Building where we met for
> > rounding and Maharishi's lectures. One day I made the mistake of making eye
> > contact with a large male baboon. He charged at me. I turned tail and ran
> > like hell.
> >
> > Eye contact is an intimacy that could feel like a threatening invasion of
> > personal space for people as well as baboons. Prolonged eye contact is
> > usually reserved for a lover for the purpose of bonding and intimacy.
> > Intense, prolonged eye contact with people you may not know very well in a
> > workshop seems like an artificial intimacy that could be uncomfortable for
> > some folks. Apparently, it challenges a person's tolerance for intimacy,
> > but then, that's probably the purpose of the gazing exercise. As long as
> > it's not with a baboon, gazing would be just fine by me.
>
>
> I've never done this, but as I try to imagine it, it
> doesn't seem as if it would be uncomfortable. Maybe
> it would in reality.
>
> If it *isn't* uncomfortable--if it's not challenging
> for a person--I wonder what they would gain from it.
>
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/message/55423
"There are some traditions that explain this phenomenon
in terms of "recognition." You sit in the presence of
someone who is "firing on more cylinders" than you are.
They are "higher," or in a more advanced state of con-
sciousness. More aspects of their being have "woken up."
And in that person's presence, you find that similar
aspects of YOUR being "wake up.""
In WD, gazing isn't about being a challenge. It's spoken of in terms of
transmission, but IMO, it's exactly what Barry refers to in that post. It's an
opportunity bring yourself into spiritual alignment with the teacher by simply
being present with each other in a very powerful way.
