Really nice words, MJ. It is good you had and have some good experiences along the way. Altho they can make you overlook things, as you said. The first thing TM did for me was make me transcend so powerfully that I got worried I might not be able to "come back." It stlll helps me with stress.
I imagine that in the next 20 years or so there will be some good research to distinguish between different types of meditation for different problems. MMY certainly felt TM covered all bases, easily and effectively. But for specific problems I would think that different techniques might be more or less healing than others. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Michael Jackson <mjackson74@...> wrote: > > Thanks Emily, for your kind words. > > For me I started out with TM and the first thing it did was help me sleep > better, which was a blessing at the time. And fairly soon after I started TM > I began to have what might be termed "classic" experiences of clear > transcending, and then CC, GC (lots of those) and some Unity, and even which > for me was real cool, a couple very clear although minor experiences of > ritambhara pragya when I was on staff working for the team of governors who > were teaching sidhi prep courses in North and South Carolina in the late 70's. > > This led me to believe that all the things M said about consciousness and TM > leading to enlightenment were true since I seemed to be on that path through > direct experience. I also assumed that the promises about life improvement > such as better behavior, better relationships and so forth were also true. > But I early on began to see a large gap between what was promised or claimed > for the effects of TM and the actual behavior and energy of most of the > leaders and managers of the Movement. > > Like so many others l made excuses for that gap, but reached a point that I > could no longer make excuses. If TM is as effective as it is supposed to be, > the way it is advertised by the Movement, it should be having a very > different effect and manifestation in those who have been doing it the > longest, especially those who have done the "advanced" courses. > > I still occasionally use my TM mantra, it is for me a stress release thing - > to explain, when I got the Chopra mantra which is chosen according to your > birthday and time, I had the experience with my TM mantra that I would sink > into the Absolute, with the Chopra mantra I felt the Absolute being enlivened > in me, very vibrantly. > > After a couple years of using these mantras, and with the discovery of > Eckhart Tolle's work, I feel what you might call Pure Awareness around me all > the time - sometimes its really prevalent and powerful - other times it fades > away. > > At this point the mantra, TM or other wise, tends to sort of pull me out of > that state of Energy - its just like sitting there thinking thoughts. And > this is proper meditation practice mind you. So for me about 5 minutes of TM > or meditation and its done. Anymore than that its just surfacy thoughts. IF I > stop meditating and sit there, silent, its all the Transcendent. TM is most > useful for me if I have some physical fatigue or muscle overwork, using the > TM or Chopra mantra releases the fatigue or stress very quickly. > > So for me I understand the love many have for TM and its use in daily life. I > have come to the conclusion that I am sure that a LOT of people here will > vehemently deny or denounce is that TM is most useful and effective in the > early years and later not so much, partly because I think like those who feel > we are in the transcendent all the time and all we need to do is become aware > of it like Nisargadatta or Eckhart Tolle. > > I have a good deal of respect for people like Rick Archer and understand his > outlook on things, but I disagree totally with his assessment that the David > Lynch Foundation is doing good work with certain groups. I have been working > with a group of therapists of various kinds who are beginning to treat people > especially veterans who have PTSD. Given what I know about the context in > which TM is taught (the Movement) and the effect of TM in terms of its stress > release capacity it may not be the best technique for those who hold such > extreme amounts and kinds of stress that can come forth explosively. I also > do not want the TM folks teaching TM in schools at all - the reasons for the > teaching is not to benefit the people as much as it is to create more > customers for the Movement, the teacher who are on the ground and actually > teach the students may not be aware of this, but the leaders of the Movement > certainly know it. I do feel TM is of benefit to some > degree, but for both PTSD sufferers and school kids there are other more > positive meditations that will benefit them more fully without the baggage of > the Movement or their hidden motives. > > So them's my thoughts on meditation today. I await the utter revilement I am > sure to receive from nabby and others for expressing these thoughts. > > > > ________________________________ > From: Emily Reyn <emilymae.reyn@...> > To: "FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com" <FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Monday, December 10, 2012 1:57 PM > Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: And so this is Christmas > > >  > I think it depends on what one's expectations are for one's meditation and > what meditation practice one is following, no? > > As an operational example (not a paradigm), for me I think that meditation > helps to lower my stress level.  I have no expectations of "enlightenment" > of whatever sort; I simply want to function better in my life.  And then I > thought, hmmmmm, very different idea than "unstressing" under TM, based on > what I've read online. > > I would like to hear Mark though, so will check it out. > > I also am a reader here who really has enjoyed your posts mjackson.  > > ________________________________ > From: Michael Jackson <mjackson74@...> > To: "FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com" <FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Monday, December 10, 2012 10:42 AM > Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: And so this is Christmas > > >  > I think it would be instructive for everyone to watch Rick's latest Buddha at > the Gas Pump - where Mark Landau talks about his fantastic experiences of > awareness and at the same time he was still fearful, anxious etc. it does > bring one to doubt the long term efficacy of TM and perhaps any sort of > meditation - its interesting to me to note that Eckhart Tolle has > consistently said that no one gets enlightened by meditating. > > > > > ________________________________ > From: Emily Reyn <emilymae.reyn@...> > To: "FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com" <FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Monday, December 10, 2012 1:34 PM > Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: And so this is Christmas > > >  > This same paragraph could apply to Amma based on the information that is out > on the internet now. > > > ________________________________ > From: Michael Jackson <mjackson74@...> > To: "FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com" <FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Monday, December 10, 2012 7:03 AM > Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: And so this is Christmas > > >  > And if Maharishi was really enlightened and therefore an expression of Divine > Energy, which would mean the Movement was and is an expression of Divine > Energy and Cosmic Excellence in Action, how could it have left they trail of > people who became basket cases mentally, emotionally, financially and > sometimes physically and the numbers of people who now revile Maha - doesn't > seem to be the expected manifestation of en enlightened man and movement. > > > > > ________________________________ > From: nablusoss1008 <no_re...@yahoogroups.com> > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > Sent: Monday, December 10, 2012 3:34 AM > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: And so this is Christmas > > >  > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Michael Jackson <mjackson74@> wrote: > > > > Wow - wonder who's point of view is the true one? > > Consider this; Curtis is the biggest Maharishi-hater ever to have graced this > forum. The level of hate is so intense that even The Turq and Vaj becomes > mere amateurs in comparison. > > If you want to know what Maharishi felt about Christianity all you have to do > is to see the video below. > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIWqJ8tJ8JU > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > From: nablusoss1008 <no_re...@yahoogroups.com> > > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > > Sent: Sunday, December 9, 2012 6:28 PM > > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: And so this is Christmas > > > > > > à> > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "feste37" <feste37@> wrote: > > > > > > If MMY did have a negative view of Christianity it was because of what he > > > saw as its emphasis on suffering, which was directly contrary to his > > > message that life is bliss. In that sense he had a disagreement with the > > > interpreters of Christianity down through the ages, not with the founder > > > himself. In an interview with a Swiss journalist in Majorca on November > > > 23, 1971, Maharishi said, "I love Christ very much." He also said in the > > > same interview, "TM is a friend of Christianity because it takes > > > awareness to the field that Christ wanted everyone to enjoy." Then he > > > added,"No Christian should suffer; it is not necessary. It is not good to > > > propagate suffering in the name of Christ." He also used to refer to > > > Christ as "Lord Christ." > > > > Maharishi on Christianity: > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIWqJ8tJ8JU > > >
