Thank you - and, for the time being, you and others call it the "ho-hum" of the Universe.:-)
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Michael Jackson <mjackson74@...> wrote: > > I think Marshy called it the hum of the Universe > > > > > ________________________________ > From: "doctordumbass@..." <doctordumbass@...> > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2013 7:18 PM > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: David Lynch Is Back > > >  > Thanks for bringing up a traditional use of the mantra as pure sound value. I > am hardly knowledgeable about the Veda, but it IS all about the > transformation and manifestation of vibration (sound). > > Aside from doing my 9th grade science project on what sound waves at various > frequencies look like, when iron filings on an aluminum sheet are laid atop a > speaker, and later, all the TM stuff, that's about as far as it goes for me. > > Nowadays, its either my tinnitus, or everything sings, or both.:-) > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Michael Jackson wrote: > > > > > > I didn't say it was HIndu worship, I said it is a Hindu > > > devotional practice > > > > Oh, please. That's a distinction without a difference, > > and you know it. > > > > emptybill's posts are a strong rebuttal of your skinboy > > pal's claims, and you've made it only too clear you have > > no substantive counter-rebuttal. > > > > If somebody else has a good response, let's hear it. > > We're sure not going to get one from Michael. > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > From: authfriend > > > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > > > Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2013 3:23 PM > > > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: David Lynch Is Back > > > > > > > > > à> > > empty, if I may, I'm going to quote your follow-up post > > > reinforcing the point: > > > > > > "Baba Hari Dass is an impeccable yogin possessed of vairagya and > > > dispossessed of any agenda. He is the "yogin's yogin". My point was to > > > call attention to an alternate authoritative source - someone able to > > > explain the distinction between mantra-dhyana and mantra-japa. The key is > > > to recognize that a mantra can be used in meditation simply for its sound > > > value, without any reference to meaning. While this may seem over-obvious > > > to TM and Sahaj Samadhi meditators, this is what demarcates it from > > > ordinary language. > > > > > > "Used in this way, mantric sound is part of the human sensorium but is > > > self-generated in the same way that speech is. This kind of bare sensoria > > > is non-conceptual and does not require analysis to be perceived. Bija > > > mantras are yogic tools for just this type of non-conceptual (nirvikalpa) > > > direct cognition. > > > > > > "The fact is that MMY told us the truth about mantras and their proper > > > yogic use in TM. The cultural artifact is that Indians use mantras for > > > Japa to a hindu deity - it is just a datum of the Indian mind set. No > > > self-respecting "Hindu" conducts their life without a least 20-30 mantras > > > on-hand at all times (except the Indian communists). TM/Sahaj Samadhi > > > meditators do not, unless they choose to worship a deva. > > > > > > "When someone tells us such meditation is hindu worship then they are > > > simply misinformed, ignorant or ideologues." > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "emptybill" wrote: > > > > > > > > Outside of your personal opinions, your statements about the TM > > > > technique are not accurate. > > > > > > > > M.Jack says: > > > > > > > > TM is not a simple mental technique making use of meaningless sounds. > > > > It is in fact a Hindu devotional practice of chanting (silently) the > > > > names of Hindu goddesses. > > > > > > > > In reply, here is a previous post discussing the differences between > > > > meditation-mantra and devotional-japa. > > > > > > > > ************************************************************************\ > > > > * > > > > > > > > Recently I have read here on FFL an argument professed by some former > > > > TM'ers who stopped practicing because they claimed they were > > > > deceived about the "meaning" of mantras. > > > > > > > > Their fundamental claim is that a mantra is the name of a Hindu god. The > > > > claim is that a mantra, by definition, encapsulates a method for > > > > worshiping a Hindu god but that this fact is withheld from > > > > practitioners. Within the domain of this argument, these claimants will > > > > often quote some text from a Hindu Tantra. These are passages usually > > > > assigning a particular deity to a particular mantra and sometimes even > > > > assigning a set of deities to each of the Sanskrit letters composing the > > > > written forms of the mantric sound. This textual assignment is sometimes > > > > done haphazardly and occasionally is done in the Vedic format of > > > > rishi-deva-chhanda. > > > > > > > > Along with the quoted Tantric text is sometimes a statement by MMY, > > > > declaring that a mantra is a "sound whose effect is known". This > > > > argument quotes the TMO claim that a mantra is used in TM for the > > > > beneficial effects it produces in causing the spontaneous refinement of > > > > perception. This explanation is then paraded as an example of shameful > > > > exploitation of Western ignorance of the "Hindu" foundation of TM and of > > > > any other Indian meditation that does not confess itself as a form of > > > > "Hindu devotionalism". This devotionalist criticism is further paraded > > > > by pointing to various Indian swamis and cross-eyed yogis who make these > > > > same claims and arguments themselves. > > > > > > > > Some considerations about these claims: > > > > > > > > SBS taught in India. MMY began teaching in India before coming to the > > > > West. They both taught within the context of the Indian Hindu cultural > > > > model. Although they taught in India, where there are many Muslims, they > > > > did not present their teaching within a Muslim cultural model. Although > > > > Buddhism is from India and many Indian consider Buddha one of their own, > > > > neither SBS nor MMY taught within a Buddhist cultural model. Rather, > > > > they taught within the cultural context of their listeners. > > > > > > > > After coming to the West, MMY continued speaking and teaching within a > > > > similar Indian cultural model - for a while. It was the teaching model > > > > established by Vivekananda and Paramahansa Yogananda ââ¬" partly > > > > religious, partly philosophical and partly yogic. However the cultural > > > > context of this form of teachings was the 19th and 20th century paradigm > > > > of Western Modernity. > > > > > > > > When MMY realized the limitations brought by this model and of religious > > > > language here in the West he took a left turn. That divergence left some > > > > of his teachers behind - Charlie Lutts being an example. > > > > > > > > This is one reason that pointing to early religious language by MMY or > > > > SBS is an inaccurate over-simplification. > > > > > > > > As far as the "it is all a deceit" claimants, the two groups > > > > that are the most antagonist and strident are the materialists and the > > > > religionists. Materialists claim mantras are the mumbo formulas of > > > > hindoo gods and that the concept of gods/god is a false idea propounded > > > > by power brokers to enslave the masses. This is a truncated Marxist view > > > > popular among the half-educated. > > > > > > > > Contrary to this, the religionists claim that mantras are secret demonic > > > > traps devised to enslave us to hindoo devils. This is the view of > > > > true-believer adherents of the Abrahamic religions ââ¬" Jews, > > > > Christians and Muslims. This is not simply a fundamentalist diatribe > > > > from TV evangelicals. This was the original view of Christians from the > > > > second century C.E. forward and after Constantine's ascent to Roman > > > > power was used as incinerating ideological propellant for killing > > > > polytheists. > > > > > > > > What is obvious is that both groups are unable to rationally consider > > > > the facts because they are ideologues entrenched in a priori > > > > conclusions. One example of this is a clear demarcation about the > > > > difference between yoga and religion. Materialists dismiss such an idea > > > > because yoga historically emerged within in a Hindu cultural context. > > > > Semitic monotheists condemn this idea for the same reason. > > > > > > > > If we consider the role of yoga, it is apparent that most meditating > > > > Westerners are functionally ignorant about the nature, range, depth and > > > > complexity of yoga lineages - whether Vedic, Hindu, Buddhist or Jain. > > > > Most of them do not know the difference between Vedic, Puranic and > > > > Tantric lineages of practice. They also do not understand how these > > > > three streams developed and then intertwined into Hindu temple rites. > > > > They don't know vidhi from vedi.* > > > > > > > > Even more surprising, most swamis and imported, so-called "yogis" are > > > > not Pandits, Indologists, or Sanskritists. Very few are formally > > > > educated in the yoga traditions of the Indian subcontinent. Most are > > > > only trained in asana, pranayam and japa. A little bhakti here, a few > > > > Upanishad citations there and "om tat sat" - I'm a guru. > > > > > > > > Faced with this, most of us Westerners who meditate are at a > > > > disadvantage when presented with claims that we are not educated to > > > > conceptualize within an informed view. > > > > > > > > So, to counter-point this misunderstanding, I am providing a short but > > > > authoritative quotation from an impeccable yogic source about the > > > > difference between mantra practice in both yogic and devotional sadhana > > > > practice. > > > > > > > > Hari Dass Baba (the upa-guru of Ram Dass) > > > > > > > > Quotes on the difference between Mantra practice and Japa practice. > > > > > > > > 1. Mantra is the repetition of sounds or words which have power due > > > > to the vibration of the sound itself. > > > > > > > > 2. Japa is the rhythmic repetition of a name of God. > > > > > > > > It (Japa) consists of automatic Pranayama, concentration and > > > > meditation. The main idea in doing Japa is to make the mind thoughtless. > > > > Then automatically body consciousness disappears. If your body > > > > consciousness disappears, it means your sadhana is going well. The body > > > > is the medium of sadhana and the body is the hindrance in sadhana. Japa > > > > is a formal method of worshipping God. It should be done privately and > > > > preferably with a mala, or rosary. > > > > > > > > Silence Speaks: from the chalkboard of Baba Hari Dass, 1977 (my > > > > bolding). > > > > > > > > *vidhi is a specific method of puja. Vedi is the altar used in yajna. > > > > > > > > As an addendum: Western Buddhists are slightly more educated about the > > > > various streams of Buddhism but on the other hand they read a lot. In > > > > reality they don't know much about the differences in viewpoints or > > > > sadhana practice between Theravada, Mahayana and Tantra. They know even > > > > less about the differences in basic view between Zen, Tantra, Mahamudra > > > > and Dzogchen. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Michael Jackson > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > So since they aren't posting my comment - here it is: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I began TM in 1974 and enjoyed it enough to become a real TM > > > > > fanatic and cheerleader. As the years went by, I left the TM Movement > > > > due to > > > > > the huge disconnect between the promises of TM and what it actually > > > > delivered, > > > > > especially the awful, arrogant deceitful behavior of even the low to > > > > mid level > > > > > managers of the TM organization, much less the leaders of the > > > > Movement. > > > > > > > > > > Lynch is spearheading a very carefully orchestrated effort > > > > > to sanitize the TM's image to a pre-1976 luster. 1976 was the year > > > > their > > > > > Maharishi announced the TM Sidhi program to the world. The TM Movement > > > > can > > > > > honestly be characterized as a decades long flow of dishonesty and > > > > deceit, > > > > > taking money under false pretenses and very unpleasant behavior on the > > > > part of > > > > > those who administrate the Movement. > > > > > > > > > > I had the pleasure of speaking at some length with someone > > > > > who spent years as Maharishi's personal secretary and for all his > > > > praise of the > > > > > man, this person told me that it was clear that the leader of the TM > > > > movement > > > > > was totally focused on sex, money and personal power. What the Big M > > > > created, > > > > > his Movement perpetuates. > > > > > > > > > > TM is not a simple mental technique making use of > > > > > meaningless sounds. It is in fact a Hindu devotional practice of > > > > chanting > > > > > (silently) the names of Hindu goddesses. And that is alright as long > > > > as you are > > > > > upfront about what you are doing. For my money and in my experience, > > > > TM is one > > > > > big scam. After more than 20 years I stopped doing TM and never looked > > > > back. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > > From: obbajeeba no_re...@yahoogroups.com > > > > > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > > > > > Sent: Friday, February 22, 2013 8:52 PM > > > > > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: David Lynch Is Back > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Ãâ > > > > > I hope you can post your comment here. Please, please, please!? > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Michael Jackson wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > thanks nabby for posting - I put my own nice comment there - let's > > > > see if they have the guts to post it. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > > > From: nablusoss1008 no_re...@yahoogroups.com > > > > > > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > > > > > > Sent: Friday, February 22, 2013 3:11 PM > > > > > > Subject: [FairfieldLife] David Lynch Is Back > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡Ãâ > > > > > > Advertise on NYTimes.com > > > > > > David Lynch Is Back ÃÆ'ââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâæ as a Guru of > > > > > > Transcendental > > > > Meditation > > > > > > > > > > > > David Lynch for The New York Times > > > > > > David Lynch took a self-portrait at Idem Paris, a fine-art printing > > > > studio, in December. > > > > > > ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡Ãâ > > > > > > Article at The New York Times here: > > > > > > > > > > http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/magazine/david-lynch-transcendental-me\ > > > > ditation.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
