On 11/19/2014 9:37 AM, Share Long wrote:
>
Bhairitu, I find what you write here rich in both common sense and
subtle insights. What's tricky about inner silence or the Self, etc.
is that the minute you're talking about it, you've turned it into an
object. And of course it isn't. For me, a better strategy has been to
not try and do that at all. Except for this post (-:
I sometimes envy the kapha types who seem so enlightened to me just
because they're calm by nature.
>
/There's just not much anyone can say about the Absolute except say what
it isn't.
One of the most absurd rumors I ever heard was the rumor about MMY
"promising enlightenment in 5-7 years", which is absurd because, by that
time there were TMers who had been practicing TM for over 10 years in
India. Go figure./
>
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*From:* "Bhairitu noozg...@sbcglobal.net [FairfieldLife]"
<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
*To:* FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com
*Sent:* Tuesday, November 18, 2014 2:13 PM
*Subject:* Re: [FairfieldLife] Most Absurd Rumor
I've always said the "experiencing enlightenment" is the thing to say
even if it is for a few minutes a day. Honestly, I think some folks
believe that enlightenment will put them in a perpetual state of
celestial consciousness as if you were always on LSD. That, of
course, would not be very practical. Basically it is an "inner
silence" which is not pervasive or you could never deal with everyday
situations. You'd just have to sit there like a lump. People here
who experience that "inner silence" (and I believe there are probably
more than a few here who do) know that they have it when they focus on
it but when they need to focus on worldly things it doesn't get in the
way.
I know a number of people who even just doing TM will say "CC was a
long time ago." Whether you got there or not seems to depend on your
nervous system or maybe if you are more spiritually inclined then
development in past incarnations. People like to say that those who
popped into are probably "old souls." So even the spiritual community
will have a group who is sorry to say "left behind." If you could
force them into enlightenment they might not be able to handle it.
Believe me, I also know people who practiced TM and said they never
experienced transcendence just some relaxation. I hope they only paid
no more than $75 for it then.
Another faux paus is that some people believe there are personality
markers that indicate "enlightenment". That is not true at all. So
you can't judge the "book by it's cover" especially on the Internet. ;-)
On 11/18/2014 11:26 AM, Share Long sharelon...@yahoo.com
<mailto:sharelon...@yahoo.com> [FairfieldLife] wrote:
First of all, I'm familiar with spiritual groups who proclaim people
enlightened. I didn't always agree with their proclamations! And as
mentioned, I know of a group who gives certificates of
enlightenment. Maybe they use different criteria than me! I also
know people in the TMO who I think are pretty darn enlightened. But
of course they don't proclaim themselves as such.
The whole thing is such a hodge podge that I simply ignore all the
posturing and go by my own sense of a person. And actually, it
doesn't matter to me whether or not they're "enlightened." There are
other qualities that I value more.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From:* "TurquoiseBee turquoi...@yahoo.com
<mailto:turquoi...@yahoo.com> [FairfieldLife]"
<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com> <mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
*To:* "FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com"
<mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com> <mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
*Sent:* Tuesday, November 18, 2014 12:06 PM
*Subject:* Re: [FairfieldLife] Most Absurd Rumor
*From:* "Bhairitu noozg...@sbcglobal.net
<mailto:noozg...@sbcglobal.net> [FairfieldLife]"
On 11/18/2014 09:17 AM, TurquoiseBee turquoi...@yahoo.com
<mailto:turquoi...@yahoo.com> [FairfieldLife] wrote:
*From:* "Bhairitu noozg...@sbcglobal.net
<mailto:noozg...@sbcglobal.net> [FairfieldLife]"
<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com> <mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
On 11/18/2014 04:26 AM, TurquoiseBee turquoi...@yahoo.com
<mailto:turquoi...@yahoo.com> [FairfieldLife] wrote:
*/It's not so much a rumor, more of a sales pitch or claim, but
I've always gotten a chuckle from "TM is the fastest path to
enlightenment on the planet," coming from an organization that in
over 50 years has been unable to produce even a single person they
can point at and say, "This person is enlightened, and got that way
as a result of practicing TM."/*
What organization does?
*/Just to make a point about the kinds of bullshit humans are
willing to accept, think about the TM sales pitch for enlightenment,
compared to almost anything else being sold on this planet:/*
*/
/*
*/-- "So, that's your introductory lecture. Just sign here, pay us
your $75, and we promise you that you will be fully enlightened in
five years." /(Please note that this actually *happened* with the TM
movement.)*
*/
/*
*/-- "Sounds good, but looking into my crystal ball that shows me
the future, I can see that what you're trying to sell me isn't going
to cost me only $75, but tens of thousands of dollars over 30 or 40
years, to pay for all the extra courses and 'add-ons' you'll try to
sell me. What can you show me to convince me that this
'enlightenment' you're trying to sell me will actually occur, and
that if it does, it's worth it?/*
*/
/*
*/-- "Well, you just have to trust us. Give us your money now, and
in 5 to 8 years (ooops, sorry about that) you'll be enlightened. And
you've heard the lectures -- when you're enlightened, you'll be able
to know everything and have everything you want just by wanting it.
Isn't that worth the hundreds of thousands of dollars (ooops again)
you'll wind up paying us?"/*
*/
/*
*/-- "It *might* be worth it, but what can you show me to prove to
me that this 'enlightenment' you're selling me actually exists? For
example, there are many people here in the room today who have been
practicing TM for more than 8 years, the maximum time you say it
will take to become enlightened. Point out the ones who are
enlightened, and let me talk to them to figure out if this is all
going to be worth it."/*
*/
/*
*/-- "Sorry. <insert reverential tone of bullshit here> 'We don't
talk about our individual state of consciousness.'"/*
*/
/*
*/-- "WTF? So you're saying that I just have to TRUST you about all
this enlightenment stuff, and you are NEVER going to show me anyone
who you can guarantee has achieved it?"/*
*/
/*
*/-- "That's right."/*
*/
/*
*/-- "You DO know that this is insane, right? Promising the 'fastest
path' to something you'll later refuse to ever produce?"/*
*/
/*
*/-- "You think WE'RE insane? Talk to the millions of people who
bought this exact sales pitch hook, line, and sinker."
/*
*/
/*
*/:-)/*
It's a "path to enlightenment" but my point was that no organization
I know of guarantees it. You can't. It even goes against TM
teaching because one's progress is dependent on the state of their
nervous system. And by no means would it be the fastest. It really
is just a meditation for the masses. It's nothing special other than
it was probably better organized than some of the other front runners.
*/Bhairitu, it's not "guaranteeing enlightenment" that I'm riffing on
for hopefully humorous purposes. It's the promising it for 50 years
and never *producing* it I'm riffing on. /*
*/
/*
*/That, and the fact that they got away with it because their
clientele was too stupid to ever say, "Now wait a minute...where are
all these enlightened people you promised me I'd be surrounded by and
be one of? Point them out to me. Show me an enlightened person."
/*
*/
/*
*/Someone saying that -- *anyone* saying that -- would have been the
counterpart of the line in the fairy tale that goes, "Uh, guys...you
*have* noticed that the Emperor has no clothes on, right?" Asked to
put up or shut up and actually *produce* a "certified TM enlightened
person," the TMO wouldn't have been able to do so.
/*
*/
/*
*/It's all a house of cards perpetuated by the fact that no one ever
says, "Show me an enlightened person."
/*
*/
/*
*/
/*
*/
/*
