A spiritual renewal movement that aligns itself with, or allows itself to be aligned with, particular social positions both alters itself in so doing but is drawn away from its initial stance, at least in the eyes of potential adherents, and thus both attracts those interested in the social policy position rather than the spiritual aspect or repels people who would otherwise have been attracted to the spiritual aspect but can’t “cotton to “ the policy position.
For instance, one way or another being known for some social action position, like organic, vegetarian, and non-GMO food, or known for its spiritual practice, is the TM movement or are TM ‘ers themselves a social justice or spiritual renewal movement? A problem with the TM group being known for mundane social action positions is that social activism can redefine the group differently from its origins of being a spiritual regeneration movement promulgating Transcendentalism through transcendental meditationist practice. Discerning between spiritual community and political activism: walking a line between spirituality or pacifism, anti-slavery, anti-war, or anti-GMO activism, in spiritual regeneration movements a position of policy rooted in methodical abstinence from mundane political opinion on social issues is not without example. During the Vietnam war years as Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was traveling the world giving spiritual talks and teaching meditation, in the West he would generally refrain from particular advice or partisan consultations about the Vietnam war as to whether young people should be drafted or not into the armies to fight in the Southeast Asia war or as to their seeking conscientious objection in pacifism as a deferment from the war. Initially Quaker (Society of Friends) founders facilitated a spiritual practice movement of meditation and, for instance, were neither a movement for abolitionism or pacifism as they have later become well known for in their narrative. Partly for their own safety within a larger society an early consideration within their fledgling group that it was not necessarily their place as a spiritual practice movement to be advocating social, political or worldly position but that they were primarily a spiritual practice group, of ‘Friends’. For some time Quaker founding generations were conservative in this position of not being antagonizing to the world around them in mixing their primary work of regenerating spiritual practice with particular secular advocacy. This was weighed with practical expediency and conscience with their working as a broader public teaching organization. The workings of social conscience that Quakers are now more readily known for came subsequently into the being of their movement to become very much part of their current spiritual/religious practice. These encroachments would come to their movement in time. Initially Quakers were more strictly a spiritual practice group of meditationism and their social actions of conscience as a people have come along to be adopted in a sequence. For example, see this link to what became a separating conflict within Quakerism particularly over the primacy of their facilitating spiritual practice of quietist group meditation as the ‘Quaker Meeting for Worship’ versus attempts to use the facility of Quaker Meetings by anti-slavery and abolition activism. Narrative: Quakers Struggle and ‘Separate’ over Slavery in the United States.. http://www.icelandichorse.info/salemantislaveryfriends.html http://www.icelandichorse.info/salemantislaveryfriends.html In an initial concern for personal safety Mother Ann and the Shakers within their forming spiritual group initially withdrew from broader society including conscription and thereby incubated their early spiritual meditationist movement. “..From their foundation, the early eastern Shakers lived in fear of the broader world and of the possibility of persecution. Persecution was deeply embedded in their history and their narrative. ..The most direct evidence of the eastern Shaker mindset is the account of Ann Lee’s experience. Her encounter with the outside world, first in England and then in America, is portrayed in one of the earliest printed Shaker texts, .. , as a litany of sufferings and persecutions. ..The reality of religious persecution in early America was undeniable. It was therefore logical and legitimate for the early Shakers, for fear of the world’s reaction, to avoid the world or keep it at a distance. Beginning in America in 1774, Ann Lee and her followers chose to settle in Waterviliet, New York, in “an obscure place in the wilderness, remote from the public eye”. Later as recounted.. , “The testimony was withdrawn from the world about the year 1785 and was rarely open to any until about the year 1797. During this 12-year period of isolation from the world, the early eastern Shakers consolidated their religious practice. ..The chosen strategy was to act, in terms of presence, according to what the world could accept.” -Chavance, The Emancipation of Shakerism, Communal Societies, Journal of the Communal Studies Association, V35,1. P52-54, 2016. Subsequently the Shakers would engage association with activist causes hoping to revive their relevance as a spiritual group to an outside world. Similarly, a careful attempt at clarification in the placement of the Transcendental meditationist movement with regard to mundane partisan socio/political contentiousness in the world was decisively drawn out for the 2016 US elections by memo: Quoting pre-election (2016) e-mail memoranda sent around to the TM meditating community: Excerpts.. [“.. “..The current elections are crucial to the future of our nation in many ways. It is not just the executive; it is all three branches of government which hang in the balance. Let’s use the powerful technology of group program that Maharishi gave us to ensure the best possible outcome for the whole country. The evidence for the Maharishi Effect continues to mount up. Another compelling, new study came out in February of this year, again based on publicly available statistics. This is a scientific breakthrough that outstrips all others in its power to do good for ourselves, our nation, and our world. Jai Guru Dev Raja John Hagelin ”] [“.. P.S. Once again, we want to be clear that as a non-profit organization, we do not support any one candidate over any other candidate. Natural Law, when enlivened by our group practice, will support the best outcome for the nation. This does not mean that we, as individuals, do not support specific candidates. We do. And we should be sure to exercise our civic duty and vote for the candidates we believe will serve the nation in the most evolutionary way. P.P.S. This does not mean that we, as individuals, do not support specific candidates. We do. And we should be sure to exercise our civic duty and vote for the candidates we believe will serve the nation in the most evolutionary way.” Jai Guru Dev Raja John Hagelin and the Ideal Community Group “] Those of you that have been going to the Domes recently will be aware that many of our friends from across the country have joined us here in Fairfield over the last week or so, and they have helped boost the overall attendance in evening program to over 750 people. As really wonderful as this is, it falls significantly short of what we need to create truly indomitable coherence for the nation. We therefore urge you to come to as many group programs as you possibly can over the next few days to maximize the coherence creating effect, and help us get as close to the ideal super-radiance number as we possibly can. May we particularly urge you to attend both group programs tomorrow election day! Lets see if we can double the numbers we are getting at the moment, and shoot for even higher! [From an additional e-mail memo, Peer-reviewed, published, replicated, honest-to-goodness, gold-standard scientific research leads us to make this heartfelt request of you: Come and join us for meditation in Fairfield, Iowa for this post-election period of time. “.. Jai Guru Dev, Ideal Community Group * We want to make it absolutely clear that neither Maharishi Foundation nor MUM takes any position on national politics. “] As with the early Quaker movement moving on from a more narrow spiritual regeneration in promulgated collective meditation practice, what once began in time as identified spiritual regenerative movement then transformed over towards facilitating social reform. Current organizations (21st Century) within a reforming post-founder TM movement foster a relevance for themselves through advocacies in revolutionary education, health, food safety, agricultural, architectural, and GMO public policy reform. As this happens in spiritual revival groups, is this transformation a formula in dilution of what was originally gathered? Life-cycle within Communal Spiritual Groups: https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!topic/communal-studies-forum/ChNcesJm1Cs https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!topic/communal-studies-forum/ChNcesJm1Cs https://sites.google.com/site/primitivequakers/ https://sites.google.com/site/primitivequakers/
