The point is that TM and yoga in general is all about natural solutions
to problems. GMO is like instead of "would you like some fries with that
steak" becoming "would you like some steak in your fries." GMO was a
bad solution to a problem. It's good to read up on the history of
Monsanto who could easily bring about the end to life on this planet by
destroying the natural food chain all to benefit their own profits.
Singularity is of no benefit to mankind other than a novelty item or a
way to help people who have lost their limbs due to accident, etc.
On 03/01/2017 09:41 AM, [email protected] [FairfieldLife] wrote:
Bhairitu brings here a substantial observation towards.. The active
anti- GMO stance of the Transcendental Meditation meditating movement.
What is the TM movement doing aggravating its farm neighbors and
farmers generally provoking this anti-gmo controversy where the TM
movement’s primary mission purpose as a spiritual regeneration
movement has been advocating for people to learn meditation? Is TM as
a movement becoming something else?
Of TM?
Bhairitu writes: I can't imagine that an organization who dislikes
GMOs would favor anything resembling the unnatural such as "The
Singularity". 434045
---In [email protected], <[email protected]> wrote :
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.
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?
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
*
*
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 shortof 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#%21topic/communal-studies-forum/ChNcesJm1Cs>
*
*
https://sites.google.com/site/primitivequakers/
