Irony here is that the decisions for the fate of the Domes will be made by a bunch of people who do not go to the Domes to meditate, don’t even live in Fairfield.
Colonialism is the policy of a nation seeking to extend or retain its authority over other people or territories, generally with the aim of opening trade opportunities. The colonising country seeks to benefit from the colonized country or land mass. Q: Do they stand a chance of finding the money? -Dr. L. A: Dear Dr. L.: is hard to know what they think, or are doing. Is a classic (extractive) colonial empire situation with the movement’s leadership. Mostly they do not live here in the Fairfield, Iowa community, are living somewhere else. Yes we few as practicing meditators are subject to and suffer their rule with very little to say in it. Some of them visit periodically as fiduciary (corporate) duty might call them to Fairfield. But theirs is a vast empire. Theirs is a realm way way above most everyone’s pay grade here. What is evident is that they are pressed on what all they would like to do on all levels by budget. Hence, the late pundit program in M. Vedic City. Inflow of money from the bottom in initiations is meager and conflicted. Donors are disappeared. Incredible number of people with retirement means have sold their homes here, moved on and away with their lives and resources. And, apparently the vast sums that were once raised 15 years ago here were converted and walked away to India as gold going off-books in some ways there. In earnest altruism a faithful high-minded group inside carry on. It is getting very thin here. Most mornings there are around 170 men in the Dome meditation. Around 200 in the evenings. Roughly double that, a little less than double, to get the aggregate numbers group-meditating in the communal Golden Domes. Hope? “We few, we loyal few, a band of brothers and sisters..”, in Fairfield, Iowa. ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <dhamiltony...@yahoo.com> wrote : Process Reform Structure.. Here is a current example of a ‘restructuring’ of a large complex spiritual group like ours. It is interesting (useful) to skim through how they are going about doing it. They are ‘on it’. Their trouble was brought on by discovery of poor moral behavior in governance and also financial mismanagement. Example of process.. https://board.shambhala.org/ https://board.shambhala.org/ Their Update communications https://mailchi.mp/879b1575658b/ib-finance-report-march-769065?e=e84c596bae https://mailchi.mp/879b1575658b/ib-finance-report-march-769065?e=e84c596bae Early in their discovery process they turned to a third party ( https://www.an-olive-branch.org/ https://www.an-olive-branch.org/ ) that specializes in these kind of spiritual communal recovery. Kind Regards, .. A nice prospect though is that at the apex of ownership of the TM movement now at least two most powerful owners are scientists with real PhD’s inclined to look at data as metrics in determining policy that can facilitate things. A fate right now for the aggregate of Dome numbers meditating together (for superradiance) is within the culture of the written guidelines as these continue to be punitive and coercive over people’s lives. By culture these had become creedal and fealty by some tru-believers inside. ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <dhamiltony...@yahoo.com> wrote : Everyone in Fairfield should be very concerned about the welfare of the Dome group meditation numbers, . . This is about communal cohesion and survival of the Fairfield meditating community, and the wellbeing of the larger Fairfield community. They, the .org have the facility up there, this incredible facility, it would be nice if they would to a better job (look at the metrics) with their better natured behavior in facilitating for the communal Dome meditation up there. Some of the strict preservationist tru-believers will have to relent on their religion about their inclusiveness in their exclusiveness that is in their guidelines for group membership here for the whole thing to survive. The Dome meditation attendance numbers are way off, and another financial metric told is that the sale of M Sthapatya design homes is off, people are ‘not buying’ the homes or service. This all is about communal critical mass. Too many with their acquired retirement resources have recently sold homes here and moved away disenfranchised and disinterested. That is a stunning loss of resource leaving behind a thin soup for the community at large. These numbers become critical to the superradiance weight of what we had here. There is a cultural problem inside that needs to be looked at and remediated right now. Practically for the benefit of all the inflow of capital that does come through the meditating community everyone in Fairfield should be very interested in the welfare of the Dome meditation numbers. If you know any of them, lean on those who control it, the Trustees who own it now. Jai Guru Dev, ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <dhamiltony...@yahoo.com> wrote : The University Trustees are visiting town for a meeting this week. Some of the Rajas who do not live here who control our lives here may be here too. The metrics here reflect their policies and administration. What to do? Lean on any of them who you may know. Policy gets made by them and above. This gets personal and local. Lean on them. We mostly do not have any policy say in it but we must suffer how they do it. Jr_esq writes: But they must have PHD's or money, though not necessarily in that order. Bhairitu writes: MY historically put "yes men" around him rather than "enlightened" ones. It puzzled a lot of people. :-D Jr_esq: Hey, guys: Are you saying that MMY may have been wrong in selecting King Tony and the rest of the rajas to run the TMO? ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <j_alexander_stanley@...> wrote : What to do? Seriously? Dude, if a bunch of guys dressed up for a Burger King commercial are controlling your life, the problem isn't the guys in silly costumes. FFS, stop giving away your power to a bunch of ridiculous clowns! ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <dhamiltony...@yahoo.com> wrote : The Trustees are meeting on the 27th The TM-Raja as the likes of corporate VP’s, and some are .org Trustees, have their ‘peace work’ cut out for them to sew up with the community. May the Providence of the Unified Field help them in their work. ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <dhamiltony...@yahoo.com> wrote : Redeveloping Community Best Practices Bullet Points from the work: Drafting of new ethics policy and grievance procedure Providing a neutral “listening post” and “advocacy service” Provide training on abuse of power for Trustees Facilitate planning sessions for Trustees and Boards of Directors Facilitate regional communication meetings Work to facilitate reconciliation within the org community. Solicit the input of individual members in new ethics policy, grievance procedure, ‘listening post’ and advocate for reporters of harm. Helping fractured communities https://www.an-olive-branch.org/ethical-misconduct/ https://www.an-olive-branch.org/ethical-misconduct/ The White Paper on .org Ethical Misconduct: https://www.an-olive-branch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/An-Olive-Branch-White-Paper-on-Clergy-Misconduct-and-the-Misuse-of-Power.pdf https://www.an-olive-branch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/An-Olive-Branch-White-Paper-on-Clergy-Misconduct-and-the-Misuse-of-Power.pdf ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <dhamiltony...@yahoo.com> wrote : With abuse of power and ethical misconduct uncovered in so many organizations (both secular and spiritual) it becomes instructive to see the processes of how professionals who are brought in to redevelop community prioritize their processes of remediation.. https://www.an-olive-branch.org/ethical-misconduct/ https://www.an-olive-branch.org/ethical-misconduct/ # In TM, a two-tier community/organization”. Two-tiered and the holed up in it, A memo forwarded around about the Dome meditation numbers.. Memo: "It would help a lot for visible leaders to come to Group Practice (meditation in the Domes) and to the events, so that we are not too much of a two-tier community/organization. We talk about Super-Radiance (SR) every day with people. 95%+ of the time, the people say in reply, "Where are the leaders? Why don't they come to Program?" That is predictably what we are going to hear when we bring up SR to anyone. We hardly even have to ask anymore and hear, "Lead by example" and "walk the talk" is what is expressed. From our side, we don't think people expect leaders to come all the time or even often. But at least once or twice a month would make a huge difference. The Super-Radiance Community Forum poster put up last December asked, "What Will It Take?" We can say with certainty by now, it will take leaders coming to Group Practice is the main thing it will take. There is no question that this is the #1 best and most important idea and project to increase our National Super-Radiance." # ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <dhamiltony...@yahoo.com> wrote : With GenX who grew up in this, from conversation.. “ ..They (the Movement) may offer nothing that creates reparations for the past but they will have to restate what they are and where they are going with it. In these times (w/ social media and #MeToo) they have to be something different. ..If they are not going to give remuneration in reparation but then people do have agency to decide whether to continue with that which went before.. If the .org does not allow the space to account for this then what did the community learn from this? What did it learn and what can it carry forward? What did we value and what in the community does not need to be attached to it? :Find conversation with peers that love meditating and how it enriches your community. The movement may have missed the boat in appropriating ‘knowing God’, and stripping the presentation of spirituality down to “It lowers blood pressure” & ‘stress release’. Misappropriating the spirituality, how do you take that from where it has been stripped and then becomes something else, with administrators? How by contrast? ..Examples readily given in conversation.” ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <dhamiltony...@yahoo.com> wrote : One could be surprised from how far away posts to FFL get read and read by whom. And, relevant posts do get forwarded out to relevant folks also. At times in the history of FFL the considerations here have gotten important traction. That is okay and partly, for lack of access otherwise, is an avenue of how things work in the movement community as a type of check and balance. So it is. Srijau writes: no New York times op-ed mystery here, its all Doug talking to Doug about what Doug is doing - not so much circulating as circular.. looks like you have mastered a kind of self-referral quality there lol. ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <dhamiltony...@yahoo.com> wrote : Olive Branch strengthens organizations by helping leaders understand the role of conflict in organizational health. https://www.an-olive-branch.org/ https://www.an-olive-branch.org/ Nothing so purifying as sunshine.. A place for satsanga re-'mediation'.. help for congregations torn by scandal.. http://www.post-gazette.com/lifestyle/2011/03/28/Local-Zen-center-offers-help-for-congregations-torn-by-scandal/stories/201103280154 http://www.post-gazette.com/lifestyle/2011/03/28/Local-Zen-center-offers-help-for-congregations-torn-by-scandal/stories/201103280154 Transparency & Bringing Light in to .orgs "When a beloved leader is accused of wrongdoing, "the entire system is thrown into turmoil. Rage, disbelief, shock, grief and departure are just some of the reactions," These active TM teachers from LA, NYC and DC each were saying in their own experience that the owners of TM, the Trustees and Raja-class need to be active TM teachers for perspective in running the organizations. Their suggestion is to have the Raja and also the TM-Siddhis course administrators rotate every two months out to the Centers/ Peace Palaces to teach TM alongside experienced teachers to beginners for perspective. That would anchor the teaching and the org instead of the stuff the owners get in to. skymtsea writes: Many spiritual organizations have "back room" stuff that is sanitized, kept out of sight of new members -- but can be disarming when revealed. For me it's an ethical question that should be addressed in non-dual orgs ethics efforts such as Rick is pursuing. Organizations should be encouraged to provide full disclosure. Some orgs a bit more on the fringe than others.. ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <dhamiltony...@yahoo.com> wrote : Evidently the look of the Raja class is a large obstacle to the TM movement. Talking with active TM teachers from LA, DC, and NYC they report a substantial problem for them is while new meditators do like the meditation that it becomes some lot of work to get meditators to take the CIC/siddhis courses, and Then once those may come to Fairfield, go on retreats or look further in to the movement’s Vedic Science web pages and they see the ‘Global Country’ they don’t come back to the centers and go on. The whole patriarchy thing is too evidently some strange sect appearing as something of religion of ‘Vedic Science’ of sorts. A cult? Tone? ‘Caste’ is a form of social stratification characterized by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a lifestyle which often includes an occupation, status in a hierarchy, customary social interaction, and exclusion. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <dhamiltony...@yahoo.com> wrote : Yes, in a way with only a few hundred TM teachers working, this stage now is more like the later 1960’s and early 1970’s where a few TM teachers fanned out, were lecturing and a movement in popular culture came of it. Although whence that movement was about deep rest and mental potential this version comes with Rajas and Vedic studies. At MUM, Inc. Top Industry Professionals Join Board of Trustees A former government official, a top tech consultant, an expert on career development, and a long-time faculty member have recently joined MUM’s Board of Trustees. “We recently had a meeting of the Trustees that involved our four newest members, and they have already shown that they have the experience, intellect, and initiative to make an extraordinary contribution to Maharishi University of Management,” said Jeffrey Abramson, chair of MUM’s Board of Trustees. Steve Langerud Steve Langerud is a workplace culture consultant who works with people developing their career, professional, and organizational strategy. He is regularly cited for his expertise by the media, including MarketWatch, Fast Company, National Public Radio, Christian Science Monitor, The New York Times, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, and U.S. News and World Report. Mr. Langerud has held leadership roles at Grinnell College, the University of Iowa, and DePauw University. More recently, he was with MUM for five years as deputy director of global development, acting dean of admissions, and senior adviser to the university. “Consciousness-Based education is the right starting point for education,” he says. “Addressing the brain is key. That’s what initially drew me to MUM and now again as a trustee. The Transcendental Meditation technique has never been more relevant than right now. The changes in our brains, lives, and relationships are more needed in the world today than ever before.” Scott Gould Scott Gould is a former deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Administration who has also held top positions in the Department of Commerce and the Department of Treasury. His business experience includes being a vice president at IBM. He is currently CEO of Mountain Lake Associates. Dr. Gould hopes to apply the strategic and financial skills he developed during his career as a management consultant and business owner to the challenge of growing the university. As a 26-year veteran of the Navy Reserves, he also expects to serve as a resource for students contemplating public service in the military, or given his government background, those contemplating public service in federal, state, or local government. Michael Heinrich Educated at Stanford, Harvard, and the University of California, Berkeley, Michael Heinrich started his career in technical product management and engineering at Microsoft and at SAP, the world leader in providing software for businesses. He has also worked for Bain & Co, providing consulting for Fortune 500 companies, and for Bridgewater Associates, a leading hedge fund. Most recently he’s been involved with several startups, including being founder and CEO of Oh My Green, which offers affordable, tasty, and nutritious foods for companies such as Google and Lyft. “Having scaled my own startup company from 0 to over 300 employees in a short amount of time, I would love to help infuse an entrepreneurial growth mindset at MUM,” he said. Ken Daley In addition, faculty member Ken Daley was voted onto the board by the faculty to serve a one-year appointment. He has headed the Department of Exercise and Sport Science for over 30 years and teaches gymnastics, health-related fitness, and leadership and adventure sport. He directed a two-year, $100,000 wellness grant received by the Jefferson County Wellness Action Coalition, has served as president of the Iowa Association for Health, Physical Education, and Dance, and served as the executive director of that organization for six years. He has been invited to be part of regional and national wellness initiatives, including the first Global Forum for Physical Education that involved over 70 educators, health professionals, and policy makers from 30 countries. “It’s heartening to see such extraordinary talent, experience, and dynamism added to the Board of Trustees,” said MUM president and quantum physicist John Hagelin, PhD. “MUM is in a phase of explosive growth, and will benefit greatly from fresh perspectives and world-class guidance from the board.” Board chair Jeffrey Abramson said MUM will be adding more trustees over the next year or two, including alumni and members of the Fairfield community, with a goal of reflecting the great diversity of the global reach of MUM. https://www.mum.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/11/11-14-18.pdf https://www.mum.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/11/11-14-18.pdf