--- In [email protected], Rick Archer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > on 1/24/06 3:49 PM, wayback71 at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > There is another thing to remember about asking for ongoing support, > > especially with > > Purusha and MD. Part of this process for them involves writing letters and > > emails to their > > donors - giving inside and on the spot info about what is going on in the > > TMO. It is > > sweet and really involves the donor emotionally. However. this process > > means > > that the > > folks on Purusha and MD cannot be really honest about their own feelings. > > They > > are pretty > > much "forced" to give glowing, blissful reports so that their donors > > continue > > to contribute. > > Donations would dry up if the donor thought things weren't just great or > > complained or > > ever expressed misgivings. And the Purousha and MD people know that, even if > > subconsciously. This cycle perpetuates itself. > > When I was on Purusha, I really disliked raising money from donors, but I > was pretty good at it. I was into Desktop Publishing and so I started > publishing a newsletter which I called "News from Rick". It was sometimes 8 > pages long, and I filled it with interesting stuff, some of which I wrote, > some of which I picked up here and there. I had a bulk rate permit at the > post office and a mailing list of over 250 people. A lot of people really > liked it, told their friends, and I ended up with people on my list that I > didn't even know. I didn't get large donations from any one person, although > Dough Henning once gave me $500, but I got lots of small ones which added up > to an amount sufficient to keep me on Purusha and provide spending money. > But Bevan shut me down. He felt that since it looked so nice, it might be > mistaken for an official Movement publication, and there was no telling what > I might say in it. I considered putting a large picture of a fish on the > front page, which would have distinguished it from any Movement publication > I had ever seen, but I backed down and ended up publishing several plain > vanilla, non-formatted editions before leaving Purusha. > > The reason I didn't like raising donations is that it altered my perception > of people. It tainted my relationships with friends, and I couldn't walk > into a room of movement people without scanning it for potential donors. I > would have preferred that we started a bread baking or jelly making business > like the Trappists and refrained from bugging people for money.
I still believe that long periods of time spent meditating are wonderful.Everyone should have that chance for a few months in a lifetime. I treasure the time I spent on long TM courses like teacher training or ATR's or courses. I think the traditional Tibetan culture pretty much allowed for that for all young men- say several years duriing a young man's early 20's. How that was funded I don't know - but the bread baking, jellymaking, weaving type of work might be a good idea for MD and Purusha who are so inclined. Many are now getting older, though. Are they provided with any health insurance? I wonder if they will find social security enough to get by (assuming they have contributed for a while). ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Join modern day disciples reach the disfigured and poor with hope and healing http://us.click.yahoo.com/lMct6A/Vp3LAA/i1hLAA/UlWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
