--- In [email protected], TurquoiseB <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], "Ingegerd" > <marwincornyarmand@> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], Vaj <vajranatha@> wrote: > > > On Mar 10, 2006, at 3:56 AM, Ingegerd wrote: > > > > > > > When I learned TM (Deep Meditation) in 1962, by the first > > meditation > > > > teacher in Norway, we learned to concentrate about the Mantra. > > Some > > > > years after - the instruction became "Don't concentrate", and > the > > > > checking points came out. > > > > Ingegerd > > > > > > That's interesting. > > > > > > I was just looking over the instruction materials which will be > > used > > > for the Shamatha Project, a one year project where people will > > learn > > > a TM-style of meditation and then practice for a year while they > > are > > > examined via, EEG, fMRI, PET scans, etc. for changes. Instead > of > > > using a "canned" meditation method, they will actually learn > > three > > > methods of Shamatha from those using effort/focus on a > meditative > > > object to those which are effortless. Now whether or not they > > will > > > ask that just one be used for the research, I don't know, but > > they're > > > teaching all three to give students the opportunity to fine > tune > > > what's best for them. I liked the idea of a continuum of > practice > > > rather than a fixed practice. The idea may be to progress from > > effor/ > > > focus to true effortlessness as the student is able or if the > > student > > > is able. > > > > Interesting. > > If I understand you right - they will start with some > > concentration, > > then less consentration and then effortless practice, over > > time. It > > is the same as I read in some books about Hindu Meditation and a > > concentrated form of the instructions into TM today. > > In 1962, we received the Mantra, without the instructions given > > today. We were told to concentrate on the Mantra for 30 minutes. > > The next day - the teacher checked the Mantra - and that was it. > > I think that Vaj was speculating, based on having > found that the project offers three different methods > of meditation to its subjects. > > But the idea of starting with concentration or focus > and then moving to a more effortless focus *in the > same meditation period* is hardly unique. Many of > the concentration techniques I've learned were like > that -- you start with a strong period of focus on > a yantra or mantra or image or whatever, and then > "let go" and have a period of no focus. Sometimes > the technique involves "bouncing back and forth" > between these two approaches in the same meditation. > > Caveat for the easily offended: The above statement > implies neither good nor bad, better nor best; it's > just what I was taught when learning those techniques. > It isn't meant as a comment on your favorite style of > meditation in any way. >
In MY experience, that's the "worst-case" example of effort during TM. You start out deliberately thinking the mantra, and then you forget to think it. Rinse, repeat. OTher times, its not quite so obvious that one is deliberately doing something. Other times, it seems obvious that there is no doing, just happening. ------------------------ 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/
