--- In [email protected], "authfriend" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], TurquoiseB <no_reply@> wrote: > <snip> > > 'Unstressing,' to me (if you're seriously asking) is > > a *made up* phrase that doesn't have much to do with > > reality. As we've discussed before, I do not believe > > that 'stress' has anything whatsoever to do with > > preventing the realization of enlightenment. > > In this, just for the record, you're disagreeing with > yogic theory generally, not just with MMY. Which is > fine, but it's misleading to suggest that these > concepts are somehow unique to TM. > > I think > > that Maharishi coopted the word 'stress' from Hans > > Selye and coined the phrase 'unstressing' because it > > gave him an easy way to ignore some of the less-than- > > pleasant side effects of TM. > > Actually, less-than-pleasant side effects is a very > well-known concept in the yogic literature; it's > typically referred to (as MMY sometimes does) as > "purification." > > MMY borrowed the terms "stress" and "unstressing" > from Selye, certainly, but the point was to put a > more neutral spin on the phenomenon. "Impurities" > sounds like a value judgment; nobody wants to think > of themselves as "impure," as if there's something > wrong with them. > > Just as one example of what MMY teaches about "stress" > being found in other yogic contexts, from a page about > Kripalu Yoga: > > Yoga teaches that our core problem stems from the fact that we have > forgotten who and what we really are. This avidya, or spiritual > ignorance, is the most subtle impurity. Convinced that we are defined > by our bodies, beliefs, personalities, preferences, possessions, > careers, and nationalities, we live estranged from an authentic sense > of self and cut off from a vital spiritual connection. Purification > consists of vidyathe direct experience of spirit. What yoga calls > chitta shuddhi or purification of the self-sense, contemporary > practitioners refer to as spiritual awakening. > > When the body is sluggish and the world is viewed through a thick > filter of emotional baggage and mental clutter, it's impossible to > see reality clearly and respond appropriately. This is why approaches > to healing and growth that don't work to purify body and mind prove > superficial. It's important to know, however, that the kind of > purification brought on by intensive yoga practice can be a > challenging proposition. When the pace of purification is rapid, it > can lead to a healing crisis and a temporary reduction in function. > Common experiences include headaches, nausea, colds, fevers, or areas > of soreness that suddenly come and go. As the crisis passes, vitality > rises to a new level. > > The most potent forms of purification are emotional and mental. In > the phenomena called catharsis, purification can cause powerful > emotions to surface and break through unconscious barriers to > feeling. Catharsis can dramatically cleanse an emotional system that > has grown congested and dull. Although it leads to greater > sensitivity and balance, feeling the mental content associated with > catharsis often pushes you outside comfort zones and beyond perceived > limits. Mental purification can similarly lead to insights that > reconfigure a mind grown cluttered and compartmentalized. Although > increased clarity and creativity is the result, clearing the mind > requires bearing the pain of confronting material that has been > pushed out of conscious awareness, experiencing inner conflict, > reliving past memories, and acknowledging unseen shortcomings. > Spot on ! Who hasn't felt uncomfortable when rounding. But wow, what a beautiful world that unfolded when we came out. That's Tapas; it's not always nice, but the effect is marvellous.
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