--- In [email protected], Rick Archer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Hi Rick, > > > > I am not familiar with Fairfield life, but wouldn't you rather be with > > Maharishi than some Indian lady, even if she is doing some good? How can > > the little good she is doing compare with total reconstruction of life on > > earth--and Maharishi's letting us be part of it with him. > > Apparently you're not in the habit of examining your underlying assumptions > and judgments. I've been consciously trying to culture that habit for > several years. Almost everyone has layer upon layer of them, and their > worldview is deeply conditioned by them. In your case, it appears that you > harbor the "what I'm doing is the best, and therefore everyone else's path > and teacher are inferior by comparison" attitude. This is common in > religious and spiritual groups, and is really nothing more than a tactic the > ego uses to preserve and inflate itself, thus postponing it's annihilation > (enlightenment). You might try Byron Katie: http://www.thework.com. She > presents a simple system of discriminative analysis that's very effective in > cutting through the inner bullshit. > > > It's amazing. > > She's not another system, is she? Isn't she just someone who goes around > > and tries to inspire people to be happier? > > Like describing Maharishi as a cute little guy who giggles and holds > flowers. > > > Is Irene really into it? > > Very much so. > > > > John Hagelin said for everyone to apply and if their application wasn't > > coming through in a timely manner to send an email directly to him and > > he'd take care of it. It's worth a try. And especially since you are > > his teacher!! He told the story of how you came into his hospital room > > and told him about TM at Maharishi School at graduation or something. He > > admires you. > > And I admire him. I don't admire his callous womanizing, his drunk driving > conviction, etc., but he has a great intellect, and basically a very good > heart. He's a sincere seeker, but he seems to have his work cut out for him, > dealing with his shadow. > > > > You have such a fine intellect and you are such an important part of this > > community. I think it would be a wonderful opportunity. It's pretty > > amazing to be lying in the dome after second round and have Maharishi > > call and ask for experiences and go deeply into them--sometimes in terms > > of Vedic Science, other times in just a simple but profound way. > > Even if I wanted to go, which I don't, they wouldn't let me in without a > major inquisition, which I wouldn't submit to for one second, unless they > wanted to be subjected to one as well. And I wouldn't want to do that to > them. I know things about Maharishi and the movement that I don't foist upon > people still dedicated to them. I think it's wrong to disillusion people > unless they want to be disillusioned. When you think about it, the word has > a positive connotation. To be enlightened is to be dis-illusioned. > > Part of my "examining underlying assumptions" attitude is the simple desire > to know the truth about things. This hasn't led to a negative attitude, as > my tone above might imply, but rather, to what I consider a balanced one. We > don't live in a black and white universe. TM-Ex people (if such still exist) > have traded one fanaticism for another. They've swung to the other end of > the spectrum. The truth of the matter is represented by the entire spectrum, > and believe me, it is stranger than you might imagine. Really a stretch > coming to terms with it, but then, that's good too, because Brahman > incorporates all paradoxes. That's why the Puranas are full of them. > > Rick > Really nice, thoughtful reply, Rick. Re the part about not wanting to disillusion people unless they want to be disillusioned - I agree with you, bit I do wonder how people will feel when the books about inappropriate sexual conduct come out? There will be lots of denial, but I also wonder if eventually people will be angry that secrets were kept for so many years. Some people have NO idea about this stuff and it will be difficult to reconcile with a lifetime of devotion. Devotion is black and white, rarely gray.
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