I heard Geoffrey Clements say something similar many years ago, when he visited Norway. When we meditate TM - something is happening in the brain, more coherence. If we meditate with people that is not doing TM - their vibes will disturb our brain wave function. Some of the TB's told us not to have non-meditating friends - because it was not good for us, and never meditate in the same room as others that used other meditation technique. I think I would be very comfortable to meditate in the same room as Yogananda and Guru Dev. Ingegerd
--- In [email protected], "L B Shriver" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > There has been quite a bit of discussion lately regarding the movement's policies and > practices surrounding the exclusion of Sidhas and Governors from the group practice in > the Domes. > > It has been noted that many individuals previously banned have been allowed to > participate in the current course, some after many years of exclusion. This is a good > development, and I welcome it. It has also been noted that many individuals continue to > be excluded. Some numbers have been mentioned from time to time, but it is difficult to > know with any degree of certainty to what extent the banning continues, as the machinery > of exclusion is mostly private. > > A few days ago I had a conversation with my friend Tim Britton, who is among those not > admitted to the current program. In the course of our conversation, I couldn't help but be > impressed with Tim's integrity and equanimity, his total lack of hard feelings toward the > course office, and his willingness to rationally consider the arguments put forward in > support of his exclusion. > > In fact, Tim managed to articulate these policies with greater clarity than I have ever heard > them articulated by representatives of the movement. Consequently, I must admit that my > own paraphrasing is somewhat less refined, and therefore perhaps less convincing. > > I would like to address, in particular, two arguments recently advanced in support of > exclusions. > > The first says that if people are practicing techniques learned from other teachers or > organizations—even if they do not practice these techniques in the Dome—they might be > disrupting the practice of others. The argument asserts that "alien" techniques might have > undesirable physiological effects which could adversely affect those sitting near the > practitioner. > > The other argument is even more esoteric, and deals with the issue of loyalty to the > master and the master's organization. It says that even if an individual practices ONLY > Maharishi's technologies in the Dome, the practice of other techniques in private will > breach (on some subtle, ultra-refined level) the coherence within the group, therefore > upsetting the progress of all those connected with it. > > Aside from my own lack of skill in articulating these concepts, they both suffer from > serious problems of credibility. > > First of all, they are not based on anything resembling systematic observation. > > Those who have been excluded on the basis of "alien practices" are generally those who > have been exposed through spying, informants, or chance. Occasionally they were victims > of their own honesty in answering a questionnaire. > > However, they weren't busted because someone saw them doing something weird in the > Domes. Nor were they exposed because people sitting next to them fainted or began > vomiting, or were suddenly, mysteriously, unable to fly. > > Similarly, no one to my knowledge has put forth a compelling argument as to how one's > evolution is necessarily damaged by adding a spiritual practice to one's private program. > More amazingly, to my way of thinking, no one has explained how a seasoned, > experienced Sidha or Governor would fail to notice if a practice produced undesirable > results, or would continue a practice that was not satisfying. > > In truth, very rarely does one hear it claimed outright that the "alien" techniques are known > to produce bad effects of any kind for the practitioner (other than banning, of course). > However, it is regularly IMPLIED that such is the case. One phrase which I have often heard, > in that regard, is that " we just don't know what the effect would be". > > Let me see: is there a better definition of acting from ignorance? > > On the one hand, we are told again and again of the enormous value of every single warm > body that can be included in the group program. It has been "proven by dozens of > meticulous research projects around the world", and those of us who are in possession of > this knowledge are morally obligated to act on it. > > On the other hand, despite the fact that there has been no research on the putative > negative effects of practicing "alien techniques" in private, and the fact that we have no > actual reason to believe that those effects are negative with respect to the Dome > experience, we are encouraged to believe that the exclusion of those practitioners from > the group program is somehow in the interest of world peace. > > In other words, the arguments in favor of blacklisting are actually rather vague and > opaque. We don't know what, if any, are the actual effects of letting people into the Dome > who practice some alternate or auxiliary techniques at home. > > We do, however, know the effects of the blacklisting. > > As an immediate, direct, mathematically quantifiable result: fewer people in the Domes. > > As a longer term, indirect, less-easily-quantifiable-but- nevertheless-observable result: > still fewer people in the Domes. > > Those who are banned often face negative social and economic repercussions. Fear and > mistrust, on a subtle level, begin to permeate the atmosphere. > > Furthermore: despite the arcane explanations of the movement, most people feel the real > motivation behind the exclusions is transparently clear: punishment. > > We were supposed to be the generation that would break the cycle of ignorance by > refusing to repeat the mistakes of history. Well, here is one we missed: > > It is not possible to create an ideal society based on exclusion. > > This was attempted in Nazi Germany and Pol Pot's Cambodia. Despite the existence of > logical arguments as to why it should have worked, it didn't. > > The Vedic principle behind the group program (as I understand it, and with apologies for > not remembering the Sanskrit) is: > > In the vicinity of yoga, no enemy is found. > > It does not read, "In the vicinity of yoga, no enemies are issued badges." > > Still, the exclusions continue. For the record, I know many people who have "heterodox" > programs, but VERY, VERY FEW have ever advocated practicing any kind of "alien" > techniques in the Dome. So the question remains: With very little possibility that people > will be practicing anything other than their TM and TM Sidhi programs, what is the harm in > letting them practice with the group? > > People often ask me about the reasons for my own exclusion, or the exclusion of some > mutual acquaintance. I have given up trying to explain it. I just tell them, "Weapons of > mass destruction." > > Most people just laugh when I say that and there is no further need for discussion. For > those who still appear confused, I elaborate. "They say I have weapons of mass > destruction, and they can't let me in because I'm a threat to the course participants." > > I encourage my friends to reject these empty arguments about the harm that MIGHT be > done if the heretic is allowed inside the temple, and to accept the proposition that In the > vicinity of yoga, no enemy is found. > > The blacklisting program through the years has had substantial, observable negative > effects on the community, not the least of which, one might argue, has been the pathetic > slide of Dome attendance to abysmal depths. > > If the movement leadership is really committed to Superradiance. let them demonstrate > their commitment to an Ideal Society by bringing their acceptance policies all the way into > Sat Yuga. > > L B Shriver > To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! 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