I really don't know what to think when I read stuff like this. Unlike many, I was never a Hindu wannabee when I was part of the TM movement. I didn't believe then that poor kids bought off the streets with the promise of three square meals a day chanting verses in a language they don't understand could affect the world terribly much, and I don't believe it now. It's all far too Woo Woo Ray for me.
But congrats to the TMO for finally -- *once* -- doing what they said they would do. I know that many, like Roses-coloured-glasses here and Jim, will be projecting all their fantasies onto these kids, hoping that the magical Woo Woo Rays will "transform" the world. Me, I'll be looking to see how this whole experiment works out. Will poor kids brought to America be content with living in seclusion in the land of milk-white breasts and honey-colored Cadillacs, or will they start sneakin' out at night for a little taste of what most Indians I've ever met are *really* interested in? What will happen if they do? (I think we all know the answer to that one -- Maharishi and the TMO will react with swift and sure vengeance, and try to strike the fear of God into these kids and make them "toe the Vedic line.") All in all, it'll be a fairly interesting experiment to watch. I think the most telling thing so far is the plan to cut funds to Westerners and use Settle's grant to pay for the "outsourced" butt-bouncers, almost cer- tainly *while* using them as fodder to inspire a whole new set of demands for funds from the Westerners. It's a scenario just *designed* for the TMO -- they get to use Somebody Else's Money to pay for the room and board for "Maharishi's Kids," while he gets to do telethons to raise additional millions of dollars, not a penny of which will ever go their way. And all the while, the HIndu wannabees will be mood- making a mile a minute, seeing the world through their Roses-coloured glasses, seeing nothing but what they want to see, insisting that this imported pool of cheap labor really *is* saving the world through the power of their Woo Woo Rays. *However* it turns out, it'll be a real circus, top-notch entertainment. But what I'm waiting for is what happens the first time one of these kids decides to say, "Fuck this chanting shit...I'm gonna go into town and knock me off some booty." Now *that* will be entertainment... --- In [email protected], "jim_flanegin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], Rick Archer <groups@> wrote: > > > > From: Roses Derise <homeonthefarm@> > > Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2006 12:19:56 -0500 > > > > Dear Friends, > > > > The pandits are here! > > > > You probably know the story about Krishna holding up the sky with > one hand > > with everyone else coming with their broomsticks to "help." Over > the last > > few days, there have been a lot of broomsticks at work, and a > miracle has > > happened. Those monstrously ugly, old, hopelessly rundown frat > buildings are > > being transformed, right in front of one's eyes, into what one > person called > > "four star hotels." No one would have thought such a > transformation was > > possible. A few days ago light fixtures were dangling, plumbing > was leaking, > > clogged, or broken, carpet was ragged, walls were dirty and > broken, doors > > were missing, knobs didn't work, windows were broken or hung in > broken > > sashes--it was a tenement building. > > > > But when it was understood that the pandits were really coming, > the call > > went out for volunteers. When I went to see what I could do to > help, I was > > enthralled by what I saw. It wasn't people who responded to that > call--it > > was saints. I am acquainted with people whom I believe to be > enlightened, > > but anyone can be enlightened--not everyone becomes a saint. > Predominately, > > these people were saints. I didn't see any mood- makers there > (it's hard to > > maintain a mere mood when you've worked until 1:00 A.M. many > nights in a > > row) but what I did see was, again and again, upstairs and down, > faces that > > glowed through fatigue with an innerluminescence, a simple and > pure spirit > > of service. Many of them had not eaten since lunch, some not since > > breakfast. Yet everyone was smiling and moving swiftly. With so > much > > happening so fast there was much confusion, yet I heard no > complaints. There > > are soldiers on a battlefield soaked in blood and terror; here the > battle > > for world peace was being waged with mops and paint brushes, > screwdrivers > > and glue, love and helping hands ... and smiles. > > > > There's a lot to thank donors for, but I don't think we could have > raised > > the money to pay for having this done. I don't think there is a > construction > > company on earth that would have been willing to contract for that > much > > renovation in such a short time. Day before yesterday, I tripped > over loose > > tiles while putting painter's tape over light fixtures in the > pathetic, > > dingy, barren lower hall of Building 114. That's how bad it was. > But twenty > > four hours later, the magic had happened. In the same room, I > passed the > > entourage with Raja Wynn as he toured the all-but-finished > building and > > overheard John Runkle say, in a marveling tone, "This is so nice > I'd be > > willing to move in here myself!" > > > > Indeed, it was very nice--new paint, carpets, and repairs > throughout, with > > everything functional, even pretty! Each room was pristine clean > with new > > paint and carpet, and had two beds of blond wood hand-made by MUM's > > carpenter, with new futon mattresses all made up with fresh > bedding and new > > towels and wool blankets. Colorful new curtains, attractive > incense burners, > > and welcome gifts gave each room a warm and cozy feeling. If I > were an > > incoming guest, I would have felt honored to be given such a room. > In the > > interior lobbies, large pots of colorful silk flowers gave a > feeling of the > > colors of the pandits' homeland. More silk flowers made even the > stairwells > > feel bright and cheerful and welcoming. > > > > Downstairs, the cooking area had been transformed into a glistening > > self-sufficient kitchen with new commercial-sized stoves, > refrigerators, and > > dishwashing equipment. The dining area was really charming. MUM's > carpenter > > had created long, low tables at which there were colorful cushions > for > > seating. A serving table had been prepared full of all manner of > prasads in > > gold-colored dishes, and hot milk was ready to serve. Outside, > miniature > > lights crowned the new perimeter fence. > > > > The pandits arrived about midnight. In respect for their > tradition, the > > ladies had all left so the rest of my story came from my husband > who was > > part of the welcoming committee who lined the entrance pathway with > > sparklers. He said when the young men arrived, they didn't look > tired, > > yawning, and disorderly as most of us are when we've traveled > through > > several time zones over a period of several days, but appeared to > be > > clear-eyed and conscious, as if they were fully focused on their > mission > > here. Upon hearing that they were young men, in their twenties and > thirties, > > I had imagined that they would be a naturally rowdy group. But > instead of > > gawking with curiosity or confusion at unfamiliar surroundings, my > husband > > said they appeared remarkably self-contained, silent, and > dignified. Their > > chanting before partaking of the treats and hot milk they had been > served, > > was deeply moving, he said. > > > > There were 49 in this group. There are 451 yet to come and several > more > > buildings in which miracles must happen before they can arrive. > Please come > > to feel for yourself that buoyant pleasure that happens when one > is in the > > flow of nature on the move, when one is serving nature and the > cause of > > world peace, and when one is transforming not just an old decrepit > frat > > house, but the world itself. > > > > Namaste, > > > > Roses > > > Great News- It appears that those in Fairfield have transformed the > destiny of the country and the world- Congratulations! and Thank > You!! > 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/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> 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/
