--- In [email protected], "Marek Reavis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: "this strange amalgam"... I love Fairfield and am so happy that it is growing as a multi- dimensional town of unique individuals and as a locus of spiritually oriented values that attract saints and seekers from everywhere. >
Well said, Marek, thanks. You've caught the FF way better than most any of the recent journalistic pass throughs. There really is a much better story here going on about larger American spiritual values. The standard pr-tour given up on campus is really quite impressive for someone coming from outside. Different in explaining what is going on here from a few years ago that tour may no longer be even only half the story about what has gone on here and is going on here. The campus is a good place to start an assignment. The Better Business Bureau web page might be another good place to visit for an outsider to get a handle on some of what is going on here. Most of what has been published seems too timid to probe and ask for the larger story. Yours is a good summary that catches the change of character in the story. -Doug in FF > > Being a part of TM in the 60s and 70s, and perhaps even a little > further on, meant being part of a "movement" towards greater > spirituality and positivity in the world. At some point, however, > the TMO became, if not entirely, but certainly in the greater part, > a "business" promoting its proprietary line of techniques and > products primarily for profit, still under the banner of its original > goal of spiritual regeneration, but mainly without the soul. Or so > it seems to me. > > That is not to say that the product line is bad or bogus, though that > charge made by many may have some merit in some instances; but merely > that the primary face of the TMO reflects a business model it has > incorporated that has mostly eclipsed the original and more > spiritually oriented goals so many of us were attracted to and > adopted in our youth. And in its place we see this strange amalgam > of Indian hoodwinks and funny hats all seemingly in play so as to > generate as much income as possible to sustain its own preposterous > sense of importance. > > Again, much of what is promoted by the TMO such as organic farming, > the meditation itself, ayurveda, yagyas, etc., I personally feel are > life-supporting and life-enriching, but in the hands of the TMO are > actually diminished, inasmuch as they seem to merely be another > avenue for the TMO to enrich itself. Avarice appears to be the > primary motivation. How strange and sad is that. > > I love Fairfield and am so happy that it is growing as a multi- > dimensional town of unique individuals and as a locus of spiritually > oriented values that attract saints and seekers from everywhere. > Were that Maharishi's only contribution he would have given quite a > lot to the world. > > Those of you who live in Fairfield and contribute to the dialogue > here on FFL are real beacons in the world. Thanks. > > Marek > > ** > > --- In [email protected], Sal Sunshine <salsunshine@> > wrote: > > > > On Dec 20, 2006, at 10:28 AM, Lsoma@ wrote: > > > > > You speek much truth Sal. But their is more to my story that I > will > > > share at a later date. Maharishi has changed all of our lives and > I > > > love him very much. I am willing to forgive Maharishi for > mistakes > > > make in the past and in the present. We are at War. Humanity > needs to > > > come together. Their are other Guru's who offer > > > a more relaxed and appropriate environment but I have yet to find > any > > > organization with 1,800 people that > > > are meditating everyday. Besides, when I was with SSRS and worked > for > > > Deep Chopra I missed Maharishi. I love everyone in my spiritual > family > > > but Maharishi started this and even though I find myself > > > complaining sometimes we do need to address some of the qualities > that > > > are wonderful in the MUM community and Vedic City. Organic > gardening > > > and working on an energy system that is self sufficient is > > > a couple of the positive qualities. I feel strongly that > Maharishi > > > will not be with us much longer. I want to > > > be a part of the community when he passes over. Maybe in some > small > > > way or big way I will be an influence to change things for the > better. > > > This is my prayer. Love and Light. Lou Valentino > > > > Agreed, Lou, MMY has had a huge impact on all of us, and I think > most > > former TMers give him a lot of credit and still have a great deal > of > > love for him. But the values most of us heard when we started and > the > > values expounded by the TMO now are two entirely different things. > > Part of love is knowing when to let go and move on. > > > > And that doesn't mean moving very far. You want to be part of the > TM > > community and feel close to MMY, then come to FF. You'll find lots > of > > people here, many former TMers, involved in a huge amount of things > > that are sustainable and life-supporting, while enjoying life and > > letting others live theirs as well. You know, doing highly > > controversial things like wearing comfortable clothes, drinking > coffee, > > (gasp!) reading whatever they feel like, and living in beautiful > old > > Victorians with real wood floors and neat little built-ins, as > opposed > > to some SV bunker that looks and feels like it was designed with > Fort > > Knox in mind. There's also lots of neat restaurants, gatherings, > and > > other ways to get together with people and enjoy life on your own > > terms, not on some artificially-imposed ones by people who probably > > don't even practice them themselves, and who robotically parrot > > thinking they almost certainly have never actually thought about. > > > > I understand where you're coming from, and was there for a long > time > > myself. But I feel that if you think that the TMO is suddenly > going to > > see the light and change their attitude and open their hearts and > minds > > once MMY passes, that you are going to be really disappointed. > Give up > > on that idea, and see how much freer you feel. > > > > Sal > > >
