--- In [email protected], Bhairitu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > My experience over the years is that as my consciousness rises if I > spend any amount of time at all around non-meditators the majority of > them start to seem like wild animals. I guess this is because they are > at the mercy of superficial influences which are like "lines drawn on > water or lines drawn on air" for many of us. I'm not saying that all > non-meditators are like that as there are some people who just come into > life at a higher level of evolution than others. Nor am I positing some > superiority thing. It's just that if you spend any time with them > beyond some casual contact they seem to go completely blindly off on > tangents that I evolved out of years ago as so can be a little annoying > (especially if they are trying to drag you along with them). > > My relatives who out of all of them only my oldest nephew learned > meditation are always "so busy" and I think "no you just aren't able to > handle life so well any more being blown about by an increasing amount > of chaotic influences in our noisier world." We as meditators tend to > have a stable base of consciousness and the chaos of the world has less > and less influence as our consciousness evolves. > > I would like to hear other's *experience* on this and not theory. > You might want to check this article out from Gina Caetena. Full text available at the TM-Free Blog Spot:
THE DEMAND FOR PURITY For those who succumb to living within the TM Movement full time, "The world becomes sharply divided into the pure and the impure, the absolutely good (the group/ideology) and the absolutely evil (everything outside the group)." (3) Once having embraced the TM community mentality, anything outside the TM world may be perceived as a threat. It was frightening for me to consider leaving the TM community many years ago. I was afraid of the "negativity" and "ignorance" of the world. I was even more anxious because I knew I lacked life skills for the real world, after a lifetime within the Movement. The "purity" of our devoted community felt safe, despite regimentation, dogma and repressed stories of child neglect and abuse. Obviously, I eventually left and thrived. On a recent phone call, one TM acquaintance expressed fears, "I don't know how you live out there, Gina. Your spiritual evolution is hindered from being surrounded by so much negtivity. This must be so hard for you. I know how evil the world is out there. I have a cousin strung out on cocaine in San Diego." When I explained that her cousin is an exception to the norm, she refused to consider otherwise, insisting, "No, there are rakshasas (evil demons) lurking everywhere out there. Anyone can succumb at any time, just like my cousin. We have the finest purity here. I could never go anywhere else, despite our problems." Another middle-aged devotee, also raised in the Movement, had traveled the world within the Movement's echelons. In her fifties, upon returning from her first solo weekend journey exclaimed, "It's scary out there!" She perceived the world as threatening. Believing in the power of pure "Vastu architecture", some TMers will refuse to enter a building with a south-facing entrance, because it would bring mystical evil energy. These True Believers will only allow themselves to enter buildings of architectural purity, lest they become spiritually tainted by impure architecture. They state they can "think more clearly", or their "consciousness feels expansive" when inside pure Vastu construction. Others who cannot afford to custom build a Vastu-approved home, or an expensive remodel of their existing home, feel inadequate because their home is not as pure as it should be. They avoid entering south facing entrances, and apologize for the lack of proper alignment of their walls and windows. Should I rejoice that True Believers would avoid my home's south-facing front entrance? In actuality, it saddens me. They could blame my south facing entryway as the evil influence upon my consciousness, inspiring me to write this impure essay! Each year upon his deemed birthday, January 12th, Maharishi emerges from his annual "period of silence" to inspire the Movement for the coming year's momentum. Devoted followers "must continually change or conform to the group norm." (4) He announces another standard of inspirational purity with each new year. The TM group norm continually changes. This keeps everyone striving for the utmost growth in purity. In the 1970's women were required to dress in casually elegant business attire, now women on prolonged courses often wear sarees regardless of their culture of origin. In the sixties and seventies, astrology and other esoterica were frowned upon. TM followers cheated to study astrology, past lives or other mystical teachings. Now the TM Movement cornered the market on esoterica with their own astrology, music, jyotishi consultants (Hindu mystics), mystical gem sales, architectural styles and expensive yagyas (spiritual ceremonies) to generate higher consciousness, perfect health and prosperity for those who purchase the products. Outside sources of esoterica are considered not to be as pure as those promoted by Maharishi's organization. Of course, that deemed of the utmost purity (from Maharishi) comes also with the highest price tag, the most exclusive of social circles, and the greatest restrictions upon outside influence. "Tendencies towards guilt and shame are used as emotional levers for the group's controlling and manipulative influences." (5) The basic concept is that if one stays "with the program" he or she will eventually receive the carrot on a stick pure bliss or enlightenment. If one leaves, he or she risks losing everything. Another devotee jokes of having been a "rascal on the spiritual path," as if following her inner dictates were inherently impure by Maharishi's standards, rather than a joyous celebration of her individuality. Personal directives would deter one from the "Path." The "Path" as outlined by Maharishi, is deemed the only pure method of spiritual advancement. How sad to restrict oneself through self-judgement for having an inner sense of purpose. When my good friend's son died of an inoperable brain tumor in San Diego, a Maharishi University faculty member told her husband, "Your son died because you left the life supporting influence of our TM community." In essence, the University faculty member said they were punished for leaving Fairfield, through the death of their son. True devotees hold themselves to this elevated life standard, continually failing to attain perfection. And we thought Catholic guilt was bad! "Once a person has experienced the totalist polarization of good/evil (black/white thinking), he has great difficulty in regaining a more balanced inner sensitivity to the complexities of human morality." (6) Real life has grey zones, where an individual determines one's own balance among conflicting demands. When a person bases his or her life upon externally derived definitions of right from wrong, he or she may lose the ability to make personal value-judgments. Personal self determination is especially difficult for those who come through my home after having been raised within the TM Movement. This difficulty with self-determination may account for the frequency with which many former TMers become guru-hoppers (not levitating, but jumping between various spiritual groups). Many leave TM's dysfunction, but seek another source of external guidance or definition. Even long after leaving the TM community, many individuals continue to judge others as "good" or "bad" according to a pre-measured determination of "spirituality." Their TM-based internalized idealism continues as life's barometer of worthiness. There is no "all good", nor "all bad", even within the TM Movement. Most would agree that those attracted to the idealism offered by "our cult" are kind, well-intentioned, idealistic individuals. We created a sweet caring community. Our goal was Utopia. In some ways, that was achieved! Many benefited through TM and association with the organization. Many were seriously damaged. True devotees experienced programmatic thought reform indoctrination (commonly known as "mind control" or "brainwashing"). Not everyone falls for the full indoctrination, as Joe Kellet succinctly describes his "free fall down TM's rabbit hole" on his website. Those who experienced the "free fall down TM's rabbit hole" have enormous challenges when attempting to integrate into society outside of TM. The challenge lies in the battle within one's own mind. In real life, there is no "absolute purity" for which to strive. Part Four of this series will be posted next Sunday. Dedicated in loving memory to: Carolyn, Ana, Doug, Levi, Marsten, Randy, Kevin and others who no longer with us in spite of, or because of, their sincere devotion to this "Path to Enlightenment." 1. Lifton, R. (1989) Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism. Chapel Hill. University of North Carolina Press. 2. ibid Lifton 3. ibid Lifton 4. ibid Lifton
