I know exactly what she is talking about below, but although I was very much into the TMO I never let it have such an extreme effect on me. I certainly saw people doing this- especially the "impurity" of others routine-but always thought that they just had their own problems. I have found that the majority of non-meditators I meet are of much greater psychological health than the majority of TMer's I knew in Fairfield. Don't for one moment think you are special. Your attachments are just different than "non-meditators."
--- geezerfreak <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > 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 === message truncated === ____________________________________________________________________________________ Finding fabulous fares is fun. Let Yahoo! FareChase search your favorite travel sites to find flight and hotel bargains. http://farechase.yahoo.com/promo-generic-14795097
