Some refinements, curious if you agree or not (Peter S.):
On Mar 3, 2007, at 7:54 AM, Peter wrote:
Intent is subtle effort. Intent is present in TM. There is nothing "wrong" with effort when it is understood this way. But you don't use the term "effort" with people first starting TM because for them the term "effort" means something completely different. The intellect discriminates based on intent. When it makes the "final" discrimination of Self/no self then it is truly effortless. But as long as consciousness identifies with any object of experience (and for most longterm TMer's it is a very subtle sattvic state of mind-golden ignorance!)the effort/intent is needed to facilitate this discrimination...... I just realized that this is the key as to why so many longtime TMer's are not Realized.
They initially utilize the intent of effortlessly thinking the mantra for so many decades, burning out many, many samskaras/points of identification utilizing the natural tendency of the mind to move towards greater pleasure. Subtle states of mind are VERY enjoyable,very sattvic. But now the mind gets stuck in this sattvic condition.
Or get caught in dualistic forms of bliss and never transcend the ananda: "caught in the rapture".
The sequence in cognitive forms of samadhi one can get caught in ananda and not make it "asmita' or "I amness". But even if they do make it to "I amness" it's important to understand, you can get stuck there too, as asmita is a klesha whose basis is moha or stupor. Thus one can get caught in a thought-free state for years and actually be attenuating the kleshas. Such people actually believe they are "transcending" and "purifying stress". Actually they're increasing it.
Even if one does attain seeded forms of samadhi, typically only begun once one is established at the level of the third eye, one is *still* producing seeds of action. One of the advantages of a mantra is, it's a "nice" seed.
Pure consciousness is not sattvic (nor is it tamasic or rajasic either) so effortlessness will not facilitate Realization at this subtle level of mind. Seems like the dharma of TM is to bring you right to the edge of pure consciousness, but that final crossing-over is the subtle Self/no-self discrimination. Perhaps more lontime TMer's need to practice Ramana's experiential (not intellectual) technique of Self-inquiry.
