--Vaj, this is a thinly veiled attack on MMY's CC. You need some REAL support on your positions: stop trying to lift yourself up by your own bootstraps. First, read what MMY has said in his works: Unity INCLUDES "witnessing" but goes beyond it into a full state of integration: 100% silence and 100% activity. OTOH: traditional Buddhism separates one out from active life; in which one must become a monk in order to gain maximum benefits. TM coupled with a suitable "infusion" program (I chant the Gayatri mantra - works for me!); enables one to absorb and radiate the Bliss M-Field into the environment; so that the active side of life is enhanced. Of course, if one chooses to spend hours on end meditating and watching the MMY channel; then one can easily sink into a dissasociative state of Bliss (i.e. become a BN - Bliss Ninny). To prevent that from occurring, don't slide into that trap; but doing so is not peculiar to TM. Buddhists are well known for that; and have virtually cornered a monopoly on BN) Last for now, to use your twisted illogic, can we assume that since one Buddhist has gone crazy while doing "mindfulness"; that the whold program is warped? Your logic is highly flawed. You keep on trying to bash TM but don't offer an alternative. What's your program and agenda. Speak up, don't be shy!!. This is the Internet: you can say anything you like.
[EMAIL PROTECTED], Vaj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Is the Institutionalization of "Witnessing" (sAkSi) a Recipe for Mass > Psychosis? > > Potentially, it is. > > The principle of Sakshi (sAkSi) or witness-consciousness is a well > known evolutionary stance present in a number of traditions. From my > experiential POV (srsti) and both the advaita of Gaudapada and > Buddhist atiyoga, the development of witness-consciousness and it's > natural resolution is a natural part of inner evolution. In > bioenergetic terms this often begins at the level of the hrdyam, the > heart chakra. When awareness is centered there, the witness "awakens" > during the deep sleep phase. As presence evolves, this is carried on > to the throat chakra and witnessing becomes present during dreaming > sleep. As presence is integrated at the level of the ajna-chakra, > witnessing pervades the waking state. These are all preludes to > samadhi and therefore pre-samadhic states of integratation. It is > only above the ajna that samadhi truly can be said to occur. > > These are not however linear phenomenon, they can occur in any order > based on the our own unique subtle physiology. In some people, they > may not occur at all. Some traditions (Dzogchen atiyoga) even > approach these as unified states of awareness rather than residual, > dualistic witnessing states pointing at unitary states. > > But what happens when witnessing becomes an institutionalized "idea", > a dogma? Does it lead to the "real thing"? Or does it present an > altogether different situation, one where a "favored" and sought > after experience is replaced with the genuine article? Since there > are so many meditative and psychologically pathologic states which > *resemble* witness-consciousness this situtation can become extremely > problematic in institutions which by design or by accident elevate > "witnessing" to some important status. > > In term of it's evolutionary status, what witnessing represents in > Hindu forms of meditation is a form of consciousness whereby the > unconscious mind can unburden itself of patterns which are no longer > helpful and set the stage for more unitary modes of awareness (or > consciousness). Since, in the state of realtive ignorance, we still > have much attachment to neagtive thoughts, emotions and patterns > (obscurations or avarana); witnessing these without being involved in > them is an evolutionary stance for purification of our own > consciousness. > > "Other" states which can be mistaken for witnessing: > > -psychosis > > -high "vata" > > -over-meditative spaciness /over-meditation/ non-regulation of practice > > -unbalanced kundalini awakening or diverted awakenings > > -dissociation > > -depersonalization > > -extreme fear > > -non-integrated issues or issues we cannot face or repressed issue > which are resurfacing which we cannot face > > -trauma and post traumatic stress disorder > > -unprocessed and undigested issues of any kind > > > So how do we know and assure that the states of consciousness we are > trying to develop are in fact witness-states and not some form of > dissociation, meditative disturbance or psychosis? We know by > engaging in proper methods and by being instructed in the proper > signs and fine-points of their practice and cultivation. We also know > by observing ourselves and knowing ourselves: observing body (the > condition of our body), Mind and Voice (our energy or subtle body). > > Witness-consciousness, like any other state, has it's methods. If you > haven't been instructed in these techniques, you should be therefore > wary of institutions that put them out in front, like a spiritual > "carrot", without giving you proper instruction or technique. >
