--- In [email protected], Duveyoung <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
snip > Sigh. Rambling here. Who's still reading? Definitely not me, and what a shame since I so enjoy your posts. lurk > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- In [email protected], TurquoiseB <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected], "Marek Reavis" <reavismarek@> > > wrote: > > > > > > I want to comment on this and don't really know how to, except > > > to endorse your willingness to explore life with deep and > > > wholehearted committment. I love that you were so totally > > > into the movement; you and me and so many people who post here. > > > > If that is you not knowing how to express yourself, > > I wait with 'bated breath for more posts in which > > you are more sure. :-) Well said. That is one of my > > main reasons for being here, too. I really *enjoy* > > being "in the company" of people who have made a > > strong commitment to a spiritual path, *wherever* > > it might have taken them. I am equally comfortable > > with those who have spent decades with the TMO and > > who have moved on as I am with those who have spent > > decades with it and now have mainly positive feelings > > about their experiences, but approach the movement > > from a distance, and I am equally comfortable with > > those who still are committed to the TMO and manage > > to pull that off without very much of the elitism > > that one tends to see in those I deem TBs. > > > > What I am *not* as comfortable with is those who have > > *never* made any strong commitment to the TMO or to > > any other spiritual path, and who consistently try > > to put down those who have walked away from one or > > more spiritual paths as if doing so were some kind of > > failure on their part. When the word "phony" comes up > > here, as it tends to do more often than it should, > > *those* are the people who leap to my mind. > > > > > Although my children, now adults, are so much better than me > > > in so many ways, one thing they don't have in their lives is > > > the experience so many of us had when we were young and > > > young adults within the TM movement -- the unparalleled > > > experience of being part of such a cause and such a > > > movement, either as it actually was at the time or as > > > we thought it to be. > > > > Well said again. I have very little contact these > > days in "real life" with people who have had this > > opportunity. That is one reason I find it so inter- > > esting to hang with such people on the Internet. > > There is something "about" those who have made a > > strong, decades-long commitment not only to their > > own spiritual path, but to *promoting* and *teaching* > > that spiritual path that "removes the rough edges" > > of the ego to some extent, and that cultivates a > > sense of compassion and of caring for one's fellow > > man. I often find that missing from those who have > > never had the experience of putting someone else's > > welfare ahead of their own (other than, say, their > > own children and families). > > > > I worked pretty much full-time for spiritual movements > > for 28 years of my life, devoting either part or all > > of my time and income to furthering their goals, and > > trying to help a few people along the Way. So, like > > Curtis, do I sometimes get tired when people who have > > *never* done this suggest that I'm a slimeball because > > I no longer choose to do this accuse me of being a > > "failure" or of "having missed the whole point of the > > teaching?" You betcha. In my not so humble opinion, > > such people "missed the whole point of the teaching" > > THEMSELVES. THEY are the ones who never really > > did much for anyone but themselves, at least in terms > > of spreading and teaching meditation and other forms > > of spirituality. > > > > Curtis has paid his dues, and has *earned* some fuckin' > > RESPECT for having done that, man. So have all the other > > wonderful people here who put their money where their > > mouths were, spiritually, and made a strong commitment > > to helping others. Those who have never done that but > > who set themselves up as the arbiters of Things Spiritual > > or of what constitutes a "proper" relationship with one's > > spiritual teacher or spiritual organization can go suck > > eggs as far as I'm concerned. When they start ragging > > on those who *have* made such a commitment as if they > > are better than they are, I consider them spiritual > > pissants, legends in their own tiny minds who do *not* > > have the right to insinuate themselves into the thoughts > > that go through *my* mind on a regular basis. > > > > One of the things I've been doing lately is a kind of > > mindfulness, a Buddhist exercise in maintaining focus. > > Whenever one of these spiritual pissants -- on this > > forum or on others -- tries to push his or her way into > > my mind and make me focus on them, I try to do the > > exact opposite. I hit the NEXT key the moment they get > > nasty and read no further in that post. I try to never > > again think of that person that day. And I have a kind > > of "rule" that I've made for myself that says that I > > will not reply to anyone who has gone out of their way > > to trash me here for at least a week after they have > > done so. > > > > Fortunately, given the way that things seem to work > > here, that means that there are at least a couple of > > people here who I *never* will have to reply to again, > > because they seem to be UNABLE to go a full week without > > making some comment here trashing me. :-) It cuts down > > on my posting needs at FFL tremendously. > > > > > The posts here that express compassion and understanding, > > > forbearance and intelligence, as well as humor and flexibility > > > are the ones that, in my mind, most fully advance the ideals > > > of the movement to which we all pledged allegiance when we > > > were young. > > > > Exactly. > > > > > If the TMO has apparently diverged from those ideals, it is > > > not my problem. > > > > Exactly again. Even if the TM movement doesn't seem > > to be terribly concerned with integrity and compassion, > > that doesn't mean that its "graduates" have to live > > that way. > > > > > There are many people who post here, including yourself, whom > > > I admire greatly. Thanks. > > > > Same with me. These people give me *hope* with regard to > > the value of "doing one's time" in a strong spiritual > > commitment. Fortunately, there are enough of these great > > people here that they counterbalance the example of those > > spiritual pissants who make me *question* the value of > > such a commitment. > > > > All the time I spent in the TM movement was "worth it" > > in my opinion. All of the time I spent with Rama was > > "worth it" in my opinion. The time it takes to deal with > > the spiritual pissants of the world is no longer "worth > > it" to me, so they're not going to get any more of that > > time in the form of replies from me. > > > > Thanks again to Curtis and Marek for exemplifying what > > makes FFL a great forum, and pointing out via their > > examples what *detracts* from that great forum in the > > behavior of a few (and these days, *very* few) other > > people. > > > > The "New FFL." Long may it wave... > > >
