Dialogue below: **
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > On Jul 27, 2007, at 2:43 PM, Marek Reavis wrote: > > > In your opinion (and others), that was ultimately a bad decision, but > > I feel that Maharishi's initial impulse was sincere and came from > > heartfelt enthusiasm that what he was doing was following the > > inspiration he received from Guru Dev. > > I used to believe this as well. But once I began to hear that, even > as early as the Beatles, they were clued in as to his business > posturing and "plans" -and- I had heard that SBS had told him (wildly > paraphrased)'Mahesh go to the mountains and meditate otherwise the > only thing you'll ever be good at is making money', that clued me > into the inescapable conclusion that there was very clearly a money > motive behind all the Vedic drama. Bizarrely, there is also a modicum > of sincerity that one can sense. But we are can all be sincere in our > jobs if we and our families are the ones that benefit! > > > And for me (and obviously, several others) for whom his meditation > > has proven itself to be of the highest value, it's kind of difficult > > to find fault, even while recognizing that there are problems and > > issues in the way his movement has played out and the fallout that > > has caused in many others' lives. > > Well I would have to agree that, for me, in the early stages of > meditation praxis, it was very good for me. > > But having said that, I should also tell you that I've had numerous > traditional Vedic astrologers and sages tell me that it was 'in the > stars' that I would refind my previous devata (and that turned out to > be the case). It just happened that TYM did that for me...so I do > complain as a satisfied ($35) customer! :-))) > > I just don't want it to be seen as the "be all and end all" of > meditation methods. I feel that is deceitful and dishonest > > ----. > > I do believe I may have overdone my messages...my apologies, I will > subtract and be mindful not to be so distracted in the future! > **end** It seems obvious that no technique is the be all or end all; spiritual practice is just what it is and folks find themselves attracted to one thing or the other because that's what fits for them at the time. And, for what it's worth, my personality isn't particularly congruent with Maharishi's business orientation or his movement's marketing schemes; they seem wildly out of touch with the time and with the 'product' itself; counterproductive, in my opinion. And who knows what was said or not said, meant or not meant, intended or otherwise regarding anything we've heard about Guru Dev's instructions to Maharishi. Maharishi seems to revel in business schemes and apparently enjoys the accumulation of wealth; but even Guru Dev, who by the accounts I've read, lived an entirely ascetic life even as Shankaracharya, still framed many of his teaching within the context of business dealings, profit and loss, etc. Speaking to a particular audience, perhaps, or maybe he also evaluated things in similar terms himself; who knows? It took me a while to really glom on to my Ishtadevata, but at some point it really caught. Since so many of us learned during our student years and consequently we share the same Ishta, I wonder what that says about the need of the time, or what may have been the constitution of the cohort that we all derive from. You probably know that Nisargadatta, although generally dismissive of any talk or speculation re reincarnation, said on more than one occasion that those born in the West are reaping the rewards for their service to Rama as soldiers in the monkey army because here they get to fuck and fight to their hearts' content. Some of us, however, have realized that "heaven" ain't all that it's cracked up to be and have started looking for Rama again. No apologies to me, Brother, I appreciate all that you do very much. Marek
