[FairfieldLife] Thanks and Well Wishes
Thanks and well wishes to Rick for making Fairfield Life an interesting forum over the years. And the same to those who made meaningful, positive contributions in that time.
[FairfieldLife] Accelerate Your Spiritual and Material Well Being
The popular saying "Nature supports" has always seemed incomplete to me. "Nature supports coherent activity" makes a lot more sense. Why wait and hope when you can be proactive? If this book had been published many years ago, I would have benefited immensely from its clear guidance and practical steps. But there's no time like the present. https://www.amazon.com/7-Mindsets-Success-Happiness-Fulfilment/dp/9388754395 https://www.amazon.com/7-Mindsets-Success-Happiness-Fulfilment/dp/9388754395
[FairfieldLife] Smart Meters
Smart meters seems to be an issue for those who live in Fairfield and elsewhere. Our energy company, Duke Energy, installed one on our house a few months ago. I can't say I have noticed any difference, although it has to go through three walls to get to our bedroom. Duke uses a "two-way" reading system, rather than a "one-way" or continuous broadcast system. From Duke Energy: The new meters automatically transmit readings via radio frequency, and they will largely eliminate the need for meter readers, Walls said. Duke notes the "radio frequency emissions from smart meters are significantly lower than limits set by the Federal Communications Commission. In fact, the emissions produced by other household devices, such as cellphones, baby monitors and microwaves, are considerably higher than the small amount of RF emissions produced by smart meters." See the attached article for more info and comparisons to other electronic devices. Especially note the info under the heading "Addressing Health Concerns". http://smartenergycc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/SGCC-Radio-Frequency-Fact-Sheet.pdf http://smartenergycc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/SGCC-Radio-Frequency-Fact-Sheet.pdf If your community has a different type of smart meter or you have concerns, this company makes a protective device that has a lot of very positive reviews. From my brief research, I'm guessing that the numerous people who have found relief with this product had the Continuous Broadcast type of smart meter. https://smartmeterguard.com/collections/all https://smartmeterguard.com/collections/all
[FairfieldLife] Two Bhajans That Open the Heart
Two heart touching bhajans to share with you. https://jaidas.com/category/bhajans-in-hindi/ https://jaidas.com/category/bhajans-in-hindi/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPNG8Vhz3g0=share=IwAR2MoaSaNpxKgNHTVqQJ71XysRC2S1HJwW0xHNCp9RsW_zoJKa_u_00NlJI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPNG8Vhz3g0=share=IwAR2MoaSaNpxKgNHTVqQJ71XysRC2S1HJwW0xHNCp9RsW_zoJKa_u_00NlJI O Shree Krishna! If I could only get the dust of your lotus feet... I shall you the truth-it will change my destiny forever I hear that your grace is freely showered day and night... If I could get even a drop of that grace, I will be overwhelmed with joy. This mind of mine is so fickle-how can I engage in your devotion? The more I try to make it understand, the more agitated it becomes. O Shree Krishna! I have only one wish in life... May you be in front of me when I die.
[FairfieldLife] Re: The '93-'94 Survey of Meditating Fairfield
One thing I have been curious about for a long time. I lived briefly in Fairfield. I think it was in early 2006 that Mother Divine relocated there. We went out to look at the property, and were astonished to see that a good number of the manufactured homes had primary southern and secondary western entrances. What about sthapatya veda principles? Were community members too fearful to bring up this point at meetings? Did others, like us, take note and add it to the straw that eventually broke the camel's back of belonging to the movement? Nevertheless, my many, many years of TM were life transforming, for which I am very grateful.
[FairfieldLife] Re: World Plan Assessment
I was there in Fiuggi. We were all very young and very inspired by the World Plan Maharishi described. I suppose we believed all these high ideals could be achieved with enough people doing TM. Looking at them now, they could only possibly exist in Satya Yuga, if even then, as we live in the ever imperfect material creation. To evaluate success in any of them, specific, quantifiable targets or indicators would have had to have been laid out. I doubt that any ever were. Looking them over now, I wonder if we have not regressed from where we were then.
[FairfieldLife] The Key to Healthy Relationships
Timeless advice from three spiritual teachers on love and relationships. These do not just apply to people entering a relationship, but to all of us, whether our relationships are romantic or otherwise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMdvgbeKVoE=1s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMdvgbeKVoE=1s
[FairfieldLife] Re: New study confirms effects of TM group practice at MVU Cambodia between 1993 and 2008
When you consider that the Fairfield demographics are not representative of small towns in Iowa or the USA in general, the stats are not impressive. What percentage of Fairfield's population is TMers or New Age folk? Hardly the sort that have criminal tendencies to begin with. It's a shame that TM got into this whole scientific proof gamesmanship. I taught TM and residences courses for 33 years. Although I put a lot of emphasis on scientific research in my lectures, I'd guess that maybe 10% started for that reason. For almost everyone, it was because a friend of family member suggested TM or they had a good vibe from the lecturer. And the price and scientific approach actually turned a lot of people off who might have otherwise started. Of course this has been debated ad nauseam. I sincerely wish you well in your goal of becoming a TM teacher.
[FairfieldLife] Re: New study confirms effects of TM group practice at MVU Cambodia between 1993 and 2008
I'm looking for the studies on the Maharishi Effect for Fairfield, Jefferson County and Iowa.
[FairfieldLife] God Realization Means
God Realization is not what we have heard of as "God Consciousness", which I have never been able to find referenced in any saint's commentaries on the sacred scriptures. That aside, God Realization is the goal of the bhakta, the devotee of the personal God. TM is the path of jnana yoga, merging with the Absolute. I recall someone asking Maharishi (Hotel America, Mallorca, 1971) about the merging of one's personal identity into the Absolute, when an enlightened person leaves the body. His reply was something along the lines of, "Yes, of course." There was palpable disappointment in the group with that answer. I don't recall that question ever coming up again, all the way through Fiuggi. I'm pretty confident Maharishi never went beyond the first six chapters of the Gita because Lord Krishna clearly favors bhakti yog over jnana and karmayog, while still acknowledging their validity. This video I found by Swami Mukundananda has a number of telling observations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwt9igTmSBw=em-lsp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwt9igTmSBw=em-lsp
[FairfieldLife] Re: Ann Coulter calls Trump a wimp
So, so easy to criticize when one does not have the responsibility of making decisions. Can you imagine the pressures of being president? I am surprised people who have been president are not absolutely crushed, babbling blobs by the time their terms are over.
[FairfieldLife] Re: Bliss feeds the devatas
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe15/sbe15041.htm http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe15/sbe15041.htm The vedas address the levels of bliss experienced at different levels of evolution above. An Indian person I know well and completely trust told me this story. The man who was involved recounted the experience to him. Anandamayi Ma was meeting with a few devotees one afternoon. After some time, she indicated the meeting was completed, and everyone but this one young man left. She asked him what he wanted, and he told her he wanted to experience the bliss that she radiated. She offered him some prasad, which he accepted, and left the room. Then he sat under a tree outside and ate the prasad. Immediately he was overwhelmed by such bliss that he could not even move. After about 4 hours Anandamayi Ma came out, and he came back to his normal state of consciousness. She told him this was a fraction of her bliss, and his physiology would be destroyed, if his body and heart were not perfectly pure. There is a similar story in Yogananda's book, as I recall. Unless there are people in the TM movement at the level of Anandamayi Ma, why would any deva be getting near any smelly, stinky human being? ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, wrote : ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, wrote : So, if the devatas are part of our digestive track, could they be part of the microbiome? Are they feeding on BHB (beta hydroxbuterate)? Ultrarishi, My answer is that devatas can be anywhere they want. They could just touch the person in order to obtain the "bliss" chemicals they need. Personally, I don't know the name of the chemical in question. ( If anybody knows of the scientific experiments that were done to isolate this chemical, please let us know the results of these experiments.) This could be the reason why some people can see these devatas in their dreams or visions. Some of these devatas can give boons for wealth or knowledge in science or esoteric subjects to those persons who are deserving of their attention.
[FairfieldLife] Re: Maharishi's Bhagavad Gita and Maharishi's Books : Library
Right now, I'd suggest you just stick with the portion of Maharishi's Gita you have. And while I prefer Swami Prabhupada's translation and commentary, it is from the bhakti (devotional) perspective and might cause confusion. As for the other recommendation, it is from a person with a different guru and may lead to the same problem with confusion about the practice of TM you have chosen. Stay with TM and Maharishi, at least till you have several years experience with that practice and Maharishi's thoughts. That's my opinion. You are very fortunate to have chosen to pursue a spiritual path at a young age. Best of luck!
[FairfieldLife] Re: Maharishi: Being happy is of utmost importance.
Lots of excellent ideas on how we can promote happiness in our lives from the Vedas and modern psychology. Here is the intro. You can go to YouTube to pick up the course or register to have the daily videos sent to you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnEo1s-00-8=10s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnEo1s-00-8=10s
[FairfieldLife] Re: “Schismogenesis”
Fascinating. I Googled the author and title to read the entire piece. I taught and practiced TM for over 35 years. It was invaluable earlier in my life. I look on my spiritual journey as starting with being a devout Catholic, experiencing spiritual malaise, finding TM, dissatisfaction, flirtation with New Age "vacuity", and finally transitioning to a more fulfilling Vedic teaching and practice. All the steps were valuable. It's sort of like taking a train to a certain point, then switching trains, then another. Each has its purpose and value.
[FairfieldLife] Re: Asuras and Devatas
The six internal enemies are doing more than nipping at our heels. They are diseases of the mind, deeply rooted throughout. For example, as an exercise I monitor my thoughts during the day. How many times do I find myself criticizing others? How many times do I find myself offering advice that was just pride in disguise? It is revealing and shocking. And what about anger, greed, lust, etc? Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the 15th century saint (said to be an incarnation of Sri Radha Rani), distilled his spiritual teaching into three points. 1. Be more humble than a blade of grass. The blade of grass is continually being stepped on. It does not complain. It just bounces back. 2. Be more tolerant than a tree. The tree gives shade even to him who cuts off its branches. It gives fruit to the person who throws rocks at it to retrieve its fruit. 3. Always offer respect to others and never expect any in return. Perhaps behaviors are the best indicator of our spiritual progress.
[FairfieldLife] Re: Asuras and Devatas
Yes, the siddhis being taught are a real puzzlement. India's scriptures warn about the dangers of these powers. Great yogis and munis have fallen as a result of them. Spiritual pride is the main lurking danger of having siddhis or even one siddhi. To think that we ordinary Joes and Janes would be immune to their dangers is naive, in my view.
[FairfieldLife] #HappinessChallenge
#HappinessChallenge. This free course is offered by Swami Mukundananda. Swamiji has a degree in engineering and an MBA from India's equivalent of Harvard and Stanford. His discourses are attuned to everyone and given in a practical, logical, engaging manner. Swami left the corporate world early and has devoted his life to elevating people spiritually. His work also includes free hospitals for India's poor and free education for girls from the primary to the university level. He literally travels 52 weeks a year, relying on volunteers in cities across the US and in India to organize his discourses in each city. Please join him and others worldwide for the 21 day #HappinessChallenge. It begins December 31, 2019, in the US. Sign up @ https://www.jkyog.org/events/happinesschallenge https://www.jkyog.org/events/happinesschallenge Join WhatsApp @ https://chat.whatsapp.com/invite/HvTi6nvItXLCvMSAAUmfL4 https://chat.whatsapp.com/invite/HvTi6nvItXLCvMSAAUmfL4 YouTube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnEo1s-00-8=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnEo1s-00-8=youtu.be
[FairfieldLife] A Few Well Known and Lesser Known Spiritual Classics
Several of my Favorite Spiritual Books (with a Bhakti Emphasis) Bhagavad Gita, commentary Swami Mukundananda A profound and deep commentary by a modern Vedic Master who knows Sanskrit and its subtleties, along with India’s vast spiritual literature. Krishna’s words on karm, gyan and bhakti and why ultimately bhakti is necessary. The Great Swan: Meetings with Ramakrishna by Lex Hixon Written in the present tense to give us the feeling we are right alongside RamaKrishna as he goes about his life of devotion to Mother Kali. The Journey Home by Radanath Swani How many lifetimes as a sanyasi must he have had to start his journey and go like an arrow to his goal? Possibly an even more compelling spiritual autobiography than Yogananda’s masterly work? Science of Being by Maharishi The first spiritual book I owned and still on my bookshelf. Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence A real spiritual “sleeper”. A short, dense account of this Catholic lay brother’s profound relationship with God. Lessons that any follower of any religion that recognizes one God can apply. Autobiography of a Yogi by Yogananda A great inspiration to all spiritual seekers. Spiritual Dialectics by Swammi Mukundananda Swami answers about 120 questions from seekers around the world on spiritual topics. Narad Bhakti Dharshan by Narad Muni 84 aphorisms on devotion by sage Narad. Best to watch the YouTube series of lectures by Jagadguru Kripaluji Yog.
[FairfieldLife] Where Has Everyone Gone?
This used to be a very active site. It looks like it now has 5% to 10% of the postings it once did. Have people lost interest in this sort of group or moved on to others?
