[FairfieldLife] RE: The other C word
Damn... I was expecting a rant about carbohydrate...
Re: [FairfieldLife] RE: The other C word
From: j_alexander_stan...@yahoo.com j_alexander_stan...@yahoo.com To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, March 6, 2014 2:45 PM Subject: [FairfieldLife] RE: The other C word Damn... I was expecting a rant about carbohydrate... Your wish is my command. :-)
[FairfieldLife] RE: The other C word
I'm curious about those lots of TM adherents on FFL, given that there are so few to begin with. And what could the C words possibly be (other than concentration) that lots of TM adherents here have issues with that allegedly don't bother the other FFL members? According to Barry, anyone who has followed this forum for any length of time knows about this. Since Barry won't deign to explain what he's talking about, I'd appreciate it if one of the other regulars would clue me in. And I'd just note that when Barry sets the scene for one of his disquisitions with observations like this that don't seem to make much sense, it tends to lead one to think that he hasn't given much thought to what follows either. Indeed, he makes some rather careless statements in the body of this current post about concentration, which I may point out later if I have the time. Damn... I was expecting a rant about carbohydrate...
[FairfieldLife] RE: The other C word
What's the other one, besides 'cunt', Barry? I don't think anyone has issues with those words, whatever that second one is - until you use them to insult people - then it obviously upsets your target, and makes you sound terribly crude, and ignorant. 'cunt' is just a word, but no one likes to be called one. So, if your point is that people just plain don't like hearing the word, 'cunt', I think you are way off - sounds to me, like a rationalization by someone, who, on the one hand wants to be nasty and abusive, and on the other, doesn't want to own it. So you convince yourself that you are the free spirit, among the prudes, when in fact, *you* are the only one to whom the epithet, 'cunt', applies, on this forum. Have a nice day, and please, watch your language. ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb@... wrote : I suspect that anyone who has followed this forum for any length of time knows that a lot of the TM adherents here have issues with a couple of C words. But relax...I'm not going to rap about them again. On my day off today, I'd like to rap about a third C word that I suspect many TMers here also have an aversion to -- concentration. If I asked most TMers what that word concentration means, with regard to meditation, I'd be willing to bet that I could predict in advance what they'd say. This is no big psychic achievement on my part; I know what they'd say because I, like them, was taught *what* to think and say about that word, by Maharishi, and by his organization. Stuff like: Concentration is the opposite of TM, which has its basis in effortlessness. Concentration involves effort. It's a form of straining, trying to keep the mind focused on one thing, and thus contrary to the rule we all know is true about the 'natural tendency of the mind.' Concentration causes strain and headaches, and actually *prevents* transcendence because that process has to be effortless and concentration by definition involves effort. They'd probably throw in a hearty, So there. :-) And the thing is, most of these TMers would be saying these things *without ever having practiced a form of meditation that involves concentration in their lives*. Me, I have, so I can speak about it...whereas they cannot. Be warned. Here be heresy and offtheprogramnessitude. :-) I have a different definition of concentration, one that seems to me not all that different from TM's instruction: When you become aware that you are not thinking the mantra, effortlessly come back to it. My version of this, used to describe many of the so-called concentration meditation techniques I practice, would be: When you become aware that you are thinking *anything*, effortlessly come back to silence. That's it. No mantra, no other object of focus, nothing to concentrate on, as the term concentration is usually misdefined by TMers. I just come back to silence. The instruction I think that is *missing* from the TM instruction above is the second half of it: 1. When you become aware that you are not thinking the mantra, effortlessly come back to it. 2. By the way, you can get *better* at becoming aware of things like this, and thus notice them more quickly. Doing this increases the strength of your mind, and allows you to 'come back to' whatever it is you're coming back to more quickly. I don't concentrate on anything when I meditate, I merely express a preference as to what I 'come back to.' I come back to silence. And just as I say above in #2, I have found that making the decision to do so is just as effortless as coming back to the mantra in TM, and that as I practice making this preference it becomes more easy *to* notice when I am thinking anything more quickly, and thus come back to silence more quickly. Now I know that this might be considered heresy to some TMers here, because they've been taught to believe that they're actually meditating when they're sitting there lost in thoughts. These thoughts are good, they've been taught, because they indicate the release of stress. Thus having a mind full of thoughts during meditation is not only real mediation, it's good for you. Me, I don't believe this. I believe that you're only experiencing real meditation when you're not thinking. So when I meditate, I prefer techniques that allow me to access that state of no-thought more often, and for longer periods of time. Since it involves intention, you might still call what I do concentration if you want, but I don't think it fits into your straining definitions of that term. I just prefer silence. There is no strain involved in re-establishing that silence, merely a willingness to notice -- and prefer -- what is already present.
[FairfieldLife] RE: The other C word
I doubt there is another one besides cunt. The phrase a couple of is just standard Barry embroidery to make what he says sound more important. Otherwise, your observations are right on target. What's really funny is his claim that it's a lot of the TM adherents here who have issues with cunt. Not only are there not a lot of TM adherents here in the first place, but the few that are here are the ones he tends to insult by calling them cunts. What's the other one, besides 'cunt', Barry? I don't think anyone has issues with those words, whatever that second one is - until you use them to insult people - then it obviously upsets your target, and makes you sound terribly crude, and ignorant. 'cunt' is just a word, but no one likes to be called one. So, if your point is that people just plain don't like hearing the word, 'cunt', I think you are way off - sounds to me, like a rationalization by someone, who, on the one hand wants to be nasty and abusive, and on the other, doesn't want to own it. So you convince yourself that you are the free spirit, among the prudes, when in fact, *you* are the only one to whom the epithet, 'cunt', applies, on this forum. Have a nice day, and please, watch your language. I suspect that anyone who has followed this forum for any length of time knows that a lot of the TM adherents here have issues with a couple of C words. But relax...I'm not going to rap about them again. On my day off today, I'd like to rap about a third C word that I suspect many TMers here also have an aversion to -- concentration. If I asked most TMers what that word concentration means, with regard to meditation, I'd be willing to bet that I could predict in advance what they'd say. This is no big psychic achievement on my part; I know what they'd say because I, like them, was taught *what* to think and say about that word, by Maharishi, and by his organization. Stuff like: Concentration is the opposite of TM, which has its basis in effortlessness. Concentration involves effort. It's a form of straining, trying to keep the mind focused on one thing, and thus contrary to the rule we all know is true about the 'natural tendency of the mind.' Concentration causes strain and headaches, and actually *prevents* transcendence because that process has to be effortless and concentration by definition involves effort. They'd probably throw in a hearty, So there. :-) And the thing is, most of these TMers would be saying these things *without ever having practiced a form of meditation that involves concentration in their lives*. Me, I have, so I can speak about it...whereas they cannot. Be warned. Here be heresy and offtheprogramnessitude. :-) I have a different definition of concentration, one that seems to me not all that different from TM's instruction: When you become aware that you are not thinking the mantra, effortlessly come back to it. My version of this, used to describe many of the so-called concentration meditation techniques I practice, would be: When you become aware that you are thinking *anything*, effortlessly come back to silence. That's it. No mantra, no other object of focus, nothing to concentrate on, as the term concentration is usually misdefined by TMers. I just come back to silence. The instruction I think that is *missing* from the TM instruction above is the second half of it: 1. When you become aware that you are not thinking the mantra, effortlessly come back to it. 2. By the way, you can get *better* at becoming aware of things like this, and thus notice them more quickly. Doing this increases the strength of your mind, and allows you to 'come back to' whatever it is you're coming back to more quickly. I don't concentrate on anything when I meditate, I merely express a preference as to what I 'come back to.' I come back to silence. And just as I say above in #2, I have found that making the decision to do so is just as effortless as coming back to the mantra in TM, and that as I practice making this preference it becomes more easy *to* notice when I am thinking anything more quickly, and thus come back to silence more quickly. Now I know that this might be considered heresy to some TMers here, because they've been taught to believe that they're actually meditating when they're sitting there lost in thoughts. These thoughts are good, they've been taught, because they indicate the release of stress. Thus having a mind full of thoughts during meditation is not only real mediation, it's good for you. Me, I don't believe this. I believe that you're only experiencing real meditation when you're not thinking. So when I meditate, I prefer techniques that allow me to access that state of no-thought more often, and for longer periods of time. Since it involves intention, you might still call what I do concentration if you want, but I don't think it fits into your straining definitions of that term. I just
[FairfieldLife] RE: The other C word
---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, no_re...@yahoogroups.com wrote : What's the other one, besides 'cunt', Barry? I don't think anyone has issues with those words, whatever that second one is - until you use them to insult people - then it obviously upsets your target, and makes you sound terribly crude, and ignorant. You believe that using the word 'cult' makes a person sound terribly crude, and ignorant? Go figure. :-) 'cunt' is just a word, but no one likes to be called one. So, if your point is that people just plain don't like hearing the word, 'cunt', I think you are way off - sounds to me, like a rationalization by someone, who, on the one hand wants to be nasty and abusive, and on the other, doesn't want to own it. So you convince yourself that you are the free spirit, among the prudes, when in fact, *you* are the only one to whom the epithet, 'cunt', applies, on this forum. Have a nice day, and please, watch your language. ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb@... wrote : I suspect that anyone who has followed this forum for any length of time knows that a lot of the TM adherents here have issues with a couple of C words. But relax...I'm not going to rap about them again. On my day off today, I'd like to rap about a third C word that I suspect many TMers here also have an aversion to -- concentration. If I asked most TMers what that word concentration means, with regard to meditation, I'd be willing to bet that I could predict in advance what they'd say. This is no big psychic achievement on my part; I know what they'd say because I, like them, was taught *what* to think and say about that word, by Maharishi, and by his organization. Stuff like: Concentration is the opposite of TM, which has its basis in effortlessness. Concentration involves effort. It's a form of straining, trying to keep the mind focused on one thing, and thus contrary to the rule we all know is true about the 'natural tendency of the mind.' Concentration causes strain and headaches, and actually *prevents* transcendence because that process has to be effortless and concentration by definition involves effort. They'd probably throw in a hearty, So there. :-) And the thing is, most of these TMers would be saying these things *without ever having practiced a form of meditation that involves concentration in their lives*. Me, I have, so I can speak about it...whereas they cannot. Be warned. Here be heresy and offtheprogramnessitude. :-) I have a different definition of concentration, one that seems to me not all that different from TM's instruction: When you become aware that you are not thinking the mantra, effortlessly come back to it. My version of this, used to describe many of the so-called concentration meditation techniques I practice, would be: When you become aware that you are thinking *anything*, effortlessly come back to silence. That's it. No mantra, no other object of focus, nothing to concentrate on, as the term concentration is usually misdefined by TMers. I just come back to silence. The instruction I think that is *missing* from the TM instruction above is the second half of it: 1. When you become aware that you are not thinking the mantra, effortlessly come back to it. 2. By the way, you can get *better* at becoming aware of things like this, and thus notice them more quickly. Doing this increases the strength of your mind, and allows you to 'come back to' whatever it is you're coming back to more quickly. I don't concentrate on anything when I meditate, I merely express a preference as to what I 'come back to.' I come back to silence. And just as I say above in #2, I have found that making the decision to do so is just as effortless as coming back to the mantra in TM, and that as I practice making this preference it becomes more easy *to* notice when I am thinking anything more quickly, and thus come back to silence more quickly. Now I know that this might be considered heresy to some TMers here, because they've been taught to believe that they're actually meditating when they're sitting there lost in thoughts. These thoughts are good, they've been taught, because they indicate the release of stress. Thus having a mind full of thoughts during meditation is not only real mediation, it's good for you. Me, I don't believe this. I believe that you're only experiencing real meditation when you're not thinking. So when I meditate, I prefer techniques that allow me to access that state of no-thought more often, and for longer periods of time. Since it involves intention, you might still call what I do concentration if you want, but I don't think it fits into your straining definitions of that term. I just prefer silence. There is no strain involved in re-establishing that silence, merely a willingness to notice -- and prefer -- what is already present.
[FairfieldLife] RE: The other C word
(Notice how Barry quibbles to avoid addressing Doc's points.) It makes you sound terribly crude and ignorant, Barry, because you use it so often and so indiscriminately that it's become meaningless. I'm tempted to go back and find the post you made not long after arriving on FFL in which you lectured everybody about why they shouldn't be using the terms cult and cultist. Even back then that was hilarious, because you were constantly using them on alt.m.t. You got extremely wroth and panty-twisted when I pointed that out. What's the other one, besides 'cunt', Barry? I don't think anyone has issues with those words, whatever that second one is - until you use them to insult people - then it obviously upsets your target, and makes you sound terribly crude, and ignorant. You believe that using the word 'cult' makes a person sound terribly crude, and ignorant? Go figure. :-) 'cunt' is just a word, but no one likes to be called one. So, if your point is that people just plain don't like hearing the word, 'cunt', I think you are way off - sounds to me, like a rationalization by someone, who, on the one hand wants to be nasty and abusive, and on the other, doesn't want to own it. So you convince yourself that you are the free spirit, among the prudes, when in fact, *you* are the only one to whom the epithet, 'cunt', applies, on this forum. Have a nice day, and please, watch your language. ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb@... wrote : I suspect that anyone who has followed this forum for any length of time knows that a lot of the TM adherents here have issues with a couple of C words. But relax...I'm not going to rap about them again. On my day off today, I'd like to rap about a third C word that I suspect many TMers here also have an aversion to -- concentration. If I asked most TMers what that word concentration means, with regard to meditation, I'd be willing to bet that I could predict in advance what they'd say. This is no big psychic achievement on my part; I know what they'd say because I, like them, was taught *what* to think and say about that word, by Maharishi, and by his organization. Stuff like: Concentration is the opposite of TM, which has its basis in effortlessness. Concentration involves effort. It's a form of straining, trying to keep the mind focused on one thing, and thus contrary to the rule we all know is true about the 'natural tendency of the mind.' Concentration causes strain and headaches, and actually *prevents* transcendence because that process has to be effortless and concentration by definition involves effort. They'd probably throw in a hearty, So there. :-) And the thing is, most of these TMers would be saying these things *without ever having practiced a form of meditation that involves concentration in their lives*. Me, I have, so I can speak about it...whereas they cannot. Be warned. Here be heresy and offtheprogramnessitude. :-) I have a different definition of concentration, one that seems to me not all that different from TM's instruction: When you become aware that you are not thinking the mantra, effortlessly come back to it. My version of this, used to describe many of the so-called concentration meditation techniques I practice, would be: When you become aware that you are thinking *anything*, effortlessly come back to silence. That's it. No mantra, no other object of focus, nothing to concentrate on, as the term concentration is usually misdefined by TMers. I just come back to silence. The instruction I think that is *missing* from the TM instruction above is the second half of it: 1. When you become aware that you are not thinking the mantra, effortlessly come back to it. 2. By the way, you can get *better* at becoming aware of things like this, and thus notice them more quickly. Doing this increases the strength of your mind, and allows you to 'come back to' whatever it is you're coming back to more quickly. I don't concentrate on anything when I meditate, I merely express a preference as to what I 'come back to.' I come back to silence. And just as I say above in #2, I have found that making the decision to do so is just as effortless as coming back to the mantra in TM, and that as I practice making this preference it becomes more easy *to* notice when I am thinking anything more quickly, and thus come back to silence more quickly. Now I know that this might be considered heresy to some TMers here, because they've been taught to believe that they're actually meditating when they're sitting there lost in thoughts. These thoughts are good, they've been taught, because they indicate the release of stress. Thus having a mind full of thoughts during meditation is not only real mediation, it's good for you. Me, I don't believe this. I believe that you're only experiencing real meditation when you're not thinking. So when I meditate, I prefer techniques that allow me
[FairfieldLife] RE: The other C word
Ah, 'cult' and 'cunt'. Which do *you* think is more dangerous to you?? ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb@... wrote : ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, no_re...@yahoogroups.com wrote : What's the other one, besides 'cunt', Barry? I don't think anyone has issues with those words, whatever that second one is - until you use them to insult people - then it obviously upsets your target, and makes you sound terribly crude, and ignorant. You believe that using the word 'cult' makes a person sound terribly crude, and ignorant? Go figure. :-) 'cunt' is just a word, but no one likes to be called one. So, if your point is that people just plain don't like hearing the word, 'cunt', I think you are way off - sounds to me, like a rationalization by someone, who, on the one hand wants to be nasty and abusive, and on the other, doesn't want to own it. So you convince yourself that you are the free spirit, among the prudes, when in fact, *you* are the only one to whom the epithet, 'cunt', applies, on this forum. Have a nice day, and please, watch your language. ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb@... wrote : I suspect that anyone who has followed this forum for any length of time knows that a lot of the TM adherents here have issues with a couple of C words. But relax...I'm not going to rap about them again. On my day off today, I'd like to rap about a third C word that I suspect many TMers here also have an aversion to -- concentration. If I asked most TMers what that word concentration means, with regard to meditation, I'd be willing to bet that I could predict in advance what they'd say. This is no big psychic achievement on my part; I know what they'd say because I, like them, was taught *what* to think and say about that word, by Maharishi, and by his organization. Stuff like: Concentration is the opposite of TM, which has its basis in effortlessness. Concentration involves effort. It's a form of straining, trying to keep the mind focused on one thing, and thus contrary to the rule we all know is true about the 'natural tendency of the mind.' Concentration causes strain and headaches, and actually *prevents* transcendence because that process has to be effortless and concentration by definition involves effort. They'd probably throw in a hearty, So there. :-) And the thing is, most of these TMers would be saying these things *without ever having practiced a form of meditation that involves concentration in their lives*. Me, I have, so I can speak about it...whereas they cannot. Be warned. Here be heresy and offtheprogramnessitude. :-) I have a different definition of concentration, one that seems to me not all that different from TM's instruction: When you become aware that you are not thinking the mantra, effortlessly come back to it. My version of this, used to describe many of the so-called concentration meditation techniques I practice, would be: When you become aware that you are thinking *anything*, effortlessly come back to silence. That's it. No mantra, no other object of focus, nothing to concentrate on, as the term concentration is usually misdefined by TMers. I just come back to silence. The instruction I think that is *missing* from the TM instruction above is the second half of it: 1. When you become aware that you are not thinking the mantra, effortlessly come back to it. 2. By the way, you can get *better* at becoming aware of things like this, and thus notice them more quickly. Doing this increases the strength of your mind, and allows you to 'come back to' whatever it is you're coming back to more quickly. I don't concentrate on anything when I meditate, I merely express a preference as to what I 'come back to.' I come back to silence. And just as I say above in #2, I have found that making the decision to do so is just as effortless as coming back to the mantra in TM, and that as I practice making this preference it becomes more easy *to* notice when I am thinking anything more quickly, and thus come back to silence more quickly. Now I know that this might be considered heresy to some TMers here, because they've been taught to believe that they're actually meditating when they're sitting there lost in thoughts. These thoughts are good, they've been taught, because they indicate the release of stress. Thus having a mind full of thoughts during meditation is not only real mediation, it's good for you. Me, I don't believe this. I believe that you're only experiencing real meditation when you're not thinking. So when I meditate, I prefer techniques that allow me to access that state of no-thought more often, and for longer periods of time. Since it involves intention, you might still call what I do concentration if you want, but I don't think it fits into your straining definitions of that term. I just prefer silence. There is no strain involved in re-establishing that silence, merely
[FairfieldLife] RE: The other C word
---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, no_re...@yahoogroups.com wrote : Ah, 'cult' and 'cunt'. Which do *you* think is more dangerous to you?? Ah, the Doc is on today. ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb@... wrote : ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, no_re...@yahoogroups.com wrote : What's the other one, besides 'cunt', Barry? I don't think anyone has issues with those words, whatever that second one is - until you use them to insult people - then it obviously upsets your target, and makes you sound terribly crude, and ignorant. You believe that using the word 'cult' makes a person sound terribly crude, and ignorant? Go figure. :-) Yuppers, the way Bawwy uses the word it does. But then Bawwy always pretty much sounds crude and ignorant. 'cunt' is just a word, but no one likes to be called one. So, if your point is that people just plain don't like hearing the word, 'cunt', I think you are way off - sounds to me, like a rationalization by someone, who, on the one hand wants to be nasty and abusive, and on the other, doesn't want to own it. So you convince yourself that you are the free spirit, among the prudes, when in fact, *you* are the only one to whom the epithet, 'cunt', applies, on this forum. There's no tarnishing you with Bawwy's brush - his crap just won't stick to you. He'll need to try waayy harder if he's ever going to have a chance jousting verbally with you. Have a nice day, and please, watch your language. ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb@... wrote : I suspect that anyone who has followed this forum for any length of time knows that a lot of the TM adherents here have issues with a couple of C words. But relax...I'm not going to rap about them again. On my day off today, I'd like to rap about a third C word that I suspect many TMers here also have an aversion to -- concentration. If I asked most TMers what that word concentration means, with regard to meditation, I'd be willing to bet that I could predict in advance what they'd say. This is no big psychic achievement on my part; I know what they'd say because I, like them, was taught *what* to think and say about that word, by Maharishi, and by his organization. Stuff like: Concentration is the opposite of TM, which has its basis in effortlessness. Concentration involves effort. It's a form of straining, trying to keep the mind focused on one thing, and thus contrary to the rule we all know is true about the 'natural tendency of the mind.' Concentration causes strain and headaches, and actually *prevents* transcendence because that process has to be effortless and concentration by definition involves effort. They'd probably throw in a hearty, So there. :-) And the thing is, most of these TMers would be saying these things *without ever having practiced a form of meditation that involves concentration in their lives*. Me, I have, so I can speak about it...whereas they cannot. Be warned. Here be heresy and offtheprogramnessitude. :-) I have a different definition of concentration, one that seems to me not all that different from TM's instruction: When you become aware that you are not thinking the mantra, effortlessly come back to it. My version of this, used to describe many of the so-called concentration meditation techniques I practice, would be: When you become aware that you are thinking *anything*, effortlessly come back to silence. That's it. No mantra, no other object of focus, nothing to concentrate on, as the term concentration is usually misdefined by TMers. I just come back to silence. The instruction I think that is *missing* from the TM instruction above is the second half of it: 1. When you become aware that you are not thinking the mantra, effortlessly come back to it. 2. By the way, you can get *better* at becoming aware of things like this, and thus notice them more quickly. Doing this increases the strength of your mind, and allows you to 'come back to' whatever it is you're coming back to more quickly. I don't concentrate on anything when I meditate, I merely express a preference as to what I 'come back to.' I come back to silence. And just as I say above in #2, I have found that making the decision to do so is just as effortless as coming back to the mantra in TM, and that as I practice making this preference it becomes more easy *to* notice when I am thinking anything more quickly, and thus come back to silence more quickly. Now I know that this might be considered heresy to some TMers here, because they've been taught to believe that they're actually meditating when they're sitting there lost in thoughts. These thoughts are good, they've been taught, because they indicate the release of stress. Thus having a mind full of thoughts during meditation is not only real mediation, it's good for you. Me, I don't believe this. I believe that you're only experiencing real meditation when you're not
