[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
no comment. On what? Ann: I think Doc's comment was his comment on Share's musings below... Now this is even funnier - apparently some FFL informants don't know how to 'snip' so after reading Card's suggestion to please snip, they re-posted over 90 pages without snipping. ROTFLMAO! SNIP
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, card cardemaister@... wrote: Teach yerself to snip, please! ;-) I had no idea these threads were this long! I will watch that.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
Xeno, here's the thing: almost always I like what you say and also I like how you say it. I like what you say because it resonates with my own experience. I like how you say it because I find your writing style easy to follow though your ideas are often profound. It's as if my whole brain settles down when I read your writing. But I promise not to take your advice nor make you my guru (-: OTOH, thank you so much for your insights about apologizing. Robin didn't accept my apologies before and I've had no indication from him that he'd do so now. And actually I have apologized many times so I agree with you that some posters are using that issue, I'd say in an unhealthy way. IMO they need to focus on their own lives and let Robin and I, if we want, figure out who needs to apologize to whom and for what. There was plenty of hurtful words on both sides. From: Xenophaneros Anartaxius anartax...@yahoo.com To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 6:01 PM Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Share Long sharelong60@ wrote: ...and have wisely pursued healing modalities to insure that I don't do the bad behavior again. I am not sure that 'healing' can fix behaviour that other people think is bad or good. There are behaviours in some countries that would be considered rather normal, that would put us in prison in the United States. If you have a negative reaction to having done something, that is, a reaction that feels bad not because someone reacted to what you did, but because you reacted that way to what you did, that is a clue that maybe that action could be called bad, and you could try to steer away from that in the future. Its trickier when someone else calls it bad because then you are dealing with a description of someone else's world view; there is no internal impetus to change in that case, unless sufficient resources can be applied externally to you to 'adjust' your behaviour. I think this is all we can ask of us humans who are bound to make mistakes. I also offer as proof of being dedicated to spiritual liberation is the fact that I continue on FFL and in particular read Xeno's posts carefully. Did Robin ever ask Share for an apology? To Share: If somebody is asking one to apologise on behalf of someone else, I would not do it. But also, I would be a little more careful of following advice. Because nothing we think about is true on the level of thinking, you should not trust what others think, or what you think. That includes anything I say too. The sense of the direction to take seems to work better when the mind is silent. People who are constantly asking for apologies might be trying to control your behaviour by trying to induce a feeling of guilt. Tell them to fuck off. They do not have the space in their hearts to forgive you, so they will not give you the space to really accept an apology. The tension on both sides has to ramp down before an apology becomes meaningful.
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
card: Teach yerself to snip, please! ;-) This is funny; a post consisting of two words, no comment, on one single line beginning with RE:, top-posted to 94 pages of unformatted comment on 'spiritually transmitted diseases', sent to the Yahoo! email. Can you imagine a recipient reading this on an iPhone? No wonder they call this the funny farm lounge. LoL! And, I was thinking the informants could be taught to use the Enter key after 30 characters and to separate paragraphs with a break, now you want them to SNIP as well? Go figure. SNIP
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
I think this attitude is what causes world wars. And all the polarization on FFL. I'll stick with: the world is my family. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend wrote: The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Share Long sharelong60@... wrote: I think this attitude is what causes world wars. And all the polarization on FFL. I'll stick with: the world is my family. While I do not disagree with your characterization of the 'tude, you do have to admit that it supplies a rather convincing explanation for her ongoing -- and sometimes otherwise inexplicable -- defense of and support for Robin. I mean, even more than the oft- speculated-upon explanation of her just having a crush on him. :-) Think about it. Who did Robin take on and write long, unreadable rants about here on Fairfield Life? Primarily Curtis, Vaj, and Barry, the Top Three on Judy's multi-year hit list. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. She posted the quote, not me. Just sayin'... --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend wrote: The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Share Long sharelong60@... wrote: I think this attitude is what causes world wars. And all the polarization on FFL. I'll stick with: the world is my family. Share, this is the attitude of your friend Barry and the basis of his faux friendship with you. Don't you get it? This is not Judy's life philosophy, this is the philosophy, the practice, of your buddy Barry. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend wrote: The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Share Long sharelong60@ wrote: I think this attitude is what causes world wars. And all the polarization on FFL. I'll stick with: the world is my family. While I do not disagree with your characterization of the 'tude, you do have to admit that it supplies a rather convincing explanation for her ongoing -- and sometimes otherwise inexplicable -- defense of and support for Robin. I mean, even more than the oft- speculated-upon explanation of her just having a crush on him. :-) Think about it. Who did Robin take on and write long, unreadable rants about here on Fairfield Life? Primarily Curtis, Vaj, and Barry, the Top Three on Judy's multi-year hit list. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. She posted the quote, not me. Just sayin'... Actually, having just read this response Barry, you and Share DO deserve each other. In fact, you were MADE for each other. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend wrote: The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
You funny, Ann! turq and I are what I call frenemies. We know what we like and what we don't like about each other and we've expressed that here. I like that kind of balance in a frenemyship (-: From: Ann awoelfleba...@yahoo.com To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2013 1:41 PM Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Share Long sharelong60@ wrote: I think this attitude is what causes world wars. And all the polarization on FFL. I'll stick with: the world is my family. While I do not disagree with your characterization of the 'tude, you do have to admit that it supplies a rather convincing explanation for her ongoing -- and sometimes otherwise inexplicable -- defense of and support for Robin. I mean, even more than the oft- speculated-upon explanation of her just having a crush on him. :-) Think about it. Who did Robin take on and write long, unreadable rants about here on Fairfield Life? Primarily Curtis, Vaj, and Barry, the Top Three on Judy's multi-year hit list. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. She posted the quote, not me. Just sayin'... Actually, having just read this response Barry, you and Share DO deserve each other. In fact, you were MADE for each other. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend wrote: The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
The technical term is called going to Hell in a hand-basket. Bon Voyage! --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Ann awoelflebater@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Share Long sharelong60@ wrote: I think this attitude is what causes world wars. And all the polarization on FFL. I'll stick with: the world is my family. While I do not disagree with your characterization of the 'tude, you do have to admit that it supplies a rather convincing explanation for her ongoing -- and sometimes otherwise inexplicable -- defense of and support for Robin. I mean, even more than the oft- speculated-upon explanation of her just having a crush on him. :-) Think about it. Who did Robin take on and write long, unreadable rants about here on Fairfield Life? Primarily Curtis, Vaj, and Barry, the Top Three on Judy's multi-year hit list. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. She posted the quote, not me. Just sayin'... Actually, having just read this response Barry, you and Share DO deserve each other. In fact, you were MADE for each other. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend wrote: The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
Andy then went on to leave the movement and serve the pedophile king, and then return back to the states five years later to rape teenage boys. Of course, this was standard for the movement. ... after becoming a teacher, when I saw authoritarianism, and bureaucrats abusing their roles, and miscreants of every sort being pandered and pedestaled, my romanticism about the movement pretty much got its bucket of cold water in the face. turquoiseb: Thanks for taking the time to rap out your feelings about all this, Edg, and for finding a way to do so that wasn't all full of affront and attack dog mentality like so many who commented on Rick's repost of this article. Did either of you two report any of these cases cited by Edg of 'pedophile' or 'pedestaled' to the authorities? If not, why not? Go figure. How many of the pundit boys did Edg see Andy rape? Thanks to both of you for being so honest in finally reporting this to the discussion group. So, why is it that I'm hearing about this now instead of ten years ago when I first subscribed to this list? Somebody is either lying or covering up the truth. Thanks also for dealing with what it said, as opposed to just playing shoot the messenger and trying to attack its author while avoiding any of the issues raised in the original post, which is what some here who pretend to be honest did. I agreed with the author because these are *universal* mind- viruses that *do* seem to appear in *every* spiritual trip, no matter how much they may try to prevent them. Because they *do* appear in almost all spiritual trips, I have to agree with the author that these traps are spiritually transmitted -- they just come with the territory. Going all reactive when these trends are pointed out, and jumping into Gotta defend TM mode is just downright *embarrassing*. It's pretty much the ultimate in cult-think. As is trying to shoot the messenger rather than deal with the issues themselves. The fact that a few people did *exactly* that demonstrates (at least to me) how deeply some of these issues have become ingrained in the people who reacted that way. They literally lose their ability to be rational human beings when someone proposes a criticism of spiritual practice in general that they perceive (being stuck in small-mindedness) as an attack on TM. I'm *not* saying that we didn't have some good times in the TMO, or that it was All Bad, All The Time. But it *did* cultivate 'tudes like these, and to some extent still does. I honestly believe that a few of the shoot the messenger types here reacted as they did BECAUSE they'd had one or more of their *own* traits pointed out clearly and concisely, and couldn't take the heat. So they did what they always do, and pointed an angry finger at the person standing next to the thermostat turning the dial up. I *like* step back and take a new look at things we mainly take for granted about the spiritual process articles like this. I *like* Rick's reaction to it, finding it right on after -- and this cannot being ignored -- personally interviewing dozens if not hundreds of people in the spiritual teacher/guru biz now. When you do that, you become aware of *trends*, and this article is about *trends*. The SAME trends tend to show up in ALL spiritual trips, as far as I can tell. Maybe they're built in to the human operating system, and just tend to come out when humans clump together in groups...I dunno. But to pretend that these insights and generalizations are *not* accurate, or *not* accurate about the running joke that is the TM movement strikes me as head-in-the-sand-ism of the highest degree. As I said before, the value of pinpointing negative trends like these is that identifying the viruses gives one a chance to try to stop them before they become full-blown diseases. I've encountered a few organizations that tried with all their might *to* prevent many of these trends from becom- ing established. And many of them tried and failed. As an example, I once saw a lady named Gangaji give an entire one-hour talk about how she doesn't do anything up on stage to create or facilitate awakening experiences in her students, going over and over and over the non-doing and non-intent on her part dozens of times, as if to drive the point home for her students and make sure they heard and understood it. Then I listened to the conversations among her long-term students in the courtyard of the building after she'd left, and almost *all* of them were saying things like Wasn't the darshan hot tonight? And Yeah, she was really pushing out the energy and transforming all of us, wasn't she? Go figure. They brought their own preconceptions and beliefs to a talk, got told that those preconceptions and beliefs were crap and had nothing whatsoever to do with what the teacher's role or abilities were, and left with the same preconceptions
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Share Long sharelong60@... wrote: Doc, I'll let you decide for yourself: I've been doing TM since March 29, 1975 and in that time have missed between 5 and 10 meditations, usually because of travel or sickness. As for my bad behavior, IMO I've done my best to make amends Your best is none too good. There are piles and piles of your bad behavior that you haven't made the slightest effort to make amends for. And of course the one piece of *inexcusably* bad behavior for which you refuse to apologize. and have wisely Wisely? What an amazing thing to say about oneself. pursued healing modalities to insure that I don't do the bad behavior again. Share: They aren't working. Your bad behavior continues. I think this is all we can ask of us humans who are bound to make mistakes. I also offer as proof of being dedicated to spiritual liberation is the fact that I continue on FFL and in particular read Xeno's posts carefully. (horselaugh) BTW, my current main healing modality, which I've been doing for 17 weeks, involves prayer. One change I notice from the healing modality, is often these days I feel flooded with gratitude and for the smallest thing, like the chirping of the birds who are nested near the window AC in the back bedroom. And I'm grateful for that gratitude (-: It has a very different energetic feel that simply being pleased with life. And I don't think a person has to be grateful and or surrendered to God per se. I think gratitude and surrender to anyone or anything, even life itself, will do the trick to as you say smooth the road and make the journey quicker. If there is a journey! In certain mind body states, I'm sure that even a 7 11 would be paradisical. From: doctordumbass@... doctordumbass@... To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 10:18 AM Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases  Hey Share, I am curious if you are dedicated to your spiritual liberation, or more of a dabbler in the sub-culture, like Barry? The reason I ask is that the greatest impediment I see to enlightenment, complete freedom, is when grown adults excuse their bad behavior, or worse, when they feel good about it, and repeat it. Before enlightenment, everyone feels contained and isolated most of the time. Those that enhance this condition for themselves are giving away an awfully lot, to feel good for a nano second or two. The only solution is to surrender *completely*, and pray deeply to God, remaining ever vigilant for that little voice, that little self that enjoys itself too much, and continuing to strive in the direction of liberation and Grace. All cynicism, depression and self-defeating thoughts, are replaced by faith, and momentum, and the road becomes much smoother, and the journey quicker. However, to be in ignorance (of one's own nature), and be pretty darned pleased with the result, is a road I would never, ever want to go down again. It is like being on the way to Paradise, and settling for the 7-11. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Share Long sharelong60@ wrote: Doc and Ann, I really don't get what you all say. I remember turq's photos of Maya and his family, the core of his life IMO, and I read all his writing through those glasses. Sure it'd be great for me if he didn't speak against TMO. But in another way, it's great for me that he does, because it strengthens my devotion to the life I've chosen. And because he makes my thinking about family love expand. That's a valuable gift for me.
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Share Long sharelong60@ wrote: Doc, I'll let you decide for yourself: I've been doing TM since March 29, 1975 and in that time have missed between 5 and 10 meditations, usually because of travel or sickness. As for my bad behavior, IMO I've done my best to make amends. Your best is none too good. There are piles and piles of your bad behavior that you haven't made the slightest effort to make amends for. And of course the one piece of *inexcusably* bad behavior for which you refuse to apologize. ...and have wisely pursued healing modalities to insure that I don't do the bad behavior again. I am not sure that 'healing' can fix behaviour that other people think is bad or good. There are behaviours in some countries that would be considered rather normal, that would put us in prison in the United States. If you have a negative reaction to having done something, that is, a reaction that feels bad not because someone reacted to what you did, but because you reacted that way to what you did, that is a clue that maybe that action could be called bad, and you could try to steer away from that in the future. Its trickier when someone else calls it bad because then you are dealing with a description of someone else's world view; there is no internal impetus to change in that case, unless sufficient resources can be applied externally to you to 'adjust' your behaviour. Share: They aren't working. Your bad behavior continues. I think this is all we can ask of us humans who are bound to make mistakes. I also offer as proof of being dedicated to spiritual liberation is the fact that I continue on FFL and in particular read Xeno's posts carefully. Did Robin ever ask Share for an apology? To Share: If somebody is asking one to apologise on behalf of someone else, I would not do it. But also, I would be a little more careful of following advice. Because nothing we think about is true on the level of thinking, you should not trust what others think, or what you think. That includes anything I say too. The sense of the direction to take seems to work better when the mind is silent. People who are constantly asking for apologies might be trying to control your behaviour by trying to induce a feeling of guilt. Tell them to fuck off. They do not have the space in their hearts to forgive you, so they will not give you the space to really accept an apology. The tension on both sides has to ramp down before an apology becomes meaningful. (horselaugh) Careful, horse meat might be making a comeback in the United States, even though there is a rather strong taboo here about eating horses. Maybe cannibalism might become more popular too. Note that in the Netherlands, you can buy horse meat in the market: [Smoked Horse Meat in Netherlands Market]
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Xenophaneros Anartaxius anartaxius@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Share Long sharelong60@ wrote: (snip) As for my bad behavior, IMO I've done my best to make amends. Your best is none too good. There are piles and piles of your bad behavior that you haven't made the slightest effort to make amends for. And of course the one piece of *inexcusably* bad behavior for which you refuse to apologize. (snip) Did Robin ever ask Share for an apology? Completely irrelevant. It's shocking that you would actually try to *dissuade* her from apologizing. That supports her very worst behavior. Because nothing we think about is true on the level of thinking, This is bullshit, Xeno's all-purpose excuse for all kinds of bad behavior and means of wiggling out of all kinds of stupidities. People who are constantly asking for apologies How about people who have asked for one apology for one particularly atrocious deed? might be trying to control your behaviour by trying to induce a feeling of guilt. Or they might be trying to get you to apologize. Sometimes a cigar... Tell them to fuck off. They do not have the space in their hearts to forgive you, so they will not give you the space to really accept an apology. Speak for yourself, Xeno. Or perhaps more appropriately, fuck off.
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
Thanks for having the balls to take this one on, Edg, as opposed to just playing shoot the messenger. But I disagree with much if not most of what you said, so I'll chime in if you don't mind. And even if you do. :-) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Duveyoung wrote: Ahem, as culty as the TMO and the followers are, this listing below is perhaps 99% wrong about the TMO and the experiences of the group. I simply cannot agree, and have to agree with Michael that you are attempting to view the TMO and your experiences within it through a rose-colored rear-view mirror. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. Ahem, transformation CAN but seldom does happen in a quick fix. but, ouch, yes, this was once my sin. But marketing-wise, TM didn't push the quickness as a major sales hook. I think your memory may have become rather selective over the years, Edg. Have you forgotten 5 to 8 years to CC, or even the way that TM is marketed these days, as an instant fix for everything from hyperactivity in kids to heart disease to PTSD to invincibility for whole nations? How many times have you heard pleas (and threats) from Maharishi about the one big course needed to fix the problems of the world and save it from imminent destruction? If you had spent some time in the larger spiritual smorgasbord, and talked to people, you would also know that he TM org is considered literally *synonymous* with fast food spirituality. TM isn't referred to as McMeditation for no reason. One of the reasons for this is its insistence that TM works instantly and that there is no learning curve and that in fact one *can't* get better at it over time. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. Ahem, we were ORDERED to remove our beards and wear our ties. And dress all alike. Wear your suits at all time, even to the beach. That was a *literal* quote from Maharishi. I was there, and it was spoken without a hint of irony or humor. Nope, not guilty of wanting the public to see me as spiritually especial by dint of garb or false smile. I cry bullshit. There was *definitely* an initiator act, and I suspect there still is. Do you *really* not remember all the dweebs trying to speak like Maharishi and emulate his mannerisms? I once had a couple of friends who worked at the Bodhi Tree Book- store in L.A., and who thus got to see pretty much *everyone* involved with non-mainstream spirituality traipse through their store. They could spot a TM initiator from 20 feet away, and they were almost never wrong. As they put it, it's like watching people trying to act like Maharishi or Jerry Jarvis (who they knew) clones. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. Ahem, this happens in every field of life. All our plans are for egoic intents. We want the company to succeed but we steal pens and tape dispensers from the office. Like that. Like that. While I do not disagree with your generalization, the fact that you agree it applies to the TMO blows your 99% wrong assertion out of the water as the hyperbole it is. Even if you held fast to disagreeing with all of the other points, the article would be at best 90% wrong. :-) But again, based on having seen a *lot* of spiritual groups, I would have to say that the tendency to *use* TM and belonging to the TM group is abused more than in many orgs. Do you *really* not remember Nabby and Buck looking down from on high on all those horrible non-meditators, a category that -- for them -- also includes anyone practicing any technique not TM? 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened and/or who function as spiritual teachers. Ahem, we were instructed that our experiences were NOT to be considered as
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
martyboi, I've opened your post first even though there are 6 before yours, including 5 from one particular poster. Anyway, thank you for little mirrors metaphor and for rule #11. It's so tempting! From: martyboi marty...@yahoo.com To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, July 8, 2013 10:04 PM Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases I think the list is helpful in a general way: like little mirrors to help you see your own blind spots. The problem is you might start to think you've handled all your stuff and can now finger point issues for people who don't see life as clearly as you do. 11.) Don't develop the spiritual shortcoming of pointing out other people's spiritual shortcomings.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
Well, Judy, you don't even need to google but it's almost just as easy. You can listen to her 2 interviews with Rick and decide for yourself how she rates herself. Do you have a favorite character in the Susan Howatch ecclesiastical novels and if yes, who? From: authfriend authfri...@yahoo.com To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, July 8, 2013 5:08 PM Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@... wrote: Having interviewed about 180 people now, and Mariana twice, I think she's spot on with these observations. Of course, it's very difficult to perceive one's own infection by one of these diseases. It's not that she's *wrong*, Rick, it's that this is such elementary stuff posing as deep insight. And calling it Spiritually Transmitted Diseases is so pretentious and coy. How does Mariana rate herself with regard to these points? Does she consider herself free of infection? From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of turquoiseb Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 4:00 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com , Rick Archer wrote: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-spiri_b _609248.html 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases It is a jungle out there, and it is no less true about spiritual life than any other aspect of life. Do we really think that just because someone has been meditating for five years, or doing 10 years of yoga practice, that they will be any less neurotic than the next person? At best, perhaps they will be a little bit more aware of it. A little bit. It is for this reason that I spent the last 15 years of my life researching and writing books on cultivating discernment on the spiritual path in all the gritty areas--power, sex, enlightenment, gurus, scandals, psychology, neurosis -- as well as earnest, but just plain confused and unconscious, motivations on the path. My partner (author and teacher Marc Gafni) and I are developing a new series of books, courses and practices to bring further clarification to these issues. Several years ago, I spent a summer living and working in South Africa. Upon my arrival I was instantly confronted by the visceral reality that I was in the country with the highest murder rate in the world, where rape was common and more than half the population was HIV-positive -- men and women, gays and straights alike. As I have come to know hundreds of spiritual teachers and thousands of spiritual practitioners through my work and travels, I have been struck by the way in which our spiritual views, perspectives and experiences become similarly infected by conceptual contaminants -- comprising a confused and immature relationship to complex spiritual principles can seem as invisible and insidious as a sexually transmitted disease. The following 10 categorizations are not intended to be definitive but are offered as a tool for becoming aware of some of the most common spiritually transmitted diseases. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened and/or who function as spiritual teachers. 5. The Spiritualized Ego: This disease occurs when the very
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Share Long sharelong60@... wrote: Well, Judy, you don't even need to google but it's almost just as easy. You can listen to her 2 interviews with Rick and decide for yourself how she rates herself. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetorical_question Do you have a favorite character in the Susan Howatch ecclesiastical novels Favorite character? You mean like kids have a favorite character in the Harry Potter novels? No. and if yes, who? From: authfriend authfriend@... To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, July 8, 2013 5:08 PM Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases  --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@ wrote: Having interviewed about 180 people now, and Mariana twice, I think she's spot on with these observations. Of course, it's very difficult to perceive one's own infection by one of these diseases. It's not that she's *wrong*, Rick, it's that this is such elementary stuff posing as deep insight. And calling it Spiritually Transmitted Diseases is so pretentious and coy. How does Mariana rate herself with regard to these points? Does she consider herself free of infection? From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of turquoiseb Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 4:00 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com , Rick Archer wrote: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-spiri_b _609248.html 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases It is a jungle out there, and it is no less true about spiritual life than any other aspect of life. Do we really think that just because someone has been meditating for five years, or doing 10 years of yoga practice, that they will be any less neurotic than the next person? At best, perhaps they will be a little bit more aware of it. A little bit. It is for this reason that I spent the last 15 years of my life researching and writing books on cultivating discernment on the spiritual path in all the gritty areas--power, sex, enlightenment, gurus, scandals, psychology, neurosis -- as well as earnest, but just plain confused and unconscious, motivations on the path. My partner (author and teacher Marc Gafni) and I are developing a new series of books, courses and practices to bring further clarification to these issues. Several years ago, I spent a summer living and working in South Africa. Upon my arrival I was instantly confronted by the visceral reality that I was in the country with the highest murder rate in the world, where rape was common and more than half the population was HIV-positive -- men and women, gays and straights alike. As I have come to know hundreds of spiritual teachers and thousands of spiritual practitioners through my work and travels, I have been struck by the way in which our spiritual views, perspectives and experiences become similarly infected by conceptual contaminants -- comprising a confused and immature relationship to complex spiritual principles can seem as invisible and insidious as a sexually transmitted disease. The following 10 categorizations are not intended to be definitive but are offered as a tool for becoming aware of some of the most common spiritually transmitted diseases. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we
RE: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Share Long Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 7:25 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases Amazing Rick. Hey how about Ram Das?- How/what about him? _ From: Rick Archer r...@searchsummit.com mailto:r...@searchsummit.com To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, July 8, 2013 4:18 PM Subject: RE: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases Having interviewed about 180 people now, and Mariana twice, I think she’s spot on with these observations. Of course, it’s very difficult to perceive one’s own infection by one of these diseases. From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of turquoiseb Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 4:00 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com , Rick Archer wrote: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-spiri_b_609248.html 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases It is a jungle out there, and it is no less true about spiritual life than any other aspect of life. Do we really think that just because someone has been meditating for five years, or doing 10 years of yoga practice, that they will be any less neurotic than the next person? At best, perhaps they will be a little bit more aware of it. A little bit. It is for this reason that I spent the last 15 years of my life researching and writing books on cultivating discernment on the spiritual path in all the gritty areas--power, sex, enlightenment, gurus, scandals, psychology, neurosis -- as well as earnest, but just plain confused and unconscious, motivations on the path. My partner (author and teacher Marc Gafni) and I are developing a new series of books, courses and practices to bring further clarification to these issues. Several years ago, I spent a summer living and working in South Africa. Upon my arrival I was instantly confronted by the visceral reality that I was in the country with the highest murder rate in the world, where rape was common and more than half the population was HIV-positive -- men and women, gays and straights alike. As I have come to know hundreds of spiritual teachers and thousands of spiritual practitioners through my work and travels, I have been struck by the way in which our spiritual views, perspectives and experiences become similarly infected by conceptual contaminants -- comprising a confused and immature relationship to complex spiritual principles can seem as invisible and insidious as a sexually transmitted disease. The following 10 categorizations are not intended to be definitive but are offered as a tool for becoming aware of some of the most common spiritually transmitted diseases. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened and/or who function as spiritual teachers. 5. The Spiritualized Ego: This disease occurs when the very structure of the egoic personality becomes deeply embedded with spiritual concepts and ideas. The result is an egoic structure that is bullet-proof. When the ego becomes spiritualized, we are invulnerable to help, new input, or constructive feedback. We
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
How about interviewing Ram Das? From: Rick Archer r...@searchsummit.com To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, July 9, 2013 10:31 AM Subject: RE: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases From:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Share Long Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 7:25 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases Amazing Rick. Hey how about Ram Das?- How/what about him? From:Rick Archer r...@searchsummit.com To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, July 8, 2013 4:18 PM Subject: RE: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases Having interviewed about 180 people now, and Mariana twice, I think she’s spot on with these observations. Of course, it’s very difficult to perceive one’s own infection by one of these diseases. From:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of turquoiseb Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 4:00 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer wrote: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-spiri_b_609248.html 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases It is a jungle out there, and it is no less true about spiritual life than any other aspect of life. Do we really think that just because someone has been meditating for five years, or doing 10 years of yoga practice, that they will be any less neurotic than the next person? At best, perhaps they will be a little bit more aware of it. A little bit. It is for this reason that I spent the last 15 years of my life researching and writing books on cultivating discernment on the spiritual path in all the gritty areas--power, sex, enlightenment, gurus, scandals, psychology, neurosis -- as well as earnest, but just plain confused and unconscious, motivations on the path. My partner (author and teacher Marc Gafni) and I are developing a new series of books, courses and practices to bring further clarification to these issues. Several years ago, I spent a summer living and working in South Africa. Upon my arrival I was instantly confronted by the visceral reality that I was in the country with the highest murder rate in the world, where rape was common and more than half the population was HIV-positive -- men and women, gays and straights alike. As I have come to know hundreds of spiritual teachers and thousands of spiritual practitioners through my work and travels, I have been struck by the way in which our spiritual views, perspectives and experiences become similarly infected by conceptual contaminants -- comprising a confused and immature relationship to complex spiritual principles can seem as invisible and insidious as a sexually transmitted disease. The following 10 categorizations are not intended to be definitive but are offered as a tool for becoming aware of some of the most common spiritually transmitted diseases. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened and/or who function as spiritual teachers. 5. The Spiritualized Ego: This disease occurs when the very structure of the egoic personality becomes deeply embedded with spiritual concepts and ideas. The result is an egoic structure that is bullet-proof. When the ego becomes
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
Duveyoung: And outside of meditation, if someone reported waking experiences, no one but Maharishi was the final judge of the authenticity of those experiences. MMY the final judge on the authenticity of a waking experience? Go figure. Andy then went on to leave the movement and serve the pedophile king, and then return back to the states five years later to rape teenage boys. Of course, this was standard for the movement. So, you're the final judge on this? LoL!
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
mjackson74: This is excellent, thank you for posting it Rick - this applies to TMO and every other spiritual movement I have seen. Which one? Confirmation bias refers to a type of selective thinking whereby one tends to notice and to look for what confirms one's beliefs, and to ignore, not look for, or undervalue the relevance of what contradicts one's beliefs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
authfriend: The thing to remember about Barry is that he is deeply insecure about the validity of his POV and his ability to put it across. Like, when he posits 'free-will', not realizing that is an idealistic pov, so he jabs his brother in the solar plexus; posts that indicate he believes in the reincarnated soul of a person, but denies the soul; or when he says he believes in the Tibetan 'Bardo', where dead people go to rest for a little while, before being reborn; or that he once posted that he saw a guy levitate up into the air. LoL! This is what compels him to lie and exaggerate and distort, because he doesn't think he can make his case based on facts and logic. When an exchange of ideas is involved in which Barry disagrees with someone, before he even starts to expound his POV, he has to attempt to pound whoever he's disagreeing with into the ground. Somehow, he feels, saying someone's POV is bullshit or whatever will immediately lead readers to assume Barry is right and the other person wrong even when the argument Barry is about to make is weaker than the one he's opposing. The more pounding he does, the more falsehoods he tells, the less sure he is of his POV. Barry has a singular perspective here, to counteract his sense of frustration, and convince the rest of us that he is wise in his old age. Beyond that, he cannot help himself; he thinks lowering himself into a toilet bowl, again, is the equivalent of Hillary scaling Everest.
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
11. Writing shit like this.:-) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@... wrote: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-spiri_b _609248.html 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases It is a jungle out there, and it is no less true about spiritual life than any other aspect of life. Do we really think that just because someone has been meditating for five years, or doing 10 years of yoga practice, that they will be any less neurotic than the next person? At best, perhaps they will be a little bit more aware of it. A little bit. It is for this reason that I spent the last 15 years of my life researching and writing books on cultivating discernment on the spiritual path in all the gritty areas--power, sex, enlightenment, gurus, scandals, psychology, neurosis -- as well as earnest, but just plain confused and unconscious, motivations on the path. My partner (author and teacher Marc Gafni) and I are developing a new series of books, courses and practices to bring further clarification to these issues. Several years ago, I spent a summer living and working in South Africa. Upon my arrival I was instantly confronted by the visceral reality that I was in the country with the highest murder rate in the world, where rape was common and more than half the population was HIV-positive -- men and women, gays and straights alike. As I have come to know hundreds of spiritual teachers and thousands of spiritual practitioners through my work and travels, I have been struck by the way in which our spiritual views, perspectives and experiences become similarly infected by conceptual contaminants -- comprising a confused and immature relationship to complex spiritual principles can seem as invisible and insidious as a sexually transmitted disease. The following 10 categorizations are not intended to be definitive but are offered as a tool for becoming aware of some of the most common spiritually transmitted diseases. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened and/or who function as spiritual teachers. 5. The Spiritualized Ego: This disease occurs when the very structure of the egoic personality becomes deeply embedded with spiritual concepts and ideas. The result is an egoic structure that is bullet-proof. When the ego becomes spiritualized, we are invulnerable to help, new input, or constructive feedback. We become impenetrable human beings and are stunted in our spiritual growth, all in the name of spirituality. 6. Mass Production of Spiritual Teachers: There are a number of current trendy spiritual traditions that produce people who believe themselves to be at a level of spiritual enlightenment, or mastery, that is far beyond their actual level. This disease functions like a spiritual conveyor belt: put on this glow, get that insight, and -- bam! -- you're enlightened and ready to enlighten others in similar fashion. The problem is not that such teachers instruct but that they represent themselves as having achieved spiritual mastery. 7. Spiritual Pride: Spiritual pride arises when the practitioner, through years of labored effort, has actually attained a certain level of wisdom and uses that attainment to justify shutting down to further experience. A feeling of spiritual superiority is another symptom of this spiritually transmitted disease. It manifests as a subtle feeling that I am better, more wise and above others because I am spiritual. 8. Group Mind: Also described as groupthink, cultic mentality or ashram
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, doctordumbass@... no_reply@... wrote: 11. Writing shit like this.:-) A-MEN! Gawd. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@ wrote: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-spiri_b_609248.html 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases It is a jungle out there, and it is no less true about spiritual life than any other aspect of life. Do we really think that just because someone has been meditating for five years, or doing 10 years of yoga practice, that they will be any less neurotic than the next person? At best, perhaps they will be a little bit more aware of it. A little bit. It is for this reason that I spent the last 15 years of my life researching and writing books on cultivating discernment on the spiritual path in all the gritty areas--power, sex, enlightenment, gurus, scandals, psychology, neurosis -- as well as earnest, but just plain confused and unconscious, motivations on the path. My partner (author and teacher Marc Gafni) and I are developing a new series of books, courses and practices to bring further clarification to these issues. Several years ago, I spent a summer living and working in South Africa. Upon my arrival I was instantly confronted by the visceral reality that I was in the country with the highest murder rate in the world, where rape was common and more than half the population was HIV-positive -- men and women, gays and straights alike. As I have come to know hundreds of spiritual teachers and thousands of spiritual practitioners through my work and travels, I have been struck by the way in which our spiritual views, perspectives and experiences become similarly infected by conceptual contaminants -- comprising a confused and immature relationship to complex spiritual principles can seem as invisible and insidious as a sexually transmitted disease. The following 10 categorizations are not intended to be definitive but are offered as a tool for becoming aware of some of the most common spiritually transmitted diseases. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened and/or who function as spiritual teachers. 5. The Spiritualized Ego: This disease occurs when the very structure of the egoic personality becomes deeply embedded with spiritual concepts and ideas. The result is an egoic structure that is bullet-proof. When the ego becomes spiritualized, we are invulnerable to help, new input, or constructive feedback. We become impenetrable human beings and are stunted in our spiritual growth, all in the name of spirituality. 6. Mass Production of Spiritual Teachers: There are a number of current trendy spiritual traditions that produce people who believe themselves to be at a level of spiritual enlightenment, or mastery, that is far beyond their actual level. This disease functions like a spiritual conveyor belt: put on this glow, get that insight, and -- bam! -- you're enlightened and ready to enlighten others in similar fashion. The problem is not that such teachers instruct but that they represent themselves as having achieved spiritual mastery. 7. Spiritual Pride: Spiritual pride arises when the practitioner, through years of labored effort, has actually attained a certain level of wisdom and uses that attainment to justify shutting down to further experience. A feeling of spiritual superiority is another symptom of this spiritually transmitted disease. It manifests as a
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
Brings to mind Maharishi saying, Why study ignorance? - LOL! Unfortunately the most notable part of her article was that its quality matched the initials behind her name: Piled higher, and Deeper.:-) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend authfriend@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, doctordumbass@ no_reply@ wrote: 11. Writing shit like this.:-) A-MEN! Gawd. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@ wrote: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-spiri_b_609248.html 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases It is a jungle out there, and it is no less true about spiritual life than any other aspect of life. Do we really think that just because someone has been meditating for five years, or doing 10 years of yoga practice, that they will be any less neurotic than the next person? At best, perhaps they will be a little bit more aware of it. A little bit. It is for this reason that I spent the last 15 years of my life researching and writing books on cultivating discernment on the spiritual path in all the gritty areas--power, sex, enlightenment, gurus, scandals, psychology, neurosis -- as well as earnest, but just plain confused and unconscious, motivations on the path. My partner (author and teacher Marc Gafni) and I are developing a new series of books, courses and practices to bring further clarification to these issues. Several years ago, I spent a summer living and working in South Africa. Upon my arrival I was instantly confronted by the visceral reality that I was in the country with the highest murder rate in the world, where rape was common and more than half the population was HIV-positive -- men and women, gays and straights alike. As I have come to know hundreds of spiritual teachers and thousands of spiritual practitioners through my work and travels, I have been struck by the way in which our spiritual views, perspectives and experiences become similarly infected by conceptual contaminants -- comprising a confused and immature relationship to complex spiritual principles can seem as invisible and insidious as a sexually transmitted disease. The following 10 categorizations are not intended to be definitive but are offered as a tool for becoming aware of some of the most common spiritually transmitted diseases. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened and/or who function as spiritual teachers. 5. The Spiritualized Ego: This disease occurs when the very structure of the egoic personality becomes deeply embedded with spiritual concepts and ideas. The result is an egoic structure that is bullet-proof. When the ego becomes spiritualized, we are invulnerable to help, new input, or constructive feedback. We become impenetrable human beings and are stunted in our spiritual growth, all in the name of spirituality. 6. Mass Production of Spiritual Teachers: There are a number of current trendy spiritual traditions that produce people who believe themselves to be at a level of spiritual enlightenment, or mastery, that is far beyond their actual level. This disease functions like a spiritual conveyor belt: put on this glow, get that insight, and -- bam! -- you're enlightened and ready to enlighten others in similar fashion. The problem is not that such teachers instruct but that
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer wrote: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-spi\ ri_b_609248.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-sp\ iri_b_609248.html 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases It is a jungle out there, and it is no less true about spiritual life than any other aspect of life. Do we really think that just because someone has been meditating for five years, or doing 10 years of yoga practice, that they will be any less neurotic than the next person? At best, perhaps they will be a little bit more aware of it. A little bit. It is for this reason that I spent the last 15 years of my life researching and writing books on cultivating discernment on the spiritual path in all the gritty areas--power, sex, enlightenment, gurus, scandals, psychology, neurosis -- as well as earnest, but just plain confused and unconscious, motivations on the path. My partner (author and teacher Marc Gafni) and I are developing a new series of books, courses and practices to bring further clarification to these issues. Several years ago, I spent a summer living and working in South Africa. Upon my arrival I was instantly confronted by the visceral reality that I was in the country with the highest murder rate in the world, where rape was common and more than half the population was HIV-positive -- men and women, gays and straights alike. As I have come to know hundreds of spiritual teachers and thousands of spiritual practitioners through my work and travels, I have been struck by the way in which our spiritual views, perspectives and experiences become similarly infected by conceptual contaminants -- comprising a confused and immature relationship to complex spiritual principles can seem as invisible and insidious as a sexually transmitted disease. The following 10 categorizations are not intended to be definitive but are offered as a tool for becoming aware of some of the most common spiritually transmitted diseases. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened and/or who function as spiritual teachers. 5. The Spiritualized Ego: This disease occurs when the very structure of the egoic personality becomes deeply embedded with spiritual concepts and ideas. The result is an egoic structure that is bullet-proof. When the ego becomes spiritualized, we are invulnerable to help, new input, or constructive feedback. We become impenetrable human beings and are stunted in our spiritual growth, all in the name of spirituality. 6. Mass Production of Spiritual Teachers: There are a number of current trendy spiritual traditions that produce people who believe themselves to be at a level of spiritual enlightenment, or mastery, that is far beyond their actual level. This disease functions like a spiritual conveyor belt: put on this glow, get that insight, and -- bam! -- you're enlightened and ready to enlighten others in similar fashion. The problem is not that such teachers instruct but that they represent themselves as having achieved spiritual mastery. 7. Spiritual Pride: Spiritual pride arises when the practitioner, through years of labored effort, has actually attained a certain level of wisdom and uses that attainment to justify shutting down to further experience. A feeling of spiritual superiority is another symptom of this spiritually transmitted disease. It manifests as a subtle feeling that I am better, more wise and above others because I am
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@... wrote: Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) Says Barry, whose buttons just got pushed by the fact that DrD and I thought it was crap. ;-) ;-) ;-) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer wrote: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-spi\ ri_b_609248.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-sp\ iri_b_609248.html 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases It is a jungle out there, and it is no less true about spiritual life than any other aspect of life. Do we really think that just because someone has been meditating for five years, or doing 10 years of yoga practice, that they will be any less neurotic than the next person? At best, perhaps they will be a little bit more aware of it. A little bit. It is for this reason that I spent the last 15 years of my life researching and writing books on cultivating discernment on the spiritual path in all the gritty areas--power, sex, enlightenment, gurus, scandals, psychology, neurosis -- as well as earnest, but just plain confused and unconscious, motivations on the path. My partner (author and teacher Marc Gafni) and I are developing a new series of books, courses and practices to bring further clarification to these issues. Several years ago, I spent a summer living and working in South Africa. Upon my arrival I was instantly confronted by the visceral reality that I was in the country with the highest murder rate in the world, where rape was common and more than half the population was HIV-positive -- men and women, gays and straights alike. As I have come to know hundreds of spiritual teachers and thousands of spiritual practitioners through my work and travels, I have been struck by the way in which our spiritual views, perspectives and experiences become similarly infected by conceptual contaminants -- comprising a confused and immature relationship to complex spiritual principles can seem as invisible and insidious as a sexually transmitted disease. The following 10 categorizations are not intended to be definitive but are offered as a tool for becoming aware of some of the most common spiritually transmitted diseases. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened and/or who function as spiritual teachers. 5. The Spiritualized Ego: This disease occurs when the very structure of the egoic personality becomes deeply embedded with spiritual concepts and ideas. The result is an egoic structure that is bullet-proof. When the ego becomes spiritualized, we are invulnerable to help, new input, or constructive feedback. We become impenetrable human beings and are stunted in our spiritual growth, all in the name of spirituality. 6. Mass Production of Spiritual Teachers: There are a number of current trendy spiritual traditions that produce people who believe themselves to be at a level of spiritual enlightenment, or mastery, that is far beyond their actual level. This disease functions like a spiritual conveyor belt: put on this glow, get that insight, and -- bam! -- you're enlightened and ready to enlighten others in similar fashion. The problem is not that such teachers instruct but that they represent themselves as having achieved spiritual mastery. 7. Spiritual Pride: Spiritual pride arises when the practitioner, through years of labored effort,
RE: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
Having interviewed about 180 people now, and Mariana twice, I think she's spot on with these observations. Of course, it's very difficult to perceive one's own infection by one of these diseases. From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of turquoiseb Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 4:00 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com , Rick Archer wrote: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-spiri_b _609248.html 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases It is a jungle out there, and it is no less true about spiritual life than any other aspect of life. Do we really think that just because someone has been meditating for five years, or doing 10 years of yoga practice, that they will be any less neurotic than the next person? At best, perhaps they will be a little bit more aware of it. A little bit. It is for this reason that I spent the last 15 years of my life researching and writing books on cultivating discernment on the spiritual path in all the gritty areas--power, sex, enlightenment, gurus, scandals, psychology, neurosis -- as well as earnest, but just plain confused and unconscious, motivations on the path. My partner (author and teacher Marc Gafni) and I are developing a new series of books, courses and practices to bring further clarification to these issues. Several years ago, I spent a summer living and working in South Africa. Upon my arrival I was instantly confronted by the visceral reality that I was in the country with the highest murder rate in the world, where rape was common and more than half the population was HIV-positive -- men and women, gays and straights alike. As I have come to know hundreds of spiritual teachers and thousands of spiritual practitioners through my work and travels, I have been struck by the way in which our spiritual views, perspectives and experiences become similarly infected by conceptual contaminants -- comprising a confused and immature relationship to complex spiritual principles can seem as invisible and insidious as a sexually transmitted disease. The following 10 categorizations are not intended to be definitive but are offered as a tool for becoming aware of some of the most common spiritually transmitted diseases. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened and/or who function as spiritual teachers. 5. The Spiritualized Ego: This disease occurs when the very structure of the egoic personality becomes deeply embedded with spiritual concepts and ideas. The result is an egoic structure that is bullet-proof. When the ego becomes spiritualized, we are invulnerable to help, new input, or constructive feedback. We become impenetrable human beings and are stunted in our spiritual growth, all in the name of spirituality. 6. Mass Production of Spiritual Teachers: There are a number of current trendy spiritual traditions that produce people who believe themselves to be at a level of spiritual enlightenment, or mastery, that is far beyond their actual level. This disease functions like a spiritual conveyor belt: put on this glow, get that insight, and -- bam! -- you're enlightened and ready to enlighten others in similar fashion. The problem is not that such teachers instruct but that they represent themselves as having achieved spiritual mastery. 7
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer wrote: Having interviewed about 180 people now, and Mariana twice, I think she's spot on with these observations. Of course, it's very difficult to perceive one's own infection by one of these diseases. I think they're spot-on, too. That's why they push buttons in those who have become infected. They don't like the interjection of a more real perspective on the mindstates they've become accustomed to and, in some cases, stuck in. Who, after all, can NOT see the TMO written all over most of them? Just for your information, Rick, your repost of this article was the first I knew of it. I immediately forwarded it to a number of spiritual teachers I'm in contact with (some of them kinda famous) to ask what they thought of it. I must have been in sync or some- thing, international-timing-wise, because three of the four have already replied saying that they LOVED the article, and they're proud of HuffPost for printing it, given their past history of rolling over for anyone who displays many of the characteristics mentioned in the article. From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of turquoiseb Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 4:00 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com , Rick Archer wrote: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-spi\ ri_b_609248.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-sp\ iri_b_609248.html 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases It is a jungle out there, and it is no less true about spiritual life than any other aspect of life. Do we really think that just because someone has been meditating for five years, or doing 10 years of yoga practice, that they will be any less neurotic than the next person? At best, perhaps they will be a little bit more aware of it. A little bit. It is for this reason that I spent the last 15 years of my life researching and writing books on cultivating discernment on the spiritual path in all the gritty areas--power, sex, enlightenment, gurus, scandals, psychology, neurosis -- as well as earnest, but just plain confused and unconscious, motivations on the path. My partner (author and teacher Marc Gafni) and I are developing a new series of books, courses and practices to bring further clarification to these issues. Several years ago, I spent a summer living and working in South Africa. Upon my arrival I was instantly confronted by the visceral reality that I was in the country with the highest murder rate in the world, where rape was common and more than half the population was HIV-positive -- men and women, gays and straights alike. As I have come to know hundreds of spiritual teachers and thousands of spiritual practitioners through my work and travels, I have been struck by the way in which our spiritual views, perspectives and experiences become similarly infected by conceptual contaminants -- comprising a confused and immature relationship to complex spiritual principles can seem as invisible and insidious as a sexually transmitted disease. The following 10 categorizations are not intended to be definitive but are offered as a tool for becoming aware of some of the most common spiritually transmitted diseases. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend authfriend@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@ wrote: Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) Says Barry, whose buttons just got pushed by the fact that DrD and I thought it was crap. ;-) ;-) ;-) Barry seemed to reply to Rick's original post, not to authfriend's or Dr D's replies, so it is ambiguous that he read them, winking aside. I think these are good points to take into account, since I have fallen into most of them myself, and I doubt very much I am out of the woods yet. I think of spirituality as if it were a computer virus, a special kind of computer virus. If the virus works it destroys ignorance and itself (as the spiritual system is an aspect of ignorance, a kind of poison pill that has to undo much of what it introduces). When it does not work properly, you are left with a situation that may be as bad or worse than you started with. I would venture that those who do not care for this list are living out some or all of the points mentioned therein. Any nominations for the spiritual ass-hole club? (I am sure some will put me on this list)
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Xenophaneros Anartaxius anartaxius@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend authfriend@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@ wrote: Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) Says Barry, whose buttons just got pushed by the fact that DrD and I thought it was crap. ;-) ;-) ;-) Barry seemed to reply to Rick's original post, not to authfriend's or Dr D's replies, so it is ambiguous that he read them, winking aside. For the record, Barry has gone back to reading *nothing* posted by any of the Frightful Five this week. So if some of them claimed victory because I had, I'd suggest they peruse the list again and see how many of these criteria apply to them. :-) I think these are good points to take into account, since I have fallen into most of them myself, and I doubt very much I am out of the woods yet. THAT is what makes these comments so insightful. Having been there, done that. Those who haven't can't get what is being said. They're still stuck in one or more of the mindstates being discussed. I think of spirituality as if it were a computer virus, a special kind of computer virus. If the virus works it destroys ignorance and itself (as the spiritual system is an aspect of ignorance, a kind of poison pill that has to undo much of what it introduces). When it does not work properly, you are left with a situation that may be as bad or worse than you started with. Yup. I would venture that those who do not care for this list are living out some or all of the points mentioned therein. Some or all of them. Yup. Any nominations for the spiritual ass-hole club? (I am sure some will put me on this list) Who would want to be in any club whose members did NOT realize they were assholes, and could laugh about it? :-)
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@... wrote: Having interviewed about 180 people now, and Mariana twice, I think she's spot on with these observations. Of course, it's very difficult to perceive one's own infection by one of these diseases. It's not that she's *wrong*, Rick, it's that this is such elementary stuff posing as deep insight. And calling it Spiritually Transmitted Diseases is so pretentious and coy. How does Mariana rate herself with regard to these points? Does she consider herself free of infection? From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of turquoiseb Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 4:00 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com , Rick Archer wrote: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-spiri_b _609248.html 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases It is a jungle out there, and it is no less true about spiritual life than any other aspect of life. Do we really think that just because someone has been meditating for five years, or doing 10 years of yoga practice, that they will be any less neurotic than the next person? At best, perhaps they will be a little bit more aware of it. A little bit. It is for this reason that I spent the last 15 years of my life researching and writing books on cultivating discernment on the spiritual path in all the gritty areas--power, sex, enlightenment, gurus, scandals, psychology, neurosis -- as well as earnest, but just plain confused and unconscious, motivations on the path. My partner (author and teacher Marc Gafni) and I are developing a new series of books, courses and practices to bring further clarification to these issues. Several years ago, I spent a summer living and working in South Africa. Upon my arrival I was instantly confronted by the visceral reality that I was in the country with the highest murder rate in the world, where rape was common and more than half the population was HIV-positive -- men and women, gays and straights alike. As I have come to know hundreds of spiritual teachers and thousands of spiritual practitioners through my work and travels, I have been struck by the way in which our spiritual views, perspectives and experiences become similarly infected by conceptual contaminants -- comprising a confused and immature relationship to complex spiritual principles can seem as invisible and insidious as a sexually transmitted disease. The following 10 categorizations are not intended to be definitive but are offered as a tool for becoming aware of some of the most common spiritually transmitted diseases. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened and/or who function as spiritual teachers. 5. The Spiritualized Ego: This disease occurs when the very structure of the egoic personality becomes deeply embedded with spiritual concepts and ideas. The result is an egoic structure that is bullet-proof. When the ego becomes spiritualized, we are invulnerable to help, new input, or constructive feedback. We become impenetrable human beings and are stunted in our spiritual growth, all in the name of spirituality. 6. Mass Production of Spiritual Teachers: There are a number of current trendy spiritual traditions
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Xenophaneros Anartaxius anartaxius@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend authfriend@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@ wrote: Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) Says Barry, whose buttons just got pushed by the fact that DrD and I thought it was crap. ;-) ;-) ;-) Barry seemed to reply to Rick's original post, not to authfriend's or Dr D's replies, so it is ambiguous that he read them, winking aside. It isn't ambiguous if you know Barry. Of course he wouldn't reply to our posts. Did you see his follow-up post? Did you notice it's all about they? I think they're spot-on, too. That's why they push buttons in THOSE who have become infected. THEY don't like the interjection of a more real perspective on the mindstates THEY've become accustomed to and, in some cases, stuck in. Who, after all, can NOT see the TMO written all over most of THEM? (all-caps added) How many of these infections do you think Barry would admit to? I think these are good points to take into account, since I have fallen into most of them myself, and I doubt very much I am out of the woods yet. I think of spirituality as if it were a computer virus, a special kind of computer virus. If the virus works it destroys ignorance and itself (as the spiritual system is an aspect of ignorance, a kind of poison pill that has to undo much of what it introduces). When it does not work properly, you are left with a situation that may be as bad or worse than you started with. I would venture that those who do not care for this list are living out some or all of the points mentioned therein. Of course that's what you would venture. Inevitably. Any nominations for the spiritual ass-hole club? (I am sure some will put me on this list)
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
Ahem, as culty as the TMO and the followers are, this listing below is perhaps 99% wrong about the TMO and the experiences of the group. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. Ahem, transformation CAN but seldom does happen in a quick fix. but, ouch, yes, this was once my sin. But marketing-wise, TM didn't push the quickness as a major sales hook. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. Ahem, we were ORDERED to remove our beards and wear our ties. Nope, not guilty of wanting the public to see me as spiritually especial by dint of garb or false smile. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. Ahem, this happens in every field of life. All our plans are for egoic intents. We want the company to succeed but we steal pens and tape dispensers from the office. Like that. Like that. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened and/or who function as spiritual teachers. Ahem, we were instructed that our experiences were NOT to be considered as sign posts or milestones or tests passed. Thoughts were the dust from house cleaning. And outside of meditation, if someone reported waking experiences, no one but Maharishi was the final judge of the authenticity of those experiences. So, cult-wise, the TMO culture was not guilty of this so much. We didn't truck with folks saying they were enlightened, right? And that said, Maharishi coddled Andy Rymer publicly such that it was a done deal that he was enlightened. Unity Andy then went on to leave the movement and serve the pedophile king, and then return back to the states five years later to rape teenage boys. Of course, this was standard for the movement. And so we get tubby Bevvy, serial adulterer Heggy, Convicted felons by the dozens, dictators, and every sort of dark ilk have been known to hobnob with Maharishi like they were angels on his right hand. So much for Maharishi's insight, eh? 5. The Spiritualized Ego: This disease occurs when the very structure of the egoic personality becomes deeply embedded with spiritual concepts and ideas. The result is an egoic structure that is bullet-proof. When the ego becomes spiritualized, we are invulnerable to help, new input, or constructive feedback. We become impenetrable human beings and are stunted in our spiritual growth, all in the name of spirituality. Ahem, how snobby to say the phrase structure of the egoic personality with such authority. Outfuckingrageous. As if there were any science today to claim such clarity about another person. Bullshit. And yet, this has been, indeed, my greatest spiritual sin of late. Hm. Advaita does give one such a powerful set of explanations that my seeker-hood has dried up. Gotta say it isn't a sin if it's true that the answers of Advaita are unassailable. 6. Mass Production of Spiritual Teachers: There are a number of current trendy spiritual traditions that produce people who believe themselves to be at a level of spiritual enlightenment, or mastery, that is far beyond their actual level. This disease functions like a spiritual conveyor belt: put on this glow, get that insight, and -- bam! -- you're enlightened and ready to enlighten others in similar fashion. The problem is not that such teachers instruct but that they represent themselves as having achieved spiritual mastery. Ahem, we initiators never were that type to claim superiority over the brethren. I didn't see this very much. Yeah we thought we were evolving faster but we we all clear that a person could walk in off the street and be enlightened in their first meditation, so that held our uppityness in check. 7. Spiritual Pride: Spiritual pride arises when the practitioner, through years of labored effort, has
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
Much as I have enjoyed your posts in the pasts, you are making these comments based on the was things used to be in the Movement - for example, the mode of dress - the cloned fawn suits and gold ties, the raja garb and let's not forget the modestly modified saris adopted by the Mother Divine ladies. From posts that have appeared here, they take polls or make lists now in the Domes of the types of experiences people are having - and regardless of the old official attitude of the Movement, the people within the movement sure as hell made moods about what kinds of experiences people were having. As to your assertion that the initiators didn't appear uppity, you must have been hanging out with the cream of the crop. That kind of supercilious attitude is something I have seen in governors since before the sidhis, esp. with the top dogs like Bevan and that damned Greg Wilson and his wife. Unfortunately that also applied to many of the TMers I have known - the attitude about the (shudder) non-meditators. From: Duveyoung no_re...@yahoogroups.com To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, July 8, 2013 6:28 PM Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases Ahem, as culty as the TMO and the followers are, this listing below is perhaps 99% wrong about the TMO and the experiences of the group. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. Ahem, transformation CAN but seldom does happen in a quick fix. but, ouch, yes, this was once my sin. But marketing-wise, TM didn't push the quickness as a major sales hook. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. Ahem, we were ORDERED to remove our beards and wear our ties. Nope, not guilty of wanting the public to see me as spiritually especial by dint of garb or false smile. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. Ahem, this happens in every field of life. All our plans are for egoic intents. We want the company to succeed but we steal pens and tape dispensers from the office. Like that. Like that. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened and/or who function as spiritual teachers. Ahem, we were instructed that our experiences were NOT to be considered as sign posts or milestones or tests passed. Thoughts were the dust from house cleaning. And outside of meditation, if someone reported waking experiences, no one but Maharishi was the final judge of the authenticity of those experiences. So, cult-wise, the TMO culture was not guilty of this so much. We didn't truck with folks saying they were enlightened, right? And that said, Maharishi coddled Andy Rymer publicly such that it was a done deal that he was enlightened. Unity Andy then went on to leave the movement and serve the pedophile king, and then return back to the states five years later to rape teenage boys. Of course, this was standard for the movement. And so we get tubby Bevvy, serial adulterer Heggy, Convicted felons by the dozens, dictators, and every sort of dark ilk have been known to hobnob with Maharishi like they were angels on his right hand. So much for Maharishi's insight, eh? 5. The Spiritualized Ego: This disease occurs when the very structure of the egoic personality becomes deeply embedded with spiritual concepts and ideas. The result is an egoic structure that is bullet-proof. When the ego becomes spiritualized, we are invulnerable to help, new input, or constructive feedback. We become impenetrable human beings and are stunted in our spiritual growth, all in the name of spirituality. Ahem, how snobby to say the phrase structure of the egoic personality with such authority. Outfuckingrageous. As if there were any
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
Xeno, I love that spirituality as a computer virus. My big virus is reverse snobbery. Something along the lines of: I'm proud of myself for NOT having flashy experiences. Very insidious. Can slide into it in a nanosecond. What helps instantly is to let my attention be on something I'm grateful for. Heartfelt gratitude even for something simple like the song of a bird, wipes out the pride virus in me at least for a little while. From: Xenophaneros Anartaxius anartax...@yahoo.com To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, July 8, 2013 4:54 PM Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend authfriend@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@ wrote: Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) Says Barry, whose buttons just got pushed by the fact that DrD and I thought it was crap. ;-) ;-) ;-) Barry seemed to reply to Rick's original post, not to authfriend's or Dr D's replies, so it is ambiguous that he read them, winking aside. I think these are good points to take into account, since I have fallen into most of them myself, and I doubt very much I am out of the woods yet. I think of spirituality as if it were a computer virus, a special kind of computer virus. If the virus works it destroys ignorance and itself (as the spiritual system is an aspect of ignorance, a kind of poison pill that has to undo much of what it introduces). When it does not work properly, you are left with a situation that may be as bad or worse than you started with. I would venture that those who do not care for this list are living out some or all of the points mentioned therein. Any nominations for the spiritual ass-hole club? (I am sure some will put me on this list)
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
Amazing Rick. Hey how about Ram Das? From: Rick Archer r...@searchsummit.com To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, July 8, 2013 4:18 PM Subject: RE: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases Having interviewed about 180 people now, and Mariana twice, I think she’s spot on with these observations. Of course, it’s very difficult to perceive one’s own infection by one of these diseases. From:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of turquoiseb Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 4:00 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer wrote: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-spiri_b_609248.html 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases It is a jungle out there, and it is no less true about spiritual life than any other aspect of life. Do we really think that just because someone has been meditating for five years, or doing 10 years of yoga practice, that they will be any less neurotic than the next person? At best, perhaps they will be a little bit more aware of it. A little bit. It is for this reason that I spent the last 15 years of my life researching and writing books on cultivating discernment on the spiritual path in all the gritty areas--power, sex, enlightenment, gurus, scandals, psychology, neurosis -- as well as earnest, but just plain confused and unconscious, motivations on the path. My partner (author and teacher Marc Gafni) and I are developing a new series of books, courses and practices to bring further clarification to these issues. Several years ago, I spent a summer living and working in South Africa. Upon my arrival I was instantly confronted by the visceral reality that I was in the country with the highest murder rate in the world, where rape was common and more than half the population was HIV-positive -- men and women, gays and straights alike. As I have come to know hundreds of spiritual teachers and thousands of spiritual practitioners through my work and travels, I have been struck by the way in which our spiritual views, perspectives and experiences become similarly infected by conceptual contaminants -- comprising a confused and immature relationship to complex spiritual principles can seem as invisible and insidious as a sexually transmitted disease. The following 10 categorizations are not intended to be definitive but are offered as a tool for becoming aware of some of the most common spiritually transmitted diseases. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened and/or who function as spiritual teachers. 5. The Spiritualized Ego: This disease occurs when the very structure of the egoic personality becomes deeply embedded with spiritual concepts and ideas. The result is an egoic structure that is bullet-proof. When the ego becomes spiritualized, we are invulnerable to help, new input, or constructive feedback. We become impenetrable human beings and are stunted in our spiritual growth, all in the name of spirituality. 6. Mass Production of Spiritual Teachers: There are a number of current trendy spiritual traditions that produce people who believe themselves to be at a level of spiritual enlightenment, or mastery, that is far beyond their actual level. This disease functions like a spiritual conveyor belt: put on this glow, get
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Xenophaneros Anartaxius anartaxius@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend authfriend@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@ wrote: Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) Says Barry, whose buttons just got pushed by the fact that DrD and I thought it was crap. ;-) ;-) ;-) Barry seemed to reply to Rick's original post, not to authfriend's or Dr D's replies, so it is ambiguous that he read them, winking aside. I think these are good points to take into account, since I have fallen into most of them myself, and I doubt very much I am out of the woods yet. I think of spirituality as if it were a computer virus, a special kind of computer virus. If the virus works it destroys ignorance and itself (as the spiritual system is an aspect of ignorance, a kind of poison pill that has to undo much of what it introduces). When it does not work properly, you are left with a situation that may be as bad or worse than you started with. I would venture that those who do not care for this list are living out some or all of the points mentioned therein. I am living proof that this particular assertion is incorrect. Any nominations for the spiritual ass-hole club? (I am sure some will put me on this list)
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Xenophaneros Anartaxius anartaxius@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend authfriend@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@ wrote: Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) Says Barry, whose buttons just got pushed by the fact that DrD and I thought it was crap. ;-) ;-) ;-) Barry seemed to reply to Rick's original post, not to authfriend's or Dr D's replies, so it is ambiguous that he read them, winking aside. For the record, Barry has gone back to reading *nothing* posted by any of the Frightful Five this week. So if some of them claimed victory because I had, I'd suggest they peruse the list again and see how many of these criteria apply to them. :-) I think these are good points to take into account, since I have fallen into most of them myself, and I doubt very much I am out of the woods yet. THAT is what makes these comments so insightful. Having been there, done that. Those who haven't can't get what is being said. They're still stuck in one or more of the mindstates being discussed. I think of spirituality as if it were a computer virus, a special kind of computer virus. If the virus works it destroys ignorance and itself (as the spiritual system is an aspect of ignorance, a kind of poison pill that has to undo much of what it introduces). When it does not work properly, you are left with a situation that may be as bad or worse than you started with. Yup. I would venture that those who do not care for this list are living out some or all of the points mentioned therein. Some or all of them. Yup. Any nominations for the spiritual ass-hole club? (I am sure some will put me on this list) Who would want to be in any club whose members did NOT realize they were assholes, and could laugh about it? :-) Oh ho, you walked straight into that one. Guess I don't want to be a member of your particular club, asshole-who-fails-to-laugh-at-himself (or read posts by those who might reveal you to be just as you describe above.)
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, authfriend authfriend@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@ wrote: Having interviewed about 180 people now, and Mariana twice, I think she's spot on with these observations. Of course, it's very difficult to perceive one's own infection by one of these diseases. It's not that she's *wrong*, Rick, it's that this is such elementary stuff posing as deep insight. I think we have a 'BINGO' over here. And calling it Spiritually Transmitted Diseases is so pretentious and coy. How does Mariana rate herself with regard to these points? Does she consider herself free of infection? From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of turquoiseb Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013 4:00 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases Good one, Rick. THIS should push a few buttons. :-) :-) :-) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com , Rick Archer wrote: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mariana-caplan-phd/spiritual-living-10-spiri_b _609248.html 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases It is a jungle out there, and it is no less true about spiritual life than any other aspect of life. Do we really think that just because someone has been meditating for five years, or doing 10 years of yoga practice, that they will be any less neurotic than the next person? At best, perhaps they will be a little bit more aware of it. A little bit. It is for this reason that I spent the last 15 years of my life researching and writing books on cultivating discernment on the spiritual path in all the gritty areas--power, sex, enlightenment, gurus, scandals, psychology, neurosis -- as well as earnest, but just plain confused and unconscious, motivations on the path. My partner (author and teacher Marc Gafni) and I are developing a new series of books, courses and practices to bring further clarification to these issues. Several years ago, I spent a summer living and working in South Africa. Upon my arrival I was instantly confronted by the visceral reality that I was in the country with the highest murder rate in the world, where rape was common and more than half the population was HIV-positive -- men and women, gays and straights alike. As I have come to know hundreds of spiritual teachers and thousands of spiritual practitioners through my work and travels, I have been struck by the way in which our spiritual views, perspectives and experiences become similarly infected by conceptual contaminants -- comprising a confused and immature relationship to complex spiritual principles can seem as invisible and insidious as a sexually transmitted disease. The following 10 categorizations are not intended to be definitive but are offered as a tool for becoming aware of some of the most common spiritually transmitted diseases. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened and/or who function as spiritual teachers. 5. The Spiritualized Ego: This disease occurs when the very structure of the egoic personality becomes deeply embedded with spiritual concepts and ideas. The result is an egoic structure that is bullet-proof. When the ego becomes spiritualized, we are invulnerable to help, new input, or constructive feedback. We
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
Nice post Edg. Spoken from a place of experience and therefore it holds credibility. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Duveyoung no_reply@... wrote: Ahem, as culty as the TMO and the followers are, this listing below is perhaps 99% wrong about the TMO and the experiences of the group. 1. Fast-Food Spirituality: Mix spirituality with a culture that celebrates speed, multitasking and instant gratification and the result is likely to be fast-food spirituality. Fast-food spirituality is a product of the common and understandable fantasy that relief from the suffering of our human condition can be quick and easy. One thing is clear, however: spiritual transformation cannot be had in a quick fix. Ahem, transformation CAN but seldom does happen in a quick fix. but, ouch, yes, this was once my sin. But marketing-wise, TM didn't push the quickness as a major sales hook. 2. Faux Spirituality: Faux spirituality is the tendency to talk, dress and act as we imagine a spiritual person would. It is a kind of imitation spirituality that mimics spiritual realization in the way that leopard-skin fabric imitates the genuine skin of a leopard. Ahem, we were ORDERED to remove our beards and wear our ties. Nope, not guilty of wanting the public to see me as spiritually especial by dint of garb or false smile. 3. Confused Motivations: Although our desire to grow is genuine and pure, it often gets mixed with lesser motivations, including the wish to be loved, the desire to belong, the need to fill our internal emptiness, the belief that the spiritual path will remove our suffering and spiritual ambition, the wish to be special, to be better than, to be the one. Ahem, this happens in every field of life. All our plans are for egoic intents. We want the company to succeed but we steal pens and tape dispensers from the office. Like that. Like that. 4. Identifying with Spiritual Experiences: In this disease, the ego identifies with our spiritual experience and takes it as its own, and we begin to believe that we are embodying insights that have arisen within us at certain times. In most cases, it does not last indefinitely, although it tends to endure for longer periods of time in those who believe themselves to be enlightened and/or who function as spiritual teachers. Ahem, we were instructed that our experiences were NOT to be considered as sign posts or milestones or tests passed. Thoughts were the dust from house cleaning. And outside of meditation, if someone reported waking experiences, no one but Maharishi was the final judge of the authenticity of those experiences. So, cult-wise, the TMO culture was not guilty of this so much. We didn't truck with folks saying they were enlightened, right? And that said, Maharishi coddled Andy Rymer publicly such that it was a done deal that he was enlightened. Unity Andy then went on to leave the movement and serve the pedophile king, and then return back to the states five years later to rape teenage boys. Of course, this was standard for the movement. And so we get tubby Bevvy, serial adulterer Heggy, Convicted felons by the dozens, dictators, and every sort of dark ilk have been known to hobnob with Maharishi like they were angels on his right hand. So much for Maharishi's insight, eh? 5. The Spiritualized Ego: This disease occurs when the very structure of the egoic personality becomes deeply embedded with spiritual concepts and ideas. The result is an egoic structure that is bullet-proof. When the ego becomes spiritualized, we are invulnerable to help, new input, or constructive feedback. We become impenetrable human beings and are stunted in our spiritual growth, all in the name of spirituality. Ahem, how snobby to say the phrase structure of the egoic personality with such authority. Outfuckingrageous. As if there were any science today to claim such clarity about another person. Bullshit. And yet, this has been, indeed, my greatest spiritual sin of late. Hm. Advaita does give one such a powerful set of explanations that my seeker-hood has dried up. Gotta say it isn't a sin if it's true that the answers of Advaita are unassailable. 6. Mass Production of Spiritual Teachers: There are a number of current trendy spiritual traditions that produce people who believe themselves to be at a level of spiritual enlightenment, or mastery, that is far beyond their actual level. This disease functions like a spiritual conveyor belt: put on this glow, get that insight, and -- bam! -- you're enlightened and ready to enlighten others in similar fashion. The problem is not that such teachers instruct but that they represent themselves as having achieved spiritual mastery. Ahem, we initiators never were that type to claim superiority over the brethren. I didn't see this very much. Yeah we thought we were
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
I think the list is helpful in a general way: like little mirrors to help you see your own blind spots. The problem is you might start to think you've handled all your stuff and can now finger point issues for people who don't see life as clearly as you do. 11.) Don't develop the spiritual shortcoming of pointing out other people's spiritual shortcomings.
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, martyboi martyboi@... wrote: I think the list is helpful in a general way: like little mirrors to help you see your own blind spots. The problem is you might start to think you've handled all your stuff and can now finger point issues for people who don't see life as clearly as you do. 11.) Don't develop the spiritual shortcoming of pointing out other people's spiritual shortcomings. Good one. May I also add: 12) Don't make a distinction between plain old life from spiritual pursuits and leanings. These are not two separate things. If you come to experience 'mundane' things like breathing as anything less than miraculous it's time to re-evaluate.
[FairfieldLife] Re: 10 Spiritually Transmitted Diseases
LOL - well said! PS teenie-tiny mirrors... --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, martyboi martyboi@... wrote: I think the list is helpful in a general way: like little mirrors to help you see your own blind spots. The problem is you might start to think you've handled all your stuff and can now finger point issues for people who don't see life as clearly as you do. 11.) Don't develop the spiritual shortcoming of pointing out other people's spiritual shortcomings.
