[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Buck dhamiltony2k5@... wrote: While I usually enjoyed my programs, there was never anything flashy going on. As years passed, it even seemed that the multitude of changes I had noticed in myself when I first began meditating ... had dwindled significantly or even disappeared. I felt like I was on a plateau. Like I was walking in place. Something good was happening? Perhaps all kinds of flashy stuff means the guNa_s are trying to lure one back into overrating the relative? A prime(?) example of the klesha called abhinivesha[1], which seems to be the worst of those five klesha_s: avidyaasmitaaraagadveSaabhiniveshaaH kleSaaH. puruSaartha-shuunyaanaaM guNaanaaM pratiprasavaH kaivalyam... 1. ^ The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy The Klesha Abhinivesha, (literally abhi - to move toward, ni - near, vesha - life: To move toward liking life too much) or the fear of death is the greatest fear in existence and is the root of all other fears. It is said that even the most accomplished yoga practitioners can fall back into this state of fear.
RE: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of turquoiseb Sent: Monday, May 02, 2011 2:36 AM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness My friend's response to Barry's comments: How could one possibly describe that or know that? In my case I have definitely become more even,more patient, more tender and loving towards all things. Those things seem to come naturally with this experience over time. So, relationships, especially marriage, have improved from my perspective, at least. But I have not run out and joined Greenpeace or the Sierra Club. I am not an activist, in that regard, never have been. People, I think, pretty much remain who they are, keep their usual proclivities. Or, if they change in any way, it is a very gradual unnoticeable thing. A kind of softening takes place. But I have heard others say if anything they have become more outrageous. So who knows? As the Gita tells us, there are no outward manifestations of this. It seems to me the person making this comment may be missing the point here. It is entirely likely to me that one does more good in the world by virtue of who they are than what they do. I can't prove that, but that's what I've always believed. I would love to hear in what ways this person's experience has changed them in the direction of doing good in the world. Maybe they could provide some examples of what they mean. Barry had said: I agree that this is a nicely done, low-key rap, and I commend whoever wrote it for that. I might have some writerly quibbles about some of the language, like CC arrived and had come, because my similar exper- iences, although more fleeting, had no sense whatsoever of there being anything new, anything that had arrived or come. It was more like finally noticing what had always already been present, every minute of my life. What I'd be interested in, if this person ever feels like writing it up, is whether he/she can pinpoint any ways in which this subjective realization has been of benefit to anyone else. That's the missing component of pretty much all of the raps about enlightenment I run across. It's almost as if the process of self realization can be described more accurately as selfish realization in most of them. All that seems to matter is the person's subjective sense of their own subjective state of consciousness. We never hear of ways in which this subjective state proves itself of value to anyone else in the objective world. I'd like to hear more about that. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife%40yahoogroups.com , Rick Archer rick@ wrote: Cosmic consciousness arrived, softly and unexpectedly, as I exited the Dome one morning in November 2008. I was 64 years old. I had been doing Transcendental Meditation since 1973 and the TM-Sidhi Program since 1978. How did I know cosmic consciousness had come? All I can say is it was clear that pure consciousness (pure being) was with me as I exited the Dome. It was clear that soft transcendence, that feeling of unboundedness I had become accustomed to in meditation all those years ... was now with me in activity. Everything was different C yet the same. This new element was with me as if dogging my footsteps--this new soft sweetness, this new purity, this new feeling of lightness, this new utter clarity. ...
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@... wrote: On Behalf Of turquoiseb My friend's response to Barry's comments: How could one possibly describe that or know that? In my case I have definitely become more even,more patient, more tender and loving towards all things. Those things seem to come naturally with this experience over time. So, relationships, especially marriage, have improved from my perspective, at least. But I have not run out and joined Greenpeace or the Sierra Club. I am not an activist, in that regard, never have been. People, I think, pretty much remain who they are, keep their usual proclivities. Or, if they change in any way, it is a very gradual unnoticeable thing. A kind of softening takes place. But I have heard others say if anything they have become more outrageous. So who knows? As the Gita tells us, there are no outward manifestations of this. It seems to me the person making this comment may be missing the point here. It is entirely likely to me that one does more good in the world by virtue of who they are than what they do. I can't prove that, but that's what I've always believed. I would love to hear in what ways this person's experience has changed them in the direction of doing good in the world. Maybe they could provide some examples of what they mean. My thanks to Rick's friend for his comments. My point was not to take on his experience per se, but the general language of self discovery, which I cannot help but notice sounds a lot like selfish discovery. The supposed benefits of realizing enlightenment are almost always presented in terms of I and me. The person who is claiming enlightenment is saying things about how much their subjective lives may have changed after this transition. I'm just looking for someone to put things in terms that might hint at a bit of care for others. There are certainly attempts at this in some dogmas, which tend to rely heavily on Woo Woo. The enlightened being is supposed to be a benefit to society just by being. People benefit from his/her vibes just by being around them. These types of raps even go as far as to claim that violence and other low mindstates aren't even *possible* in the vicinity of an enlightened being. I'm thinking that Tat Wala Baba wasn't notified of this before someone killed him. :-) I really wasn't looking to put Rick's friend on the spot, merely looking to make a point about the essentially selfish nature of much of the language surrounding enlightenment. It's almost *always* about What it did for me (the person claiming enlightenment). It's almost *never* about anyone else. Doesn't that strike anyone else as a tad unbalanced? As for the person's last comment, I do not and have never claimed enlightenment. I've had some periods of being in states of mind that I think match Maharishi's CC to a T, but they only lasted weeks at a time and to be honest, they weren't interesting enough for me to make a goal of reattaining them. They were what they were, and now is what it is. All are on an equal footing in my opinion. So the question of what my personal experience of doing for others might be is kinda moot. I didn't experience it changing one iota while these experiences were going on, and I'm not convinced that the subjective experience of enlightenment causes a change in anyone else, either. My point was about the essentially Enlightenment is important because it's important to *me* nature of much of the language of spirituality. That's all. My 50+ year experience in spiritual movements leads me to believe that most people don't ever even *notice* this self-centered focus. I noticed. I'm more drawn these days to groups that don't really give much of a shit about their personal enlightenment, and put the majority of their focus on trying to help others on a moment-to-moment basis.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
On 05/02/2011 02:37 PM, Vaj wrote: On May 2, 2011, at 3:17 PM, Bhairitu wrote: Logically CC should not be a binary experience. IOW, a switch goes on and you're there. It would be gradual. For instance someone noticing, as they did years ago, that they seemed to no longer come out of meditation and that the experience of the transcendence was there along in activity. It might be a mild experience of it but it *is* there. And more particularly over time should grow. So some of these things are flash experiences or a spike in the experience but I wouldn't say they popped into CC. They were already there. TM'ers seem to be in this mode that only a few achieve enlightenment but I found in India people expected folks practicing sadhana to get there and it was not that uncommon. Indians are an often superstitious people, so maybe they would believe that. However yogis describe it as an extremely rare stage. Most of those opinions came from yogis. It may be considered rare because you have to be doing sadhana. But IMHO it is a mechanical state induced by training the nervous system to adapt to the state. I don't think there is anything supernatural about it. After a while the rewiring is complete and at that state continued sadhana would not be needed as even living moment becomes sadhana. The religious aspect of this philosophy is the idea that only special people achieve it.
RE: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of turquoiseb Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 11:07 AM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness My friend said, Well, we all have our own points of view. If doing for others is what this person wants, sounds like a good plan to me. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife%40yahoogroups.com , Rick Archer rick@... wrote: On Behalf Of turquoiseb My friend's response to Barry's comments: How could one possibly describe that or know that? In my case I have definitely become more even,more patient, more tender and loving towards all things. Those things seem to come naturally with this experience over time. So, relationships, especially marriage, have improved from my perspective, at least. But I have not run out and joined Greenpeace or the Sierra Club. I am not an activist, in that regard, never have been. People, I think, pretty much remain who they are, keep their usual proclivities. Or, if they change in any way, it is a very gradual unnoticeable thing. A kind of softening takes place. But I have heard others say if anything they have become more outrageous. So who knows? As the Gita tells us, there are no outward manifestations of this. It seems to me the person making this comment may be missing the point here. It is entirely likely to me that one does more good in the world by virtue of who they are than what they do. I can't prove that, but that's what I've always believed. I would love to hear in what ways this person's experience has changed them in the direction of doing good in the world. Maybe they could provide some examples of what they mean. My thanks to Rick's friend for his comments. My point was not to take on his experience per se, but the general language of self discovery, which I cannot help but notice sounds a lot like selfish discovery. The supposed benefits of realizing enlightenment are almost always presented in terms of I and me. The person who is claiming enlightenment is saying things about how much their subjective lives may have changed after this transition. I'm just looking for someone to put things in terms that might hint at a bit of care for others. There are certainly attempts at this in some dogmas, which tend to rely heavily on Woo Woo. The enlightened being is supposed to be a benefit to society just by being. People benefit from his/her vibes just by being around them. These types of raps even go as far as to claim that violence and other low mindstates aren't even *possible* in the vicinity of an enlightened being. I'm thinking that Tat Wala Baba wasn't notified of this before someone killed him. :-) I really wasn't looking to put Rick's friend on the spot, merely looking to make a point about the essentially selfish nature of much of the language surrounding enlightenment. It's almost *always* about What it did for me (the person claiming enlightenment). It's almost *never* about anyone else. Doesn't that strike anyone else as a tad unbalanced? As for the person's last comment, I do not and have never claimed enlightenment. I've had some periods of being in states of mind that I think match Maharishi's CC to a T, but they only lasted weeks at a time and to be honest, they weren't interesting enough for me to make a goal of reattaining them. They were what they were, and now is what it is. All are on an equal footing in my opinion. So the question of what my personal experience of doing for others might be is kinda moot. I didn't experience it changing one iota while these experiences were going on, and I'm not convinced that the subjective experience of enlightenment causes a change in anyone else, either. My point was about the essentially Enlightenment is important because it's important to *me* nature of much of the language of spirituality. That's all. My 50+ year experience in spiritual movements leads me to believe that most people don't ever even *notice* this self-centered focus. I noticed. I'm more drawn these days to groups that don't really give much of a shit about their personal enlightenment, and put the majority of their focus on trying to help others on a moment-to-moment basis.
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
Agreed - it is mechanical. Enlightenment is for the masses, and becoming much less rare. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu noozguru@... wrote: On 05/02/2011 02:37 PM, Vaj wrote: On May 2, 2011, at 3:17 PM, Bhairitu wrote: Logically CC should not be a binary experience. IOW, a switch goes on and you're there. It would be gradual. For instance someone noticing, as they did years ago, that they seemed to no longer come out of meditation and that the experience of the transcendence was there along in activity. It might be a mild experience of it but it *is* there. And more particularly over time should grow. So some of these things are flash experiences or a spike in the experience but I wouldn't say they popped into CC. They were already there. TM'ers seem to be in this mode that only a few achieve enlightenment but I found in India people expected folks practicing sadhana to get there and it was not that uncommon. Indians are an often superstitious people, so maybe they would believe that. However yogis describe it as an extremely rare stage. Most of those opinions came from yogis. It may be considered rare because you have to be doing sadhana. But IMHO it is a mechanical state induced by training the nervous system to adapt to the state. I don't think there is anything supernatural about it. After a while the rewiring is complete and at that state continued sadhana would not be needed as even living moment becomes sadhana. The religious aspect of this philosophy is the idea that only special people achieve it.
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@... wrote: From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of turquoiseb Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 11:07 AM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness My friend said, Well, we all have our own points of view. If doing for others is what this person wants, sounds like a good plan to me. I think it sounds as if Rick's friend has done a lot for others as just part of his daily life - it is an assumed thing. He mentioned he had worked hard to earn a living and support his family. That is an ongoing, daily, years-long, huge thing. I am sure some Enlightened people like to do volunteer work. Others might not like that or have enough to do in family life. As far as the language used being so focused on personal experiences, that is true - but if the transformation is about consciousness and the loss of the ego, that would pretty much guarantee the talk about the very foundation of how one experiences self and life and thoughts and action. And it is possible that there is no outward change, it is all internal. And still pretty amazing just for the awakened person. That's a lot. Having heard Adyashanti once for 2 hours, I would bet that he would honestly respond to your concerns, Barry. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife%40yahoogroups.com , Rick Archer rick@ wrote: On Behalf Of turquoiseb My friend's response to Barry's comments: How could one possibly describe that or know that? In my case I have definitely become more even,more patient, more tender and loving towards all things. Those things seem to come naturally with this experience over time. So, relationships, especially marriage, have improved from my perspective, at least. But I have not run out and joined Greenpeace or the Sierra Club. I am not an activist, in that regard, never have been. People, I think, pretty much remain who they are, keep their usual proclivities. Or, if they change in any way, it is a very gradual unnoticeable thing. A kind of softening takes place. But I have heard others say if anything they have become more outrageous. So who knows? As the Gita tells us, there are no outward manifestations of this. It seems to me the person making this comment may be missing the point here. It is entirely likely to me that one does more good in the world by virtue of who they are than what they do. I can't prove that, but that's what I've always believed. I would love to hear in what ways this person's experience has changed them in the direction of doing good in the world. Maybe they could provide some examples of what they mean. My thanks to Rick's friend for his comments. My point was not to take on his experience per se, but the general language of self discovery, which I cannot help but notice sounds a lot like selfish discovery. The supposed benefits of realizing enlightenment are almost always presented in terms of I and me. The person who is claiming enlightenment is saying things about how much their subjective lives may have changed after this transition. I'm just looking for someone to put things in terms that might hint at a bit of care for others. There are certainly attempts at this in some dogmas, which tend to rely heavily on Woo Woo. The enlightened being is supposed to be a benefit to society just by being. People benefit from his/her vibes just by being around them. These types of raps even go as far as to claim that violence and other low mindstates aren't even *possible* in the vicinity of an enlightened being. I'm thinking that Tat Wala Baba wasn't notified of this before someone killed him. :-) I really wasn't looking to put Rick's friend on the spot, merely looking to make a point about the essentially selfish nature of much of the language surrounding enlightenment. It's almost *always* about What it did for me (the person claiming enlightenment). It's almost *never* about anyone else. Doesn't that strike anyone else as a tad unbalanced? As for the person's last comment, I do not and have never claimed enlightenment. I've had some periods of being in states of mind that I think match Maharishi's CC to a T, but they only lasted weeks at a time and to be honest, they weren't interesting enough for me to make a goal of reattaining them. They were what they were, and now is what it is. All are on an equal footing in my opinion. So the question of what my personal experience of doing for others might be is kinda moot. I didn't experience it changing one iota while these experiences were going on, and I'm not convinced that the subjective experience of enlightenment causes a change in anyone else, either. My point was about the essentially Enlightenment is important because it's
RE: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of wayback71 Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 12:14 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife%40yahoogroups.com , Rick Archer rick@... wrote: From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife%40yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife%40yahoogroups.com ] On Behalf Of turquoiseb Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 11:07 AM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife%40yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness My friend said, Well, we all have our own points of view. If doing for others is what this person wants, sounds like a good plan to me. I think it sounds as if Rick's friend has done a lot for others as just part of his daily life - it is an assumed thing. He mentioned he had worked hard to earn a living and support his family. That is an ongoing, daily, years-long, huge thing. I am sure some Enlightened people like to do volunteer work. Others might not like that or have enough to do in family life. As far as the language used being so focused on personal experiences, that is true - but if the transformation is about consciousness and the loss of the ego, that would pretty much guarantee the talk about the very foundation of how one experiences self and life and thoughts and action. And it is possible that there is no outward change, it is all internal. And still pretty amazing just for the awakened person. That's a lot. Having heard Adyashanti once for 2 hours, I would bet that he would honestly respond to your concerns, Barry. I'm all for doing seva - selfless service. I think it helps the helpee more than the helped, but that shouldn't be the motivation, or else it wouldn't be selfless. And we absolutely need people out there helping tornado and earthquake victims, providing food and medicine where needed, etc. But ultimately, what do all those things do for people? They make them more happy. So does enlightenment. So someone such as Adya, devoting his life to enlightening others, is providing happiness by playing a role relevant to his talents and to the needs of those attracted to him, most of whom probably have their food and shelter needs covered. A doctor who joins Doctors Without Borders is doing the same, in tune with his own skills, for people in less fortunate circumstances. Both are valuable services. No one can do everything. As my friend's comment implies, we do what we can, relative to our talents and motivations. As for my friend, I find him uplifting to be around, and I suppose others do too. So he's making a contribution just by living his life.
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
Relative to being selfless, what I have heard from many of those who are realized is about the huge reduction of thoughts in the mind during daily life, post-awakening. The mind is not stuck in drive any longer, relentlessly shoving forward the concept of a self. This simple change allows someone realized to meet each moment with more freshness, innocence and clarity. The term restful alertness comes out of the closet. More attention is available to devote to anything we want to do, including interacting with others. I agree with the mystery poster too that personality remains pretty much the same, pre- and post-awakening, with a softer yet more effective demeanor over time. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@... wrote: From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of wayback71 Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 12:14 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife%40yahoogroups.com , Rick Archer rick@ wrote: From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife%40yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife%40yahoogroups.com ] On Behalf Of turquoiseb Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 11:07 AM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife%40yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness My friend said, Well, we all have our own points of view. If doing for others is what this person wants, sounds like a good plan to me. I think it sounds as if Rick's friend has done a lot for others as just part of his daily life - it is an assumed thing. He mentioned he had worked hard to earn a living and support his family. That is an ongoing, daily, years-long, huge thing. I am sure some Enlightened people like to do volunteer work. Others might not like that or have enough to do in family life. As far as the language used being so focused on personal experiences, that is true - but if the transformation is about consciousness and the loss of the ego, that would pretty much guarantee the talk about the very foundation of how one experiences self and life and thoughts and action. And it is possible that there is no outward change, it is all internal. And still pretty amazing just for the awakened person. That's a lot. Having heard Adyashanti once for 2 hours, I would bet that he would honestly respond to your concerns, Barry. I'm all for doing seva - selfless service. I think it helps the helpee more than the helped, but that shouldn't be the motivation, or else it wouldn't be selfless. And we absolutely need people out there helping tornado and earthquake victims, providing food and medicine where needed, etc. But ultimately, what do all those things do for people? They make them more happy. So does enlightenment. So someone such as Adya, devoting his life to enlightening others, is providing happiness by playing a role relevant to his talents and to the needs of those attracted to him, most of whom probably have their food and shelter needs covered. A doctor who joins Doctors Without Borders is doing the same, in tune with his own skills, for people in less fortunate circumstances. Both are valuable services. No one can do everything. As my friend's comment implies, we do what we can, relative to our talents and motivations. As for my friend, I find him uplifting to be around, and I suppose others do too. So he's making a contribution just by living his life.
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Ravi Yogi raviyogi@... wrote: Thanks for posting this. This is beautiful especially the parts - I know this is no accomplishment of mine and If my life serves no other purpose, it is to demonstrate that, if this can happen to someone like me, it can happen to anyone - these definitely resonate with how I felt. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@ wrote: Cosmic consciousness arrived, softly and unexpectedly, as I exited the Dome one morning in November 2008. I was 64 years old. I had been doing Transcendental Meditation since 1973 and the TM-Sidhi Program since 1978. adhunaa citi-shaktis tasya svaruupe pratitiSThati? :D (YS IV 34: puruSaartha-shuunyaanaaM guNaanaaM pratiprasavaH kaivalyam *svaruupa-pratiSThaa vaa citishakter* iti.)
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, wayback71 wayback71@... wrote: Rick This is one of the most heartfelt, direct and moving accounts. Thank you. Agreed. An posted by none other than one of the foremost TMO-bashers of the century. Something good must be happening :-) In addition to what you write I was struck by the simplicity in describing his state of consciousness. Very beautiful. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@ wrote: Cosmic consciousness arrived, softly and unexpectedly, as I exited the Dome one morning in November 2008. I was 64 years old. I had been doing Transcendental Meditation since 1973 and the TM-Sidhi Program since 1978. How did I know cosmic consciousness had come? All I can say is it was clear that pure consciousness (pure being) was with me as I exited the Dome. It was clear that soft transcendence, that feeling of unboundedness I had become accustomed to in meditation all those years ... was now with me in activity. Everything was different © yet the same. This new element was with me as if dogging my footsteps--this new soft sweetness, this new purity, this new feeling of lightness, this new utter clarity. As with most of us, I had a career to manage during all those years, and a family, with children, to support. But I made time for my program twice a day no matter what, even if it meant, as it often did, meditating in a bus, an airplane, a library or even more unlikely locations. It never occurred to me to stop meditating, or even miss a meditation. I knew before my intro lecture was half over, that I would do this TM thing, and would never stop. Over the years, I waited expectantly and patiently for cosmic consciousness to arrive. Always feeling it must be just around the corner. As decades of practice elapsed and I grew older, I began to abandon any notion that I would reach cosmic consciousness in this life. I never stopped believing it was a reality, nor that Maharishi's TM and TM-Sidhi program could lead one there. I just stopped believing that it was going to happen to me. While I usually enjoyed my programs, there was never anything flashy going on. As years passed, it even seemed that the multitude of changes I had noticed in myself when I first began meditating ... had dwindled significantly or even disappeared. I felt like I was on a plateau. Like I was walking in place. My general attitude was, OK, it's not going to happen in this life. But I know TM is a good thing. I've always known that, from my very first meditation. So, I'll just keep doing it because I should go as far as I can in this life. Who knows © maybe next time around ... So, when cosmic consciousness tiptoed up to me that November day, just after I turned 64, I was absolutely astounded and delighted. It seemed so delicate, fragile, almost shy. I did not expect it to last. As days and weeks went by, the experience not only endured but grew in strength. I finally came to accept without any doubt -- it was here to stay. With that, I began to relax into it and just let it be what it was...without any expectations or preconceived notions. I was as surprised as anyone that such a thing could happen to me. As far as I or anyone could tell from my life, I was as unlikely and undeserving a candidate for this as anyone I could think of. Even after years of meditating I still had flaws you could drive a truck through. I was nowhere near as well studied in the Vedic literature as so many around me. One might call my daily routine marginally ayurvedic, I suppose. But even that would be a stretch. Given all my responsibilities, I figured I was doing the best I could. Yet here IT was and IT was undeniable. I thought perhaps it was one of those 1% chances of a cosmic mistake I heard Maharishi talk about once. And for quite a while was sure that as soon as the mistake was discovered by the Cosmic computer, it would be rectified. Two and half years later, to my increasing delight, the experience of cosmic consciousness has matured into something even grander. Being shines at me from all things and all people. My own Self is everywhere, in everything and everyone. The burdens, troubles and vicissitudes of life seem all but gone or, at least, drastically mitigated. In their place, is a lightness, delight, sweetness and ease ... that is absolutely indescribable. Believe me, I know this is no accomplishment of mine. Any kudos for this are due to Maharishi and Guru Dev alone. This is not false modesty. This is the truth. The only thing I ever did was to follow the simple (thank goodness) instructions Maharishi gave for the practice of the TM and TM-Sidhi program. Really, that's all I ever did. That it resulted in this experience for me
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, wayback71 wayback71@... wrote: Rick This is one of the most heartfelt, direct and moving accounts. Thank you. I agree that this is a nicely done, low-key rap, and I commend whoever wrote it for that. I might have some writerly quibbles about some of the language, like CC arrived and had come, because my similar exper- iences, although more fleeting, had no sense whatsoever of there being anything new, anything that had arrived or come. It was more like finally noticing what had always already been present, every minute of my life. What I'd be interested in, if this person ever feels like writing it up, is whether he/she can pinpoint any ways in which this subjective realization has been of benefit to anyone else. That's the missing component of pretty much all of the raps about enlightenment I run across. It's almost as if the process of self realization can be described more accurately as selfish realization in most of them. All that seems to matter is the person's subjective sense of their own subjective state of consciousness. We never hear of ways in which this subjective state proves itself of value to anyone else in the objective world. I'd like to hear more about that. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@ wrote: Cosmic consciousness arrived, softly and unexpectedly, as I exited the Dome one morning in November 2008. I was 64 years old. I had been doing Transcendental Meditation since 1973 and the TM-Sidhi Program since 1978. How did I know cosmic consciousness had come? All I can say is it was clear that pure consciousness (pure being) was with me as I exited the Dome. It was clear that soft transcendence, that feeling of unboundedness I had become accustomed to in meditation all those years ... was now with me in activity. Everything was different © yet the same. This new element was with me as if dogging my footsteps--this new soft sweetness, this new purity, this new feeling of lightness, this new utter clarity. ...
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
On May 2, 2011, at 3:36 AM, turquoiseb wrote: That's the missing component of pretty much all of the raps about enlightenment I run across. It's almost as if the process of self realization can be described more accurately as selfish realization in most of them. It seemed typical of TMer realizations, selfish yes and parsed in the Same Old Language. Nothing new that I can see, and as always, tightly within TM Org CC indoctrination dogmas. Funny how it never strays outsides those bounds. Experience junkies usually get better at being hyper-vigilant and parsing their inner states as time goes on and eventually that hyper- vigilance becomes normal. But they never seem to transcend the need for experiences (and endless discussion of them)--one of the hallmarks of real awakening, vs. NC (Narcissistic Consciousness).
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@... wrote [regarding Rick Archer's post]: I agree that this is a nicely done, low-key rap, and I commend whoever wrote it for that. I might have some writerly quibbles about some of the language, like CC arrived and had come, because my similar experiences, although more fleeting, had no sense whatsoever of there being anything new, anything that had arrived or come. It was more like finally noticing what had always already been present, every minute of my life. What I'd be interested in, if this person ever feels like writing it up, is whether he/she can pinpoint any ways in which this subjective realization has been of benefit to anyone else. That's the missing component of pretty much all of the raps about enlightenment I run across. It's almost as if the process of self realization can be described more accurately as selfish realization in most of them. All that seems to matter is the person's subjective sense of their own subjective state of consciousness. We never hear of ways in which this subjective state proves itself of value to anyone else in the objective world. I'd like to hear more about that. Enlightenment, or any kind of realization for that matter, is simply recognizing what is the case. How this experience develops varies from person to person. Some experience it all at once, others may experience it in various stages. It is internal and subjective, you cannot see it on the outside, though you can infer certain things from what a person says sometimes. Also we all speak in the language and manner with which we are most familiar; a person who grew up in the shadow (or the light) of the TMO will probably not speak of experience in terminology common to another sector of the enlightenment game. But as it is subjective, a change of perception and understanding, it is internalâwho else is going to know about it, unless the person who has the experience decides to say something about what was experienced? How this gets out to others is a function of how one grows into living the experience for in many ways these experiences are like being born, one is in a new world, even if it is just the same old world, but one has to become accommodated to this change in experience before it might make an impact on others, which means one must find a way to express the experience in a manner that others can in some way get a handle on, and it may take some longer to settle into to what happened. There is no law that says you must talk about it, or storm the world to bring the experience to everyone, as everyone already really has it. I think Mr. Archer did well to describe this experience. If I were to describe mine, it would not be the same way, some similarities maybe, a lot differences, for sure.
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@... wrote: All that seems to matter is the person's subjective sense of their own subjective state of consciousness. We never hear of ways in which this subjective state proves itself of value to anyone else in the objective world. I'd like to hear more about that. When a crack, heroin, alcohol or food addict, gets clean, gets outside of the addiction, it appears that most don't say how selfish, its all about you and ask how did you help anyone else in the world? and what did you do for me today? While I am sympathetic to your POV, in the past I have asked, where are the human virtues? However, we might be addicted to the introductory lecture (whether TM, neo-buddhism, or Andrew Carnegieism.) Intro lectures are simplified, dumbed down versions of things. When someone loses the grip of their lives-long addiction to the thought-full mind, past and future, looking for satisfaction out there, blame, regret and judgement, I am not sure its uber-sane to ask, But what did you do for ME today?. Former mind and thought addicts don't owe you or me anything. Still, having one less person looking for love -- and satisfaction -- in all the wrong places seems to be a positive step for humanity. (And let us hear how the lessening of your addictive, monkey on your back, monkey mind, nature (inhert in all of us) has helped the world?)
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, tartbrain no_reply@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@ wrote: All that seems to matter is the person's subjective sense of their own subjective state of consciousness. We never hear of ways in which this subjective state proves itself of value to anyone else in the objective world. I'd like to hear more about that. When a crack, heroin, alcohol or food addict, gets clean, gets outside of the addiction, it appears that most don't say how selfish, its all about you and ask how did you help anyone else in the world? and what did you do for me today? So you're suggesting that all but a handful of people on this planet are the equivalent of crack, heroin, alcohol, or food addicts because they're not enlight- ened? How elitist is that? :-) And how in line with much of the dogma of enlightenment. While I am sympathetic to your POV, in the past I have asked, where are the human virtues? However, we might be addicted to the introductory lecture (whether TM, neo-buddhism, or Andrew Carnegieism.) Intro lectures are simplified, dumbed down versions of things. When someone loses the grip of their lives-long addiction to the thought-full mind, past and future, looking for satisfaction out there, blame, regret and judgement, I am not sure its uber- sane to ask, But what did you do for ME today?. I didn't use the word me. I carefully used the word anyone. What have the supposedly-enlightened done for ANYONE? What tangible benefit does *their* enlight- enment have for anyone else? I think it's a viable question. Former mind and thought addicts don't owe you or me anything. Yeah, because they were addicts, and now they're not. Right. For the record, I see NO DIFFERENCE between the subjec- tive state of non-enlightenment and the subjective state of enlightenment. They're both just mindstates. So, just as one could viably ask the addicts what they have done for anyone else lately, one can ask it of the supposedly enlightened. If they're so enlightened and all, 1) the question shouldn't bother them and 2) they should have a ready answer. Still, having one less person looking for love -- and satisfaction -- in all the wrong places seems to be a positive step for humanity. Only if one believes the dogma that there are wrong places. And that those who are not claiming enlighten- ment are the equivalent of junkies. I don't believe that, and am a bit surprised that you do. (And let us hear how the lessening of your addictive, monkey on your back, monkey mind, nature (inhert in all of us) has helped the world?) I help the world as much as I can. One of the ways I do so is by not considering all but a handful of its inhabitants to be monkeys and addicts. Can you say the same?
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, tartbrain no_reply@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@ wrote: All that seems to matter is the person's subjective sense of their own subjective state of consciousness. We never hear of ways in which this subjective state proves itself of value to anyone else in the objective world. I'd like to hear more about that. When a crack, heroin, alcohol or food addict, gets clean, gets outside of the addiction, it appears that most don't say how selfish, its all about you and ask how did you help anyone else in the world? and what did you do for me today? I am suggesting that most of humanity is addicted to a thought-full mind, finding happiness in the past and future, and swimming in the joys of regret, blame and judgement. How that manifests may be different from crack addicts. Still its deeper addiction than to crack, IMO. Crack, people kick in a few months. The above addictions, people can't shake in many lifetimes. So you're suggesting that all but a handful of people on this planet are the equivalent of crack, heroin, alcohol, or food addicts because they're not enlight- ened? How elitist is that? :-) There are various degrees of addiction to the bag of addictions cited above. Some, like smack addicts, can be quite functional. And how in line with much of the dogma of enlightenment. Well, I get your take that you are interpreting my comments as So Enlightenment is so special Just the opposite. Getting well, getting healed is absolutely nothing special. And may make one less special in terms of outer accomplishments, relations and all. While I am sympathetic to your POV, in the past I have asked, where are the human virtues? However, we might be addicted to the introductory lecture (whether TM, neo-buddhism, or Andrew Carnegieism.) Intro lectures are simplified, dumbed down versions of things. When someone loses the grip of their lives-long addiction to the thought-full mind, past and future, looking for satisfaction out there, blame, regret and judgement, I am not sure its uber- sane to ask, But what did you do for ME today?. I didn't use the word me. And I assumed you understood that ME was not referring solely to YOU. I carefully used the word anyone. What have the supposedly-enlightened done for ANYONE? What tangible benefit does *their* enlight- enment have for anyone else? I think it's a viable question. As are many Mu questions. They seem viable to the asker. Does not make them no Mu. Former mind and thought addicts don't owe you or me anything. Yeah, because they were addicts, and now they're not. Right. For the record, I see NO DIFFERENCE between the subjec- tive state of non-enlightenment and the subjective state of enlightenment. Of course there is no difference. These are mind states. Everyone has mind states. They're both just mindstates. Ah, so we agree, ha. So, just as one could viably ask the addicts what they have done for anyone else lately, one can ask it of the supposedly enlightened. I don't ask anyone what they have done for me lately. Or for anyone else. I am content that people are working through their stuff and everyone is doing the best they can. Even the lesser addicted. If they're so enlightened and all, 1) the question shouldn't bother them and 2) they should have a ready answer. Well you seem bothered -- not sure it bothers anyone else. Still, having one less person looking for love -- and satisfaction -- in all the wrong places seems to be a positive step for humanity. Only if one believes the dogma that there are wrong places. And that those who are not claiming enlighten- ment are the equivalent of junkies. I don't believe that, and am a bit surprised that you do. Jeez, can't you reduce this to more black and white even more, and get rid of any speck or semblance of original context and meaning? (And let us hear how the lessening of your addictive, monkey on your back, monkey mind, nature (inhert in all of us) has helped the world?) I help the world as much as I can. Isn't that special. (as the Church Lady would say) One of the ways I do so is by not considering all but a handful of its inhabitants to be monkeys and addicts. Ah,you are the pillar of human virtues. Me, I am dog poo -- I am quite comfortable with that.
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
Barry appears endlessly frustrated by his own efforts as a seeker,externalizing his frustrations instead on 'others' . I'd answer his question by saying there is no apparent benefit of a self realized person to others, only to themselves. Further, the ripening state of self realization is one in which the boundaries between the self and others begins to dissipate, so draw your own conclusions. Thanks for your response Tartbrain. Enjoyed it. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, tartbrain no_reply@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, tartbrain no_reply@ wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@ wrote: All that seems to matter is the person's subjective sense of their own subjective state of consciousness. We never hear of ways in which this subjective state proves itself of value to anyone else in the objective world. I'd like to hear more about that. When a crack, heroin, alcohol or food addict, gets clean, gets outside of the addiction, it appears that most don't say how selfish, its all about you and ask how did you help anyone else in the world? and what did you do for me today? I am suggesting that most of humanity is addicted to a thought-full mind, finding happiness in the past and future, and swimming in the joys of regret, blame and judgement. How that manifests may be different from crack addicts. Still its deeper addiction than to crack, IMO. Crack, people kick in a few months. The above addictions, people can't shake in many lifetimes. So you're suggesting that all but a handful of people on this planet are the equivalent of crack, heroin, alcohol, or food addicts because they're not enlight- ened? How elitist is that? :-) There are various degrees of addiction to the bag of addictions cited above. Some, like smack addicts, can be quite functional. And how in line with much of the dogma of enlightenment. Well, I get your take that you are interpreting my comments as So Enlightenment is so special Just the opposite. Getting well, getting healed is absolutely nothing special. And may make one less special in terms of outer accomplishments, relations and all. While I am sympathetic to your POV, in the past I have asked, where are the human virtues? However, we might be addicted to the introductory lecture (whether TM, neo-buddhism, or Andrew Carnegieism.) Intro lectures are simplified, dumbed down versions of things. When someone loses the grip of their lives-long addiction to the thought-full mind, past and future, looking for satisfaction out there, blame, regret and judgement, I am not sure its uber- sane to ask, But what did you do for ME today?. I didn't use the word me. And I assumed you understood that ME was not referring solely to YOU. I carefully used the word anyone. What have the supposedly-enlightened done for ANYONE? What tangible benefit does *their* enlight- enment have for anyone else? I think it's a viable question. As are many Mu questions. They seem viable to the asker. Does not make them no Mu. Former mind and thought addicts don't owe you or me anything. Yeah, because they were addicts, and now they're not. Right. For the record, I see NO DIFFERENCE between the subjec- tive state of non-enlightenment and the subjective state of enlightenment. Of course there is no difference. These are mind states. Everyone has mind states. They're both just mindstates. Ah, so we agree, ha. So, just as one could viably ask the addicts what they have done for anyone else lately, one can ask it of the supposedly enlightened. I don't ask anyone what they have done for me lately. Or for anyone else. I am content that people are working through their stuff and everyone is doing the best they can. Even the lesser addicted. If they're so enlightened and all, 1) the question shouldn't bother them and 2) they should have a ready answer. Well you seem bothered -- not sure it bothers anyone else. Still, having one less person looking for love -- and satisfaction -- in all the wrong places seems to be a positive step for humanity. Only if one believes the dogma that there are wrong places. And that those who are not claiming enlighten- ment are the equivalent of junkies. I don't believe that, and am a bit surprised that you do. Jeez, can't you reduce this to more black and white even more, and get rid of any speck or semblance of original context and meaning? (And let us hear how the lessening of your addictive, monkey on your back, monkey mind, nature (inhert in all of us) has helped the world?) I help the world as much as I can. Isn't that special. (as the Church Lady would say) One of
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, tartbrain no_reply@ wrote: Still, having one less person looking for love -- and satisfaction -- in all the wrong places seems to be a positive step for humanity. Only if one believes the dogma that there are wrong places. Quoting a song and having it understood in a precise literal sense is interesting. Some places bring quick satisfaction. But it doesn't last. Its not present. Other ways provide satisfaction 24/7. If one is looking for permanent satisfaction, there are some suboptimal paths, IMO. But yes, over a long span of time, licking the dewdrops of grasses in the meadow will quench ones thirst. This is not a wrong way or wrong place (you do like polarizations don't you). However, the nearby lake gives abundant thirst satisfaction 24/7. That doesn't make it the RIGHT place. But you do the math.
RE: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of nablusoss1008 Sent: Monday, May 02, 2011 2:33 AM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife%40yahoogroups.com , wayback71 wayback71@... wrote: Rick This is one of the most heartfelt, direct and moving accounts. Thank you. Agreed. An posted by none other than one of the foremost TMO-bashers of the century. Something good must be happening :-) In addition to what you write I was struck by the simplicity in describing his state of consciousness. Very beautiful. The guy is a good friend of mine. I know his experience is genuine. It's the true believers who bash him. He wrote to me yesterday when I encouraged him to do a BatGap interview: As for hiding my light under a bushel, what has become obvious to me is that to speak this out in any public way is to invite criticism, ridicule, and skepticism. I actually overheard another course participant quip while reading my original description, sounds like a bunch of hippy drivel to me. Not really the response one hopes to achieve, is it? I have never bashed the TMO. I only shine a light on hypocrisy. There's plenty of good in the TMO, and I'm quick to point that out. IOW, I don't have a lop-sided agenda like you do Nabby. I'm able to embrace paradoxical viewpoints and information.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
On 05/02/2011 12:36 AM, turquoiseb wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, wayback71wayback71@... wrote: Rick This is one of the most heartfelt, direct and moving accounts. Thank you. I agree that this is a nicely done, low-key rap, and I commend whoever wrote it for that. I might have some writerly quibbles about some of the language, like CC arrived and had come, because my similar exper- iences, although more fleeting, had no sense whatsoever of there being anything new, anything that had arrived or come. It was more like finally noticing what had always already been present, every minute of my life. What I'd be interested in, if this person ever feels like writing it up, is whether he/she can pinpoint any ways in which this subjective realization has been of benefit to anyone else. That's the missing component of pretty much all of the raps about enlightenment I run across. It's almost as if the process of self realization can be described more accurately as selfish realization in most of them. All that seems to matter is the person's subjective sense of their own subjective state of consciousness. We never hear of ways in which this subjective state proves itself of value to anyone else in the objective world. I'd like to hear more about that. Logically CC should not be a binary experience. IOW, a switch goes on and you're there. It would be gradual. For instance someone noticing, as they did years ago, that they seemed to no longer come out of meditation and that the experience of the transcendence was there along in activity. It might be a mild experience of it but it *is* there. And more particularly over time should grow. So some of these things are flash experiences or a spike in the experience but I wouldn't say they popped into CC. They were already there. TM'ers seem to be in this mode that only a few achieve enlightenment but I found in India people expected folks practicing sadhana to get there and it was not that uncommon.
RE: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Bhairitu Sent: Monday, May 02, 2011 2:18 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness Logically CC should not be a binary experience. IOW, a switch goes on and you're there. It would be gradual. For instance someone noticing, as they did years ago, that they seemed to no longer come out of meditation and that the experience of the transcendence was there along in activity. It might be a mild experience of it but it *is* there. And more particularly over time should grow. So some of these things are flash experiences or a spike in the experience but I wouldn't say they popped into CC. They were already there. TM'ers seem to be in this mode that only a few achieve enlightenment but I found in India people expected folks practicing sadhana to get there and it was not that uncommon. In my experience talking to people, some experience a clear demarcation, but most ooze into it. You can get wet getting caught in a sudden downpour, or you can get wet walking in a heavy mist. Either way you're wet, but in the latter case, you can't really say when it happened.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
On May 2, 2011, at 3:41 PM, Rick Archer wrote: From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Bhairitu Sent: Monday, May 02, 2011 2:18 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness Logically CC should not be a binary experience. IOW, a switch goes on and you're there. It would be gradual. For instance someone noticing, as they did years ago, that they seemed to no longer come out of meditation and that the experience of the transcendence was there along in activity. It might be a mild experience of it but it *is* there. And more particularly over time should grow. So some of these things are flash experiences or a spike in the experience but I wouldn't say they popped into CC. They were already there. TM'ers seem to be in this mode that only a few achieve enlightenment but I found in India people expected folks practicing sadhana to get there and it was not that uncommon. In my experience talking to people, some experience a clear demarcation, but most ooze into it. You can get wet getting caught in a sudden downpour, or you can get wet walking in a heavy mist. Either way you’re wet, but in the latter case, you can’t really say when it happened. Then they might be experiencing growing awareness or just relaxation, but it very likely not turiyatita. The transition to CC or turiyatita, at least the way yogis have been experiencing it for thousands of years is described as a violent digestion. Not It seemed so delicate, fragile, almost shy. I did not expect it to last. While poetically beautiful and it's nice to hear people experiencing relaxation and enjoyment, it's also important not to jump to exaggerations, flights of quiet fancy or beliefs one's merely acquired and grafted onto obsessions.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
On May 2, 2011, at 3:17 PM, Bhairitu wrote: Logically CC should not be a binary experience. IOW, a switch goes on and you're there. It would be gradual. For instance someone noticing, as they did years ago, that they seemed to no longer come out of meditation and that the experience of the transcendence was there along in activity. It might be a mild experience of it but it *is* there. And more particularly over time should grow. So some of these things are flash experiences or a spike in the experience but I wouldn't say they popped into CC. They were already there. TM'ers seem to be in this mode that only a few achieve enlightenment but I found in India people expected folks practicing sadhana to get there and it was not that uncommon. Indians are an often superstitious people, so maybe they would believe that. However yogis describe it as an extremely rare stage.
RE: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Vaj Sent: Monday, May 02, 2011 4:36 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness In my experience talking to people, some experience a clear demarcation, but most ooze into it. You can get wet getting caught in a sudden downpour, or you can get wet walking in a heavy mist. Either way you're wet, but in the latter case, you can't really say when it happened. Then they might be experiencing growing awareness or just relaxation, but it very likely not turiyatita. The transition to CC or turiyatita, at least the way yogis have been experiencing it for thousands of years is described as a violent digestion. Not It seemed so delicate, fragile, almost shy. I did not expect it to last. While poetically beautiful and it's nice to hear people experiencing relaxation and enjoyment, it's also important not to jump to exaggerations, flights of quiet fancy or beliefs one's merely acquired and grafted onto obsessions. Have you undergone that transition?
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
Vaj, you forgot to add, ...and because it happened as a result of TM, it cannot possibly be true in any way, shape or form..., but we heard it anyway, so no worries. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradhatu@... wrote: On May 2, 2011, at 3:41 PM, Rick Archer wrote: From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Bhairitu Sent: Monday, May 02, 2011 2:18 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness Logically CC should not be a binary experience. IOW, a switch goes on and you're there. It would be gradual. For instance someone noticing, as they did years ago, that they seemed to no longer come out of meditation and that the experience of the transcendence was there along in activity. It might be a mild experience of it but it *is* there. And more particularly over time should grow. So some of these things are flash experiences or a spike in the experience but I wouldn't say they popped into CC. They were already there. TM'ers seem to be in this mode that only a few achieve enlightenment but I found in India people expected folks practicing sadhana to get there and it was not that uncommon. In my experience talking to people, some experience a clear demarcation, but most ooze into it. You can get wet getting caught in a sudden downpour, or you can get wet walking in a heavy mist. Either way you're wet, but in the latter case, you can't really say when it happened. Then they might be experiencing growing awareness or just relaxation, but it very likely not turiyatita. The transition to CC or turiyatita, at least the way yogis have been experiencing it for thousands of years is described as a violent digestion. Not It seemed so delicate, fragile, almost shy. I did not expect it to last. While poetically beautiful and it's nice to hear people experiencing relaxation and enjoyment, it's also important not to jump to exaggerations, flights of quiet fancy or beliefs one's merely acquired and grafted onto obsessions.
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
Rick, what a fine account. Could you use it on the home page for FairfieldLife? You know, stick it underneath that Bertrand Russell quote and skip the rest of that other stuff there. Just leave the FFL home page description with parts of this person's essay as FFL. You know, let the meditation quitters eat their hearts out. Best, -Buck --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@... wrote: Cosmic consciousness arrived, softly and unexpectedly, as I exited the Dome one morning in November 2008. I was 64 years old. I had been doing Transcendental Meditation since 1973 and the TM-Sidhi Program since 1978. How did I know cosmic consciousness had come? All I can say is it was clear that pure consciousness (pure being) was with me as I exited the Dome. It was clear that soft transcendence, that feeling of unboundedness I had become accustomed to in meditation all those years ... was now with me in activity. Everything was different © yet the same. This new element was with me as if dogging my footsteps--this new soft sweetness, this new purity, this new feeling of lightness, this new utter clarity. As with most of us, I had a career to manage during all those years, and a family, with children, to support. But I made time for my program twice a day no matter what, even if it meant, as it often did, meditating in a bus, an airplane, a library or even more unlikely locations. It never occurred to me to stop meditating, or even miss a meditation. I knew before my intro lecture was half over, that I would do this TM thing, and would never stop. Over the years, I waited expectantly and patiently for cosmic consciousness to arrive. Always feeling it must be just around the corner. As decades of practice elapsed and I grew older, I began to abandon any notion that I would reach cosmic consciousness in this life. I never stopped believing it was a reality, nor that Maharishi's TM and TM-Sidhi program could lead one there. I just stopped believing that it was going to happen to me. While I usually enjoyed my programs, there was never anything flashy going on. As years passed, it even seemed that the multitude of changes I had noticed in myself when I first began meditating ... had dwindled significantly or even disappeared. I felt like I was on a plateau. Like I was walking in place. My general attitude was, OK, it's not going to happen in this life. But I know TM is a good thing. I've always known that, from my very first meditation. So, I'll just keep doing it because I should go as far as I can in this life. Who knows © maybe next time around ... So, when cosmic consciousness tiptoed up to me that November day, just after I turned 64, I was absolutely astounded and delighted. It seemed so delicate, fragile, almost shy. I did not expect it to last. As days and weeks went by, the experience not only endured but grew in strength. I finally came to accept without any doubt -- it was here to stay. With that, I began to relax into it and just let it be what it was...without any expectations or preconceived notions. I was as surprised as anyone that such a thing could happen to me. As far as I or anyone could tell from my life, I was as unlikely and undeserving a candidate for this as anyone I could think of. Even after years of meditating I still had flaws you could drive a truck through. I was nowhere near as well studied in the Vedic literature as so many around me. One might call my daily routine marginally ayurvedic, I suppose. But even that would be a stretch. Given all my responsibilities, I figured I was doing the best I could. Yet here IT was and IT was undeniable. I thought perhaps it was one of those 1% chances of a cosmic mistake I heard Maharishi talk about once. And for quite a while was sure that as soon as the mistake was discovered by the Cosmic computer, it would be rectified. Two and half years later, to my increasing delight, the experience of cosmic consciousness has matured into something even grander. Being shines at me from all things and all people. My own Self is everywhere, in everything and everyone. The burdens, troubles and vicissitudes of life seem all but gone or, at least, drastically mitigated. In their place, is a lightness, delight, sweetness and ease ... that is absolutely indescribable. Believe me, I know this is no accomplishment of mine. Any kudos for this are due to Maharishi and Guru Dev alone. This is not false modesty. This is the truth. The only thing I ever did was to follow the simple (thank goodness) instructions Maharishi gave for the practice of the TM and TM-Sidhi program. Really, that's all I ever did. That it resulted in this experience for me ... is as miraculous as anything I can think of. Yet it's utterly real, utterly simple, and utterly available to all. That I know for certain. If
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
Dude, there is no way he can answer that - If he says ,yes he's not telling the truth, and if he says,no, he loses all of his imagined credibility here. Ask him something safe, like has he ever met the Dalai Lama, and what was it like? --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@... wrote: From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Vaj Sent: Monday, May 02, 2011 4:36 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness In my experience talking to people, some experience a clear demarcation, but most ooze into it. You can get wet getting caught in a sudden downpour, or you can get wet walking in a heavy mist. Either way you're wet, but in the latter case, you can't really say when it happened. Then they might be experiencing growing awareness or just relaxation, but it very likely not turiyatita. The transition to CC or turiyatita, at least the way yogis have been experiencing it for thousands of years is described as a violent digestion. Not It seemed so delicate, fragile, almost shy. I did not expect it to last. While poetically beautiful and it's nice to hear people experiencing relaxation and enjoyment, it's also important not to jump to exaggerations, flights of quiet fancy or beliefs one's merely acquired and grafted onto obsessions. Have you undergone that transition?
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj vajradhatu@... wrote: Then they might be experiencing growing awareness or just relaxation, but it very likely not turiyatita. The transition to CC or turiyatita, at least the way yogis have been experiencing it for thousands of years is described as a violent digestion. Not It seemed so delicate, fragile, almost shy. I did not expect it to last. While poetically beautiful and it's nice to hear people experiencing relaxation and enjoyment, it's also important not to jump to exaggerations, flights of quiet fancy or beliefs one's merely acquired and grafted onto obsessions. Vaj, me, me I went through what you call a violent digestion. I could have called the descent of consciousness as a violent possession or invasion, at least my body, mind and ego treated it as such. It started Apr 12 last year gently enough but got stronger and stronger till I was psychotic by May 21st - FFL was a mute defenseless victim of my psychosis :-) and then by May 25th I totally lost it. However what has arised from it is the most beautiful. However I'm not sure if everyone has to go through it.
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
Yeah, logically there has to be conditioning prior to permanent awakening. But that isn't necessarily the same thing as recognizing it as such, as it happens. I recall despite the underlying conditioning towards support of awakening (which was creating a huge cognitive dissonance in the background, and more and more in the foreground), I had built quite a secure structure I thought, on which to hang my beliefs and judge everyone and everything accordingly. You can imagine how flimsy a structure that was. So although the conditioning was there, I also was unable to see reality or more accurately experience it, until this very distracting structure crumbled. And it did, very quickly. And that is why I experienced such a drastic transition, even though as you say, the foundation had to already be there to support it. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu noozguru@... wrote: On 05/02/2011 12:36 AM, turquoiseb wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, wayback71wayback71@ wrote: Rick This is one of the most heartfelt, direct and moving accounts. Thank you. I agree that this is a nicely done, low-key rap, and I commend whoever wrote it for that. I might have some writerly quibbles about some of the language, like CC arrived and had come, because my similar exper- iences, although more fleeting, had no sense whatsoever of there being anything new, anything that had arrived or come. It was more like finally noticing what had always already been present, every minute of my life. What I'd be interested in, if this person ever feels like writing it up, is whether he/she can pinpoint any ways in which this subjective realization has been of benefit to anyone else. That's the missing component of pretty much all of the raps about enlightenment I run across. It's almost as if the process of self realization can be described more accurately as selfish realization in most of them. All that seems to matter is the person's subjective sense of their own subjective state of consciousness. We never hear of ways in which this subjective state proves itself of value to anyone else in the objective world. I'd like to hear more about that. Logically CC should not be a binary experience. IOW, a switch goes on and you're there. It would be gradual. For instance someone noticing, as they did years ago, that they seemed to no longer come out of meditation and that the experience of the transcendence was there along in activity. It might be a mild experience of it but it *is* there. And more particularly over time should grow. So some of these things are flash experiences or a spike in the experience but I wouldn't say they popped into CC. They were already there. TM'ers seem to be in this mode that only a few achieve enlightenment but I found in India people expected folks practicing sadhana to get there and it was not that uncommon.
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
Nice comments Tartji, I would say that Enlightenment is not a thing of utility. Enlightenment is a state where you realize that you need not be a millionaire with a million dollar wife, a million dollar car, a million dollar house and million dollar kids to be happy. You don't have to help suffering people in Iraq, Japan or Bangladesh. You don't have to a damn thing and that you don't owe anyone anything. That the existence is in a blissful orgasm with you every minute. So Barry is right in a way that it is a selfish realization. However out of that selfish self absorbed state comes true compassion and love. It's not because you owe anyone a damn thing. It's because your cup is so overflowing that you naturally would like to share. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, tartbrain no_reply@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@ wrote: All that seems to matter is the person's subjective sense of their own subjective state of consciousness. We never hear of ways in which this subjective state proves itself of value to anyone else in the objective world. I'd like to hear more about that. When a crack, heroin, alcohol or food addict, gets clean, gets outside of the addiction, it appears that most don't say how selfish, its all about you and ask how did you help anyone else in the world? and what did you do for me today? While I am sympathetic to your POV, in the past I have asked, where are the human virtues? However, we might be addicted to the introductory lecture (whether TM, neo-buddhism, or Andrew Carnegieism.) Intro lectures are simplified, dumbed down versions of things. When someone loses the grip of their lives-long addiction to the thought-full mind, past and future, looking for satisfaction out there, blame, regret and judgement, I am not sure its uber-sane to ask, But what did you do for ME today?. Former mind and thought addicts don't owe you or me anything. Still, having one less person looking for love -- and satisfaction -- in all the wrong places seems to be a positive step for humanity. (And let us hear how the lessening of your addictive, monkey on your back, monkey mind, nature (inhert in all of us) has helped the world?)
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
I think you have to leave a pretty big allowance for individual differences. I'm always suspect to a certain degree of someone talking about CC as I felt this and I experienced that. My experience of CC was a sudden violent transition of individual identity to no localization at all in about 3 seconds. But does this mean everybody has to experience that? I used to think so, but now I don't to a certain degree. The intellect is less arrogant, I guess. Why do you say that logically CC would not be a binary experience? Any experience is a condition of mind. Often people confuse sattvic states of mind as Being. Even Maharishi used to talk this way (he knew it wasn't true) of infusing being. Of course it's ridiculous. He was just entertaining us. I can't grok a gradual experience of CC. You're bound, even in great sattva, one moment, and then, in some weird magical way that consciousness that you call me suddenly opens into its non-localization. Truly a Holy shit moment if there ever was one. You can't even really talk about it. It sounds ridiculous. Hi. I'm not here No truer words could ever be spoken, but nobody gets it if they are not realized. I was never born and will never die I am not personal or impersonal I have nothing to do with anything Everything is in me, but I am not Yeah, that's some real clear shit! So, I hope this guy is awake to his own ineffable Being; that he belongs to the holy shit club who's members gather once a year and walk around in stunned silence alternating with periods of hysterical laughter at the indecipherable and indescribable absurd beauty of pure existence. --- On Mon, 5/2/11, Vaj vajradh...@earthlink.net wrote: From: Vaj vajradh...@earthlink.net Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Date: Monday, May 2, 2011, 5:35 PM On May 2, 2011, at 3:41 PM, Rick Archer wrote: From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Bhairitu Sent: Monday, May 02, 2011 2:18 PM To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness Logically CC should not be a binary experience. IOW, a switch goes on and you're there. It would be gradual. For instance someone noticing, as they did years ago, that they seemed to no longer come out of meditation and that the experience of the transcendence was there along in activity. It might be a mild experience of it but it *is* there. And more particularly over time should grow. So some of these things are flash experiences or a spike in the experience but I wouldn't say they popped into CC. They were already there. TM'ers seem to be in this mode that only a few achieve enlightenment but I found in India people expected folks practicing sadhana to get there and it was not that uncommon. In my experience talking to people, some experience a clear demarcation, but most ooze into it. You can get wet getting caught in a sudden downpour, or you can get wet walking in a heavy mist. Either way you’re wet, but in the latter case, you can’t really say when it happened. Then they might be experiencing growing awareness or just relaxation, but it very likely not turiyatita. The transition to CC or turiyatita, at least the way yogis have been experiencing it for thousands of years is described as a violent digestion. Not It seemed so delicate, fragile, almost shy. I did not expect it to last. While poetically beautiful and it's nice to hear people experiencing relaxation and enjoyment, it's also important not to jump to exaggerations, flights of quiet fancy or beliefs one's merely acquired and grafted onto obsessions.
Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
This is why the argument that has been postulated here that enlightenment is simply a deluded state of conceptual self-fulfillment is absurd. Going from waking state to CC is a complete shattering of all concepts regarding enlightenment. What you think CC will be in waking state has very little to do with the actual experience of it. But it is still good to have these concepts because once you are realized, you can really understand them for the first time. 'Witnessing, Unboundedness non-doing; these terms meant one thing in waking state and they mean something completely different in realization. Now they actually point towards something, as it were and help the mind cope. --- On Mon, 5/2/11, whynotnow7 whynotn...@yahoo.com wrote: From: whynotnow7 whynotn...@yahoo.com Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Date: Monday, May 2, 2011, 6:45 PM Yeah, logically there has to be conditioning prior to permanent awakening. But that isn't necessarily the same thing as recognizing it as such, as it happens. I recall despite the underlying conditioning towards support of awakening (which was creating a huge cognitive dissonance in the background, and more and more in the foreground), I had built quite a secure structure I thought, on which to hang my beliefs and judge everyone and everything accordingly. You can imagine how flimsy a structure that was. So although the conditioning was there, I also was unable to see reality or more accurately experience it, until this very distracting structure crumbled. And it did, very quickly. And that is why I experienced such a drastic transition, even though as you say, the foundation had to already be there to support it. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu noozguru@... wrote: On 05/02/2011 12:36 AM, turquoiseb wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, wayback71wayback71@ wrote: Rick This is one of the most heartfelt, direct and moving accounts. Thank you. I agree that this is a nicely done, low-key rap, and I commend whoever wrote it for that. I might have some writerly quibbles about some of the language, like CC arrived and had come, because my similar exper- iences, although more fleeting, had no sense whatsoever of there being anything new, anything that had arrived or come. It was more like finally noticing what had always already been present, every minute of my life. What I'd be interested in, if this person ever feels like writing it up, is whether he/she can pinpoint any ways in which this subjective realization has been of benefit to anyone else. That's the missing component of pretty much all of the raps about enlightenment I run across. It's almost as if the process of self realization can be described more accurately as selfish realization in most of them. All that seems to matter is the person's subjective sense of their own subjective state of consciousness. We never hear of ways in which this subjective state proves itself of value to anyone else in the objective world. I'd like to hear more about that. Logically CC should not be a binary experience. IOW, a switch goes on and you're there. It would be gradual. For instance someone noticing, as they did years ago, that they seemed to no longer come out of meditation and that the experience of the transcendence was there along in activity. It might be a mild experience of it but it *is* there. And more particularly over time should grow. So some of these things are flash experiences or a spike in the experience but I wouldn't say they popped into CC. They were already there. TM'ers seem to be in this mode that only a few achieve enlightenment but I found in India people expected folks practicing sadhana to get there and it was not that uncommon. To subscribe, send a message to: fairfieldlife-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!'Yahoo! Groups Links fairfieldlife-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Peter drpetersutphen@... wrote: This is why the argument that has been postulated here that enlightenment is simply a deluded state of conceptual self-fulfillment is absurd. **Kind of the opposite, since the container and what is in it keep expanding out of anyone's control, if there was such a thing to begin with. Going from waking state to CC is a complete shattering of all concepts regarding enlightenment. **Ka-Boom. What you think CC will be in waking state has very little to do with the actual experience of it. But it is still good to have these concepts because once you are realized, you can really understand them for the first time. **God loves irony! I get the feeling that if you tried to call Him on this one, He'd be like, o, you thought all of this was to help explain how to get *here*...lol, no, no, no...but at least you get it now, right? 'Witnessing, Unboundedness non-doing; these terms meant one thing in waking state and they mean something completely different in realization. Now they actually point towards something, as it were and help the mind cope. **I wish after all this, at least everyone who is realized got a speedboat or something, y'know? After all the talk about the hut and the palace, cosmic this, galactic that, you'd think at least maybe a used corvette? Coach tickets to Vegas? Free Slurpee??? --- On Mon, 5/2/11, whynotnow7 whynotnow7@... wrote: From: whynotnow7 whynotnow7@... Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com Date: Monday, May 2, 2011, 6:45 PM Yeah, logically there has to be conditioning prior to permanent awakening. But that isn't necessarily the same thing as recognizing it as such, as it happens. I recall despite the underlying conditioning towards support of awakening (which was creating a huge cognitive dissonance in the background, and more and more in the foreground), I had built quite a secure structure I thought, on which to hang my beliefs and judge everyone and everything accordingly. You can imagine how flimsy a structure that was. So although the conditioning was there, I also was unable to see reality or more accurately experience it, until this very distracting structure crumbled. And it did, very quickly. And that is why I experienced such a drastic transition, even though as you say, the foundation had to already be there to support it. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu noozguru@ wrote: On 05/02/2011 12:36 AM, turquoiseb wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, wayback71wayback71@ wrote: Rick This is one of the most heartfelt, direct and moving accounts. Thank you. I agree that this is a nicely done, low-key rap, and I commend whoever wrote it for that. I might have some writerly quibbles about some of the language, like CC arrived and had come, because my similar exper- iences, although more fleeting, had no sense whatsoever of there being anything new, anything that had arrived or come. It was more like finally noticing what had always already been present, every minute of my life. What I'd be interested in, if this person ever feels like writing it up, is whether he/she can pinpoint any ways in which this subjective realization has been of benefit to anyone else. That's the missing component of pretty much all of the raps about enlightenment I run across. It's almost as if the process of self realization can be described more accurately as selfish realization in most of them. All that seems to matter is the person's subjective sense of their own subjective state of consciousness. We never hear of ways in which this subjective state proves itself of value to anyone else in the objective world. I'd like to hear more about that. Logically CC should not be a binary experience. IOW, a switch goes on and you're there. It would be gradual. For instance someone noticing, as they did years ago, that they seemed to no longer come out of meditation and that the experience of the transcendence was there along in activity. It might be a mild experience of it but it *is* there. And more particularly over time should grow. So some of these things are flash experiences or a spike in the experience but I wouldn't say they popped into CC. They were already there. TM'ers seem to be in this mode that only a few achieve enlightenment but I found in India people expected folks practicing sadhana to get there and it was not that uncommon. To subscribe, send a message to: fairfieldlife-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
Thanks for posting this. This is beautiful especially the parts - I know this is no accomplishment of mine and If my life serves no other purpose, it is to demonstrate that, if this can happen to someone like me, it can happen to anyone - these definitely resonate with how I felt. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@... wrote: Cosmic consciousness arrived, softly and unexpectedly, as I exited the Dome one morning in November 2008. I was 64 years old. I had been doing Transcendental Meditation since 1973 and the TM-Sidhi Program since 1978. How did I know cosmic consciousness had come? All I can say is it was clear that pure consciousness (pure being) was with me as I exited the Dome. It was clear that soft transcendence, that feeling of unboundedness I had become accustomed to in meditation all those years ... was now with me in activity. Everything was different © yet the same. This new element was with me as if dogging my footsteps--this new soft sweetness, this new purity, this new feeling of lightness, this new utter clarity. As with most of us, I had a career to manage during all those years, and a family, with children, to support. But I made time for my program twice a day no matter what, even if it meant, as it often did, meditating in a bus, an airplane, a library or even more unlikely locations. It never occurred to me to stop meditating, or even miss a meditation. I knew before my intro lecture was half over, that I would do this TM thing, and would never stop. Over the years, I waited expectantly and patiently for cosmic consciousness to arrive. Always feeling it must be just around the corner. As decades of practice elapsed and I grew older, I began to abandon any notion that I would reach cosmic consciousness in this life. I never stopped believing it was a reality, nor that Maharishi's TM and TM-Sidhi program could lead one there. I just stopped believing that it was going to happen to me. While I usually enjoyed my programs, there was never anything flashy going on. As years passed, it even seemed that the multitude of changes I had noticed in myself when I first began meditating ... had dwindled significantly or even disappeared. I felt like I was on a plateau. Like I was walking in place. My general attitude was, OK, it's not going to happen in this life. But I know TM is a good thing. I've always known that, from my very first meditation. So, I'll just keep doing it because I should go as far as I can in this life. Who knows © maybe next time around ... So, when cosmic consciousness tiptoed up to me that November day, just after I turned 64, I was absolutely astounded and delighted. It seemed so delicate, fragile, almost shy. I did not expect it to last. As days and weeks went by, the experience not only endured but grew in strength. I finally came to accept without any doubt -- it was here to stay. With that, I began to relax into it and just let it be what it was...without any expectations or preconceived notions. I was as surprised as anyone that such a thing could happen to me. As far as I or anyone could tell from my life, I was as unlikely and undeserving a candidate for this as anyone I could think of. Even after years of meditating I still had flaws you could drive a truck through. I was nowhere near as well studied in the Vedic literature as so many around me. One might call my daily routine marginally ayurvedic, I suppose. But even that would be a stretch. Given all my responsibilities, I figured I was doing the best I could. Yet here IT was and IT was undeniable. I thought perhaps it was one of those 1% chances of a cosmic mistake I heard Maharishi talk about once. And for quite a while was sure that as soon as the mistake was discovered by the Cosmic computer, it would be rectified. Two and half years later, to my increasing delight, the experience of cosmic consciousness has matured into something even grander. Being shines at me from all things and all people. My own Self is everywhere, in everything and everyone. The burdens, troubles and vicissitudes of life seem all but gone or, at least, drastically mitigated. In their place, is a lightness, delight, sweetness and ease ... that is absolutely indescribable. Believe me, I know this is no accomplishment of mine. Any kudos for this are due to Maharishi and Guru Dev alone. This is not false modesty. This is the truth. The only thing I ever did was to follow the simple (thank goodness) instructions Maharishi gave for the practice of the TM and TM-Sidhi program. Really, that's all I ever did. That it resulted in this experience for me ... is as miraculous as anything I can think of. Yet it's utterly real, utterly simple, and utterly available to all. That I know for certain. If my life serves no other purpose, it is to demonstrate that, if this can happen to someone like me, it can happen to
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
Rick This is one of the most heartfelt, direct and moving accounts. Thank you. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@... wrote: Cosmic consciousness arrived, softly and unexpectedly, as I exited the Dome one morning in November 2008. I was 64 years old. I had been doing Transcendental Meditation since 1973 and the TM-Sidhi Program since 1978. How did I know cosmic consciousness had come? All I can say is it was clear that pure consciousness (pure being) was with me as I exited the Dome. It was clear that soft transcendence, that feeling of unboundedness I had become accustomed to in meditation all those years ... was now with me in activity. Everything was different © yet the same. This new element was with me as if dogging my footsteps--this new soft sweetness, this new purity, this new feeling of lightness, this new utter clarity. As with most of us, I had a career to manage during all those years, and a family, with children, to support. But I made time for my program twice a day no matter what, even if it meant, as it often did, meditating in a bus, an airplane, a library or even more unlikely locations. It never occurred to me to stop meditating, or even miss a meditation. I knew before my intro lecture was half over, that I would do this TM thing, and would never stop. Over the years, I waited expectantly and patiently for cosmic consciousness to arrive. Always feeling it must be just around the corner. As decades of practice elapsed and I grew older, I began to abandon any notion that I would reach cosmic consciousness in this life. I never stopped believing it was a reality, nor that Maharishi's TM and TM-Sidhi program could lead one there. I just stopped believing that it was going to happen to me. While I usually enjoyed my programs, there was never anything flashy going on. As years passed, it even seemed that the multitude of changes I had noticed in myself when I first began meditating ... had dwindled significantly or even disappeared. I felt like I was on a plateau. Like I was walking in place. My general attitude was, OK, it's not going to happen in this life. But I know TM is a good thing. I've always known that, from my very first meditation. So, I'll just keep doing it because I should go as far as I can in this life. Who knows © maybe next time around ... So, when cosmic consciousness tiptoed up to me that November day, just after I turned 64, I was absolutely astounded and delighted. It seemed so delicate, fragile, almost shy. I did not expect it to last. As days and weeks went by, the experience not only endured but grew in strength. I finally came to accept without any doubt -- it was here to stay. With that, I began to relax into it and just let it be what it was...without any expectations or preconceived notions. I was as surprised as anyone that such a thing could happen to me. As far as I or anyone could tell from my life, I was as unlikely and undeserving a candidate for this as anyone I could think of. Even after years of meditating I still had flaws you could drive a truck through. I was nowhere near as well studied in the Vedic literature as so many around me. One might call my daily routine marginally ayurvedic, I suppose. But even that would be a stretch. Given all my responsibilities, I figured I was doing the best I could. Yet here IT was and IT was undeniable. I thought perhaps it was one of those 1% chances of a cosmic mistake I heard Maharishi talk about once. And for quite a while was sure that as soon as the mistake was discovered by the Cosmic computer, it would be rectified. Two and half years later, to my increasing delight, the experience of cosmic consciousness has matured into something even grander. Being shines at me from all things and all people. My own Self is everywhere, in everything and everyone. The burdens, troubles and vicissitudes of life seem all but gone or, at least, drastically mitigated. In their place, is a lightness, delight, sweetness and ease ... that is absolutely indescribable. Believe me, I know this is no accomplishment of mine. Any kudos for this are due to Maharishi and Guru Dev alone. This is not false modesty. This is the truth. The only thing I ever did was to follow the simple (thank goodness) instructions Maharishi gave for the practice of the TM and TM-Sidhi program. Really, that's all I ever did. That it resulted in this experience for me ... is as miraculous as anything I can think of. Yet it's utterly real, utterly simple, and utterly available to all. That I know for certain. If my life serves no other purpose, it is to demonstrate that, if this can happen to someone like me, it can happen to anyone. It can happen to everyone. That it did happen to me ... reveals the immensity of Maharishi's knowledge and remarkable power of his
[FairfieldLife] Re: An Example of Cosmic Consciousness
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@... wrote: Cosmic consciousness arrived, softly and unexpectedly, as I exited the Dome one morning in November 2008. I was 64 years old. I had been doing Transcendental Meditation since 1973 and the TM-Sidhi Program since 1978. How did I know cosmic consciousness had come? All I can say is it was clear that pure consciousness (pure being) was with me as I exited the Dome. It was clear that soft transcendence, that feeling of unboundedness I had become accustomed to in meditation all those years ... was now with me in activity. Everything was different © yet the same. This new element was with me as if dogging my footsteps--this new soft sweetness, this new purity, this new feeling of lightness, this new utter clarity. As with most of us, I had a career to manage during all those years, and a family, with children, to support. But I made time for my program twice a day no matter what, even if it meant, as it often did, meditating in a bus, an airplane, a library or even more unlikely locations. It never occurred to me to stop meditating, or even miss a meditation. I knew before my intro lecture was half over, that I would do this TM thing, and would never stop. Over the years, I waited expectantly and patiently for cosmic consciousness to arrive. Always feeling it must be just around the corner. As decades of practice elapsed and I grew older, I began to abandon any notion that I would reach cosmic consciousness in this life. I never stopped believing it was a reality, nor that Maharishi's TM and TM-Sidhi program could lead one there. I just stopped believing that it was going to happen to me. While I usually enjoyed my programs, there was never anything flashy going on. As years passed, it even seemed that the multitude of changes I had noticed in myself when I first began meditating ... had dwindled significantly or even disappeared. I felt like I was on a plateau. Like I was walking in place. My general attitude was, OK, it's not going to happen in this life. But I know TM is a good thing. I've always known that, from my very first meditation. So, I'll just keep doing it because I should go as far as I can in this life. Who knows © maybe next time around ... So, when cosmic consciousness tiptoed up to me that November day, just after I turned 64, I was absolutely astounded and delighted. It seemed so delicate, fragile, almost shy. I did not expect it to last. As days and weeks went by, the experience not only endured but grew in strength. I finally came to accept without any doubt -- it was here to stay. With that, I began to relax into it and just let it be what it was...without any expectations or preconceived notions. I was as surprised as anyone that such a thing could happen to me. As far as I or anyone could tell from my life, I was as unlikely and undeserving a candidate for this as anyone I could think of. Even after years of meditating I still had flaws you could drive a truck through. I was nowhere near as well studied in the Vedic literature as so many around me. One might call my daily routine marginally ayurvedic, I suppose. But even that would be a stretch. Given all my responsibilities, I figured I was doing the best I could. Yet here IT was and IT was undeniable. I thought perhaps it was one of those 1% chances of a cosmic mistake I heard Maharishi talk about once. And for quite a while was sure that as soon as the mistake was discovered by the Cosmic computer, it would be rectified. Two and half years later, to my increasing delight, the experience of cosmic consciousness has matured into something even grander. Being shines at me from all things and all people. My own Self is everywhere, in everything and everyone. The burdens, troubles and vicissitudes of life seem all but gone or, at least, drastically mitigated. In their place, is a lightness, delight, sweetness and ease ... that is absolutely indescribable. Believe me, I know this is no accomplishment of mine. Any kudos for this are due to Maharishi and Guru Dev alone. This is not false modesty. This is the truth. The only thing I ever did was to follow the simple (thank goodness) instructions Maharishi gave for the practice of the TM and TM-Sidhi program. Really, that's all I ever did. That it resulted in this experience for me ... is as miraculous as anything I can think of. Yet it's utterly real, utterly simple, and utterly available to all. That I know for certain. If my life serves no other purpose, it is to demonstrate that, if this can happen to someone like me, it can happen to anyone. It can happen to everyone. That it did happen to me ... reveals the immensity of Maharishi's knowledge and remarkable power of his techniques--and of course the unfathomable silence, bliss, and sanctity of our beloved Guru Dev. Jai Guru Dev
