Some ananysists think that TM is a curve type cult realtionship. Some people may be into it on the outside fringes and not at all be affected by the inner circle of cult like control and influences. I personally feel there may be danger in simple doing the technique regularly because nobody really knows what it is except maybe some Buddhist that I haven't heard from yet. But it is obvious that many people practice TM without being dragged into the bottom gutters of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi ism.Age and rounding could have something to do with this. I began it at age 18, and I believe that the age a person starts the discipline may have a bearing on his/her interpretation of what is happening. I was very easily tranced and even more easily convinced that I had reached the shores of enlightenment, so I sought deeper experience quickly and was rounding by the time I was 19. There was no base referece point for which I could catagorize my experience. I was drowning in the opium of dissacociation.
I now think it is in no way as a means to enlightenment. The greatest enlightenment I got from it was that it doesn't lead to enlightenment! Another point I'd like to make is that after 7 years of TM and becoming a TM teacher, I still don't know what enlightenment is according to Mahesh. Does anybody else? ENLIGHTENMENT is such a catchy word; has anybody studied the "Enlightnment" as a part of European history? I sometime think that if we knew our history better, we'd know that this word has other meanings besides a Eastern Mysticism and maybe we wouldn't be so vulnerable to this sweet sounding hummmm of TMmmmm.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Friday, May 11, 2007
THINK FREE: 05/10/07
THINK FREE is an irregular feature of TM-Free Blog. It features a summary of news about TM and other orgs labeled "cults" by critics.
Have a hot tip? See something we missed? Email jmknapp53@gmail.com.
- Geneticist Frets about Ayur Veda "Pseudoscience" genefinding.blogspot.com
- Blogger Discusses Relaxation Response (Mentions Transcendental Meditation) blog.alternativemedicine360.com
- Old-Time TM Teacher/Blogger Discusses the Maharishi's "Source of Thought"
- Scientology Critic Fights Extradition Prescott Daily Courier
- An Introduction to Scientology Auburn Journal [By Scientologist Minister]
- Fundamentalist Mormon Sect May Be Expanding in Texas Deseret News
- Splinter Cult Raided, Aum Guru Images Found Japan Times
- Romney's Mormon Question Time
- Papua New Guinean Riot Police Vs. Human Sacrifice Witches Wired
Have a hot tip? See something we missed? Email jmknapp53@gmail.com.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Seeking Reader Submissions
A number of emailers have inquired lately about sharing their stories on TM-Free Blog. We are actively seeking new voices, stories, and viewpoints.
Consider posting with attribution or anonymously, if you prefer. Or if you don't trust your writing skills, consider working with one of our editors via telephone interview.
No matter how you contribute, you will retain copyright to your story, no story will post until you give final approval, and your confidentiality is assured.
If you are interested, drop me a line at jmknapp53@gmail.com.
Consider posting with attribution or anonymously, if you prefer. Or if you don't trust your writing skills, consider working with one of our editors via telephone interview.
No matter how you contribute, you will retain copyright to your story, no story will post until you give final approval, and your confidentiality is assured.
If you are interested, drop me a line at jmknapp53@gmail.com.
An interesting "find"
I found this, today, at Buddhist Geeks. I am not endorsing it, nor am I arguing with it. It simply struck me as both interesting and a useful guide for personal exploration.
I often wonder if I was a seeker, or was side-tracked by something sounding too good to be true.
Sometimes I wonder now if I am seeking or treading water.
(Since I cannot get the URL to function, I am going to reproduce the comment from Buddhist Geeks. I hope that that's ok.)
The First Step: Birth of the Seeker
10May07
Someone asked me recently what I thought the first major step was toward awakening. Was it the movement of “turning inward” instead of looking for fulfillment outside? Or is it perhaps when someone begins to do some sort contemplative practice? Obviously, the question is broad enough that there can be quite a number of true answers, but I wanted to share what came to mind for me. My response was that awakening begins when we begin to become disillusioned with what we think will make us happy.
When one finds their way to the path, it is always a result of a deep longing. There’s something in us that wants to be free and whole. We want that because it is our birth right. It is, quite literally, who we are. But that is getting a bit ahead of the story, because in the beginning, and perhaps for quite some time, this longing is simply felt as an insatiable desire to arrive. To arrive somewhere, to have something, to become someone. The longing takes on many forms.
While in high school I had a deep desire to be the best at something. The absolute best. When I realized I had a knack for long-distance running, I devoted years to becoming the best. In the process I did very well, setting school records, winning large meets, and eventually being recruited by a local college. I didn’t end up running for them however, and indeed didn’t continue running at all. I was plagued by serious injuries, and eventually had to drop the sport. And with it I had to drop the attachment to becoming the absolute best. No matter how hard I trained, how much I knew, or how talented I was, it was impossible to ever arrive. Looking back now, I realize that was the case because the longing that had me wasn’t something that could be satiated. It was so deep, and so sorrowful that there was nothing that could fill it.
What I learned from this process, a hard lesson for sure, is that anything that I strive for, if bound up in uncontrollable conditions is ultimately ungraspable. It was my first taste of major disillusionment with seeking. Not the end of the seeker by any means, but definitely a significant blow to my whole approach. If I couldn’t become whole through doing something significant and becoming someone admirable (like a world-class runner), then how could I possibly do it?
And that’s where the question becomes the fuel. The longing begins to take on center stage, and it must find something that is even more unattainable, final, and true. The end of longing itself. Enlightenment. Freedom. Truth-realization. By becoming disillusioned with seeking for freedom outside, we turn the seeker inwards.
At this point we begin to identify as the spiritual seeker. There’s something wrong, yes, but we are well on our way to fixing it. Already things are getting better, can’t you tell! We’re learning so much, meditating, studying, reading, and getting into some pretty cool meditative states. We are well on our way to liberation. Or are we?
The problem with seeking is that it is a cyclical process. The seeker never really gets anywhere, because its job (our job if we are identified as the seeker) is to try and get somewhere. Not to actually arrive, or to stop, or whatever. Because if we stopped then what would happen?
Quite simply, we’d have to accept that this is it.
But for many the birth of the seeker who is looking for the end of seeking is probably a good and necessary step. How else can we realize that we are what we’re seeking? That we’re chasing our very own tail.
I often wonder if I was a seeker, or was side-tracked by something sounding too good to be true.
Sometimes I wonder now if I am seeking or treading water.
(Since I cannot get the URL to function, I am going to reproduce the comment from Buddhist Geeks. I hope that that's ok.)
The First Step: Birth of the Seeker
10May07
Someone asked me recently what I thought the first major step was toward awakening. Was it the movement of “turning inward” instead of looking for fulfillment outside? Or is it perhaps when someone begins to do some sort contemplative practice? Obviously, the question is broad enough that there can be quite a number of true answers, but I wanted to share what came to mind for me. My response was that awakening begins when we begin to become disillusioned with what we think will make us happy.
When one finds their way to the path, it is always a result of a deep longing. There’s something in us that wants to be free and whole. We want that because it is our birth right. It is, quite literally, who we are. But that is getting a bit ahead of the story, because in the beginning, and perhaps for quite some time, this longing is simply felt as an insatiable desire to arrive. To arrive somewhere, to have something, to become someone. The longing takes on many forms.
While in high school I had a deep desire to be the best at something. The absolute best. When I realized I had a knack for long-distance running, I devoted years to becoming the best. In the process I did very well, setting school records, winning large meets, and eventually being recruited by a local college. I didn’t end up running for them however, and indeed didn’t continue running at all. I was plagued by serious injuries, and eventually had to drop the sport. And with it I had to drop the attachment to becoming the absolute best. No matter how hard I trained, how much I knew, or how talented I was, it was impossible to ever arrive. Looking back now, I realize that was the case because the longing that had me wasn’t something that could be satiated. It was so deep, and so sorrowful that there was nothing that could fill it.
What I learned from this process, a hard lesson for sure, is that anything that I strive for, if bound up in uncontrollable conditions is ultimately ungraspable. It was my first taste of major disillusionment with seeking. Not the end of the seeker by any means, but definitely a significant blow to my whole approach. If I couldn’t become whole through doing something significant and becoming someone admirable (like a world-class runner), then how could I possibly do it?
And that’s where the question becomes the fuel. The longing begins to take on center stage, and it must find something that is even more unattainable, final, and true. The end of longing itself. Enlightenment. Freedom. Truth-realization. By becoming disillusioned with seeking for freedom outside, we turn the seeker inwards.
At this point we begin to identify as the spiritual seeker. There’s something wrong, yes, but we are well on our way to fixing it. Already things are getting better, can’t you tell! We’re learning so much, meditating, studying, reading, and getting into some pretty cool meditative states. We are well on our way to liberation. Or are we?
The problem with seeking is that it is a cyclical process. The seeker never really gets anywhere, because its job (our job if we are identified as the seeker) is to try and get somewhere. Not to actually arrive, or to stop, or whatever. Because if we stopped then what would happen?
Quite simply, we’d have to accept that this is it.
But for many the birth of the seeker who is looking for the end of seeking is probably a good and necessary step. How else can we realize that we are what we’re seeking? That we’re chasing our very own tail.
THINK FREE: 05/10/07
THINK FREE is an irregular feature of TM-Free Blog. It features a summary of news about TM and other orgs labeled "cults" by critics.
Have a hot tip? See something we missed? Email jmknapp53@gmail.com.
- Blogger Visits the Maharishi's (Abandoned) Rishikesh Ashram point3design.blogspot.com
- Blogger Offers Reaction to David Lynch's Catching the Big Fish rogerbourland.com
- Blogger Explains SCI and TM manoz.blogsome.com
- Blogger Discusses Ravi Shankar's Latest Peace Mission guruphiliac.blogspot.com
- Offices of Aum Shin Rikyo Splinter Group Raided Houston Chronicle
- Yahweh Ben Yahweh, Former Cult Leader, Dead Charlotte Observer
- PNG Police Battle Human Sacrifice Cult Reuters
- Australian Cult Leader Moves to US Courier Mail
- ISKCON Detainees Appear in Court Telegraph India
- Scientology Protester Back in Jail 10zenmonkeys.com
- Blogger Discusses Experiences with ISKCON www.nouse.co.uk
- Some African Spiritual, Cult Leaders Hindering Efforts To Curb HIV/AIDS, Conference Attendees Say
- Rick Ross Discusses Definition of a Cult Waco Tribune
- Bio Piece on Rick Ross Hudson Reporter
Have a hot tip? See something we missed? Email jmknapp53@gmail.com.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
THINK FREE: 05/09/07
THINK FREE is a (ir)regular feature of TM-Free Blog. It features a summary of news about TM and other orgs labeled "cults" by critics.
Have a hot tip? See something we missed? Email jmknapp53@gmail.com.
- Christian Blogger Takes on TM LedByTheTruth.com
- Blogger Discusses Transcendental Meditation and Reducing Anxiety dflated.com
- Commenter Republishes TM Org's Claim that Bees Not Disappearing in Fairfield OpposingDigits.com
- Blog Discusses Maharishi Ayur Veda and Beauty ItsYourMoneyAndYourLife.com
- All About the Relaxation Response AltMedicine.about.com
- David Lynch Interview from Last Week Washington Post Online
- Human Sacrifice Cult Battles Police Daily Telegraph
- Self-Proclaimed "Black Messiah" Dies at 71 Gainesville Sun
- Leader of Splinter Group Vows Break with Aum Shin Ryko Mainichi Daily News
- ISKCON Devotees Scuffle with Police Telegraph India
Have a hot tip? See something we missed? Email jmknapp53@gmail.com.
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