Saturday, February 17, 2007

REMAINS OF IGNORANCE: Conflict

REMAINS OF IGNORANCE is a new, infrequent feature of quick hits on life after Transcendental Meditation.

My topic today is "conflict." I find in myself, and have heard other long-term Transcendental Meditators/sidhas comment, that confrontation is difficult. In any form.

Now, as a therapist, I know that conflict can be a healthy thing. It can be the source for the beginnings of necessary change.

But my experience as a TMer was that the more years that I meditated, the less conflict I could handle. Eventually, just a few cross words could send me into a stress reaction.

I found that when faced with confrontation – and by this I mean something as simple as someone disagreeing with my opinion – I would experience the need to meditate, sleep, or at the least leave the situation and spend time alone.

At its worst point, I would take a hotel room when visiting my family rather than stay in my mother's home. I was so fragile that I could only spend a few hours at a time with my family.

I remember when I first reflected on this. I had a friend who was a TM Governor. His wife, not a meditator, complained that whenever she wanted to discuss something with him, he would head to the bedroom and have to take a nap.

I'm wondering if other readers had similar experiences.

While the Maharishi told us our nervous system was getting stronger due to TM, were we actually becoming weaker and weaker? Less able to handle emotional – or even environmental – stress?

After years of work, I feel I've regained my natural ability to handle a reasonable amount of stress in my life without the need to resort to the mantra to shut down.

Does any of this resonate for you? Do you have this or similar "Remains of Ignorance"?

Please consider posting your thoughts in the comments below. Just click on "Comments" and type away. Please feel free to remain anonymous. You may help another former TMer with your insights!

J.