Michael Laughrin's North American Jyotish Newsletter February / March 2008

[Guest guest]

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Michael Laughrin's North American Jyotish Newsletter

February / March 2008

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in this issue

 

Call for True Life Stories about Maharishi and TM

Grateful to Maharishi for New Paradigm

The Power of Influence

Divine Music Master

Recent Personal Experiences with Maharishi

A Tribute to His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Book Review: " Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad-Gita "

Book Review: " Happy for No Reason " by Marci Schimoff

 

 

I offer you this newsletter to enhance and deepen your experience of

Vedic Astrology. In these newsletters, expect to find a combination

of helpful articles, book reviews, Jyotish links and more. The

purpose of this newsletter is to educate and titillate the Jyotish-

loving public. The opinions given within are solely those of the

author.

 

This issue is a tribute to the late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Linda

Sephariel (a pen name) explains how Maharishi's techniques helped her

straighten out her life and have experiences of higher states of

consciousness. Alison Nielson describes how Maharishi influenced her

life in a most beautiful way. As if a heavenly being was guiding my

fingers on the computer, I wrote a poem/song, Divine Music Master. TM

teacher Jeff Litwin authored Recent Personal Experiences with

Maharishi. Debora Allison (a pen name) offers a most wonderful,

powerful, heart-felt tribute to His Holiness Maharishi. I review the

book Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad-Gita.

 

Plus, enjoy a review of Marci Schimoff's new breakthrough book, Happy

for No Reason.

 

Please visit my website, Jyotish.ws, at your convenience. The best

articles I have written in these newsletters are archived on this

site. I offer access to an excellent yagya program.

 

 

- Michael Laughrin (michael)

 

 

Call for True Life Stories about Maharishi and TM

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On this occasion of the MahaSamadhi of Maharishi, I thought it would

be appropriate to collect some true life stories of people's

experiences with Maharishi, the TM movement, or the effect TM has had

on their lives.

 

There are several parameters I am looking for:

 

1. It must be your own experience--no hearsay. However, if you were

there when something happened to another person, that is OK

2. The stories should be positive and uplifting--either humorous, or

heart warming, or profound.

3. Nothing negative or cynical or sarcastic.

4. No TM movement propaganda.

5. No scientific research.

 

My goal in this project is to give present and future generations a

real life interaction with Maharishi, such that they feel they know

him at least a little bit.

 

These stories may be published. Four such articles are in this issue

of Michael Laughrin's North American Jyotish Newsletter; other

articles may run in future issues of this newsletter or may be

compiled into a book, or be published on my website, www.jyotish.ws.

 

Please email your stories to me at laughgrin. Include your

real name, full mailing address and phone number. You may use a pen

name if desired, but I need your real name too.

Thank you.

 

Michael Laughrin

 

 

 

Grateful to Maharishi for New Paradigm

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By Linda Sephariel

 

Young children tend to think that everyone else experiences the world

the same way they do. This is why I thought everyone else experienced

oneness with the universe most of the time. By grade school, this

experience faded; as a new college graduate in the 1990's, I was

depressed and anorexic and underemployed, trying to make the world

perfect.

 

So I took a short course on " Meditations from Around the World " and

concentrated hard on various mantras, resulting in some fantastic

headaches. Two young men gave an introductory lecture to our class on

the Transcendental Meditation technique and I learned right away, not

giving much thought to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. I had seen Maharishi on

the Beatles' Sergeant Pepper album before I had forgotten about the

universe. Quickly, the universe and I became re-acquainted.

 

Within months, I moved back home, got up to a healthy weight, got a

real job, and kept meditating. On Residence Courses, I watched

Maharishi videos and read some of his books. After a while, I found a

job in Fairfield, Iowa. Married my soul mate. Maharishi was all

around, and I was glad he had brought out TM, but I never considered

him a personal guru. I enrolled part-time at Maharishi University of

Management and took the TM-Sidhi course.

 

It was during the TM Sidhi course that my scientific, atheistic

paradigm was jolted, and I was forced to take a new outlook. On the

day we learned the flying technique, we eighteen ladies sat in the

foam-floored room, practicing for the second time. Suddenly, the room

was filled with dozens more people, standing and walking and looking

at the ladies. These new people just popped in there, as if they had

been there the whole time. They were all semi-transparent, but they

were there. Some had energy fields behind them, like wings.

 

After a few minutes, the TM Sidhi administrator asked us to talk

about our experiences. So I was totally honest and said " I see

angels, and they aren't even in my paradigm. " One of the ladies

said " Maybe your paradigm is changing. " She was right. I had to

reconcile my experience with my beliefs about the world. The world

was much bigger than I thought.

 

Soon I noticed balls of energy inside people-- " chakras " --and colors

around all living things-- " auras. " I saw many thousands of beings. I

could hear them speaking; I could speak to them. I befriended a

(human) lady who guided me through three months of sensory overload.

I learned to filter out some of the input and " tune in " at will.

 

That was 12 years ago, and this experience continues. I have tried to

stay innocent and resisted studying " the supernatural " and putting

these experiences into boxes. Those little beings in the woods? If I

were Irish, I'd call them Leprechauns. If I were English, I'd call

them pixies. Best to leave off the names and the cultural paradigms,

and just experience them innocently like a young child.

 

Here is my best explanation of what happened. I had significant brain

coherence as a young child that was disrupted by the stress of

starting school. TM helped me re-gain this coherence. Maximum

brainwave coherence happens during the flying technique " liftoff. "

Therefore, achieving that coherence through the flying technique

triggered a permanent change in which I consistently perceive subtle

energy (electromagnetic fields) and other dimensions. Some of these

beings live in other dimensions; some can see us, and some do not

seem to see us. It is a big universe that I do not yet understand.

 

I am told that on a course, someone asked, " Maharishi, who are all

those other people on the stage with you? " Maharishi was alone on the

stage. Maharishi said, " Who else can see these other people? " A few

hands went up. " When you can all see them, I will answer the

question, " said Maharishi.

 

Maharishi's body is gone now and I shed tears at first. I am

infinitely grateful for the simplicity of Maharishi's TM technique,

which gradually re-shaped my life and introduced me to new worlds. I

can sit in my living room and reach out to the whole universe, and it

responds back to me. There is no need for extensive travel (but I do

it when it feels right) and no need for suffering. I pack a small

knapsack and set off on my journey, and even if my bag is swept away

by a river, I have everything I need inside of me. I have TM and some

advanced techniques, and the TM-Sidhi program, and for this I thank

Maharishi infinitely.

 

 

The Power of Influence

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By Alison Nielsen (premavratini)

 

I never met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. I didn't have to, to be touched by

his power. By the time I came of age, his influence in the West was

so expansive that his organization had grown far, far beyond the

capacity of his physical body (though not beyond the vast capacity of

his spiritual wings).

 

When I saw the news of his Mahasamadhi, I was struck to the quick, an

unexpected reaction. At that moment, I felt the tremendous loss of

his being and remembered how much I had to thank him for. He

profoundly influenced the course of my life, this saint I had never

met, by bringing Vedic knowledge to the West and causing it to

flourish there. His giant organization made it feasible for others to

study and practice these sacred forms of knowledge.

 

I didn't know that the day I rolled into Fairfield, Iowa, TM

headquarters, for my first Jyotish lessons. What I did realize that

day and during the week that followed was the TMers were the

loveliest group of people that I had ever met. Fairfield, Iowa was

pervaded with a level of peace and harmony I hadn't known elsewhere

in America. It was because of Maharishi that I was first able to

study Jyotish, that I first learned to meditate, and perhaps most

importantly, first experienced the milk of true human kindness.

 

Wherever he put his hand, he elevated the spirit of man and those, in

turn, elevated others. I bow down to this Great Seer and to his many

followers whose roles in my life have sweetened and purified it

immeasurably.

 

 

Divine Music Master

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By Michael Laughrin (michael)

 

My soul did attend a special teaching.

The Music Master sang a wondrous song.

He bade me listen,

Then sing along.

As we sang the colors

Became filled with Light

The melody of Gold

Did banish Night.

 

Winter became Eternal Spring

He painted, with glorious Hue,

The world, with Me and You.

 

I could not draw.

Just try, said he,

The scene I drew

Was of the Eternal Sea

With angels a dancing

On waves of Light.

 

Then he had me write.

I could not say, " No "

My words did show

A future so grand

I could not believe

It came from my hand.

 

He started to dance

I moved also

Celestial beings

Began to show.

 

He danced the Joy

Of everlasting Light.

He danced the rhythm of Eternal Soul

He sang the song of Eternity

So we could listen

And begin to See.

 

Now, no talent I and yet

If I sing his songs.

People let

Me sing and sing

Of everlasting Truth

And peace and Love.

 

I remember His lessons

I do as he bid

 

Now joy is Mine

I paint the Tomorrow

 

I make the sign

Of Heavenly things

 

We write the World

Aright.

 

We dance the Festive Now.

 

We paint the birth

Of the Triumphant Sea

That forever speaks

Of Eternity.

 

O Master,

You took the unfinished clay

And gave it Life.

 

You showed the way.

Now I sing and dance and paint and write

His songs of Celestial Light.

 

The melodies to shine

In every heart--

 

Yours and mine.

The music goes on.

 

Never before heard I music like this.

It taught me to Hear.

It taught me Bliss.

 

It banishes Fear.

O little ones.

 

Now He is gone,

But his song lives on.

Just hum it, you see,

 

 

And Nature will thrive

The divine poesy

Awakens our eyes.

 

Jai Guru Dev.

 

 

Recent Personal Experiences with Maharishi

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By Jeff Litwin (jefflitwin)

 

Over the last six, years Maharishi made himself more available than

he had been for many years, first to a few privileged people and then

to those who would take up the teaching of TM again as a full-time

profession. I was blessed to be in this latter group. For the last

three years, I attended conferences where Maharishi personally

presided. He gave us the opportunity to think and work with him on

the design and execution of programs he wanted developed.

 

This past December and January, I was blessed to spend a month in

Vlodrop, Holland. Maharishi had convened a congress of about 150

participants--international administrative directors, his Rajas of

the Global Country of World Peace, national leaders and local

directors working in the field. We listened to reports of activities

from around the world, met in groups to map out future strategies,

and had an opportunity to hear each others' stories of Maharishi.

These stories included how he created educational and leadership

development opportunities for individuals, shattering the boundaries

that they imagined limited their success. Maharishi also allowed us

all to witness his interactions with his Rajas and Prime Minister,

offering occasions to inaugurate some significant organizational

change, to have them reflect and comment on something Maharishi said

or did, all in that very moment. He was showing us that we could have

confidence in the structure and personnel he installed to carry on

the leadership of his Movement, giving us all the opportunity to

experience the Movement from a global perspective. He was the

Upanishadic Master to the end.

 

As a teacher of Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation technique, I

see directly what an amazing difference this makes in people's lives.

I am incredibly lucky to share with others what Maharishi shared with

me. I am happy and grateful to have lived while he walked the planet.

Whatever sadness there is for Maharishi's passing, greater is the joy

and gratitude I feel to have lived in his lifetime and to have him in

my life. We now continue to share his blessings with the world as he

did for his Master.

 

Jai Guru Dev

 

 

A Tribute to His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

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By Deborah Allison (upgpf)

 

As I write this article, I am watching and listening to the

ceremonial rites and tributes to one of the greatest gurus of our

time--Maharishi Mahesh Yogi--following his passing on February 5,

2008.

 

The very act of my contributing an article to a newsletter whose

topics include Jyotisha and Vedic Philosophy is proof of the impact

of this visionary sage on the life of an ordinary Western woman with

no previously known predilection for spiritual or philosophical

pursuits.

 

With all credit to the great Indian gurus who came to the West before

him, the huge canvas of Maharishi's brush strokes resulted in

introducing people from every walk of life all over the world to the

glories of sanatana dharma--a vision that the core of the eternal

precious wisdom is relevant to anyone regardless of the time, place

or culture in which they live.

 

So many of the concepts we take for granted these days and indeed

the " spiritual buzz " words that are part of our vocabulary and

expressions are traceable to his ability to popularize ancient wisdom

in the language of the times. We hear phrases bandied around in the

media all the time like " the political pundits say. . " Or " the head

coach's mantra is. . "

 

Among his seemingly endless contributions we can put close to the top

the huge impact on health and well being - both for individuals in

charge of their own lives and even the health system of our country

and the world. Pioneering scientific research on Transcendental

Meditation revealed the validity of the ancient modalities as a way

of reducing stress and improving health and almost all positive human

growth and behavior factors. These studies were to be the foundation

for the tidal wave of publications that would follow. Many of these

studies would be specifically researching those practicing the TM

technique but others widened out to examine the full range of

spiritual and secular practices that aim towards balance through

centering on a core level of life whose qualities of bliss,

creativity and wisdom were infinitely healing.

 

Several years later Maharishi turned his attention to Ayur Veda--the

ancient Indian system for keeping life in balance. With gifted

communicators like Deepak Chopra, Ayur Veda, together with many other

centers of light like Homeopathy and the Chinese Medical arts

revolutionized the medical world and public opinion which resulted in

the demand that allopathic medicine also think in terms of a more

holistic model rather than just reductionism.

 

The same kind of revolutionary thinking permeated the concepts of

environment and the need to live a more balanced life by being in

harmony with universal principles of nature. Thus, the precepts of

the great tradition of Vastu and Sthapatyaveda were introduced and

made relevant for Westerners by Maharishi. At the time there was

much more awareness of the popular Chinese system of Feng Shui but

not the knowledge that it in fact originated from the more ancient

system of Sthapatyaveda.

 

Maharishi was always dedicated to the improvement of life and the

principle of " averting the danger that had not yet come " and

therefore he was instrumental in bringing forward the magnificent

vidya of Jyotisha as a tool for self-understanding and a guide for

aligning to the cosmos in a way that promotes a smoother flow and

path in life as well as the ability to be at peace with what is.

 

One of his primary goals was world peace and he enlisted the support

of many world leaders for programs that would pave the way for the

enlightenment of mankind. To that end, efforts were made and

continue to this day to enable groups around the globe to practice

their Vedic technologies together in order to create a

supportive " radiance " that will curb negativity. Many of the ideas

for these technologies came from a fertile union between cutting edge

Western scientific thinking and the ancient scriptural wisdom

cognized by the rishis in the form of Veda. He always surrounded

himself with brilliant scientists who could help in the integration

of the two great traditions and he would then come up with programs

and teachings that would benefit all mankind. Some of the crowning

achievements from this integration of knowledge was the founding of

many educational institutions like Maharishi University of Management

in Fairfield, Iowa in which traditional curriculum is deeply embedded

in the Science of Creative Intelligence as expounded by Maharishi -

the profound fundamental workings of the laws of nature that are

eternally true.

 

In recent years, one of his most precious visions for reducing stress

and negativity came to fruition in the form of bringing a large

number of experts in the Vedic tradition to the US to perform

timeless rituals in the divine language of Sanskrit. Already

programs for teaching the Sanskrit script and pronunciation had been

available to a cross section of people from school children to

retired adults who took advantage of the opportunity to learn. These

individuals were greatly benefited by the bliss from the

reverberation of their own recitations as well as listening to the

chants of others. However, the recent group ritual practice by the

Vedic pundits creates a more fundamental and powerful effect that is

more pervasive and profound.

 

Aside from supporting the group brought to the US, traditional

training of priests in India was a huge focus of Maharishi's

movement. This would ensure that future generations would have the

continuity of this timeless wisdom and the world at large would be

benefited by the ongoing chanting and ritual from the motherland of

Vedic wisdom.

 

I realize in writing this piece that I could fill a library with the

staggering achievements and vision of this incredible soul--a man so

diminutive in stature as measured by " human standards " and yet

immeasurable--yes, infinite--when looked at by those whose lives were

touched and blessed in every possible way by his wisdom and light.

 

Jai Guru Dev

 

Book Review: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad-Gita--A New

Translation and Summary, Chapters 1-6

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Review by Michael Laughrin (michael)

 

In my opinion, if you want to capture the essence of Maharishi's

teachings, read this book 10 times. We know that the Bhagavad-Gita

has had more different translations into English than any other book,

even the Bible. However, to me, this is different. Maharishi gives

the whole meaning of the Vedic teaching in this volume. To me, the

two most important sentences of the Gita are:

 

Yoga stah, kuru karmani. Established in Being, perform action.

(Chapter 2, verse 48)

 

Nistraigunyo, bhava, Arjun. Be without the three gunas, Arjuna.

(Chapter 2, verse 45)

 

How can one be established in Being? Through Transcendental

Meditation, Maharishi says. The three gunas--sattwa, rajas, and

tamas--represent the whole field of relative, changing life. Sattwa

is purity, rajas is action, and tamas is dullness. The exact

translation from the Sanskrit is somewhat difficult, but that is more

or less correct. To be without the three gunas, one must transcend

this life of Change and be established in the Eternal life of

Brahman. How does one accomplish this? After many, many, many

meditations, the mind, having dipped into the transcendental level of

existence so often that it has become filled, so to speak, with that

transcendence. Then the Absolute, non-changing level of life " sticks "

to the mind such that it then never goes away. This we call moksha,

or " Enlightenment. "

 

Then, the real life of a human being can begin. Then, one is living

one's full potential.

 

Chapter 3, verse 35 - " Because one can perform it, one's own dharma,

(though) lesser in merit, is better than the dharma of another. " In

essence, this says, " Do your own thing; be yourself. " Except, in

this case, the highest dharma for all of us is the Universal Dharma

of Enlightenment.

 

Chapter 3, verse 8 - " Do your allotted duty. Action is indeed

superior to inaction. " One must act, trying to escape the world is

impossible, except through oneness with the Absolute.

 

The Bhagavad-Gita (it means the " Song of the Lord " ), to me, answers

all the big questions in life:

Why are we here? To expand the field of happiness, to gain

Enlightenment.

How should I act? Do your duty.

How should I think? In an enlightened mind, one neither unduly likes

or dislikes anything.

How can I attain ultimate and permanent happiness? Through yagya.

The highest yagya is meditation.

What happens to the soul after death? For an ordinary person, the

soul takes a new body in the same way that a man puts on a new suit.

For the Enlightened, he/she has already merged with the Absolute

before death and, therefore, he neither goes anywhere (he has

realized his Oneness with the Universal Mind), nor need he take on a

new body.

What is the enemy? Anger.

Chapter 2, verse 40 - " In this (Yoga) no effort is lost and no

obstacle exists. Even a little of this dharma delivers from great

fear. "

 

Chapter 6, verse 32 - " He who sees everything with an even vision by

comparison with the Self, be it pleasure or pain, he is deemed the

highest yogi, O Arjuna. "

 

Chapter 6, verse 30 - " He who sees Me everywhere, and sees everything

in Me, I am not lost to him nor is he lost to Me. "

 

Chapter 6, verse 17 - " For him who is moderate in food and

recreation, moderate in effort in actions, moderate in sleep and

waking, for him is the Yoga which destroys sorrow. "

 

Chapter 5, verse 18 - " In a Brahmin endowed with learning and

humility, in a cow, in an elephant, in a dog and even in one who has

lost his caste, the enlightened perceive the same. "

 

Indian philosophy says that desire is bad and that one should try to

be without desires. Maharishi says that desires are good, they must

be fulfilled, because, ultimately one will have the desire to attain

eternal happiness--enlightenment. Then, and only then, will one

effortlessly live in a desireless state. Trying to fake it before

perfect Union with the Absolute will only cause strain and

unhappiness.

 

Chapter 4, verses 37 and 38 - " As a blazing fire turns fuel to ashes,

so does the fire of knowledge turn all actions into ashes.

 

Truly there is in this world nothing so purifying as knowledge; he

who is perfected in Yoga, of himself in time finds this within

himself. "

 

Chapter 4, verse 20 - " Having cast off attachment to the fruit of

action, ever contented, depending on nothing, even though fully

engaged in action he does not act at all. "

 

Chapter 3, verses 29 through 31 - " Let not him who knows the whole

disturb the ignorant who know only the part.

Surrendering all actions to Me by maintaining your consciousness in

the Self, freed from longing and the sense of 'mine,' fight,

delivered from the fever of delusion.

Those men who are possessed of faith, who do not find fault and

always follow this teaching of Mine, they too are liberated from

action. "

 

The words of Lord Krishna are so delightful and so self-explanatory

that I have used many quotes directly from the Gita.

 

Read the book. I consider it the best book ever printed (along with

the Bible).

 

 

Book Review: " Happy for No Reason " by Marci Schimoff

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Review by Michael Laughrin (michael)

 

This new book, Happy for No Reason, is the most inspiring book I have

read in many years. Only great spiritual classics like the Bible and

the Bhagavad-Gita have inspired me more. It is a brilliant

compilation of techniques and true life stories of people who have

lifted themselves up by the bootstraps. It is the brightest star in

the firmament of modern self-help books.

 

Most of us, if we are happy at all, are happy conditionally. We

become happy if we get the new Mercedes, if we get the date with the

attractive hottie, if we get the high-paying job or contract. This

type of happiness is alright, but it is earthbound and rather

unevolved.

 

What is better is happiness for no particular reason at all--merely

for being alive at this time. Of course, to a person with exalted

spiritual consciousness, that is reason enough.

 

Life is a very great, endless miracle.

 

" May you walk in Beauty " is a Native American saying. And, indeed,

when the enlightened consciousness dominates our awareness, even

briefly, we see as artists, we hear as musicians, we taste food like

the best gourmet chefs, we smell things like creators of the finest

perfumes, and we enjoy movement like dancers or athletes.

 

This book takes age-old truths and arranges them in a 21st century

context that makes these verities readily available to Everyman and

Everywoman. Ms. Shimoff talks of " building your own house of

Happiness. "

 

The steps of this happiness construction are:

 

The Foundation - Take ownership of your happiness.

Pillar of the Mind - Do not believe everything that you think.

Pillar of the Heart - Let love show you the way.

Pillar of the Body - Make your cells happy.

Pillar of the Soul - Tune in and connect with Spirit.

The Roof - Live a purpose-filled life.

The Garden - Have nourishing relationships.

 

I love this book so much that I bought 11 copies and have been giving

them out left and right. It is like taking a week-long, $3,000

seminar in happiness. After reading, you will have so many happiness

techniques and such deep understanding of real happiness that these

will serve you for the rest of your Happy life.

 

 

You can find links for ordering at the Happy For No Reason website

www.happyfornoreason.com

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Contact Information

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Michael Laughrin's North American Jyotish Newsletter

 

Website: Jyotish.ws

 

Michael Laughrin, Michael, business phone: (440) 582-9848;

cell phone: (440) 263-2159

 

To , send an email to: jyotish_ws-

 

Articles from past issues of this newsletter are archived at the

jyotish.ws website on the Wisdom page.

 

 

Please feel free to share the newsletter with anyone for whom you

think it may be appropriate. You can also post it to appropriate

email lists or listservs. If your friends wish to receive the

newsletter directly, tell them to send an email message to jyotish_ws-

 

 

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