Guest guest Posted May 4, 2000 Report Share Posted May 4, 2000 Jill Eggers [eggers] Hi Harsha, Roger, and everyone. I practiced TM for 23 years regularly (and for the last 3 years intermittently, as highly active kundalini has made regular practice of most spiritual techniques dangerous for me). I share some of Roger's conflict about the relations between spirituality and commerce in the TM movement. It is an issue I have struggled to understand since I began my TM practice when I was 14. I suppose any spiritual institution is but an imperfect vehicle for its goals. Roger makes a very good point in quoting Maharishi: "the real guru is the innocent, guiding self within"--I believe Maharishi would agree with Ramakrishna that it is healthy and good to be exacting and rigorous in one's examination of one's guru, and of the circumstances surrounding the teaching. I make a distiction between this and guru-bashing, or disrespect for the guru. But it seems from my experience that many teachers of TM feel that any questioning of the practices of the movement or of the "party line" constitutes dangerous disrespect. In my experience, tm teachers are often unwilling to engage in any discussion that involves questioning or challenging decisions and ideas within the movement. I am uncomfortable with this, as I think most people raised in a democracy are. It seems both politically and spiritually dangerous. Since kundalini activity began for me it has been abundantly clear, as Maharishi says, that the real guru is within. The kundalini process becomes the guiding (or commanding!) force making the relativity of all structures for spiritual learning, or growth, apparent. As a result I can enjoy a pick-and-choose relationship to the teachings and techniques offered by the movement. Many of them have been wonderful, although I also access many techniques of other spiritual teachings as well. Ultimately this more catholic approach makes the best sense to me. Well, Harsha, are you sorry you asked? Love, Jill Thanks Jill. I am actually glad I asked and I appreciate your not taking it as an imposition. Jill, your common sense, independence, eloquence, and logical reasoning is always spell binding. There is something truly very comforting about it. Thanks for sharing you experience in the warmth of satsanga. Love Harsha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 4, 2000 Report Share Posted May 4, 2000 At 01:26 PM 5/3/00 -0400, you wrote: > >Roger Isaacs [RIsaacs] > >I practiced TM for many years. And I believe it can be useful for some >people at a particular stage of the quest. > >Despite the TM movement's ever expanding array of revenue generating >techniques, a different story can be heard in some of Maharishi's comments: >'the real guru is the innocent guiding Self within'. > >I can't help wondering if those people who constantly shell out more & more >money for the latest TM techniques have not yet found the 'innocent guiding >Self within'. The 'master key' is within, not in any expensive idol. > >Roger > > >Thank you Roger for stating it plainly. I have many friends in TM that I >love dearly including Jill Eggers and Dirk. Would I be imposing on you Jill >and Dirk to make a comment on this. Of course I would be! But what are >friends for :--) > >Harsha Hi Harsha, Roger, and everyone. I practiced TM for 23 years regularly (and for the last 3 years intermittently, as highly active kundalini has made regular practice of most spiritual techniques dangerous for me). I share some of Roger's conflict about the relations between spirituality and commerce in the TM movement. It is an issue I have struggled to understand since I began my TM practice when I was 14. I suppose any spiritual institution is but an imperfect vehicle for its goals. Roger makes a very good point in quoting Maharishi: "the real guru is the innocent, guiding self within"--I believe Maharishi would agree with Ramakrishna that it is healthy and good to be exacting and rigorous in one's examination of one's guru, and of the circumstances surrounding the teaching. I make a distiction between this and guru-bashing, or disrespect for the guru. But it seems from my experience that many teachers of TM feel that any questioning of the practices of the movement or of the "party line" constitutes dangerous disrespect. In my experience, tm teachers are often unwilling to engage in any discussion that involves questioning or challenging decisions and ideas within the movement. I am uncomfortable with this, as I think most people raised in a democracy are. It seems both politically and spiritually dangerous. Since kundalini activity began for me it has been abundantly clear, as Maharishi says, that the real guru is within. The kundalini process becomes the guiding (or commanding!) force making the relativity of all structures for spiritual learning, or growth, apparent. As a result I can enjoy a pick-and-choose relationship to the teachings and techniques offered by the movement. Many of them have been wonderful, although I also access many techniques of other spiritual teachings as well. Ultimately this more catholic approach makes the best sense to me. Well, Harsha, are you sorry you asked? Love, Jill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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