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Transcendental Meditation from one insider's point of view | |
| ehecatl Offer Upgrade  User ID: 34534195  Mexico02/19/2013 10:56 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 11:20 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Preface to GLP, part 2, from ehecatl- The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi learned his practice from a rather occult tradition of yogis in northern India, and may have modified the traditional knowledge somewhat, to better suit a broad-based mass audience, rather than for an individual one-on-one guru-disciple relation. The core of the Maharishi’s teaching of the basic meditation technique however remains the same, which is a path towards ultimate effortlessness and innocence, something which is in fact out of reach to normal modern humans, at least though shear effort or will, and might best be attained by a series of “rules”, which bear a remarkable semblance to core Buddhist teachings or philosophy, as seen in such works as The Tibetan Book of the Dead. The core of the teaching is really about a path to true effortlessness, which may lead to a sensation of, "Spontaneous Right Action". There are some who say that the TM technique is the mere repetition of a mantra. Nothing could be further from the truth, because the mantra is revealed to be an abstract, possibly ever morphing or disappearing element, which only serves as a temporary purpose, only to be completely discarded as one spontaneously approaches the real goal, which is very elusive by many means. Of course there are a good number of disgruntled practitioners who do not value the teachings for various stated reasons, but I suspect that these people often never really grasped the uncommon profound effortlessness, spontaneous, and innocent nature of the core teachings, which is the heart of the practice. As well the Maharishi taught “advanced techniques” and the yoga sutras of Patanjali to advanced meditators, and a host of other things, normally associated with payments of large amounts of money, and those things from my point of view are peripheral, not of the core essence, and sometimes are dubious. I suspect that through knowledge, intuition, or luck, the Maharishi came upon a formula of teaching meditation to the western mind that was extremely effective, for most (not all) people, but that the technique itself is so simple and transparent that it is easily disregarded, and furthermore did not on itself serve as a force to build the organization around, and so there were many other things developed along the way afterwards and offered. I also suspect that the success of the technique “went to the Maharishi’s head” to some extent to where his ideas became just a little too over-encompassing to adequately reflect reality in terms of the effect of meditation on society. For example, the Maharishi was fond of the idea that if one percent or one percent of one percent of the population were to Meditate, there would be “World Peace”. I do know for a FACT that meditators who are transcending affect the consciousness of others in geographic proximity, but feel that there are other factors which limit the ability of this “Maharishi Effect” to transpire. Things like the “GLP effect”, whereby the understanding of mere dramatic possibilities, may lead to real outcomes of timelines closer to “normalcy”, be it good or bad. But that remains theoretical on my part. And as far as “levitation”, the personal experience of the technique comes very spontaneous and can be personally very dramatic, but I have meditated with thousands of practitioners, thousands of times, including with the Maharishi himself, and don’t think I have ever really seen physical levitation with my own eyes. However like many things, the path to get there may turn out to be far more interesting and important that the supposed goal that one starts with. But “the sidhis”, is in the final account, just another less important peripheral knowledge, and I will not address that until I first discuss the heart, the most important core knowledge of that organization and the various methods and idea which it taught. Last Edited by ehecatl on 02/19/2013 11:24 AM |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 34754644  Sweden02/19/2013 11:22 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Cuar User ID: 25863183  United States02/19/2013 11:23 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Im a little interested, can you elaborate more on the locations where greater transcendence occurs. This is similar to things Ive heard about the area I live in. It seems some of the realization is similar to certain practices in buddhism. |
| blitz the strom striker User ID: 1606957  Canada02/19/2013 11:25 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | I would be interested of tips about medition itself in general. it seems to have a blocking and my body refuse to go above that part. last meditation i had, i felt pulled up from the solar plexus by a very powerful positive energy. The image i saw was like a galactic sun. (not a solar system sun.) My first projection i had was about hearing people cry getting louder and louder inside a orange/yellow light, then fading away pretty fast. Next i was in space going away from earth being pulled by the Sun. i rammed the sun i stayed inside for 5-6 minutes. A Bright purple beam light passed thru me all that time. while inside the sun the energy was so intense and positive its hard to describe. |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 11:25 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 11:29 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Preface to GLP, part 3, from ehecatl- These notes pertain to a method of abstract meditation, which I will call Effortless Meditation, which has powerful and effective results, and which I have practiced now regularly and daily since 1976, and which is the most important core teaching of the Transcendental Meditation Technique taught by the well known Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. This knowledge was already known by myself and a group of advanced meditators, but it was confirmed and detailed by secret oral and written knowledge only given to special instructors, and gained by my myself and a few other advanced meditators, who were not and are not official instructors, but “by hook or crook”, obtained from about a half a dozen of the official occult initiation instructors. The official instructions also consists of a considerable amount of what would easily be interpreted as religious ceremony, of offerings of things like incense, flowers and fruit, and the giving of thanks to a holy tradition of masters, all sung in Sanskrit. For good or bad I will not bother to present the ceremonial aspect here, because it is really rather beside the point, of the real essential essence of the teachings. It has been stated and I believe it is true, that this meditation works outside of any belief system, so perhaps it might be better to eliminate the ceremonial aspect? What the elaborate ceremony could do for certain people of certain cultures, is to emphasize the importance of the teachings, and better insure that regular practice will follow. For other persons and cultures the ceremonial aspect might be a “turn-off”. Say what you will about the strange public perception of the Maharishi, but his most basic core teaching remains exquisitely effective at “refining” the entire nervous system and healing the psychological condition of any person, apart from any belief system, and apart from any special personal considerations, it is universally effective, but only if practiced daily. This technique will not have very much effect on a person who does not practice it daily. The Maharishi taught to practice it twice a day for twenty minutes. That is fine, but I would also suggest that even 10 or 15 minutes once a day, would be almost as effective as 20 minutes twice a day (especially for the more advanced meditator), but that the most important thing is that it be practiced every day. Perhaps the most optimal time of day to practice meditation is in the early evening, after work and after bathing and before eating much, but for the sake of regular practice, any time of day or night and any location or conditions will serve the purpose. Perhaps one of the most important things that the Maharishi did for the western culture to insure that the technique be practiced daily, was to charge $500 or $1000 or more, and to include many follow up sessions with the instructor, to verify that the technique is being practiced correctly and daily. This is important because the basic technique is so simple, that it would be easily discarded out of hand by the western mind, if a high dollar value were not placed on the instruction. In fact the true “depths of simplicity” of the technique cannot even be grasped by the new meditator as a direct knowledge, but only really dawns on the meditator after months or years of practice. So this is where the understanding of the purpose of a ceremony and the charging of a high monetary price comes in. Basically most often in western society, if people do not pay for it, they do not value it. |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 11:35 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | The Long Term Progression of the Meditation Process. The process of learning Effortless Meditation starts with the simple recognition of the difference between any and all thoughts, and basic silence. There is the question of the selection of an abstract sound which has no meaning, to be used as a mantra. I will address that at the end of this knowledge, so as to not distract from the true core of the teaching, wherein the mantra is rather incidental. It has been suggested by many yogis that “OM” is not a good mantra for abstract silent meditation for the average person, and I suspect this to be true for several reasons, among them that most people already have some sort of intellectual association with that common mantra. The TM mantras are other sounds, sounds which should have no meanings in the languages that the practitioner understands. As one will come to find out, the particular mantra chosen at first might not even be very important, if the meditator is truly practicing the most correct form of effortlessness, first and foremost. The mantra is only a vehicle, to be discarded on arrival, and it does not matter much what model the vehicle is, but it only matters how it is driven and in what direction. According to yogic theory, and also from my direct experience, all so-called “normal” people, and especially those who do not meditate, accumulate throughout their lives psychological stresses or damage which do not normally leave the system but which cause an innumerable array of problems, which prevents the bulk of humanity from even coming close to approaching their full potential of happiness, effectiveness, health, etc. It is common in the early months and years of practice to have meditation sessions filled with all manner of strange and extraneous thoughts. This is sort of like garbage that is “boiling off” because of the effect of the meditation technique. At these early stages, a new meditator who has expectations of some kind of goal of a silent mind, can often become discouraged, because the reality of their meditation sessions might be anything but silent, but may carry any sort of odd emotions, visions, or even odd body sensations or movements, and which might even carry over into daily life. The new meditator is invariably told to not concern themselves with all of these odd thoughts and effects, and to deal with them ultimately as so much “garbage” to be disregarded, and usually, no matter how dramatic, that is exactly what those experiences are, just so much “fluff” or “garbage”, at least until a meditator has reached more advanced levels of effortlessly establishing silence, and then certain experiences might indeed represent certain common cornerstones of experience in the yogic path, but that is a subject beyond the scope of this brief summary about the learning of Effortless Meditation, and it is really not even necessary or prudent to be discussed here. This is because expectations hinder the overall process, rather than help it. True learning can only be earned the hard way, through direct experience, and not by layers of intellectual concepts, and thus the so called “one true knowledge” is found expressed in so many different (but common) ways, in various cultures around the world. The masses only see the differences, but the true masters only see the commonality. Last Edited by ehecatl on 02/19/2013 11:39 AM |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 11:43 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Key Extracts from the Original Written Instructions on the effortless abstract meditation technique as taught by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Effortless (Transcendental) Meditation makes use of a technique whereby the subconscious area of the mind is made conscious. This is accomplished by training the mind to experience a thought at progressively earlier stages of its development in the subconscious. The conscious mind becomes enlarged as it assimilates more of the subconscious. The regular integration of the mind’s daily thought process with its own more refined levels of thought in the subconscious, results in expanded mental clarity, improved efficiency in action, and greater self-actualization. This process employs the use of a meaningless sound called a mantra. The most important aspect of this sound is that it carries no intellectual associations with, or emotional attachments to, the outside world of activity for the mind. This allows the mind to spontaneously settle towards quieter, more refined states of mental activity. Since the mantra functions as a sound only, its instruction must be carried out orally. Although this explanation of the mechanics of the technique sounds complicated, the practice itself is extraordinarily easy and simple. It employs no forcing or straining of any kind. No special power of concentration or any particular mental state is required. Everyone has the capacity for the practice of this beneficial technique. This meditation technique releases tension and fatigue from the nervous system by providing a manner of rest which decreases the metabolic rate more than twice as much as deep sleep does. And this invariably results in a reduction of anxiety and some growth in mental clarity. People regularly practicing effortless meditation experience such physical benefits as reduction in heart rate, slower rate of breathing, improved respiratory efficiency, lower blood pressure and faster reaction time. Nearly every one of these results is directly experienced within the first few days of instruction…. |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 11:47 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | (direct verbal instruction to student in italics) The instructor initially says the mantra to the student and asks the student to repeat it out loud. As the student repeats it the instructor gradually over minutes asks the student to say it more and more softly, until it is a thought, and then to think the thought more softly as well. ... “In this technique, we do not concentrate. We do not try to think the mantra clearly. Mental repetition is not a clear pronunciation – it is just a faint idea. Correct practice does not require us to have the mantra at all times. If we lose it, fine. When we become aware that we are no longer repeating it, we quietly go back to it. We just start very easily, take it as it comes, and do not try to hold onto the mantra if it tends to slip away. “We do not try to make a rhythm of the mantra. We don’t try to control thoughts. There is no need to try to stop thinking, because thoughts are a part of meditation. Even if the mind is filled with other thoughts while the mantra is present, there is no conflict. Our concern is with the mantra, and if our thoughts are there along with it, we do not mind them; we do not attempt to remove them. We innocently favor the mantra. “Noise is no barrier to meditation. Even in noisy surroundings, it is possible to be thinking thoughts. And whenever we can think we can meditate. So we can think the mantra comfortably and yet be aware of outside noises. We just innocently favor the mantra and do not resist noise in any way. “This is how to meditate. Now I’ll be going out and you’ll be meditating for about 20 minutes. Don’t mind the time. I’ll be back and when I ask you to open the eyes, stop thinking the mantra inside, take about 2 minutes, and then open the eyes slowly. “Let’s close the eyes, sit easily for about half a minute, and then start thinking the mantra very innocently. Sit with the student for about half a minute before quietly slipping out. Wait 20 minutes and, upon returning, sit down quietly, close the eyes and wait one minute. “Now, slowly open the eyes.” Wait at least 2 minutes. “Is it easy?” Last Edited by ehecatl on 02/21/2013 10:14 PM |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 11:53 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | 1)The mantra is not effortless. 2)Thoughts are interfering. 3)Noises are interfering. 4)Physical discomfort associated with thinking the mantra. 5)Physical discomfort with no association. 1) In this meditation we do not concentrate. We do not try to think the mantra clearly. Mental repetition is not a clear pronunciation – it is just a faint idea. We do not try to make a rhythm of the mantra. It can get faster or slower, louder or softer, clearer or fainter. The pronunciation may change, lengthen, shorten, or even appear to be distorted. Or it may not appear to change at all. In every case we take it as it comes, neither anticipating nor resisting change – just simple innocence. We do not try to control thoughts. We don’t wish that a thought should not come. If a thought comes the mind is completely absorbed in the thought. When we become aware that we are not thinking the mantra, we quietly come back to it. We think the mantra very easily. If at any moment we feel that we are forgetting it, we should not attempt to persist in repeating it or try to keep on remembering it. We just start very easily, take it as it comes, and do not hold the mantra if it tends to slip away. Shifting the mind from the mantra to the thought has been an effortless process. Shifting the mind from a given thought, to the thought of being “off the mantra” has also been effortless. In this way, shifting the mind back to the mantra can also be naturally effortless. 2) There is no need to try and stop thinking because thoughts are part of meditation. Even if the mind is filled with other thoughts while the mantra is going on, there is no conflict. Our concern is with the mantra, and if our thoughts are there with it, we do not mind them and we do not attempt to remove them. We innocently favor the mantra. 3) Noise is no barrier to meditation. Even in noisy surroundings it is possible to be thinking thoughts. And whenever we can think, we can meditate. So we can think the mantra comfortably and yet be aware of outside noises. We just innocently favor the mantra and do not resist noise in any way. 4) This physical discomfort indicates some forcing which is obstructing the mind’s spontaneous flow. To correct it, stop thinking the mantra the moment the discomfort begins and simply sit until the pain diminishes. Then begin the mantra again. 5) Even with some discomfort we should be able to meditate. For anyone who can think can meditate. We do not lose the natural ability to have thoughts even with bodily discomfort. |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 12:00 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | After reading the appropriate solution, or if there is no difficulty, proceed with the instruction. "It is easy and simple. "It is just the normal, natural process of thinking the mantra and taking it as it comes. Now this is how we will meditate, easily, morning and evening. "It is very important that we do not try to meditate. We do not try to keep the tempo of the mantra nor do we try to change the tempo. We do not concentrate against thoughts that we may have or against noises we may hear. We do not resist thoughts. We do not resist noise. We do not resist the mantra changing or disappearing. We do not resist anything. We take it as it comes. "It is a very simple, natural, innocent process. When we meditate at home, we start with half a minute sitting easily. This means we close the eyes for about half a minute and then start the mantra easily. "When we want to end meditation, we stop thinking the mantra inside and do not open the eyes for at least two minutes. This is very important that we start with half a minute of silence and end with at least two minutes of silence." |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 12:05 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | The Experience of Meditation. "It is a mistake to judge meditation by specific subjective experiences during meditation. Success in the practice is validated if the practice itself goes easily and if some mental or physical rest is felt. However, following are the fundamental experiences of correct meditation. It is unnecessary to have all of these results to confirm the experiences of correct meditation. It is enough to have experienced only one. "Subtle states of the mantra occur spontaneously with no conscious effort to produce them. By subtle, we mean vague, distant, faint or fading away. This seems to indicate that the mind is motivated by its own nature to settle down. Employing any effort or control will only result in causing strain. "Softer breath indicates that the metabolism has slowed significantly. Although this is a mental technique, the metabolic rate of the body is affected quite spontaneously. A sudden deep breath is caused by a vacuum slowly produced within over a period of time by softer breathing. "Any indication of drowsiness (the head falling forward gradually or suddenly) is a sign of some needed deep rest. If there is a regular feeling of drowsiness during meditation, additional rest is recommended. "A feeling of numbness, a loss of physical orientation or a sudden physical sensation is the result of a profound dissipation of fatigue or tension made possible by the deep rest of meditation. "Experiences during meditation may differ depending on bodily condition. The practice is valid even when varying experiences are felt each time because the physical condition of the nervous system is involved in the process. "A good example of this is the difference between the experiences of morning and evening meditations. In the morning, the mind is refreshed from sleep, yet the body is a bit stiff from inactivity. In the evening, the fatigue of the day weighs upon the body, and the body is tired from activity. These two different physiological states are largely responsible for the various experiences in meditation. "In addition, two people will be gaining the maximum benefits of meditation and, due to the various conditions of each nervous system; each person will be having different experiences. "However, experiences in daily life such as more energy, liveliness, calmness and mental clarity are of paramount importance as they are the results of meditation practice." |
| Cuar User ID: 25863183 United States02/19/2013 12:06 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 34757168 United States02/19/2013 12:09 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 25863183 United States02/19/2013 12:15 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Cuar User ID: 25863183 United States02/19/2013 12:16 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 12:16 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Opens up your spirit to the demonic realm. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 34757168 That is how Howard Stern became possessed. umm, possibly yes or no, depending on the person. however if they were really following the non-attachment implied in all the teachings, they would not fall for the traps associated with "inorganics", which do exist. Some people in the life seem not destined for liberty though, and concerns for our own soul and spirit is enough. I don't know about HS, I haven't listened to him for more than a decade. (Last I listened to him was when he was "reporting" the twin towers going down, and how his opinion changed as the disinfo descended upon him, fwiw, but I have no opinion positive or negative about him.) |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 12:20 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Yes, but it will initially stimulate them, as described as "unstressing" or taking out the garbage in this technique. It is in fact one of the most fundamentally important issues, but TM seems to deal with the issue in dry simple terms to avoid obsessions. Last Edited by ehecatl on 02/19/2013 04:52 PM |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 22689243  United Kingdom02/19/2013 12:20 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | resting in the natural state of the mind ^^ Quoting: Cuar 25863183 I see some similarities between what you are doing and generation and completion meditation in vajrayana. Cool informative post, thanking you! It's the most UNNATURAL state of mind. Our thoughts wonder to and fro to prevent us from hypnotising ourselves. These types of meditation techniques are actually SELF HYPNOSIS. All it is doing is firing the bricks to form the last tower like at Babel, producing one language and the language of oneness - man completely absorbed in the concept that he is god. We are at the end of the age, Satan is unbound to deceive the nations yet again, and to this extent, the serpents tactics DON'T CHANGE. The serpent is holding out the fruit and showing you how shiny and good it is for hidden knowledge and discovering your oneness with the divine....and yet... THE SERPENT IS A LIAR AND DECEIVER AND MURDERER. |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 12:21 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | "Meditate for twenty minutes twice a day. In cases of extended activity, a third meditation is advised. Do not meditate for a shorter period of time than instructed. Time may be monitored by easily opening the eyes to check a watch or clock. Do not use disruptive alarms. To accidentally go over the time is acceptable. "Meditate in a quiet area. Take measures to disallow disturbances (unplug phone, note on door, no children or animals, etc.) Always sit comfortably without head support. Lying down may result in sleep. "Meditate before meals. Allow two hours after a full meal. If hungry, take something light. "Do not resist or repress any inclinations to move slightly or scratch during meditation. "Engaging in fatiguing activities or stressful lifestyles, or ingesting and unsuitable substance (food or drug) is apt to render the practice of meditation less effective." |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 12:24 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Directions for Specific Situations "If a sudden interruption requires leaving meditation, take one minute and come out slowly. Meditate for at least five minutes afterwards in order to regain smoothness before returning to activity. "If the eyes open suddenly, allow them to easily close again, then resume meditation. "In the event of illness, meditate as long and as often as is comfortable. "If a sudden noise or sensation disturbs the system, sit easily with the eyes closed until it diminishes. Then resume meditation. "If some physical sensation is felt and fails to dissipate during the two minute rest period, get up slowly and begin activity easily without minding. If the sensation continues to be felt strongly, lie down with the eyes closed and continue to feel it. Since the mind is becoming active while still under the influence of this sensation, some uneasiness could continue. If sleep comes, let it come. "If the head tilts from an upright position during meditation, return it back upright very slowly and gently. If sleep comes at any time during meditation, don’t try to be alert – lie down and let it come. Always meditate for at least five minutes after such sleep. "If the heartbeat, breath or any outside noise seems to be with the mantra, do not encourage it or disassociate it. Innocently favor the mantra. "Pregnant women should meditate as much as they like." |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 12:25 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | The Process of Thought during Meditation The thinking process is the actual basis of meditation. However, the meaning of thoughts in meditation is unimportant. Do not take thoughts seriously or give importance to any particular thought. Do not act on thoughts merely because they arise in meditation. Do not decide to think particular thoughts in meditation. The meaning of thoughts should never be associated with any benefit of the meditation technique. To be guided by the meaning of such thoughts is to be completely misled. The mind may experience and abundance of thoughts or become absorbed in a single thought. When such thoughts no longer grip this mind, there will be an awareness of “thinking thoughts”. This is the moment to return to the mantra easily, not distinctly. If the thought process is in some way experienced as being simultaneous with the mantra, just easily favor the mantra. This means to simply allow the awareness to be with the fine state of the mantra that is already present. |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 22689243 United Kingdom02/19/2013 12:29 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Mantras? The Vedic gods. TM sells meaningless words that are supposed to guide yoir minds to transcend superficial consciousness. Later, you learn those meaningless words, the mantras, are names of deities. You are taught advanced techniques with the Sanskrit word “namah” at their core: “I bow down.” Mantra meditation is a form of paying worship to those who call themselves gods. When you scrape away all the fancy and misleading explanations – like “meaningless sounds” and “impulses of creative intelligence,” what you get very simply is people with their eyes closed bowing down in their minds to an assigned Hindu deity. Go figured how easily the apostate grand children of Christian forefathers have embraced the worship of other gods whilst rejecting the only Saviour of the world - Jesus Christ. |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 12:32 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | The Function of the Mantra "The mantra is the vehicle for the conscious mind to experience subtler levels of thought. Every aspect of the mantra should be associated with this inward direction of the mind and not attached to any experience in active life. Such an attachment of the mantra to the outer world will tend to reverse the inward process and render the meditation less effective. For this reason, the mantra is neither spoken aloud nor associated with any particular idea. "Correct meditation does not require that the mantra be present at all times. Once the mind becomes aware of its absence, just quietly go back. "If, at any time, the mantra is found to be in a very unclear or distorted state, do not assume it is wrong or no longer present. Do not attempt to re-begin it clearly. This would be forcing. "The mantra may change in tempo, pronunciation, pitch, length, or it may not seem to change at all. It may even disappear completely. The experience of no mantra and no thought (clearly or hazily) may be had many times during a single meditation, even quite briefly. This experience is often followed by the recollection of absolute silence or time unaccounted for. "Do not be concerned with whether the mantra changes or not. Do not put an effort on thinking the mantra in order to settle down faster or more profoundly. "Innocence is the technique employed in this practice by neither anticipating nor resisting change. Once conscious interference is removed, the process flows quite naturally and effortlessly." (This ends the student’s initial instruction in meditation. When the student has meditated several times since the instruction, it will be time for verification of the technique.) Last Edited by ehecatl on 02/19/2013 06:49 PM |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 12:40 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Mantras? Quoting: Anonymous Coward 22689243 The Vedic gods. TM sells meaningless words that are supposed to guide yoir minds to transcend superficial consciousness. Later, you learn those meaningless words, the mantras, are names of deities. You are taught advanced techniques with the Sanskrit word “namah” at their core: “I bow down.” Mantra meditation is a form of paying worship to those who call themselves gods. When you scrape away all the fancy and misleading explanations – like “meaningless sounds” and “impulses of creative intelligence,” what you get very simply is people with their eyes closed bowing down in their minds to an assigned Hindu deity. Go figured how easily the apostate grand children of Christian forefathers have embraced the worship of other gods whilst rejecting the only Saviour of the world - Jesus Christ. The basic Mantras are based on the bija mantras pertaining especially to innate frequencies of the throat chakra, and the so called "advanced techniques", yes are deities." I do not respect so much that aspect of the knowledge pertaining to the "advanced techniques", unless one wishes to make this more religious process, which is actually contrary to the stated purpose and practice of the core technique. In my opinion, the Maharishi erred by incorporating, superfluous aspects which would only draw criticism and conflict with Christian ideals. I suspect that it was more or less unnecessary in terms of the effectiveness of the technique, to provide those aspects, and although they served mostly just to keep people involved and paying into the organization, they probably lost a lot of potential clients too because of the associated Hindu spirituality. As far as the mantra lists themselves and my commentary about them, I'll save that for last. Last Edited by ehecatl on 02/19/2013 08:30 PM |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 12:44 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Verification "Verification is a procedure designed to seek out and correct actual and potential difficulties in meditation practice. It can be used for any meditation student, regardless of their longevity of experience. "The purpose of verification is to structure a situation which will naturally provide the experience of correct meditation. To accomplish this, it is necessary to give the experience of an appropriate start. The experience of an appropriate start of meditation will indicate to the student that thinking is an effortless process accompanied by a natural feeling of quietness. "Meditation verification is not an investigation into any faults. Its purpose is to give the experience of effortless natural thinking. Whatever the complaint or difficulty is regarding the meditation, the student is automatically led through the necessary steps to resolve the problem. "Speak slowly and softly throughout the verification. Never look at the student as his or her eyes open. Never give instruction while the students’ eyes are closed. Close your eyes along with the student, periodically opening them to check the time. Do not speak to the student until after requesting him or her to open the eyes. "If it is ever felt that the student is too shy or embarrassed to answer negatively to any question, simply ask, “How was it?” in order to establish the genuine answer. "Before beginning verification, listen for a few minutes to the students own description of his or her meditation. Do not embark on questioning. If there is a specific complaint, let the student know that the solution is simple and that the meditation will improve. Some students may come to routine verification with no special complaint. In either case, ask the student when he or she meditated last and for how many minutes. "If it is clear that the student has not been regular, tell them that it does not matter." |
| Judethz User ID: 20521597 United Kingdom02/19/2013 12:45 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation |  Yoga, TM and suchlike only leads to one place...and you don't want to go there.THIS WAS YOUR LIFE!... [link to www.chick.com] |
| MrThistle User ID: 32500365 United States02/19/2013 12:46 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Hi OP. Wow, nice of you to share all this. I started with TM in 1972, didn't stay with it but went on to, five years later, another path and guru, which I follow to this day. That is how it worked out for me, karmically speaking, and it's still working out well. I am now a full-fledged, Western-style yogi, which means I adhere to yoga philosophy, but don't claim to know more than or be superior to anyone. My guru and Maharishi knew each other, and had a relationship based on profound love and respect. I started TM to "relieve stress." Hahahahah! Little did I know my life would be changed so profoundly. Kind of like today's neophytes who start hatha yoga (stretching, etc, and called "yoga" by almost everyone in the West) thinking it's just a good physical activity. Little do they know the bliss which awaits them if they go deeper into yoga philosophy and practices. Thanks again OP. All that you have said has the ring of truth to it, in my experience. |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 12:53 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | The Appropriate Start of the Verification Process "Let’s sit comfortably and easily, and close our eyes." Wait 10 seconds. "Let’s open our eyes." Wait 5 seconds. "Now again, let’s close our eyes." Wait 20 seconds. "Open the eyes." Wait 5 seconds. "Again, close the eyes." Wait 30 seconds. "Slowly, open the eyes." Wait 5 seconds. "When we close our eyes, we naturally feel some quietness or silence – did you experience this?" (...and then from the yes or no answer to this question, the process splits into an elaborate flow chart, of solutions, meditation, and yes no question like above, “did you feel some silence”, and if not, why? All the instructions that are given within the flow chart are also the same information found in the preceding post titled - If the student indicates some difficulty.) Last Edited by ehecatl on 02/19/2013 12:53 PM |
| ehecatl (OP) User ID: 34534195 Mexico02/19/2013 12:54 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Yoga, TM and suchlike only leads to one place...and you don't want to go there. THIS WAS YOUR LIFE!... [link to www.chick.com] To each their own, but meditation has been a fundamental good thing in my life. |
