On Oct 21, 2007, at 10:03 PM, BillyG. wrote:
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj <vajranatha@> wrote: > > > > In the Hindu yogic tradition I practiced in, the "gap" or > > transcendent in TM speak is only just the beginning...and it's not > > truly transcendental consciousness, it's merely a thought-free > > state. It is however an important sign that practice is ready to > > go to another level, one where the transcendent is nurtured and > > the "gap" becomes much longer. From what I've seen in TM research, > > the longest recorded by their "research" in just a couple of > > minutes. > > More like 20-something minutes, actually. > > Oh, and it's real research. There's no need for > scare quotes. > > But for a > > yogin going deeply we're talking something that goes for several > > hours or much longer, at will. > > Of course, if will is involved, Of course will IS involved, it's called an "effortless *effort*" Judy! Complete passivity in NOT TM!! "...innocently come back to the mantra" still involves attention, and drawing back the attention using the will effortlessly, without that personal effort there could be no Dharana or "concentration" or Samyama.
Very good point and attention to subtle detail. What yogis call "the disease of effort" is not at all about "strain" or eye-brow knitting concentration, but merely attention on any object...or even merely the intent to sit, to return to your object when you lose it (even if based on smrti/mindfulness), etc. That's all "disease of effort", a natural part of any dualistic meditation method. Alambanas = effort.
