On Mar 15, 2009, at 6:34 PM, bob_brigante wrote:
Well, it is work in that you have to do something. Even if that
something is sitting and meditating. Time passes and you bring you
mind to the mantra. It still is doing something.
*******
TM is called a natural technique because it is conducted by nature
-- effort is not called for. Just as we do something to sleep --
another natural process -- by fluffing up a pillow and lying down,
we easily introduce the mantra, and since, unlike sleep, we maintain
awareness, we repeat that easy introduction of the mantra when we
realize it's gone.
Nonetheless, ask any good yogi of mantrashastra in the Shankaracharya
Order, and they'll tell you flat out this is wrong. Whenever there is
an object of meditation, there is a technique to work with that
object. Whenever there is a technique, there is (subtle) effort always
involved. Actually the Sanskrit word for technique also means
"effort". This is important in understanding the differences between
different styles of meditation. The most common style of mediation in
MMY's tradition that is really effortless is Nididhyanasana, Vedantic
Contemplation.
It's kinda funny to hear TM-bots repeat this false information over
and over again as if they were experts, but it's also sad in a way.
It's sad because while they're convinced they have the effortless
technique, all the parroting shows is they're not even really familiar
with meditation praxis at all. It would behoove TM proselytizers to
"think outside the box" and learn a bit about meditation so the don't
end up sounding so clueless, that 'my hygiene is so great, but you
have a booger on your face kinda feeling'.
