--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB <no_re...@...> wrote: > > One of the things I've been noticing most about > this forum lately -- and yes, it does have some- > thing to do with my tendency to post provocative > or "button-pushing" items -- is what this forum > reveals about the benefits or non-benefits of > the long-term practice of meditation techniques. > > The *theory* of such practices, if one remembers > Maharishi's metaphor for it, is that meditation > *should* help a person to become more flexible, > less rigid, less affected by stimuli to the point > of becoming reactive to them or dwelling on them. > The metaphor in question was the long-lasting > nature of a line scratched in stone, and how long > that endures vs. the ephemeral quality of a line > drawn in water, and how quickly it goes away. > > If his theory was correct, then this forum, com- > posed as it is of 30-to-40-year practitioners of > meditation and other spiritual techniques, should > reflect more of the "line on water" mentality than > it does the "line on stone" mentality. > > But does it? > > Step out of the moment and the in-the-moment flow > of posts and the emotion you invest them with > before you press Send and LOOK at the TRENDS that > are evident on this forum. **DO** most of the > regular posters here -- especially those who align > themselves with TM and Maharishi and his beliefs -- > actually react to the things said here with flexi- > bility, as if the things said affected them as > little as a "line drawn on water," or **DO** they > react with rigidity, as if the things said affect > them *far* more strongly and permanently, more like > a "line drawn on stone?" > > I think it's the latter. Just look at the *reactive* > nature of the majority of posts on FFL. Someone says > something and four or five people *react* to simple > words as if someone had slapped them physically in > the face. Someone posts something that disagrees > with one of their mere *beliefs* ferchrissakes and > they go nuts. And *then* look at how long they > STAY nuts. THAT is the thing that amazes me most > about FFL. There are people here who have been > "acting out" over the same grudges for *years*, > and show no signs of ever letting them go. > > Conversely, there are very few examples of posters > making radical *changes* in their posting style, > their beliefs, and/or their lives. I can think of > only a few who have made visible and radical "shifts" > over the years. Many others cling to the "same old > same old" as if remaining as "consistent" as a line > drawn in stone were a Good Thing. > > *Theoretically*, spiritual development is about being > able to become more fluid, more flexible, more able > to "roll with the punches" and react in less predic- > table and destructive ways to the slings and arrows > of outrageous fortune. But -- given Fairfield Life > as an indicator -- does that theory seem to have > *worked out* for most of the "spiritual" people here? > > And if not, will those whose "posting lives" make > them candidates for "line on stone" poster boy or > poster girl of the year react defensively to *this* > post and turn it into yet another pile-on grudge-fest, > and then do their best to keep the pile-on fest going > as long as humanly possible, or will they allow this > post to just be a line drawn on the water of their > consciousness and move on to the next post?
Depends on what you mean, if you're talking about one's *reaction* then 30-40 years of regular TM isn't enough to react to everything like a line on water. If you're talking about one's *convictions* that is another matter entirely: 24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
