Rick This is one of the most heartfelt, direct and moving accounts. Thank you.
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Rick Archer" <rick@...> wrote: > > Cosmic consciousness arrived, softly and unexpectedly, as I exited the Dome > one morning in November 2008. I was 64 years old. I had been doing > Transcendental Meditation since 1973 and the TM-Sidhi Program since 1978. > > > > How did I know cosmic consciousness had come? All I can say is it was clear > that pure consciousness (pure "being") was with me as I exited the Dome. It > was clear that soft transcendence, that feeling of unboundedness I had > become accustomed to in meditation all those years ... was now with me in > activity. Everything was different © yet the same. This new element was with > me as if dogging my footsteps--this new soft sweetness, this new purity, > this new feeling of lightness, this new utter clarity. > > > > As with most of us, I had a career to manage during all those years, and a > family, with children, to support. But I made time for my program twice a > day no matter what, even if it meant, as it often did, meditating in a bus, > an airplane, a library or even more unlikely locations. > > > > It never occurred to me to stop meditating, or even miss a meditation. I > knew before my intro lecture was half over, that I would do this TM thing, > and would never stop. > > > > Over the years, I waited expectantly and patiently for "cosmic > consciousness" to arrive. Always feeling it must be just around the corner. > > > > As decades of practice elapsed and I grew older, I began to abandon any > notion that I would reach cosmic consciousness in this life. I never stopped > believing it was a reality, nor that Maharishi's TM and TM-Sidhi program > could lead one there. I just stopped believing that it was going to happen > to me. > > > > While I usually enjoyed my programs, there was never anything "flashy" going > on. As years passed, it even seemed that the multitude of changes I had > noticed in myself when I first began meditating ... had dwindled > significantly or even disappeared. I felt like I was on a plateau. Like I > was walking in place. > > > > My general attitude was, "OK, it's not going to happen in this life. But I > know TM is a good thing. I've always known that, from my very first > meditation. So, I'll just keep doing it because I should go as far as I can > in this life. Who knows © maybe next time around ..." > > > > So, when cosmic consciousness tiptoed up to me that November day, just after > I turned 64, I was absolutely astounded and delighted. It seemed so > delicate, fragile, almost shy. I did not expect it to last. As days and > weeks went by, the experience not only endured but grew in strength. I > finally came to accept without any doubt -- it was here to stay. With that, > I began to relax into it and just let it be what it was...without any > expectations or preconceived notions. > > > > I was as surprised as anyone that such a thing could happen to me. As far as > I or anyone could tell from my life, I was as unlikely and undeserving a > candidate for this as anyone I could think of. Even after years of > meditating I still had flaws you could drive a truck through. I was nowhere > near as well studied in the Vedic literature as so many around me. One might > call my daily routine marginally ayurvedic, I suppose. But even that would > be a stretch. Given all my responsibilities, I figured I was doing the best > I could. > > > > Yet here IT was and IT was undeniable. I thought perhaps it was one of those > 1% chances of a cosmic mistake I heard Maharishi talk about once. And for > quite a while was sure that as soon as the mistake was discovered by the > Cosmic computer, it would be rectified. > > > > Two and half years later, to my increasing delight, the experience of cosmic > consciousness has matured into something even grander. Being shines at me > from all things and all people. My own Self is everywhere, in everything and > everyone. The burdens, troubles and vicissitudes of life seem all but gone > or, at least, drastically mitigated. In their place, is a lightness, > delight, sweetness and ease ... that is absolutely indescribable. > > > > Believe me, I know this is no accomplishment of mine. Any kudos for this are > due to Maharishi and Guru Dev alone. This is not false modesty. This is the > truth. > > > > The only thing I ever did was to follow the simple (thank goodness) > instructions Maharishi gave for the practice of the TM and TM-Sidhi program. > Really, that's all I ever did. That it resulted in this experience for me > ... is as miraculous as anything I can think of. Yet it's utterly real, > utterly simple, and utterly available to all. That I know for certain. > > > > If my life serves no other purpose, it is to demonstrate that, if this can > happen to someone like me, it can happen to anyone. It can happen to > everyone. That it did happen to me ... reveals the immensity of Maharishi's > knowledge and remarkable power of his techniques--and of course the > unfathomable silence, bliss, and sanctity of our beloved Guru Dev. > > > > Jai Guru Dev >
