--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "seventhray1" <steve.sundur@...> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, tartbrain <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > The / a lesson from witnessing this huge Q&A parade was that: > > > > 1) experiences were natural, they were not something to make a big > > fuss about, no special status was given, everything from > > normalization to peak experiences were part of the whole, no > > need to make a big fuss about the whole. > > > > 2) even the most detailed clear experiences were basically > > classified as "hmm, something good is happening, but that's > > not IT." That is, what many self-diagnosed, and perhaps > > self-confirmed to be higher states were not. It produced a > > certain healthy rational skepticism about self-confirmed > > claims of higher states. > > > > 3) one generally didn't talk about their experiences outside > > of the Q&A with MMY. Progress was being made was the only > > important thing. No need to talk about it or broadcast it. > > > > 4) Sort of like "the first rule of enlightenment club is there > > is no enlightenment club". > > Good points, but there seems to be a pretty big reconstructionist > movement here. I enjoy your posts because you acknowledge both > sides of the issue. I've got to say that Barry pushes, I mean > really pushes, "the this guy was an average Joe", no more > enlightened than the baker down the street POV.
That's how I see Maharishi. I'm not asking you to. > If I understand what Barry often says, (and I'm sure I don't), > he pretty much debunks the whole notion of higher states of > conscioussness. Not true. Different states of consciousness exist; I have experienced many of the ones Maharishi talked about. What I am not sold on is that any of them were "higher." I am content to interpret my experiences as merely different from waking state, not "higher." Also, I reject much of the mythology surrounding what the various states "mean" according to Hinudism and according to Maharishi. > Curtis too seems to be in this camp. Pretty much it can be > chalked up to random brain activity, I don't know about Curtis but I would not agree with this. These experiences of different states of consciousness *can* appear as a result of *random* brain activity (that is, appearing unsought in those not on a spiritual path), but that is not usual. It is more common that they appear after years of practicing some technique, which may have an effect in causing these states to manifest. > ...that we humans like to chalk up to something special. > I guess since we can't prove it in an objective way, it's all > subjective speculation. > > Me (as Barry would say). I got too much wonder going on to > buy into that. Buy into *what*? 1) Nothing you said here represents what I believe. 2) I never tried to "sell" you what I believe, so there was nothing to "buy into." Someday you people need to learn the difference between jackpotting ideas around for fun and trying to "sell" them. I kinda get it that you can't do the former without doing the latter, but some of us can.
