--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, nablusoss1008 <no_reply@...> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Mark Landau <m@...> wrote: > > > > Thank you, Bob, I appreciate this. It doesn't seem to jibe with the little > > I thought I knew, but I really didn't know anything. I had some impression > > from somewhere that he left the movement for awhile and then came back. > > But I really never knew. > > > > On Aug 6, 2011, at 6:28 PM, Bob Price wrote: > > > > > > > > Mark, > > > > > > It looks like there is plenty of speculation on Devendra that can be > > > found in the archives of FFL using his name. The following are some > > > highlights from Joyce Collin-Smith who knew him both when he joined > > > Maharishi and when he left. > > > > > > There are a number of great stories in 'Call No Man Master". For those > > > that don't know-Joyce Collin-Smith, the author of the book, she was one > > > of the early group of meditators-followers of Maharishi in the UK. Early > > > 60's vintage not unlike Helena Olson. Where Mrs. Olson was a PR > > > professional Colin-Smith was a journalist on fleet street. She was > > > originally part of the UK Gurdjieff-Ouspensky- group run by Francis Roles > > > that joined and financially supported Maharishi in his early visits to > > > the UK as Ouspensky, on his death, had told them to find an eastern > > > master because they needed Vedic techniques to actualize their > > > philosophy. They provided the first UK TM center that Maharishi taught > > > out of on Prince Albert Road in London but eventually there was a falling > > > out (with Roles and some others) when they visited the TMO ashram in > > > Rishikesh and met Sivananda at another ashram across the river. > > > > > > Two in this early British group were Joyce Collin-Smith and Philip > > > Williams (Devendra). Collin Smith looked after Maharishi at this time, > > > acted as his chauffeur and set up the his first lectures in London and > > > Oxford. She also edited Maharishi's letters for him as well as making > > > sure he was fed and had a comfortable place to sleep. Philip was an Anglo > > > Indian and a practising international lawyer who had graduated with > > > honours from Oxford when he met Maharishi in the early 60's. He left it > > > all behind and became Maharishi's go to guy in the early 60's at the > > > Albert Road center. Maharishi eventually renamed him Devendra and > > > publicly named him his successor after Devendra took vows. Both Collin > > > Smith and Devendra had been there for a number of years when the Beatles > > > showed up. For why Joyce Collin Smith eventually left i recommend reading > > > her book. > > > > > > According to Joyce Collin-Smith her and Devendra stayed in touch by > > > letter. Devendra was eventually sent to India to mediate full time in the > > > caves near Rishikesh. Eventually his letters to Joyce stopped and she > > > didn't hear from him for 20 years (no idea what the dates are here) until > > > he showed up in London penniless and broken. The story he told was that > > > Maharishi had kept him fasting and meditating in dark caves for years and > > > his meditation had become more and more bizarre. > > > > > > "In the end I thought I was going mad, alone in the caves", 'he said.' > > > "Maharishi gave me no assistance , no guidance. he just laughed and told > > > me to go on". 'Terrifying experiences had come to him as he sought to > > > obey the will of his once beloved and now indomitable Master, as he had > > > always done, without complaint' > > > > > > Long story short he eventually asked the Shankaracharya (the one on M's > > > team) what he should do and was advised to sneak out of India without > > > telling Maharishi > > > which he did with borrowed money. He showed up in London, he was 60, and > > > went to work in a Japanese restaurant and eventually moved to the > > > Philippines to live with his sister and was never heard from again. > > > Maharishi did everything humanly possible to help Philip. In every way > imaginable, but it was not possible, it was not meant to be.
To add to this one could speculate what would happen if Devendra DID what Maharishi told him to do; stay in that cave ! Experience hell; and then live. He had the opportunity but opted out when it got heavy. Philip/Devendra would then be Maharishi's successor today. But he failed because he was weak. Bless his soul !
