From my understanding and experience, it's important to get initiated into TM at the beginning, because of the precise way Maharishi, has structured the teaching, and the necessity of the principle of effortlessness, which needs to be checked post initiation.
After learning the technique, I suppose the advanced techniques, are given in the same way, to continue to invoke the Masters of the Holy Tradition, and to give thanks for the knowledge. But, once someone has experience transcending, and also, experiencing witnessing, and the more subtle aspects of the knowledge and experience, then it's a whole different ball game. That's the whole point of becoming enlightened and becoming a Master yourself. At some point you trust you intuition enough, to know what's good for you and what is not. As far as the use of Aum. Again, this is my understanding: Aum is the basic sound of the absolute. Aum is the alpha and omega. Aum is the beginning and the end. Aum is good to do out loud, in a group or by yourself; it can be used for finding your, 'natural voice' as in singing, and can be used to strengthen the voice. Aum can also be added to a given Mantra, to complete the Mantra string. Like: Aum Shri Shivayai Namah Aum as a salutation to Shiva. A salutation to Shiva, is like a song to Shiva, And depending of the consciousness, and purity of intention, of the repeater of this mantra; will come the result of calling Shiva to you. That is my understanding of the use(s) of Aum, sort of like a period at the end of a sentence; Like the "coming back to the simplest state of awareness"; Like that; using Aum at the beginning and at the end solidifies the Mantra string. Someone might want to give this one a try during an approaching storm; Aum Shri Indra Namah Aum... > > Hell here I come but I remember many years ago, when advanced > > techniques were a mere $1000 and a good friend (initiator)came out > of > > getting one and kept shaking his head and saying, "I can't believe I > > paid $1000 for that" and it ended up (he didn't tell me, someone > else > > did) it was mentally singing some tune that only the initiators know > > and I marveled at how you could be charged for doing something you > > could have done anyway although who would have thought of doing > that?! > > > > So, there's no value to learning the mantra from the teacher, and you > should just learn it from a book or recording? > > I mean, perhaps that attitude is correct, but what's the difference > between learning a mantra from the teacher and learning some > other "technique" from the teacher? > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/JjtolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
