--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "card" <cardemaister@...> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Buck" wrote: > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > > > "He who believes his practice is the best practice is a > > > > devotee. He who believes his practice is the only practice > > > > is a zealot." > > > > > > > > Having expressed my disbelief to Buck that this quote is > > > > from Maharishi, or a verbatim quote if it is, I'll trip > > > > on it a bit. > > > > > > > > I'm not convinced that there is all that much difference > > > > between the definition of "devotee" given in this quote > > > > and the definition of "zealot." It kinda seems to me as > > > > if there is a schmear of zealotry in both descriptions. > > > > > > > > I would never say that my practice is the best practice. > > > > Nor would many seekers I've met over the years who were > > > > extremely devoted to their practice. The most I -- or > > > > they -- would ever say it that it's "the best > > > > practice for me...at this time." > > > > > > > > I honestly don't see how saying more can be seen as anything > > > > *but* zealotry. > > > > > > Turq, I think it helpful to see practitioners, devotees, > > > and then fanatics in the spectrum of looking at it. It > > > makes sense when you see it. > > > -Buck, off to meditate in the Dome. > > > > Buck, with all due respect, what I'm saying is that > > I don't think it makes sense, period. You're trotting > > out the olde "If you were just as evolved as we were, > > you'd 'see' correctly" argument. > > > > That's the very argument I'm arguing against. :-) > > > > You -- or anyone -- as a "devotee" as defined in this > > quote do *not* know for sure that your practice is > > the best. > > Hmmm... I just don't seem to be able to decide, how > "best" in this case (and many other cases) could > be "definately" defined... :o >
Well, in the local spectrum of sociology it practically runs from non-meditator, to meditator, devotee, and fanatic. And both extremes have their bigots. Anybody who has lived her long becomes sensitive and fluid with it and will modulate conversation and expression accordingly. It is extremely interesting to watch in action. It happens at any gathering or table you sit down at. I was at a 50th wedding anniversary celebration for some friends in the long-tiime meditating community yesterday for a sitdown lunch at a local eatery. It included the whole cross-section of the community, townie non-meditators clear through to real TM-TB'ers. Mostly everyone is practiced and real polite in mixed company. We're Iowans now too. It works. -Buck
