--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Alex Stanley" <j_alexander_stanley@...> wrote: > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <authfriend@> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "raunchydog" <raunchydog@> wrote: > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <authfriend@> wrote: > > > > > > > > What was uncomfortable for you about making eye contact, > > > > Share? > > > > > > When I was in India with the Vedic Atom, there was a troop of baboons > > > that roamed freely at the walled boundary of a large park. After lunch we > > > often walked to the park from the nearby Indian Express Building where we > > > met for rounding and Maharishi's lectures. One day I made the mistake of > > > making eye contact with a large male baboon. He charged at me. I turned > > > tail and ran like hell. > > > > > > Eye contact is an intimacy that could feel like a threatening invasion of > > > personal space for people as well as baboons. Prolonged eye contact is > > > usually reserved for a lover for the purpose of bonding and intimacy. > > > Intense, prolonged eye contact with people you may not know very well in > > > a workshop seems like an artificial intimacy that could be uncomfortable > > > for some folks. Apparently, it challenges a person's tolerance for > > > intimacy, but then, that's probably the purpose of the gazing exercise. > > > As long as it's not with a baboon, gazing would be just fine by me. > > > > > > I've never done this, but as I try to imagine it, it > > doesn't seem as if it would be uncomfortable. Maybe > > it would in reality. > > > > If it *isn't* uncomfortable--if it's not challenging > > for a person--I wonder what they would gain from it. > > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/message/55423 > > "There are some traditions that explain this phenomenon > in terms of "recognition." You sit in the presence of > someone who is "firing on more cylinders" than you are. > They are "higher," or in a more advanced state of con- > sciousness. More aspects of their being have "woken up." > And in that person's presence, you find that similar > aspects of YOUR being "wake up."" > > In WD, gazing isn't about being a challenge. It's spoken of in terms of > transmission, but IMO, it's exactly what Barry refers to in that post. It's > an opportunity bring yourself into spiritual alignment with the teacher by > simply being present with each other in a very powerful way. >
Thanks for the explanation, Alex. I was just guessing what WD "gazing" is all about based on my experience with people and a baboon...so what do I know?
