--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "raunchydog" <raunchydog@...> wrote: > > --- 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?
FWIW, Share says "everybody does it with everybody" now; it's not just teacher-and-student.
