[FairfieldLife] Re: Fw: The Science of Compassion, for Wednesday

[Buck]

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Michael Jackson <mjackson74@...> wrote:
>
> To Buck - while I appreciate positive thinking, and the desire for god things 
> to happen, when I came into TM in the '70s I heard stories about people being 
> pushed around by the leaders of the Movement, had my own experiences with it 
> till I said so long in the 1990's and these kinds of strong arm tactics and 
> inflexible attitudes on the part of TM leaders is still going on today - what 
> makes you feel that any of it will change after at least 30 years of it being 
> the way it has been? 
>

Jackson;  The Arab Spring, Tienanmen Square, the nature of the internet and 
autocrats, and public scrutiny.   Thanks, your experience is a good example to 
air here.  They do read this stuff and they are very susceptible to change.  It 
is also apparent even to themselves that in about ten years many of us mortals 
left now (them too) who knew Maharishi directly are likely going to be mostly 
gone over.  There are elements very much at play at how things with the TMo are 
going to go.  There is also lots of yelling and screaming going on about this 
inside.  From ultra-preservationist over to ultra-progressive thrown together 
all at once.  It is not necessarily all one or the other.  In a lot of people 
inside it is both depending on who they are talking to.  Lots of looking at it 
and shades of grey. It's a very idealistic thing going on here and it's a 
pretty small group now and also the breadth of resources has narrowed a lot 
from before which is going to sober people up to specific practicalities of 
what needs to be done.  One element of it could fly it all in to the ground on 
principle and the other wants to make it fly for good reasons.  It's a bit of a 
horse-race right now how it is going to come out, but they are racing.  I was 
at a horse track a couple weeks ago and was down walking by the last turn 
before the final straight to the finish line.  In the quiet there what people 
back in the grand stand could not hear as the horses came around was the 
jockeys talking and shouting in the night air at their horses and at each other 
bunched on that final turn.  I hope you stick around for the finish.  You have 
a fresh perspective here about it by your experience with it.
-Buck in the Dome    
 
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
>  From: emilymae.reyn <emilymae.reyn@...>
> To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com 
> Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2012 2:14 PM
> Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: Fw: The Science of Compassion, for Wednesday
>  
> 
>   
> <snip. "Again I don't understand why I've escaped harsher reprimands."
> 
> This pretty much says it all.  Excuse me? 
> 
> Buck, in addition to the 3 gov level recommendations, do they solicit 
> anonymous "peer review" to weigh in? 
> 
> --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Buck" <dhamiltony2k5@> wrote:
> >
> > Well, it is unfortunate that the Rajas put themselves in this position of 
> > interrogating folks against these un-published guidelines of theirs.  This 
> > is a really good example.  Instead of just asking that people only practice 
> > TM and the TM-sidhis in the Domes and not practice other spiritual 
> > techniques this person, someone who we all know in the community, is there 
> > standing in line with folks waiting for coffee downtown telling of being 
> > creep-ed out and Of the visceral fear it triggered in a feeling of how 
> > invasive the interview conversation was in the amount and detail of 
> > personal information they had gathered about this person and were asking 
> > about. 
> > 
> > Next step for the person is to git three 'recommendations' from governors.  
> > That means again going through this experience of applying for a badge and 
> > the feeling of being creep-ed out by how invasive it was with three or more 
> > people to get recommendations.  They likely tell three others each about 
> > this person's experience of being creep-ed out.  Those each tell three 
> > more.  This is really not good in a community.  It is just a bad position 
> > for the TM-rajas to be in building dossiers around the guidelines and the 
> > Dome numbers and interrogating people. 
> > 
> > In the long TM history around this thing with other saints where Maharishi 
> > clearly said a lot of different things about visiting saints to a lot of 
> > different people at different times, the Rajas should drop to being a lot 
> > simpler just in asking people to come and help by being practitioners of 
> > this again.  There are really very few TM-virgins around but a lot of 
> > people who could come and meditate.  The gross numbers of people meditating 
> > in the Domes are really quite paltry; however, the Rajas might want to 
> > quickly think again about change and re-introducing a second element to 
> > this particular problem even before their Nov 6 'election' campaign to 
> > increase the Dome numbers goes too far towards re-soliciting people back.  
> > The Rajas need to work more at reconciliation with their community rather 
> > than just hoping that people might be nice and come back.  Yes, time is of 
> > an essence and it is certainly within the authority, power and 
> > responsibility of the
>  TM-Rajas to improve on things like this.  The ball is in their court to 
> serve.
> > -Buck 
> > 
> > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Share Long <sharelong60@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Khazana I wouldn't say I'm fine with the system as it is since it seems 
> > > to be so hard on other people.  However, I have to also take into 
> > > account my own experience.  I wasn't questioned at all when I returned 
> > > to the Dome after a 7 year absence.  Though I had been to Amma several 
> > > times and had been participating in Waking Down on a weekly basis right 
> > > here in FF.  Maybe I wasn't questioned because I'm not a gov.  I 
> > > don't know and I feel for the people who are given such a rough time 
> > > about it all.  
> > > 
> > > 
> > > OTOH, I too have been interviewed by Movement leaders and have had 
> > > conflicts with them.  Again I don't understand why I've escaped 
> > > harsher reprimands.  But I'll give an example.  Years ago, after 
> > > the end of a relationship, tantric teacher David Deida happened to come 
> > > to town.  Right away I knew I wanted to attend.  I was an MUM grad 
> > > student at the time.  I was open about my participation in Deida's 
> > > workshop.  But perhaps more importantly I felt right about it.  
> > > True, I was scared of possible consequences.  But I was willing to 
> > > take that chance because I felt I was doing what was right for me and my 
> > > life.  Also important, inside I acknowledged that I might be 
> > > wrong.  I was not 100% sure that I was acting rightly.  But again, 
> > > I was willing to take a chance that I was.  
> > > 
> > > 
> > > That feeling of rightness, even when not 100% sure, even when afraid of 
> > > possible consequences, is a grace and I do believe it is what has 
> > > protected me all these decades on a spiritual path.  I am deeply 
> > > grateful for this grace.
> > > 
> > > PS  Yahoo has been acting wonky the last few days.  Posts get to 
> > > the archives right away and I read there to stay current.  Posts to my 
> > > inbox can arrive many hours after they were posted.  Even my own!  
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Remembering that Maharishi said, "What we have no control over we take to 
> > > be the will of God."      
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > ________________________________
> > >  From: khazana108 <no_re...@yahoogroups.com>
> > > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com 
> > > Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2012 6:14 AM
> > > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: Fw: The Science of Compassion, for Wednesday
> > > 
> > > 
> > >   
> > > 
> > > 
> > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "salyavin808" <fintlewoodlewix@> 
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Buck" wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Yes, one would hope if you were interested in meditating with the 
> > > > > large group that they would issue you a badge.  That in itself is 
> > > > > still a problem to surmount just coming in. I spoke with someone 
> > > > > yesterday in line waiting for coffee, an old meditator here who just 
> > > > > re-applied and still waiting to get a Dome badge and was appalled at 
> > > > > the dossier that was compiled and questioning by the course office of 
> > > > > private information they had gathered about concerts gone to and 
> > > > > saints visited.  Was really creep-ed out by the interview.   However 
> > > > > the air quality in the Domes is a lot better than before.  They have 
> > > > > been working at that.  I am told tha smaller rooms around like out in 
> > > > > Maharishi Vedic City have real nice air quality. I do notice the 
> > > > > formaldehyde taint is not as great in some places around the dome 
> > > > > depending on the flow of fresh air mix by the air handling system. 
> > > > > Overall it is noticeably better. 
> > > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > The TMO collects information on you? 
> > > 
> > > They definitely do this. The national course offices know exactly which 
> > > TM teacher went to another organization or has been with another saint 
> > > and so on. Basically according to all  criteria they have for giving 
> > > admission to courses, they will collect information. On that depends if 
> > > you will get a batch or admission to any kind of course.
> > > 
> > > > Why do you want to even
> > > > be in the dome if this is the sort of treatment you get in
> > > > a so called "coherent" atmosphere. Don't you think it's gone
> > > > wrong, the AofE course office shouldn't be like the east German
> > > > Stazi should it? Maybe you want to amend your unified field 
> > > > poems a bit.....
> > > 
> > > This will always remain an individual decision. I have friends who are 
> > > very much in the center of the movement, and who struggle with these 
> > > policies, mostly by keeping their mouths shut. You have to think about to 
> > > whom of your friends you tell what. And this is then really like it was 
> > > in East Germany with the Stasi, I have a brother, who grew up in this 
> > > system and told me how it was. He said that it leads to a kind of a 
> > > double mind, where you behave like an obedient GDR citizen OTOH and and 
> > > with some close friends, whose opinion you happen to know, you rant about 
> > > the system.
> > > 
> > > And yet, there are people like Share, who are just fine with the system 
> > > like it is, who don't seem to have any points of conflict with the 
> > > movement, and for them it is just fine. You could say that the movement 
> > > serves them well, until any of these conflicts arise.
> > > 
> > > For me it is like it is with you: I wouldn't like to be in such a 
> > > situation again, I prefer my freedom, and I am happy that in my present 
> > > spiritual environment, there is not at all a problem with that.
> > > 
> > > The only problem I see for the movement with these policies is that they 
> > > will slowly alienate an increasing number of people. But in the end of 
> > > the day, everybody has to determine the life style that works best for 
> > > him, one has to cut out the piece of the cake in a way that works best 
> > > for oneself, and not think of the rest.
> > > 
> > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Michael Jackson <mjackson74@> 
> > > > > wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances. I quit going
> > > > > > to the Dome when I was on staff due to a really serious allergy to
> > > > > > formaldehyde, which in those days at least was a major component in 
> > > > > > making foam. 
> > > > > > The longer I was in the Dome, the worse I felt. 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > So I stopped
> > > > > > going. I did program by myself in my pod room and felt great both 
> > > > > > in and out of
> > > > > > program. As twice a day in the Dome was part of the staff program, 
> > > > > > I was called
> > > > > > in to the Personnel Director’s office (Bill Sands) 
> > > > > > and he gave me a serious
> > > > > > talk and threatened me with dismissal if I didn’t 
> > > > > > start toeing the line.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > I told him about the allergy and he said it didn’t 
> > > > > > matter,
> > > > > > rules were rules. I showed him the letter I had from my allergy 
> > > > > > doctor (Allen
> > > > > > Lieberman in Charleston SC) saying that I had to avoid formaldehyde 
> > > > > > exposure. Bill
> > > > > > said it still didn’t matter. Rules were rules. No 
> > > > > > exceptions. 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > So I returned to the Dome and after a couple days started
> > > > > > feeling like crap again. So I thought about things and decided to 
> > > > > > write a
> > > > > > letter to then TM Sidhi Administrator Greg Wilson and told him my 
> > > > > > story and
> > > > > > sent him a copy of the letter from my allergy doctor. 
> > > > > > A
> > > > > > nd a couple weeks later to my surprise he wrote me a letter
> > > > > > back giving me permission to do program in my room, tho he 
> > > > > > suggested that I
> > > > > > might consider serving MIU in some other capacity since Dome 
> > > > > > attendance was
> > > > > > part of staff program. So I quit going to the Dome again. 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > A couple weeks went by and I was called into Bill Sands office
> > > > > > again, with my letters in my pocket. After he gave me hell and 
> > > > > > pretty much told
> > > > > > me my time at MIU was over, I told him I had permission from Greg 
> > > > > > Wilson and
> > > > > > showed him my letter, or rather a copy of it, I wisely had the 
> > > > > > original in my
> > > > > > room. 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Bill was completely discombobulated and hemmed and hawed and
> > > > > > puffed and blustered but had to back down, but he 
> > > > > > didn’t like it. So I went
> > > > > > back to doing program in my room and had great experiences and was 
> > > > > > much more
> > > > > > effective in activity for about eight months until Bill found a way 
> > > > > > to get rid
> > > > > > of me.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > ________________________________
> > > > > >  From: Buck 
> > > > > > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com 
> > > > > > Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2012 12:52 PM
> > > > > > Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: Fw: The Science of Compassion, for 
> > > > > > Wednesday
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >   
> > > > > > This being Compassionate Posting Wednesday on FFL where ne'er a 
> > > > > > negative word is written, I am not going to go on at all about just 
> > > > > > how stoopid and undeserving it is that meditators who even live in 
> > > > > > Fairfield do not come to the group meditation.  No, I'll save that 
> > > > > > for tomorrow and then may be also consider the fallen away and 
> > > > > > outright meditation quitters out in the world too; all those who 
> > > > > > have fell off the meditation wagon and even walked away entirely.  
> > > > > > I am excercising a lot of compassion for them all right now today, 
> > > > > > -Buck in the Dome 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Share Long <sharelong60@> 
> > > > > > wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > ----- Forwarded Message -----
> > > > > > > From: DailyGood.org <clubs@>
> > > > > > > To: sharelong60@ 
> > > > > > > Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2012 7:15 AM
> > > > > > > Subject: The Science of Compassion
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > DailyGood.org 
> > > > > > > You're receiving this email because you are a DailyGood 
> > > > > > > subscriber.
> > > > > > > Trouble Viewing?  On a mobile? Just click here. Not interested 
> > > > > > > anymore? Unsubscribe. 
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > October 23, 2012 a project of ServiceSpace 
> > > > > > >   Have compassion for everyone you meet, even if they don't want 
> > > > > > > it. What appears bad manners, an ill temper or cynicism is always 
> > > > > > > a sign of things no ears have heard, no eyes have seen. You do 
> > > > > > > not know what wars are going on down there where the spirit meets 
> > > > > > > the bone.
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > - Miller Williams - 
> > > > > > > The Science of Compassion
> > > > > > > "As human beings, we will inevitably encounter suffering at some 
> > > > > > > point in our lives. However, we also have evolved very specific 
> > > > > > > social mechanisms to relieve that pain: altruism and compassion. 
> > > > > > > It is not just receiving compassion that relieves our pain...The 
> > > > > > > act of experiencing compassion and helping others actually leads 
> > > > > > > to tremendous mental and physical well-being for us as well. It 
> > > > > > > is our ability to stand together as a group, to support each 
> > > > > > > other, to help each other, to communicate for mutual 
> > > > > > > understanding, and to cooperate, that has taken our species this 
> > > > > > > far." Dr. James R. Doty, the Director of the Center for 
> > > > > > > Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford 
> > > > > > > University, describes the scientific underpinnings of compassion 
> > > > > > > in this piece. { read more }
> > > > > > > Be The Change
> > > > > > > As Dr. Doty writes, "Compassion is the recognition of another's 
> > > > > > > suffering and a desire to alleviate that suffering." Recognize 
> > > > > > > somebody's sadness, isolation, or suffering and try to connect 
> > > > > > > with them. { more } 
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > COMMENT | RATE       
> > > > > > >        
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> > > > > > > 
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