--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb wrote: > > > > One of the reasons I brought this topic up is to point > > out to people who've never thought about such things > > the unchallenged assumptions that they still carry around > > with them about "rounding." They pretty much *assume* > > that it's going to make them spaced out, possibly a little > > crazy, and too fragile to handle things like going out in > > public or cooking for themselves. > > > > Just to provide a contrast, I would suggest that these > > beliefs (and the actualities they are based on) are unique > > to the TM movement, its techniques, and the way it handles > > retreats or residence courses. I've been on courses given > > by other organization in which we were meditating (with > > no asanas or TM-style "rounding") for up to 8-10 hours a > > day. But everyone -- all course participants -- were free > > to do whatever they wanted. They could attend talks or not, > > go sightseeing or meditate, drive their cars, go swimming > > in the ocean, even go scuba diving if they wanted. NO ONE > > ever had any problems doing this. > > > > I believe that part of the reason is that they were TOLD > > that it might happen, the way that they were in the TMO. > > I also believe that there is something WRONG with the > > basic TM technique and the Sidhis as made up by MMY that > > makes them *create* such spacey, out-of-control behaviour > > in people who practice them more than a few minutes each > > day. > > > > Ask around in almost any other meditation tradition that > > gives retreats or courses in which people meditate longer > > than usual. Ask whether they have any rules about needing > > a "buddy" to take care of them or having to remain on the > > course premises or if there is an expectation that people > > will become "spaced out." I have found, as have most of > > the people I've encountered from these other traditions, > > that if the meditation is doing what it is supposed to do > > (which is to improve clarity of mind and a very 'grounded' > > balance and stability in action) that it will do MORE of > > that on courses in which people were meditating longer. > > That was certainly my experience. > > > > So why did Maharishi and the TMO assume the opposite, that > > people on courses as short as over a two-day weekend needed > > to be supervised and watched by "buddies" and "confined to > > quarters" so that they wouldn't do something stupid or hurt > > themselves? > > > > Seems to me that the fault is in the technique itself. > > In other words, which came first, the aberrant behavior > that became described as "unstressing," or the "explanation" > of it AS unstressing, and as "Something good is happening?" > > I suspect that Maharishi had to make up the "unstressing" > idea to provide some explanation to people for why they > were experiencing things during longer periods of meditation > that they should be, or that they would ever have exper- > ienced using other forms of meditation that actually came > from a long-established tradition (as opposed to having > been made up, like TM was, by MMY). > > I think he was just experimenting with made-up techniques, > using human beings as his guinea pigs, and because his own > narcissism didn't allow him to admit that the techniques > he'd made up had some pretty undesirable side effects when > practiced more than a few minutes every day, he had to > make up a "cover story" to make it seem as if these side > effects were actually *desirable*. > > And voila. Tens of thousands of people now believe that > when they go away for a weekend or longer on a TM course > and find themselves experiencing "roughness" that THEY > WOULD NEVER EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER FORMS OF > MEDITATION, that all of this is a Good Thing. >
AGreed that thinking that "roughness" is a good thing is not a good thing. Leads to ignoring genuine problems like the need for medication or therapy or even exercise. Personally, I think TM 20 minutes twice a day, for most people, is relaxing and healthy. The way the mantra is used is so easy, and the mantras are standard, not invented by MMY. For most, it helps and does not harm. As for using TM in rounding, for hours a day, I am not sure. I would want to know the statistics from other organizations about what types of people attend such course, and how mnay become unstable or disoriented. For me, the issue with TM has always been the shame they place on people getting help that they need - whether meds or therapy. I think that attitude has done real harm to many, who ignore their illnesses and needs out of fear that they will be labelled and banned from the Domes and courses.
