Thank you - Yeah, its not an either/or for me, regarding expression of the past. However we express and *integrate* it. The interesting thing I have found is that once the past issues have been faced, they don't go away.
Instead, they simply become part of the integrated memory landscape, nothing left to overtly revel in, cringe from, or castigate. The previous issue is still seen in its entirety, but without the sting and magnification. As a result, all the intense focus falls away, and we move on to other speed bumps. All the hard sledding eventually results in a much greater sense of presence, individual freedom, evenness, and confidence. How do you digest the Universe? One bite at a time. Chew thoroughly. :-) --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Carol" <jchwelch@...> wrote: > > Great post Doc. > > I've asked myself many times over "How long does *this* take? Why the eff > does it keep coming up to haunt me?" I've often wished for a > don't-give-a-damn switch, in the sense of be able to 'get over' something. > > Like other folks who've lived some life, I have techniques in my tool box > (one of those being mindfulness / meditation) that help along that path. > > I'm not of the opinion that if someone chooses to write about or express in > other ways (dance, visual arts, etc) their life experiences from their > distant or recent past (as that is all we have until the next moment) as an > indication that they have not "moved on." I don't see expression as being > stuck in something. It could mean that; but only that person or someone who > is intimately close with that person can really know if that is the case. > > I like the word "integrate" (like you stated) more than the phrases "getting > over" or "moving on." (Though you did later in your comment use the phrase > "move on.") > > Cul-de-sac syndrome...I'll have to adopt that term and recognize when I'm > there. It's a good mind pic. Thank you! > > ********** > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, doctordumbass@ <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > Yeah, exactly the way I feel too - How long does it take to integrate > > something you no longer do? Valid question, and something I grapple with a > > fair amount these days, now that I finally have the time to do so. > > > > My obvious take on it is that stuff comes up in life, for all of us, > > sometimes challenge after challenge after challenge, to the point of near > > exhaustion. Processing it through reflection, becoming aware of all we go > > through, and how it changes us is a vital part of life, something critical > > to staying ALIVE, and present. > > > > But, whatever the current issue is, cult experience in this case, it is not > > our identity, or our singular cause. Nothing really is. Nothing defines us > > once and forever. That is a stale model, of the old culture of labels. > > > > So it is a wonderful thing to hear someone express even the most negative > > insights, if growth is apparent. However, if it just the ego getting > > trapped in a cul-de-sac, it is worth pointing out, and moving on. > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Ann" <awoelflebater@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Michael Jackson <mjackson74@> wrote: > > > > > > > > On second thought, you are right Dr Dummy - I hereby announce that I > > > > officially revoke everything I said about Marshy and TM and I am gonna > > > > program my Ipod to play only that goddamn funny, funny Maharishi Vedic > > > > Honey video over and over and over - I hope one day to wear the white > > > > (meaning become a raja) Jai Guru Dr. Dumbass!!! > > > > > > Hey MJ. I will throw my small thought into the mix here. I have read and > > > appreciated much of what you have written of your experiences at MIU, > > > within the various phases of your different roles within the Movement as > > > a meditator, member of staff and all the other ways in which you > > > participated. I especially enjoyed reading what you had to say a few > > > months ago when you first started posting about your > > > disappointment/disillusionment/disgruntlement with MMY and with many > > > others in positions of power and authority within the TMM. Although I was > > > a meditator for almost 20 years and graduated from MIU I have no hard > > > feelings about my time there or the technique. However, this does not > > > stop me from considering all that you have to say about your own, very > > > different, experience. And it does not mean I don't respect and consider > > > all that you have to say as far as I can do that without having gone > > > through or seen what you did. > > > > > > I am not sure how much further you can go with your unearthing of the > > > slimier aspects of what has gone on within the movement and around MMY > > > and even with MMY himself. I, for one, have a pretty clear picture of > > > what you know and how you feel. Your audience has been reading what you > > > have to say for weeks now and I am pretty sure we could, individually, > > > write an essay on how MJ feels about MMY and the Movement and the > > > practice of TM. What is happening now is that some are getting tired of > > > reading, of being exposed to, what is starting to sound a little like a > > > broken record. What you have to say isn't going anywhere past where it > > > has been for a while now. It is evidently important to you to use this > > > forum, and other places, as a sounding board for how you feel. But it > > > seems as if you are having to defend your position a little harder now, > > > that there is not the same empathy or support for your position. It seems > > > you are starting to look like a man standing alone on a hilltop defending > > > his patch of land to an ever-increasing number of those unsympathetic to > > > your 'cause'. > > > > > > I am not saying that what you have to say is less valid than it was three > > > months ago it is just that if you test the wind direction and the > > > barometer it is telling you your audience here is not quite as receptive > > > to your message as it once was. This is, of course, only my opinion. I > > > respect your need to voice how you feel and admire your courage to do > > > just that but I think I have gotten the message now. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > From: "doctordumbass@" <doctordumbass@> > > > > To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > > > > Sent: Monday, February 25, 2013 8:35 PM > > > > Subject: [FairfieldLife] TM Critics on FFL - the blind "leading" the > > > > sighted > > > > > > > > > > > > Â > > > > Just such a strange thing, that the fiercest critics of TM on here, are > > > > those with no recent experience of the technique. Sure, they had their > > > > heyday - a few decades ago. > > > > > > > > Now, looking back hazily on those times, they stand up as those to be > > > > believed, the DEFINITIVE VOICES regarding the technique, its founder, > > > > and any other pearls that spew forth. Its just so much tripe. > > > > > > > > Being ordinarily skeptical, doubting stuff I am told, is second nature > > > > to me - an excellent survival tool, imo. So I can appreciate airing > > > > doubts about...anything. However, how long does it take to integrate > > > > something THAT YOU NO LONGER PRACTICE into your life? Why the public > > > > fixation on something that no longer has value to you? > > > > > > > > Are you warning us? (how condescending) > > > > > > > > Are you saving us? (how laughable) > > > > > > > > Are you opening our eyes? (see above) > > > > > > > > Why are you *devoting* your time and thought, to something you no > > > > longer do? > > > > > > > > Color me Puzzled. > > > > > > > > > >