> > But the TM technique always insisted one concentrate > > (if "concentrate" is the right word) on "hearing" > > the subtle sound of the syllable - with no reference > > given to where ones vision (perhaps a better > > expression is "inner vision") might be centred. > > mjackson74: > I'm surprised the TM purists have not taken you to > task for suggesting the technique can be improved. > Because this isn't a good description of TM? How can you improve on something you can't even describe?
There's no 'concentration' involved in TM practice, nor is 'hearing' the sound of a syllable, nor 'inner vision'. These are all Buddhist meditation techniques - not TM. LoL! > Franklin Merrell-Wolff (younger readers will have to look him up on Wikipedia > as he's fallen into obscurity in recent years) claimed that he never learned > a single meditation practice that he didn't have to "tweak" before he could > get the maximum benefits from the practice. I have to confess, I've had the > same experience with TM. The effortless repetition (or favouring) of the > mantra for sure elicited some dramatic changes in consciousness, including > (on rounding courses) experiences of Richard Bucke-style "cosmic > consciousness". But the TM technique always insisted one concentrate (if > "concentrate" is the right word) on "hearing" the subtle sound of the > syllable - with no reference given to where ones vision (perhaps a better > expression is "inner vision") might be centred. I've since found that, for > me, allowing my "inner vision" awareness to centre on the space immediately > in front of my eyes greatly enhances the effects of TM and makes me more > centred immediately after a mediation session. (I'm not actually > crossed-eyed (!) during my sessions, but presumably the location does suggest > the Ajna chakra.) I've heard that other spiritual groups recommend centring > ones attention on the Ajna chakra if you're more the "thinking type" - that > would describe me - but they also recommend centring attention on the heart > chakra if you're more the touchy-feely type. By the way, dire warnings are > given (especially by Theosophical-influenced groups) on allowing one's > attention to centre on the lower - the root or genital chakras - unless > you're sexually "pure" as that can increase one's libido and lead to sexual > obsessions - or "sex addiction" as modern parlance has it. > > Now, only being myself your bog-standard meditator, I'm curious if other > (more advanced) FFL posters have experienced a similar effect to me. That is, > combining mantra favouring with relaxed, inner visual attention centred in > front of the eyes has improved your results. And also I'm curious if those of > you who took TM-sidha training, or trained as teachers, ever heard Maharishi > mention chakras to your inner core of "true believers" . . . > > By the way, if what I'm saying sounds presumptuous why not give it a try > yourself for a few days? >  >