What were you expecting?
From: "Share Long sharelon...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]"
<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
To: "FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com" <FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2014 10:40 AM
Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Most Absurd Rumor
Funny about Adya, I love his writing. But when he came to FF and spoke in
person, I was somewhat disappointed. Maybe he's an introvert by nature...
From: "anartax...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]"
<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2014 2:17 PM
Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Most Absurd Rumor
The Zen trained Adyashanti had this to say about 'enlightenment success':
'When I looked around at the Buddhist tradition, I realized that the success
rate was terrible. People were in it for enlightenment, but very few were
actually getting enlightened. If this were a business, I thought, we'd be
bankrupt.'
'I think it's unfortunate that a person can spend hour after hour, day after
day, year after year, dedicating his life to enlightenment, and yet the very
notion that anybody attains enlightenment is a taboo. We're all going after
this; but God forbid somebody says they've realized it. We don't believe them,
we're cynical, we have doubt; we go immediately into a semi- (or overt) attack
mode. To me, it highlights the fact that people are chasing an awakening they
don't believe could happen to them. That's a barrier, and the biggest one...
And when people have breakthroughs and talk about them in public, awakening
loses its mystique. Everyone else can see that it's not just special people who
have deep awakenings, it's their neighbor or their best friend.'
The TMO seemed to do pretty well for a while selling something nobody seems to
have found. Perhaps one reason for this is the ideas we have in our heads about
what enlightenment is supposed to be. The usual ideas about what enlightenment
is, are something out of a comic book, something fantastical. Maybe it is
something not quite so interesting to talk about, something so familiar that
you discount it entirely.
---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <sharelong60@...> wrote :
MJ, speak for yourself! I was never chasing enlightenment. I simply wanted to
fulfill my desires.
From: "Michael Jackson mjackson74@... [FairfieldLife]"
<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
To: "FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com" <FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2014 1:29 PM
Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Most Absurd Rumor
And yet from the very beginning of the Movement till about the 1980's
enlightenment was what we were all chasing and what Marshy emphasized over and
over. Till it became obvious that no one was getting enlightened even with the
10,000 times more powerful than TM TMSP program so he switched to world peace.
From: "Share Long sharelong60@... [FairfieldLife]"
<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
To: "FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com" <FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2014 2:26 PM
Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Most Absurd Rumor
First of all, I'm familiar with spiritual groups who proclaim people
enlightened. I didn't always agree with their proclamations! And as mentioned,
I know of a group who gives certificates of enlightenment. Maybe they use
different criteria than me! I also know people in the TMO who I think are
pretty darn enlightened. But of course they don't proclaim themselves as such.
The whole thing is such a hodge podge that I simply ignore all the posturing
and go by my own sense of a person. And actually, it doesn't matter to me
whether or not they're "enlightened." There are other qualities that I value
more.
From: "TurquoiseBee turquoiseb@... [FairfieldLife]"
<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
To: "FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com" <FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2014 12:06 PM
Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Most Absurd Rumor
From: "Bhairitu noozguru@... [FairfieldLife]"
On 11/18/2014 09:17 AM, TurquoiseBeeturquoiseb@... [FairfieldLife] wrote:
From: "Bhairitunoozguru@... [FairfieldLife]"<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
On11/18/2014 04:26 AM, TurquoiseBee turquoiseb@...[FairfieldLife] wrote:
It'snot so much a rumor, more ofa sales pitch or claim, butI've always gotten
a chucklefrom "TM is the fastest pathto enlightenment on theplanet," coming
from anorganization that in over 50years has been unable toproduce even a
single personthey can point at and say,"This person is enlightened,and got that
way as a resultof practicing TM."
What organizationdoes?
Just to make apoint about the kinds ofbullshit humans are willing toaccept,
think about the TM salespitch for enlightenment,compared to almost anything
elsebeing sold on this planet:
-- "So, that'syour introductory lecture. Justsign here, pay us your $75, andwe
promise you that you will befully enlightened in fiveyears." (Please notethat
this actually *happened*with the TM movement.)
--"Sounds good, but looking intomy crystal ball that shows methe future, I can
see that whatyou're trying to sell me isn'tgoing to cost me only $75, buttens
of thousands ofdollars over 30 or 40 years, topay for all the extra coursesand
'add-ons' you'll try to sellme. What can you show me toconvince me that
this'enlightenment' you're trying tosell me will actually occur, andthat if it
does, it's worth it?
-- "Well, you justhave to trust us. Give us yourmoney now, and in 5 to 8
years(ooops, sorry about that) you'llbe enlightened. And you've heardthe
lectures -- when you'reenlightened, you'll be able toknow everything and
haveeverything you want just bywanting it. Isn't that worth thehundreds of
thousands of dollars(ooops again) you'll wind uppaying us?"
--"It *might* be worth it, butwhat can you show me to prove tome that this
'enlightenment'you're selling me actuallyexists? For example, there aremany
people here in the roomtoday who have been practicingTM for more than 8 years,
themaximum time you say it willtake to become enlightened.Point out the ones
who areenlightened, and let me talk tothem to figure out if this isall going to
be worth it."
-- "Sorry.<insert reverential tone ofbullshit here> 'We don't talkabout our
individual state ofconsciousness.'"
--"WTF? So you're saying that Ijust have to TRUST you about allthis
enlightenment stuff, andyou are NEVER going to show meanyone who you can
guarantee hasachieved it?"
-- "That's right."
--"You DO know that this isinsane, right? Promising the'fastest path' to
somethingyou'll later refuse to everproduce?"
-- "You thinkWE'RE insane? Talk to themillions of people who boughtthis exact
sales pitch hook,line, and sinker."
:-)
It's a "path to enlightenment" but my point was that no organizationI know of
guarantees it. You can't. It even goes against TMteaching because one's
progress is dependent on the state of theirnervous system. And by no means
would it be the fastest. It reallyis just a meditation for the masses. It's
nothing special otherthan it was probably better organized than some of the
other frontrunners.
Bhairitu, it's not "guaranteeing enlightenment" that I'm riffing on for
hopefully humorous purposes. It's the promising it for 50 years and never
*producing* it I'm riffing on.
That, and the fact that they got away with it because their clientele was too
stupid to ever say, "Now wait a minute...where are all these enlightened people
you promised me I'd be surrounded by and be one of? Point them out to me. Show
me an enlightened person."
Someone saying that -- *anyone* saying that -- would have been the counterpart
of the line in the fairy tale that goes, "Uh, guys...you *have* noticed that
the Emperor has no clothes on, right?" Asked to put up or shut up and actually
*produce* a "certified TM enlightened person," the TMO wouldn't have been able
to do so.
It's all a house of cards perpetuated by the fact that no one ever says, "Show
me an enlightened person."
#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205 -- #yiv9958857205ygrp-mkp {border:1px solid
#d8d8d8;font-family:Arial;margin:10px 0;padding:0 10px;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205ygrp-mkp hr {border:1px solid #d8d8d8;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205ygrp-mkp #yiv9958857205hd
{color:#628c2a;font-size:85%;font-weight:700;line-height:122%;margin:10px
0;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205ygrp-mkp #yiv9958857205ads
{margin-bottom:10px;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205ygrp-mkp .yiv9958857205ad
{padding:0 0;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205ygrp-mkp .yiv9958857205ad p
{margin:0;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205ygrp-mkp .yiv9958857205ad a
{color:#0000ff;text-decoration:none;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205ygrp-sponsor
#yiv9958857205ygrp-lc {font-family:Arial;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205ygrp-sponsor #yiv9958857205ygrp-lc #yiv9958857205hd {margin:10px
0px;font-weight:700;font-size:78%;line-height:122%;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205ygrp-sponsor #yiv9958857205ygrp-lc .yiv9958857205ad
{margin-bottom:10px;padding:0 0;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205actions
{font-family:Verdana;font-size:11px;padding:10px 0;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205activity
{background-color:#e0ecee;float:left;font-family:Verdana;font-size:10px;padding:10px;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205activity span {font-weight:700;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205activity span:first-child
{text-transform:uppercase;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205activity span a
{color:#5085b6;text-decoration:none;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205activity span
span {color:#ff7900;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205activity span
.yiv9958857205underline {text-decoration:underline;}#yiv9958857205
.yiv9958857205attach
{clear:both;display:table;font-family:Arial;font-size:12px;padding:10px
0;width:400px;}#yiv9958857205 .yiv9958857205attach div a
{text-decoration:none;}#yiv9958857205 .yiv9958857205attach img
{border:none;padding-right:5px;}#yiv9958857205 .yiv9958857205attach label
{display:block;margin-bottom:5px;}#yiv9958857205 .yiv9958857205attach label a
{text-decoration:none;}#yiv9958857205 blockquote {margin:0 0 0
4px;}#yiv9958857205 .yiv9958857205bold
{font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;font-weight:700;}#yiv9958857205
.yiv9958857205bold a {text-decoration:none;}#yiv9958857205 dd.yiv9958857205last
p a {font-family:Verdana;font-weight:700;}#yiv9958857205 dd.yiv9958857205last p
span {margin-right:10px;font-family:Verdana;font-weight:700;}#yiv9958857205
dd.yiv9958857205last p span.yiv9958857205yshortcuts
{margin-right:0;}#yiv9958857205 div.yiv9958857205attach-table div div a
{text-decoration:none;}#yiv9958857205 div.yiv9958857205attach-table
{width:400px;}#yiv9958857205 div.yiv9958857205file-title a, #yiv9958857205
div.yiv9958857205file-title a:active, #yiv9958857205
div.yiv9958857205file-title a:hover, #yiv9958857205 div.yiv9958857205file-title
a:visited {text-decoration:none;}#yiv9958857205 div.yiv9958857205photo-title a,
#yiv9958857205 div.yiv9958857205photo-title a:active, #yiv9958857205
div.yiv9958857205photo-title a:hover, #yiv9958857205
div.yiv9958857205photo-title a:visited {text-decoration:none;}#yiv9958857205
div#yiv9958857205ygrp-mlmsg #yiv9958857205ygrp-msg p a
span.yiv9958857205yshortcuts
{font-family:Verdana;font-size:10px;font-weight:normal;}#yiv9958857205
.yiv9958857205green {color:#628c2a;}#yiv9958857205 .yiv9958857205MsoNormal
{margin:0 0 0 0;}#yiv9958857205 o {font-size:0;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205photos div {float:left;width:72px;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205photos div div {border:1px solid
#666666;height:62px;overflow:hidden;width:62px;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205photos div label
{color:#666666;font-size:10px;overflow:hidden;text-align:center;white-space:nowrap;width:64px;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205reco-category {font-size:77%;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205reco-desc {font-size:77%;}#yiv9958857205 .yiv9958857205replbq
{margin:4px;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205ygrp-actbar div a:first-child
{margin-right:2px;padding-right:5px;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205ygrp-mlmsg
{font-size:13px;font-family:Arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205ygrp-mlmsg table {font-size:inherit;font:100%;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205ygrp-mlmsg select, #yiv9958857205 input, #yiv9958857205 textarea
{font:99% Arial, Helvetica, clean, sans-serif;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205ygrp-mlmsg pre, #yiv9958857205 code {font:115%
monospace;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205ygrp-mlmsg *
{line-height:1.22em;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205ygrp-mlmsg #yiv9958857205logo
{padding-bottom:10px;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205ygrp-msg p a
{font-family:Verdana;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205ygrp-msg
p#yiv9958857205attach-count span {color:#1E66AE;font-weight:700;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205ygrp-reco #yiv9958857205reco-head
{color:#ff7900;font-weight:700;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205ygrp-reco
{margin-bottom:20px;padding:0px;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205ygrp-sponsor
#yiv9958857205ov li a {font-size:130%;text-decoration:none;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205ygrp-sponsor #yiv9958857205ov li
{font-size:77%;list-style-type:square;padding:6px 0;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205ygrp-sponsor #yiv9958857205ov ul {margin:0;padding:0 0 0
8px;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205ygrp-text
{font-family:Georgia;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205ygrp-text p {margin:0 0 1em
0;}#yiv9958857205 #yiv9958857205ygrp-text tt {font-size:120%;}#yiv9958857205
#yiv9958857205ygrp-vital ul li:last-child {border-right:none
!important;}#yiv9958857205
