--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, hermandan0 <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, hermandan0 <no_reply@> > wrote: > <snip> > > > > Within the TMO there is a disinclination to consider that > > > > MMY's word and actions are also influenced by culture and > > > > thus that everything he says is not "the absolute speaking > > > > absolutely" (rather, no more than it is when you or I or they > > > > themselves speak), that women in saris is just fashion and > > > > culture instead of a law of nature, that condemnation of > > > > english and modern education and a strong campaign to > > > > repatriate the wealth "stolen" by the west back to India > > > > might be an just ideological quest, and that worshipping > > > > "laws of nature" in the form of Lakshmi and Ganesh might > > > > just be Hinduism and not neutral science. > > > > > > Again, well put. But one wants to be careful not to > > > throw the baby out with the bathwater. For example, > > > is listening to Vedic chanting merely cultural, or do > > > the sounds actually have an effect on consciousness? > > > > > > How do you know where to draw the line? Sometimes it > > > seems obvious, but other times it may not be quite so > > > clear. And different people, of course, draw the line > > > in different places, so that line isn't absolute either. > > > > All sounds have an effect on consciousness--weed whackers, Bach, > > Vedic chanting, (c)rap music (the "c" is silent). Go for what feels > > life-supporting for you. Likewise, if you like wearing saris, fine. > > But to pretend it's a law of nature that women should wear saris is, > > IMO, unnecessary. > > Yeah, well, that kind of misses my point, which was > that *some* things that are apparently cultural may > *also* be "scientific" in that their specific effects > are universal. (I wasn't including saris, by the way.)
Thanks for clarifying. I didn't address that because I didn't see that the point was in contention (although "universal" is a pretty large in scope). I didn't even think I was suggesting throwing anything out in the first place, only saying that I don't believe Maharishi is totally uninfluenced by culture, history, situation in time, and ideology, and that some of what he does is based on that. I wasn't even saying that's a bad thing, more that it is unavoidable. Just as Guru Dev was influenced by his cultural milieu, so is Maharishi. > > And the issue with Vedic chanting, of course, would > be whether it has a *positive* effect on consciousness. > (I'm not talking about whether it's enjoyable or > elevating to listen to aesthetically; I'd vastly > rather listen to Bach for that.) > That could lead to some interesting discussion about precisely which recitation--Vedic or or non-Vedic sanskrit, or Buddhist, Chinese, Japanese, Australian aboriginal, North American native, African etc.--has which effects for developing consciousness or making life more in harmony with natural law etc. I have more questions than answers in that regard. No doubt some of the more scholarly posters here would have some interesting things to say. If I have time perhaps I'll start a new thread on that topic. > > Drawing the lines is where thinking for ourselves comes in. > > Ultimately, we're responsible for ourselves. > > So long as we recognize the lines aren't universal. > > > > > > > Throwing the baby out with the bathwater is what I'd call insisting > > that a country of 1 billion people throw out all English language > > education and western-style schooling educate everyone in their own > > tribal language and calling it Vedic. > > > To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
