Wasn't the line "doubt the doubt"? I don't remember when MMY said it. It may have been a meditation instruction that got generalized.
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > It seems to me, based on my reading here and on a > number of other spiritual forums, that a lot can be > learned about spiritual movements and about the > spiritual seekers within them by how they respond > to the "D" word -- DOUBT. > > In some spiritual movements and traditions, doubt is > looked upon as a *healthy* thing. I remember meeting > a Paulist (Catholic) priest who told me that within > his order, no one was ever trusted with a position of > power within the Church until after they'd gone > through their own "dark night of the soul" and had > some serious doubts about the Church and Christ and > their relationships with both. Before they'd gone > through that, they were looked upon as novices, > "newbies," buying whatever had been told to them > without really ever questioning it, and in the process > of questioning it, making it "theirs." > > I've encountered other Eastern traditions in which > doubt is also seen as a very natural thing, and > actually encouraged. In face-to-face meetings with > the spiritual teachers of these traditions, it is > permitted and encouraged to ask ANYTHING, and to > question ANY teaching or point of dogma. In one > Tibetan tradition I know of, there is a system of > formal debate in which students are regularly > "assigned" the task of defending the very *opposite* > of the dogma that they believe and have been told is > correct. Interestingly, within ALL of these traditions, > there is *no concept* of being declared anathema, > of being told to leave the study or the movement. > > Compare and contrast to other spiritual traditions > in which doubt is looked upon as a weakness, or as > something that has to be hidden from the powers that > be, or worst, can be grounds for excommunication, > for being told that your doubt has no place in the > movement in question, and that you should get the > hell out and stay out and take your doubts with you. > > Being a lifelong doubter myself, it probably goes > without saying that I'm happier with the former > situation. :-) I can make a case for the latter > approach, in which doubt is demonized and driven > out of the gates of the monastery the moment it > rears its ugly head, but I honestly believe that > this approach is self-defeating, not to mention > Self-defeating. > > I guess this is just another way of thanking Rick > for creating a forum on which doubt is not only > allowed, but encouraged, and treated as if it were > a healthy and normal part of the spiritual path. > Such forums are rare, and to be treasured. > > Earlier today I was told by some students of a > former spiritual teacher of mine that I was essen- > tially evil because I didn't buy the "Party Line" > that all of the women students he slept with did > so willingly, and that they all benefited from the > experience. I was told this by students who have > studiously avoided ever hearing any stories to the > contrary; they have never talked to the women involved. > I have. And so, do I have doubts that all of the guy's > actions were appropriate? You betcha. > > It reminded me of reactions here when the same subject > comes up with regard to Maharishi. There are people > here who have *no problem* believing that Maharishi > was human, and scored him some very human nookie > along the Way, and who RESPECT HIM ANYWAY. Those are > my kinda people, the ones who are unafraid to express > their normal, everyday doubts, and who refuse to be > intimidated into hiding them. High five all around > to those kinda people from me. You make the spiritual > path worth walking. >
