[FairfieldLife] Re: What is the purpose of the puja?

[shukra69]

Maharishi makes some related comments on Global Fanily Chat of Oct 22
which will show up in the archives in a few weeks.

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, biosoundbill [EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote:

 Does anybody know what is the purpose of the TM puja?
 
 Is it to enliven the mantra,or is it to help the teacher to connect 
 with Guru Dev,or to go to the transcendent in order to fuse the mantra 
 with shakti,before passing it on to the initiate? any thoughts,or 
 opinions?
 
 Namaste,
 
 Billy

[FairfieldLife] Re: Prabhupada: On Genitals and Heavenly Nectar

[shukra69]

He thought the only motive in having kids was sex. It such a
ridiculous oversimplification and so obviously untrue of human nature. 
Gaudiya Vaishnavism is a Kaliyuga superficiality.

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, John [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 To All Members:
 
 Here is what Prabhupada commented on one of the slokas in the Srimad 
 Bhagavatam, Canto 2, Chapter 10:
 
 The heavenly pleasure for the conditioned soul is sexual pleasure, and 
 this pleasure is tasted by the genitals.  The woman is the object of 
 sexual pleasure, and both the sense perception of sexual pleasure and 
 the woman are controlled by the Prajapati, who is under the control of 
 the Lord's genitals.  The impersonalist must know from this verse that 
 the Lord is not impersonal, for He has His genitals, on which all the 
 pleasurable objects of sex depend.  No one would have taken the trouble 
 to maintain children if there were no taste of heavenly nectar by means 
 of sexual intercourse
 
 Comments anyone?  I can write the original sanskrit sloka and the 
 remaining English commentaries if anyone is interested.

[FairfieldLife] Re: What is the purpose of the puja?

[biosoundbill]

I am a Usui Reiki Master,I hate that title,but it just means I can 
attune people to the 3 different levels of Reiki.

When I perform an attunement on somebody,I get totally bombed 
out,and I always notice that my meditations are much more blissful 
for several days afterwards. It's probably something to do with the 
heightened energy from the attunement.

Namaste,

Billy

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 I don't think it is anything at all mystical like that.  The puja 
just 
 raises shakti to a high point temporarily enough to enliven the 
mantra.  
 And yes to those who speak of the changes in the environment pujas 
will 
 enliven the environment (or purify -- pick your choice of words 
and not 
 to mention how zoned out the intitator becomes). IOW, it is a 
science of 
 sound that is creating the effect.  Of course one can argue that 
 Brahmananda Saraswati (remember the title Guru Dev can mean a 
different 
 person in another tradition) or the energy link from the 
tradition of 
 masters is being passed along because that IS of course shakti.
 
 
 biosoundbill wrote:
  Is it true that Guru Dev is the primary link to the Holy 
  Tradition,and that he actually becomes ones Guru through the 
  Initiation?
 
  I have seen a very similar puja where Shiva is the main link.
 
  Namaste,
 
  Billy
 
  --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu noozguru@ wrote:

  biosoundbill wrote:
  
  Does anybody know what is the purpose of the TM puja?
 
  Is it to enliven the mantra,or is it to help the teacher to 

  connect 

  with Guru Dev,or to go to the transcendent in order to fuse 
the 

  mantra 

  with shakti,before passing it on to the initiate? any 

  thoughts,or 

  opinions?
 
  Namaste,
 
  Billy
 
 


  To enliven the mantra in lieu of having a guru mantra to 
enliven 
  
  it and 

  giving shaktipat for a meditation kickstart.
 
  
 
 
 
 

[FairfieldLife] Re: What is the purpose of the puja?

[biosoundbill]

I often wonder why a mental puja is not used.

Burn some incense,and have the Initiate observe the teacher chanting 
a mental pija in preparing himself/herself to impart the mantra.

Here is an example of a mental puja:-

The Shiva manasa puja by Sri Adi Shankaracharya is a unique stotra. 
It in in the form of a prayer by a devotee who imagines in his mind 
all the offerings and rituals prescribed in a pooja and offers them 
to lord Shiva with faith and devotion. This stotra is an eye opener 
to those who are fanatic about rituals as it clearly shows that 
faith and intentions are more important!
Adi Sankaracharya's 
Shiva Manasa Pooja
[The mental worship of Lord Shiva]
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

Aaradhayami mani sannibham athma lingam,
Maayapuri hrudaya pankaja sannivishtam,
Sradha nadhi vimala chitha jalabishegai,
Nithyam samadhi kusmaira punarbhavai.

(This stanza does not appear in most of the texts of Shiva Manasa 
Pooja but appears in Nirguna Manasa Pooja. But the version which I 
consult includes it here as the first stanza)

I worship that Linga,
Which is in me as my soul,
Residing in the illusory lotus of my heart,
Getting bathed by the clear water,
Of the river of my devotion,
And worshipped daily by the Lotus,
Of my meditation for avoiding another birth.

Rathnai Kalpitham asanam, Himajalai snanam cha divyambaram,
Naana rathna vibhooshitham mruga madha modhanvitham Chandanam,
Jathi champaka bilwa pathra rachitham, pushpam cha deepam Thada,
Deepam deva dayanithe pasupathe, hrud kalpyatham gruhyatham.

I offer you an imaginary throne made of precious jewels,
I offer you bath in the water of melted snow from the Himalayas,
I offer you holy silken cloth to wear,
I adorn you with very many precious jewels,
I offer you musk and sandal,
I offer you Bilwa and Champaka flowers,
And I offer you the holy lamp,
But all these I offer in the portal of my mind,
Please God who is merciful and who is the Lord of all beings,
Accept my offerings and bless me.

Souvarne nava rathna Ganda Rachithe, pathre Grutham Payasam,
Bakshyam pancha vidam Payo dadhiyutham, rambha phalam panakam,
Saaka namayutham jalam ruchikaram, karpoora gandojwalam,
Thamboolam manasa maya virachitham Bhakthyo prabho sweekuru

Sweet rice in a golden bowl inlaid with the nine jewels, the five 
kinds of food made from milk and curd, bananas, vegetables, sweet 
water scented with camphor, and betel leaves - I have prepared all 
these in my mind with devotion. O lord, please accept them.


I offer you Ghee and the sweet payasam in golden vessel ,
Decorated with nine type of precious gems,
I offer you five different dishes made of curd and milk,
I offer you panakam made of sweet fruits,
I offer you tasty sweet scented water to drink,
I offer you the lamp made of camphor along with tinkling bells,
And I offer you betel leaf and nut,
But these are offered by my mind with utter devotion to you,
So Lord Kindly accept and bless.


Chathram Chamarayoryugam vyajanagam, chaa darshakam nirmalam,
Veena bheri mrudanga kahala kala geetha nruthyam thada,
Sasthangam pranthi sthuthir bahu vidha, hyethat samastham maya,
Sankalpena samapitham thava vibho , poojam gruhana prabho.

I offer you a pretty stage,
I offer you couple of decorative fans,
I also offer you shining mirror,
I offer you Veena, kettledrums, Mrudanga and a very big drum,
I offer you song and dance,
I offer you full prostration,
I offer you several types of prayers,
But all these I offer you my Lord, in my mind
So Lord kindly accept this my worship.

Aathma thwam Girija Mathi sahacharaa, prana sarreram gruham,
Pooja theey vishayopa bhoga rachana, nidhra samadhi sthithi,
Sanchara padayo pradakshina vidhi, , sthothrani sarva giraa,
Yadyath karma karomi thathad akhilam, shambho thavaradhanam.

My soul is your temple my lord,
My activities are thine attendants,
My body is thine home,
My acts to please my senses are thine worship,
My act of sleep is the deep meditation on thee,
All my walks with my feet are thine perambulations,
What ever falls from my mouth are thine prayers,
Oh Lord, everything I say and do are thine forms of worship.

Kara charana krutham vaak kayajam karmajam vaa,
Sravana nayanajam vaa maanasam vaa aparadham,
Vihithamavihitham vaa sarva methath Kshamaswa,
Jaya Jaya katunabdhe sri Mahadeva Shambho.

Please pardon Oh lord
All those acts committed by me,
By hands, by action, by body or
By hearing, by my sight, or by my mind,
Whether they are proper or improper..
Victory oh victory, Oh, ocean of mercy,
Oh, The greatest of Gods and Oh benevolent one.

Matha cha Parvathy Devi,
Pitha devo Maheswara,
Bandhava Shiva Bakthamscha,
Swadeso Bhuvana thray.

My mother is the goddess Parvathy,
My father is the Lord Shiva,
My friends are the devotees of Shiva 
And my native place is all the three worlds. 


Namaste,

Billy



--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 I don't think it is anything at all mystical like that.  The puja 
just 
 raises shakti to a 

[FairfieldLife] For Vaj -- Bruce Cockburn on his way back to Nepal

[TurquoiseB]

Just FYI, since I know that you like the guy, too.

He was last there 20 years ago, and wrote some
great songs about his experiences while there.
I suspect we'll see some more from this journey
in the next album.

One of the Bruce fan websites is kinda following
the trip, and may have audio and video from Bruce
while he's there. The beginnings of their cover-
age can be seen here:

http://www.brucecockburn.org/bruce_in_nepal_november_2007.htm

[FairfieldLife] Re: What is the purpose of the puja?

[nablusoss1008]

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, BillyG. [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Peter drpetersutphen@ wrote:
 
  
  --- shempmcgurk shempmcgurk@ wrote:
  
   --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, biosoundbill
   smithybill@ 
   wrote:
   
Does anybody know what is the purpose of the TM
   puja?

Is it to enliven the mantra,or is it to help the
   teacher to connect 
with Guru Dev,or to go to the transcendent in
   order to fuse the 
   mantra 
with shakti,before passing it on to the initiate?
   any thoughts,or 
opinions?

Namaste,

Billy
   
   
   
   I think it is all of the above.
   
   Speaking from experience, something profound
   happens.  And I say that 
   not so much as a result of my experiences initiating
   (I taught about 
   50 people) but from being a flower boy for
   hundreds of initiations 
   BEFORE I became a teacher.  I waited outside the
   three rooms we had 
   for initiations on Saturdays to guide people to the
   room we used for 
   their first meditation.  Well, after about 5 minutes
   of them entering 
   the initiation room (about the time the mantra was
   imparted to them), 
   I sensed the entire atmophere change; I sensed
   something very 
   profound going on that was incredibly palpable.
   
   So I think that the puja replaces an enlightened
   master giving you 
   the mantra, which he can enliven just by the fact
   that it is he in 
   his enlightened state imparting it to you; by doing
   the puja and 
   invoking that tradition, the mantra is being
   imparted at that level.
   
   A mantra given without a puja may work and have some
   effect but it 
   would, in my opinion, be missing someting very, very
   special.
  
  Agree with Shemp here. Working as a flower boy and
  then initiating myself you experience a profound
  change in the environment. Forget the theory,
  something really amazing happens when you do a puja or
  pujas. A very profound, holy sweetness.
 
 I also like what Shemp had to say but I might add that in addition to
 creating the appropriate atmosphere it is an acknowledgment that the
 teaching comes from a 'tradition', like Shemp said, of Masters
 (whether you believe that or not) and MMY is not just some Johnny come
 lately giving out mantras (although you may believe that), 

Nobody belives that except the great expert Vaj... hehe

I
 personally don't know other than I've benefited from it :-).

[FairfieldLife] Announcing the Whiners-R-Us Yahoo group

[TurquoiseB]

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bronte Baxter
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 Someone just sent me this. Another side of the Amma movement?

   - Bronte


Announcing the Whiners-R-Us Yahoo group

For those who (like Sal) are afflicted with the 
particular character flaw that enables them to read
my posts :-), here is a followup to last week's 
Flaccid Mind Syndrome and The Judo Theory of 
Social Change posts. This one, like those, is in 
the nature of a Public Service, a primer on how to 
identify a subspecies of Internet Troll called 
the Whiner. 

Like Trolls (http://www.members.aol.com/tantricone/share/trolls.htm), 
Whiners (http://www.streamwood.net/whiner.jpg) tend to 
drop in to long-established chat groups in search of 
1) attention, 2) attention, and occasionally, 3) attention. 
But whereas the Trolls can manifest themselves and their 
quest for attention by just posting anything they can 
think of to stir things up and cause unrest and inspire 
flaming, Whiners tend to focus on one specific subject. 

Trolls have range -- they can find something contro-
versial to post about almost anything. Whiners tend to
be monotopical. They arrive on the group talking about one
topic that offends them mightily, try their best to get
everyone as upset and offended about it as humanly pos-
sible, and can rarely be steered *away* from the topic.

When someone in the group suggests that the Whiner might
just have become a tad obsessed or monotopical, the Whiners 
react as if they have been punched in the very nose they've 
stuck into someone else's idea of how to relax for a few 
minutes on the Internet. The Trolls rarely act all offended 
or hurt when someone points out that they are Trolls; they 
*enjoy* being a Troll. But the Whiners *definitely* act 
offended. For the Whiner, being offended is the water of 
life, the soma that triggers and facilitates their preferred 
states of attention -- righteous anger, playing the victim, 
and indignation.

Another clue when trying to identify a newbie as a poten-
tial Whiner is that the topic he or she is monotopical about 
is almost always negative, *against* something as opposed to
being *for* something. Trolls can actually post some positive 
suggestions or ideas or information from time to time, but 
the Whiner seemingly cannot. Even when challenged to post 
one -- just one -- post in which they don't rag on anyone 
or anything, they can't. When they try, a slam or an attempt
to turn the subject back to The Eternal Monotopic somehow 
always manages to sneak into the supposedly-inspiring post 
anyway, as if they can't help themselves.

They can't help themselves.

That is almost the *definition* of the Whiner. For what-
ever reason, something in their past has left them not
only scarred, but compulsively fingering and playing with
the scar 24/7. The scar is the most important thing in
their lives. *Nothing* is more important than focusing on
the scar, badrapping the people or organizations that
they believe caused the scar, and trying to get other
people to *also* focus on those people or organizations 
and badrap them, and in the process focus a lot of their 
attention on the poor, abused, scarred Whiners themselves.

Fortunately for the groups infested by individual Whiners
(or worse, swarms of them), Whiners rarely last very long.
They tend to blow out of groups that they can't get to
focus only on The Eternal Monotopic, and get to join them 
in railing against it non-stop. And *when* they blow out,
they usually do so with a flourish and with much fanfare,
as if their departure is a tremendous loss to the group
in question. It rarely is. The groups that the Whiners 
have stalked out of in a snit often breathe a sigh of 
relief and then go back to talking about *multiple* topics, 
or whatever else they were discussing before the Whiner
arrived and tried to turn them monotopical. So it goes.

My proactive positive suggestion, so that I am not per-
ceived as a Whiner myself, is to -- out of compassion -- 
create a special Yahoo group *for* Whiners. We could call 
it Whiners-R-Us. Those with a particular axe to grind could
subscribe and try to get the other members to focus on
their particular axe. It won't work, of course, because
all of the other members of the group already have *their* 
axes to grind, and know to the depths of their souls
that *their* axes are more deserving of grinding than the
newbie Whiner's axe. But at least they'll all be in one 
place, with one focus, and with folks they can identify
with.

Until such a group is created, might I suggest that those
whose monotopical obsession is to badrap anything and every-
thing about TM or other awful, mind-control-oriented forms
of meditation and spiritual practice give the TM-Free Blog 
a try, where they will undoubtedly find others who share 
their obsession. Or they could try similar groups that are 
*already* monotopical about the thing they're offended by. 
In those groups all of the prep work 

[FairfieldLife] Re: 'Israel Ready to Go'

[nablusoss1008]

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

  
 In a message dated 10/24/07 11:10:33 A.M. Central Daylight Time,  
 [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
 
 Israel  is behaving like Nazi Germany and they will go the same way
  they went  if they do not drastically change their policy.
  
  
   
  Is this a Moveon.org type point of view? 
 
 No it's called  Common Sense
 
 
 
 Common among Militant Muslims.

And the vast majority of Europeans.

[FairfieldLife] Re: Rus kick in for Paul, Obama, Kucinich

[nablusoss1008]

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, mainstream20016
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, bob_brigante no_reply@ wrote:
 
  http://www.ottumwacourier.com/local/local_story_296002124.html
 
 from the article:
 There are two exceptions among the top candidates. Neither Hillary
Clinton nor Rudy 
 Giuliani have received donations from this area.
 
 Niether Hillary nor Rudy  the likely nominees from the major
parties... has a single donor 
 from southeast Iowa in 2007.  I sense that the will of the people is
continuing to be being 
 ignored:
  First, it was the Democratic Congress, elected to end the war on
Iraq, that ignored the will 
 of the people.
 Now, HIllary and Rudy,  candidates with questionable support, will
likely be nominated. 
 There's an unpleasant sensation assaulting my olfactories

It does not really matter since it is him/her with the most money and
that does not voice any questions about the israeli policies that will
win anyway. 
Democracy the american way.

[FairfieldLife] Re: What is the purpose of the puja?

[nablusoss1008]

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, biosoundbill [EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote:

 I often wonder why a mental puja is not used.

The TM Puja is 99% mental.

Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: Identification and saturational clarity

[Vaj]

On Oct 25, 2007, at 12:06 AM, new.morning wrote:


--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, matrixmonitor
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 --Vaj, your'e not being consistent. I just received my Snow Lion
 magazine today with a cover article on the Green Tara. Devotion to
 Her is not only a wisdom proposition, but has an objective of
 ofsetting physical calamaties of all types, from arthritis to zits;
 snake bites, poverty, disease,...you name it.
 You seem to be calling the Tibetan Lamas who promote such remedial
 measures fools. Is that correct?

If I may venture in, I certainly would not call the Tibetan Lamas
fools. They, or their predecessors, have simply enlivened and infused
with love the Tara image /symbol. My point in the prior post is that
you (anyone) too can do so to any object or symbol if you do so with
adoration, love, caring and attention. Regardless if there is actually
a goddess on the other side of the symbol.



Dr. John Lilly, who invented the isolation tank / float tank found  
through his experiments in sensory deprivation induced visions that  
all one really has to do to have an incredibly detailed mystical  
vision of ANY idea, is to convince oneself of it and then enter into  
a state that invokes vision.


So, you could convince yourself of the fact that human society was  
infected by an alien race that sought to enslave us -- or any  
scenario you can imagine -- and as vision emerged you would see that  
mythos played out in incredible detail.


Love is not a requirement to have these experiences, but given a  
range of different likely experiences that most humans would choose,  
there are some that might act as an improvement on the human  
condition. It could be that love is a theme common to the more  
evolutionary individual and collective myths which can also  
positively effect other beings as well. Loving contact with imagined  
supernatural wisdom beings:  gods, dakinis, shaktis, etc. could  
certainly be of the latter (beneficial) type if one so decides.  
Various props (mantras, yantras, rituals) just help imprint the  
idea on finer levels of thought which when encountered in vision will  
render a more powerful imprint / experience. But really we could just  
look at these as neuro-psychological placebo scripts designed to  
invoke a certain response, in this case (presumably) evolutionary.


In the case of Tara we have an originally historical being, a female  
who presumably attained buddhahood, but decided to act as a  
bodhisattva for sentient beings in this solar system. As part of this  
she left behind specific props to help anyone who desires to get into  
that same evolutionary place via her mantra, her image, her dimension  
or mandala and her practices others have used to imprint her  
potentialities onto a being. But none of this has to be looked at as  
having any substantial reality. In fact, it does not. It could be  
looked at as a carefully and purposely chosen set of placebos, known  
to give a certain response. The nice thing of course about choosing a  
human form for your placebo is that in the style of samadhi where  
vision arises, you meet a being which possesses senses like those all  
humans have, so it gives your nervous system and your spirit a UI  
(User Interface). And it's the most natural UI for humans, no  
instruction manual necessary. Very user friendly. ;-)

[FairfieldLife] Re: Whoops - Re- Posting It So It Opens (Article on Ashram Incident)

[Alex Stanley]

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bronte Baxter
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
[snip]

Attachments are only available to people who receive FFL traffic in
email. Yahoo strips off the attachments on the Yahoo Groups website.
The Ammachi ashram story you're trying to post has been covered on the
Guruphiliac blog:

http://guruphiliac.blogspot.com/search/label/Ammachi%27s%20Goongate

http://tinyurl.com/ywef92

[FairfieldLife] YouTube - Spread The Love (Insomnia Film Festival 2007)

[Rick Archer]

A zombie love story, created for the 2007 Insomnia Film Festival, starring a
couple of MUM students and members of our Wednesday night satsang group: 

HYPERLINK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjOs9ZJDtF8http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y
jOs9ZJDtF8 


No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.10/1091 - Release Date: 10/24/2007
2:31 PM
 

[FairfieldLife] Power of the Puja (What is the purpose of the puja?)

[Duveyoung]

The puja as taught by MMY is about identification from gross to
subtle.  It is worship conducted according to ANCIENT rules of
mental-judo and is one of the purest forms of
ritual-that-actually-works available on the planet. I don't think MMY
messed with these rules. If done correctly, the TM puja will
engage everything about one and INVOLVE IT at every level with an
attuning intent towards perfection and purity.

If I watch Bret Farvre throw a touchdown pass, I instantly enter his
life to whatever extent my imagination can insert me, and I get a
vicarious thrill that is full and intense in direct proportion to
MY ABILITY TO INSERT -- my ability to identify.

As a boy, I would watch ants scurrying and KNOW what I would be
facing if I were one of them.  Pebbles are mountains, passing cars
are Ravana, gigantic little boy observer is God, that sort of thing.
 Did I learn anything by such channelings?  You betcha.  

Scientists have shown that monkeys who are not allowed to do a task
but ARE allowed to see other monkeys doing that task will learn that
task faster than the normal-monkey-learning-rate if they're later
given the chance, because, in their minds, they'd already practiced
the skill.  This is the value of identification.

Look at the below puja words. Doesn't matter that is isn't the TM puja
words.  They'll serve us here. 

If even one of those statements were to be identified with by me, the
bones, that the words are, would be fleshed out with imagination,
and like me as ant-boy or me as Brett -- to some degree -- I'd see
myself as the kind of personality that would say those words.  Just
as I can find my inner ant or quarterback, I can find my inner saint.
 (Or, devil, so beware whatcher tinkin, eh?)

My soul is your temple my Lord.

What a powerhouse concept.  

Spend some time on that -- even on the gross conceptual level. 
Interpret that poetry. Imagine yourself actually before God and saying
such.  One could spend an entire lifetime doing this kind of mood
making and never run out of thrills.

You are inside me, Lord. Worship existence and make it holy through
your identification with the good thoughts and actions coming from You
through me -- your holy robot -- into the world.  Pray inside me, and
let my thoughts be Your prayers.  Let me be perfectly clean, and calm,
and quiet, and in awe when You do this.  Program me, Lord. Let me chop
wood and carry water and throw touchdown passes as Thee.

Even on the level of FFLife posting, the above sort of attentioning,
can be a deeply edifying experience of culturing one's personality
with life-supporting imagining.  

If I translate the below puja's English into Edglish, I will be
improved for sure.

That's just on the gross level of conceptual thought, but the puja is
so much more, right?  Beyond mere translation of the Sanskrit, we were
taught how to monkey-pre-learn being priestly and be able to engage
our imaginations at profoundly deeper levels by giving them a running
start by getting advice from those who have been there and have the
tee shirt in that:

1. We were instructed that the very sounds in the air of the Sanskrit
recitation are a balm to the psychic energies in the environment.  How
good is that, eh?  To know one's voicings are soothing the angst of
the environment -- to whatever degree.  Identify with that, eh?  This
is being priestly. One is in awe of one's holiness being empowered to
flow into the environment.  (Remember, I'm no Brett Farvre, but I can
approach Farvre-ness enough to identify with him.  So, it doesn't
matter if I'm not actually a Super-Bowl-Level priest, I can still have
the thrill of identification with purity.)

2. A sprinkle of water douses the flames of any discontent that would
seek to gain the priest's attention from outside, or, inside.  How
good is that, eh?  To be able to wash one's spirit and be spiffed up
in Sunday-go-to-meetin'-attire.  Ah.  One can relax and feel accepted
by the congregation of, what?, angels hovering near perhaps?

3.  The meanings of the Sanskrit was given to us so that we wouldn't
have to spend time re-inventing the wheel for the kind of concepts
that the words were meant to trigger within one's mind.  So no work
involved doing this -- saves one from having to work at a gross level
of concept.  One doesn't have to be a Sanskrit scholar to have a
comfortable enough understanding such that the intellect is
satisfied, and what?, it then can let go of having to work on the
translation.  A free ride for the intellect during the puja -- more
chance for silence to fill the mind instead.  I'm feeling like a holy
Brett!

3.  The emotions one would be expected to have while such concepts are
entertained in the mind are taught to us -- via concept -- and this
removes the need for us to have to imagine/discover which ones would
be apropos for the ritual. The emotions that a saint would have while
doing puja are explained to us, and we can feel assured that we have
good targets to try to hit.  

Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: 'Israel Ready to Go'

[MDixon6569]

 
In a message dated 10/25/07 7:01:14 A.M. Central Daylight Time,  
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

Israel  is behaving like Nazi Germany and they will go the same way
  they  went if they do not drastically change their policy.
  
   
  
  Is this a Moveon.org type point of view?  
 
 No it's called Common Sense
 
 
  
 Common among Militant Muslims.

And the vast majority of  Europeans.



Well, that makes it very *Chic*, doesn't it?



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[FairfieldLife] Pandits' winter clothing

[Rick Archer]

Our beloved Meditating community ~~

Maharishi has just approved getting the Pandits warm winter coats, 
etc!  A $25,000 matching donation has already been given for this 
purpose.  Could we, together with our network of friends, come up 
with the rest of the money needed?

We have all benefited so greatly from having our precious Vedic 
Pandits in Maharishi Vedic City and Fairfield for the last almost 
year.  They are of paramount importance to the Peace and well-being 
of not only the US but the world.  Many of us were given the 
opportunity to be a part of their Vedic Performances during 
Navaratri.  It was an unforgettable and transforming experience for 
all who attended.

We all want the Pandits to be comfortable and warm as the cold winter 
weather and winds set in.  As those who live in Fairfield and 
Maharishi Vedic City know, there is no buffer to the wind and 
elements on the Pandit campus, and they are not used to this kind of 
weather.  Please, could we all be their surrogate parents, brothers, 
and sisters, and clothe them warmly, as we would our own family?

Could each of us give what is financially comfortable for us - 
whether it be a large amount, a coat or two, a pair of boots, some 
gloves?  Every item is needed, for over 550 Pandits.

Please make your checks out to the Global Country of World Peace and 
mail to 2000 Capital Boulevard, Maharishi Vedic City, IA 52556. 
Indicate that the funds are for the Pandits' coats and boots.  You 
can also donate online on the Global Country website, 
globalcountryofworldpeace.org.  Again, indicate what the donation is 
for.  All donations are tax deductible.

Please, dear meditating family, look in your heart and do what you 
can to help keep Maharishi's most precious Vedic Pandits warm and 
comfortable this winter...

With our love and appreciation,

Jai Guru Dev

Some Mothers in Fairfield


Please send this email to all your meditating friends around the 
country!   Time is of the essence ~ cold weather is setting in and we 
must order and purchase coats, boots, gloves ASAP.
 

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.10/1091 - Release Date: 10/24/2007
2:31 PM
 



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[FairfieldLife] Re: 'Israel Ready to Go'

[nablusoss1008]

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

  
 In a message dated 10/25/07 7:01:14 A.M. Central Daylight Time,  
 [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
 
 Israel  is behaving like Nazi Germany and they will go the same way
   they  went if they do not drastically change their policy.
   

   
   Is this a Moveon.org type point of view?  
  
  No it's called Common Sense
  
  
   
  Common among Militant Muslims.
 
 And the vast majority of  Europeans.
 
 
 
 Well, that makes it very *Chic*, doesn't it?

Oh yes :-)
And infinately more intelligent.

[FairfieldLife] Dick Cheney Meditating

[Bhairitu]

Cheney falls asleep during Cabinet meeting on wildfires.

During a cabinet meeting yesterday, Vice President Cheney fell asleep on 
camera while President Bush was discussing wildfires in California. A 
Cheney spokeswoman “laughed it off,” telling CNN that the vice president 
was “practicing meditation.”

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/10/25/cheney-falls-asleep-during-cabinet-meeting-on-wildfires/





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:
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* Your email settings:
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(Yahoo! ID required)

* To change settings via email:
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mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

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[EMAIL PROTECTED]

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[FairfieldLife] Re: Prabhupada: On Genitals and Heavenly Nectar

[John]

Billy and all,

My comments are shown below:


  
  Here is what Prabhupada commented on one of the slokas in the 
Srimad 
  Bhagavatam, Canto 2, Chapter 10:
  
  The heavenly pleasure for the conditioned soul is sexual 
pleasure,
 and 
  this pleasure is tasted by the genitals. 
 
 
 What he is saying IMO is; for those souls that are 'conditioned', 
that
 is their happiness is based on 'conditions' in the material world
 (object oriented), their highest pleasure is derived thru the 
genitals.
 

By TM standards and a few orthodox religions, this assertion may be 
true.  But there are others who do not believe that they are 
conditioned.  Thus, they are subjected to the three gunas, the 
sufferings of the world.  But it is likely they don't know that or 
won't accept it.  At worst, they would blame everyone else for their 
sufferings.

  The woman is the object of 
  sexual pleasure, and both the sense perception of sexual pleasure 
and 
  the woman are controlled by the Prajapati, who is under the 
control of 
  the Lord's genitals.
 
 The parjapati is the deity that presides over procreation.
 

Prajapatis are also considered to be the executives of cosmic order.

 
 
  The impersonalist must know from this verse that 
  the Lord is not impersonal, for He has His genitals, on which all 
the 
  pleasurable objects of sex depend. 
 
 Not sure what he means here other than the Lord is all of creation
 including the genitals of all humans..?? Prabhupad use to say 
that
 everything belongs to God and the criterion of success is if it
 pleases God.

IMO, he is criticizing those philosophers who teach notions of the 
Supreme Being in terms of intellectual sophistication and arguments, 
as in Plato's ideas of Being.  Prabhupada is saying the Supreme Being 
has body parts that are similar to human beings.

This line of argument is not so different from the Judeo-Christian 
religion tradition.

 
 No one would have taken the trouble 
  to maintain children if there were no taste of heavenly nectar by
 means 
  of sexual intercourse
 
 
 Under the direction of the prajapati humans are enticed (thru sexual
 pleasure) to have sex for the procreation of children.

This generally true.  However, there are people who forego 
procreation in favor of sexual pleasures alone.  This line of 
argument becomes more contentious when one argues that love covers 
all questions of morality.  Thus, many orthodox religions are coming 
to grips with questions relating divorces, common-law marriages, and 
same sex marriages.

Regards,

John R.

[FairfieldLife] Re: Dick Cheney Meditating

[do.rflex]

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 Cheney falls asleep during Cabinet meeting on wildfires.
 
 During a cabinet meeting yesterday, Vice President Cheney fell
asleep on 
 camera while President Bush was discussing wildfires in California. A 
 Cheney spokeswoman laughed it off, telling CNN that the vice
president 
 was practicing meditation.
 

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/10/25/cheney-falls-asleep-during-cabinet-meeting-on-wildfires/


The problem is what Cheney does when he's awake.

Image:  http://www.blah3.com/images/articles/20071025090132264_1.jpg

Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: Dick Cheney Meditating

[Bhairitu]

do.rflex wrote:
 --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
   
 Cheney falls asleep during Cabinet meeting on wildfires.

 During a cabinet meeting yesterday, Vice President Cheney fell
 
 asleep on 
   
 camera while President Bush was discussing wildfires in California. A 
 Cheney spokeswoman laughed it off, telling CNN that the vice
 
 president 
   
 was practicing meditation.


 
 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/10/25/cheney-falls-asleep-during-cabinet-meeting-on-wildfires/


 The problem is what Cheney does when he's awake.

 Image:  http://www.blah3.com/images/articles/20071025090132264_1.jpg
Yup, looks like he's chanting the wrong mantras.

[FairfieldLife] Morford: American kids dumber than dirt

[Bhairitu]

Warning: The next generation might just be the biggest pile of idiots in 
U.S. history

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2007/10/24/notes102407.DTL

(Would be FFL columnists would do well to study how Morford's writing 
style can carry you forward like butter instead of looking over at the 
pane slider to see how much more you have to read).

[FairfieldLife] Re: Morford: American kids dumber than dirt

[do.rflex]

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bhairitu [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 Warning: The next generation might just be the biggest pile of
idiots in 
 U.S. history
 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2007/10/24/notes102407.DTL


Here's some disturbing evidence of the 'dumbing down' of America

10 Largest Cities Graduating Less than 1/2 of Students

-Among the nation's 50 largest districts, the study finds, three
graduate fewer than 40%: Detroit (21.7%), Baltimore (38.5%) and New
York City (38.9%).-


Big-city schools struggle with graduation rates

By Greg Toppo
USA TODAY, 6/20/2006
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-06-20-dropout-rates_x.htm


WASHINGTON — Students in a handful of big-city school districts have a
less than 50-50 chance of graduating from high school with their
peers, and a few cities graduate far fewer than half each spring,
according to research released on Tuesday.

Fourteen urban school districts have on-time graduation rates lower
than 50%; they include Detroit, Baltimore, New York, Milwaukee,
Cleveland, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Denver and Houston.


SEE TABLE of Graduation rates for 50 largest districts in U.S. at:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-06-20-dropout-rates_x.htm


The findings present a bleak picture and are sure to generate
controversy as lawmakers and others push to keep U.S. students
competitive globally.

While the basic finding that the nation's overall graduation rate is
about 70% is not new, the study suggests that graduation rates are
much lower than previously reported in many states.

It also could bring the dropout debate to the local level, because it
allows anyone with Internet access to view with unprecedented detail
data on the nation's 12,000 school districts.

Among the nation's 50 largest districts, the study finds, three
graduate fewer than 40%: Detroit (21.7%), Baltimore (38.5%) and New
York City (38.9%).

The advantage of the new study is that you could apply it to any and
all school districts in the country with the same validity — and the
same problems, says Michael Casserly of The Council of the Great City
Schools, an advocacy group for large urban districts.

He says it's still unclear whether researcher Christopher Swanson
overstates the problem. Swanson's analysis, strictly speaking, is not
a calculation of dropout rates but of graduation rates; it estimates
the probability that a student in ninth grade will complete high
school on time and with a regular diploma.

Adding to the debate: The study is sponsored by the Bill  Melinda
Gates Foundation, which promotes its own brand of high school reform.
Last year, Bill Gates called U.S. high schools obsolete.

The study, which uses 2002 and 2003 data, the most current available,
finds that public schools graduate 69.6% of an estimated 4 million
eligible students each spring, meaning about 1.2 million students
likely won't graduate this year. That means about 7,000 students drop
out per school day, Swanson says.

Researcher Lawrence Mishel of the Economic Policy Institute says
Swanson's figures seriously understate graduation rates, especially
for minorities. They say that just 52% of blacks graduate, and 57% of
Hispanics.

Mishel says by comparing the number of graduates with the number of
ninth-graders, Swanson exaggerates the effects of the ninth-grade
bulge, in which many ninth-graders are held back a year before
tackling more advanced work and, often, state-mandated exit exams.
Mishel's most recent research puts the overall U.S. graduation rate at
82%.

[FairfieldLife] Re: Prabhupada: On Genitals and Heavenly Nectar

[BillyG.]

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, John [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 Billy and all,
 
 My comments are shown below:


   The impersonalist must know from this verse that 
   the Lord is not impersonal, for He has His genitals, on which all 
 the 
   pleasurable objects of sex depend. 
  
  Not sure what he means here other than the Lord is all of creation
  including the genitals of all humans..?? Prabhupad use to say 
 that
  everything belongs to God and the criterion of success is if it
  pleases God.
 
 IMO, he is criticizing those philosophers who teach notions of the 
 Supreme Being in terms of intellectual sophistication and arguments, 
 as in Plato's ideas of Being.  Prabhupada is saying the Supreme Being 
 has body parts that are similar to human beings.

Indeed it does appear he means that, a bit bizarre to my thinking, but
they always did adulate Krishna. My understanding is anything above
the lower causal plane is 'arupa' or formless, it's only humans that
are isolated to a meager human body, exalted beings have omnipresent
awareness and can materialize 'any' form on the lower planes as
needed, go figure?

[FairfieldLife] Brahma Gives Sadhu A Lift -- In Front Of The White House

[Samadhi Is Much Closer Than You Think -- Really! -- It's A No-Brainer. Who'd've Thunk It?]

*Man levitates outside the White House*

By staff writers

October 23, 2007

DUTCH magician Ramana has been doing his best to freak
out American people by levitating in Times Square and
in front of the White House.

The illusionist, real name Wouter Bijdendijk, hovered
several feet above the pavement with apparent ease. His
only prop was a stick that he held with his left
hand.

A household name in his native Netherlands, Ramana has
performed for Queen Beatrix and has  been honoured in
India with the Golden Cloth award, the highest cultural
honour ever given to a westerner, metro.co.uk reported.

This is an art, he said.

And in India, they see it also as a science. I hope I
make people wonder, Ramana said.

Ramana's repertoire also includes flying up to 10
metres above ground, mind reading and other forms of
Indian street trickery.

Watch him hover at these two videos and more:
*http://ManLevitatesAtWhitehouse.veryweird.com*http://ManLevitatesAtWhitehouse.veryweird.com

*Beam Me Up, Scottianandaji!*

Use these terms to find other videos of Ramana levitating:
Ramana, levitation, dutch

Re: [FairfieldLife] Dick Cheney Meditating

[MDixon6569]

 
In a message dated 10/25/07 11:57:13 A.M. Central Daylight Time,  
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

Cheney  falls asleep during Cabinet meeting on wildfires.

During a cabinet  meeting yesterday, Vice President Cheney fell asleep on 
camera while  President Bush was discussing wildfires in California. A 
Cheney  spokeswoman “laughed it off,” telling CNN that the vice president 
was  “practicing  meditation.”

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/10/25/cheney-falls-asleep-during-cabinet-meeting
-on-wildfires/




Looks more like meditation to me. If he were asleep that chin would be  
resting on the chest. I guess he could afford the $2,500.00 initiation fee  
without 
too much problem. It might have been recommended to him for his heart  
health. Would love to hear an MMY comment. H, do I treat him like a war  
mongering bastard or do I suck up to him in hopes of getting American tax payer 
 
funding?



** See what's new at http://www.aol.com

[FairfieldLife] Re: Power of the Puja (What is the purpose of the puja?)

[biosoundbill]

I imagine that any puja work work to take the mind of the teacher to 
a higher level to impart the mantra with shakti.

Billy


--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Duveyoung [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 The puja as taught by MMY is about identification from gross to
 subtle.  It is worship conducted according to ANCIENT rules of
 mental-judo and is one of the purest forms of
 ritual-that-actually-works available on the planet. I don't think 
MMY
 messed with these rules. If done correctly, the TM puja will
 engage everything about one and INVOLVE IT at every level with an
 attuning intent towards perfection and purity.
 
 If I watch Bret Farvre throw a touchdown pass, I instantly enter 
his
 life to whatever extent my imagination can insert me, and I get a
 vicarious thrill that is full and intense in direct proportion 
to
 MY ABILITY TO INSERT -- my ability to identify.
 
 As a boy, I would watch ants scurrying and KNOW what I would be
 facing if I were one of them.  Pebbles are mountains, passing 
cars
 are Ravana, gigantic little boy observer is God, that sort of 
thing.
  Did I learn anything by such channelings?  You betcha.  
 
 Scientists have shown that monkeys who are not allowed to do a 
task
 but ARE allowed to see other monkeys doing that task will learn 
that
 task faster than the normal-monkey-learning-rate if they're later
 given the chance, because, in their minds, they'd already practiced
 the skill.  This is the value of identification.
 
 Look at the below puja words. Doesn't matter that is isn't the TM 
puja
 words.  They'll serve us here. 
 
 If even one of those statements were to be identified with by me, 
the
 bones, that the words are, would be fleshed out with imagination,
 and like me as ant-boy or me as Brett -- to some degree -- I'd see
 myself as the kind of personality that would say those words.  
Just
 as I can find my inner ant or quarterback, I can find my inner 
saint.
  (Or, devil, so beware whatcher tinkin, eh?)
 
 My soul is your temple my Lord.
 
 What a powerhouse concept.  
 
 Spend some time on that -- even on the gross conceptual level. 
 Interpret that poetry. Imagine yourself actually before God and 
saying
 such.  One could spend an entire lifetime doing this kind of mood
 making and never run out of thrills.
 
 You are inside me, Lord. Worship existence and make it holy 
through
 your identification with the good thoughts and actions coming from 
You
 through me -- your holy robot -- into the world.  Pray inside me, 
and
 let my thoughts be Your prayers.  Let me be perfectly clean, and 
calm,
 and quiet, and in awe when You do this.  Program me, Lord. Let me 
chop
 wood and carry water and throw touchdown passes as Thee.
 
 Even on the level of FFLife posting, the above sort 
of attentioning,
 can be a deeply edifying experience of culturing one's personality
 with life-supporting imagining.  
 
 If I translate the below puja's English into Edglish, I will be
 improved for sure.
 
 That's just on the gross level of conceptual thought, but the puja 
is
 so much more, right?  Beyond mere translation of the Sanskrit, we 
were
 taught how to monkey-pre-learn being priestly and be able to engage
 our imaginations at profoundly deeper levels by giving them a 
running
 start by getting advice from those who have been there and have the
 tee shirt in that:
 
 1. We were instructed that the very sounds in the air of the 
Sanskrit
 recitation are a balm to the psychic energies in the environment.  
How
 good is that, eh?  To know one's voicings are soothing the angst of
 the environment -- to whatever degree.  Identify with that, eh?  
This
 is being priestly. One is in awe of one's holiness being empowered 
to
 flow into the environment.  (Remember, I'm no Brett Farvre, but I 
can
 approach Farvre-ness enough to identify with him.  So, it doesn't
 matter if I'm not actually a Super-Bowl-Level priest, I can still 
have
 the thrill of identification with purity.)
 
 2. A sprinkle of water douses the flames of any discontent that 
would
 seek to gain the priest's attention from outside, or, inside.  How
 good is that, eh?  To be able to wash one's spirit and be spiffed 
up
 in Sunday-go-to-meetin'-attire.  Ah.  One can relax and feel 
accepted
 by the congregation of, what?, angels hovering near perhaps?
 
 3.  The meanings of the Sanskrit was given to us so that we 
wouldn't
 have to spend time re-inventing the wheel for the kind of concepts
 that the words were meant to trigger within one's mind.  So no work
 involved doing this -- saves one from having to work at a gross 
level
 of concept.  One doesn't have to be a Sanskrit scholar to have a
 comfortable enough understanding such that the intellect is
 satisfied, and what?, it then can let go of having to work on the
 translation.  A free ride for the intellect during the puja -- 
more
 chance for silence to fill the mind instead.  I'm feeling like a 
holy
 Brett!
 
 3.  The emotions one would be expected to have 

[FairfieldLife] Re: Power of the Puja (What is the purpose of the puja?)

[biosoundbill]

Even the Lords Prayer in the orignial Arameic,another Energy 
language,would probably work,as it takes one back to source - see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUIlaRKOT7A

See how much more Cosmic this version is to what most of us know!

Namaste,

Billy



--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, biosoundbill 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 I imagine that any puja work work to take the mind of the teacher 
to 
 a higher level to impart the mantra with shakti.
 
 Billy
 
 
 --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Duveyoung no_reply@ wrote:
 
  The puja as taught by MMY is about identification from gross to
  subtle.  It is worship conducted according to ANCIENT rules of
  mental-judo and is one of the purest forms of
  ritual-that-actually-works available on the planet. I don't 
think 
 MMY
  messed with these rules. If done correctly, the TM puja will
  engage everything about one and INVOLVE IT at every level with an
  attuning intent towards perfection and purity.
  
  If I watch Bret Farvre throw a touchdown pass, I 
instantly enter 
 his
  life to whatever extent my imagination can insert me, and I 
get a
  vicarious thrill that is full and intense in direct 
proportion 
 to
  MY ABILITY TO INSERT -- my ability to identify.
  
  As a boy, I would watch ants scurrying and KNOW what I would be
  facing if I were one of them.  Pebbles are mountains, passing 
 cars
  are Ravana, gigantic little boy observer is God, that sort of 
 thing.
   Did I learn anything by such channelings?  You betcha.  
  
  Scientists have shown that monkeys who are not allowed to do a 
 task
  but ARE allowed to see other monkeys doing that task will learn 
 that
  task faster than the normal-monkey-learning-rate if they're later
  given the chance, because, in their minds, they'd already 
practiced
  the skill.  This is the value of identification.
  
  Look at the below puja words. Doesn't matter that is isn't the 
TM 
 puja
  words.  They'll serve us here. 
  
  If even one of those statements were to be identified with by 
me, 
 the
  bones, that the words are, would be fleshed out with 
imagination,
  and like me as ant-boy or me as Brett -- to some degree -- 
I'd see
  myself as the kind of personality that would say those words.  
 Just
  as I can find my inner ant or quarterback, I can find my inner 
 saint.
   (Or, devil, so beware whatcher tinkin, eh?)
  
  My soul is your temple my Lord.
  
  What a powerhouse concept.  
  
  Spend some time on that -- even on the gross conceptual level. 
  Interpret that poetry. Imagine yourself actually before God and 
 saying
  such.  One could spend an entire lifetime doing this kind 
of mood
  making and never run out of thrills.
  
  You are inside me, Lord. Worship existence and make it holy 
 through
  your identification with the good thoughts and actions coming 
from 
 You
  through me -- your holy robot -- into the world.  Pray inside 
me, 
 and
  let my thoughts be Your prayers.  Let me be perfectly clean, and 
 calm,
  and quiet, and in awe when You do this.  Program me, Lord. Let 
me 
 chop
  wood and carry water and throw touchdown passes as Thee.
  
  Even on the level of FFLife posting, the above sort 
 of attentioning,
  can be a deeply edifying experience of culturing one's 
personality
  with life-supporting imagining.  
  
  If I translate the below puja's English into Edglish, I will be
  improved for sure.
  
  That's just on the gross level of conceptual thought, but the 
puja 
 is
  so much more, right?  Beyond mere translation of the Sanskrit, 
we 
 were
  taught how to monkey-pre-learn being priestly and be able to 
engage
  our imaginations at profoundly deeper levels by giving them a 
 running
  start by getting advice from those who have been there and have 
the
  tee shirt in that:
  
  1. We were instructed that the very sounds in the air of the 
 Sanskrit
  recitation are a balm to the psychic energies in the 
environment.  
 How
  good is that, eh?  To know one's voicings are soothing the angst 
of
  the environment -- to whatever degree.  Identify with that, eh?  
 This
  is being priestly. One is in awe of one's holiness being 
empowered 
 to
  flow into the environment.  (Remember, I'm no Brett Farvre, but 
I 
 can
  approach Farvre-ness enough to identify with him.  So, it doesn't
  matter if I'm not actually a Super-Bowl-Level priest, I can 
still 
 have
  the thrill of identification with purity.)
  
  2. A sprinkle of water douses the flames of any discontent that 
 would
  seek to gain the priest's attention from outside, or, inside.  
How
  good is that, eh?  To be able to wash one's spirit and be 
spiffed 
 up
  in Sunday-go-to-meetin'-attire.  Ah.  One can relax and feel 
 accepted
  by the congregation of, what?, angels hovering near perhaps?
  
  3.  The meanings of the Sanskrit was given to us so that we 
 wouldn't
  have to spend time re-inventing the wheel for the kind of 
concepts
  that the words were meant to trigger within one's mind.  

Re: [FairfieldLife] Morford: American kids dumber than dirt

[Angela Mailander]

This is most true.  And it didn't happen suddenly.  It happened over the 
entirety of my fifty-year teaching career, and it was going on before I got on 
board.  I believe it was in 1906 or 9 when one of the Rockefellers said, It 
will not be our purpose to educate philosophers or scientists, but a people 
that shall willingly mold itself to our hands.  He said this on the occasion 
of his funding of what would become Columbia University which is largely 
responsible for designing our educational systems world-wide by now.  
I started teaching when I was fifteen in 1955, having been educated in the best 
private schools in Europe.  When I came here, I could not believe the abysmally 
low level of education I found here compared to what I was used to. I was told 
then that we were to teach to the average student.  I said, If you do that, 
then whatever you're calling 'average' will get lower and lower.  You will be 
drawing teachers from that same pool, and it will get shallower and shallower. 
 

The standards have been slipping in college as well.  I graduated people in May 
in the eighties who would become high school teachers of English come September 
and who could not read or write their native language adequately.  My first 
husband was getting his Ph.D. when I married him.  I attended all his seminars 
with him and helped him to write his dissertation.  When I got my first Ph.D. 
twenty years later, I couldn't help but notice that mine was worth far less 
than his had been twenty years earlier.  So even at the highest level the 
standards have been slipping.  

My career has been unusual because I've taught at every level of instruction 
from preschool through graduate school.  I have NEVER taught anything at the 
undergraduate level in college that shouldn't have been covered by eighth 
grade. 

I hate to say this, but the low level of education is felt EVERYWHERE in 
America, including Ff, including this group. a

Bhairitu [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:   Warning: The 
next generation might just be the biggest pile of idiots in 
 U.S. history
 
 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2007/10/24/notes102407.DTL
 
 (Would be FFL columnists would do well to study how Morford's writing 
 style can carry you forward like butter instead of looking over at the 
 pane slider to see how much more you have to read).
 
 
   

 Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com 

[FairfieldLife] Question for Alex from Bronte

[brontebaxter8]

Thanks for explaining that! So, I can't read the attachments I post 
because I don't receive FFL email. Can other members read the 
attachments I posted (the people who do get FFL email)?

- Bronte


-- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Alex Stanley 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bronte Baxter
 brontebaxter8@ wrote:
 [snip]
 
 Attachments are only available to people who receive FFL traffic in
 email. Yahoo strips off the attachments on the Yahoo Groups website.
 The Ammachi ashram story you're trying to post has been covered on the
 Guruphiliac blog:
 
 http://guruphiliac.blogspot.com/search/label/Ammachi%27s%20Goongate
 
 http://tinyurl.com/ywef92

[FairfieldLife] Re: I think that the basic TM technique is more powerful than the advanced techn

[Richard J. Williams]

  So, most mantra meditation is TM and has been TM for 
  centuries.
 
Bhairitu wrote:
 The other way around: TM is just a form yogic meditation 
 which has been taught for centuries.

So, TM is yogic meditation that has been taught for centuries.

Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: I think that the basic TM technique is more powerful than the advanced techn

[Bhairitu]

Richard J. Williams wrote:
 So, most mantra meditation is TM and has been TM for 
 centuries.

   
 Bhairitu wrote:
   
 The other way around: TM is just a form yogic meditation 
 which has been taught for centuries.

 
 So, TM is yogic meditation that has been taught for centuries.
NO.  

TM is A FORM of yogic meditation that has been taught for centuries.

The active word is FORM!

[FairfieldLife] Re: Question for Alex from Bronte

[Alex Stanley]

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, brontebaxter8
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 
 Thanks for explaining that! So, I can't read the attachments I post 
 because I don't receive FFL email. Can other members read the 
 attachments I posted (the people who do get FFL email)?

Yes, people who receive FFL traffic in email can read attached files.
It's only the Yahoo Group web archives where attachments are stripped
off. My recollection is that they started doing that because archived
attachments were consuming excessive amounts of bandwidth and disk
storage (there were a lot of groups being used to trade digital
images, and there were huge archives full of attachments.)
 
 - Bronte
 
 
 -- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Alex Stanley 
 j_alexander_stanley@ wrote:
 
  --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bronte Baxter
  brontebaxter8@ wrote:
  [snip]
  
  Attachments are only available to people who receive FFL traffic in
  email. Yahoo strips off the attachments on the Yahoo Groups website.
  The Ammachi ashram story you're trying to post has been covered on the
  Guruphiliac blog:
  
  http://guruphiliac.blogspot.com/search/label/Ammachi%27s%20Goongate
  
  http://tinyurl.com/ywef92
 

[FairfieldLife] Proud to be a Whiner!

[brontebaxter8]

It seems to me, Turq, that you have a whiner/ mono-topic of your own: 
pooping on other people's posts. You think you are so positive, but a 
big percentage of what you churn out is criticism. Not that that's 
always awful. I actually enjoy most of your rants, because they make 
me think. But you are rather like a pot calling a kettle black.

As far as mono-topic posters go (those people you call whiners), some 
of us get the same kick out of reading their stuff as you get out of 
reading the lighter stuff. I know I can count on Ron, for example, to 
present a certain perspective on spiritual life that I won't find 
anywhere else on this forum. He gives me an insight into his unique 
world. It doesn't matter that I am 180-degrees-opposed to his 
perspective, or that he writes from it all the time. It makes him, to 
me, rather an expert on the subject, and I get value from that.

I know Angela's an expert on Nazi Germany, and look forward to her 
posts that share her specialty knowledge. For my own part, I'm highly 
intrigued at this stage of my life by the god-guru connection, and 
people can count on posts on that subject from me. I've loved 
dialoguing with other posters about it, especially the ones who 
disagree passionately, and the result has not only defined and 
sharpened my perspective on the subject but has inspired a book which 
I now have started writing. The title: Blowing the Whistle on 
Enlightenment: Allegations of a New Age Heretic.

Let's hear it for Turq's whiners! The specialty-interest people. You 
make the world a more fascinating place, and I'm honored to among 
your company. 

- Bronte
   





--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bronte Baxter
 brontebaxter8@ wrote:
 
  Someone just sent me this. Another side of the Amma movement?
 
- Bronte
 
 
 Announcing the Whiners-R-Us Yahoo group
 
 For those who (like Sal) are afflicted with the 
 particular character flaw that enables them to read
 my posts :-), here is a followup to last week's 
 Flaccid Mind Syndrome and The Judo Theory of 
 Social Change posts. This one, like those, is in 
 the nature of a Public Service, a primer on how to 
 identify a subspecies of Internet Troll called 
 the Whiner. 
 
 Like Trolls 
(http://www.members.aol.com/tantricone/share/trolls.htm), 
 Whiners (http://www.streamwood.net/whiner.jpg) tend to 
 drop in to long-established chat groups in search of 
 1) attention, 2) attention, and occasionally, 3) attention. 
 But whereas the Trolls can manifest themselves and their 
 quest for attention by just posting anything they can 
 think of to stir things up and cause unrest and inspire 
 flaming, Whiners tend to focus on one specific subject. 
 
 Trolls have range -- they can find something contro-
 versial to post about almost anything. Whiners tend to
 be monotopical. They arrive on the group talking about one
 topic that offends them mightily, try their best to get
 everyone as upset and offended about it as humanly pos-
 sible, and can rarely be steered *away* from the topic.
 
 When someone in the group suggests that the Whiner might
 just have become a tad obsessed or monotopical, the Whiners 
 react as if they have been punched in the very nose they've 
 stuck into someone else's idea of how to relax for a few 
 minutes on the Internet. The Trolls rarely act all offended 
 or hurt when someone points out that they are Trolls; they 
 *enjoy* being a Troll. But the Whiners *definitely* act 
 offended. For the Whiner, being offended is the water of 
 life, the soma that triggers and facilitates their preferred 
 states of attention -- righteous anger, playing the victim, 
 and indignation.
 
 Another clue when trying to identify a newbie as a poten-
 tial Whiner is that the topic he or she is monotopical about 
 is almost always negative, *against* something as opposed to
 being *for* something. Trolls can actually post some positive 
 suggestions or ideas or information from time to time, but 
 the Whiner seemingly cannot. Even when challenged to post 
 one -- just one -- post in which they don't rag on anyone 
 or anything, they can't. When they try, a slam or an attempt
 to turn the subject back to The Eternal Monotopic somehow 
 always manages to sneak into the supposedly-inspiring post 
 anyway, as if they can't help themselves.
 
 They can't help themselves.
 
 That is almost the *definition* of the Whiner. For what-
 ever reason, something in their past has left them not
 only scarred, but compulsively fingering and playing with
 the scar 24/7. The scar is the most important thing in
 their lives. *Nothing* is more important than focusing on
 the scar, badrapping the people or organizations that
 they believe caused the scar, and trying to get other
 people to *also* focus on those people or organizations 
 and badrap them, and in the process focus a lot of their 
 attention on the poor, abused, scarred Whiners 

Re: [FairfieldLife] Question for Alex from Bronte

[Vaj]

On Oct 25, 2007, at 5:26 PM, brontebaxter8 wrote:



Thanks for explaining that! So, I can't read the attachments I post
because I don't receive FFL email. Can other members read the
attachments I posted (the people who do get FFL email)?



Yes. That's the way people are supposed to get email lists! :-)

Web browser viewing is for when you're in a pinch. If you're  
overwhelmed by the sheer volume, set up an easy rule and have them go  
into a folder.

[FairfieldLife] Fwd: [examma] Re: Facts Evidence (MORE LINKS)

[feste37]

I doubt whether anyone on this list will react much to this. If it had
been a report connected with any Maharishi operation, the posts would
have gone on for days about how corrupt and evil the TM movement is.
But Amma is likely to get a pass from those here who reserve their
most virulent hatred for one who was originally their benefactor.
Strange, isn't it? 


--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Bronte Baxter
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 Apparently dead bodies have been appearing floating in the water
outside Amma's Math Ashram in India. See the attachment for an Indian
Express newspaper article on this, accounts of two such bodies found,
plus three mysterious sudden deaths associated with the ashram. See
the second attachment for a devotee's own story of finding a dead body
and how the ashram reacted to the incident. 
 
 Note: forwarded message attached.
  __
 Do You Yahoo!?
 Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
 http://mail.yahoo.com 
 Here is one good place to start:
 
 http://www.geocities.com/fake_avatar/Disappear01.htm
 
 Also, there are quite a few articles on
 http://www.cultofthehuggingsaint.com In fact, pretty much every
 article I have seen/read is also on this site.
 
 Here is a link to the tax exempt info and info on M.A. Center.They are
 listed as a Religious organization and
 Church:
 
 http://www.taxexemptworld.com/organization.asp?tn=1363284
 
 Keep in mind, M.A. Center is the US based ashram in San Ramon, CA.
 M.A. Math is based in India.
 
  M.A. Center
   PO BOX 613
   SAN RAMON, CA, 94583-0613
  
   Employee Identification Number: 943044871
   Ruling Date: September 1987
   Deductions: Contributions are deductible
   Foundation Type: Church
   Activity: Church, synagogue, etc
   Organization Type: Corporation
   Filing Requirement: 990 - Not required to file (church). No 990PF
  return.
   Fiscal Year End Date: December
   Asset Amount: $0
   Income Amount: $0
   Form 990 Revenue Amount: $0
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Violet,
  
  Can you provide links to former posts? I have read most of them and
 find nothing that 
  points to death at the ashrams or deaths linked to Amma - perhaps I
 missed this... Bronte, 
  if you find these posts, will you paste the links here again?
  
  About the financial issues - the fact is - and I will quote a book I
 am reading called Take 
  back your Life - about cult abuse...
  
  When questioning the financial legitimacy of a cult - the book says
 this
  
  Is there an annual financial report? Every bona-fide church,
 charity or non-profit 
  organization makes this information readily available to the public.
  
  If someone provides me the name(s) of any of Amma's charities or
 corporations, I will try 
  to get this information. If someone knows the answer to this
 already, let me know.
  
  Thanks,
  
  Gina
  
  --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], violetdoves no_reply@ wrote:
  
   
  BRONTE WRITES:
  How so? What makes her untouchable?
   
   This has all been talked about before. If you go through the older
   posts here you will get the gist. The ashram is heavily tied
into the
   government in India, and that, coupled up with guru culture in
India
   makes her untouchable. This is why her ashram residents could nearly
   beat to death a group of villagers and the police did nothing about
   it. Not to mention, most of her devotees teeter at the edge of
sanity,
   and would go to any lengths to protect her name.
   
   In regard to your question of deaths, like I said above, this has
   already been discussed so I don't want to take the time to write it
   all out again. It's there in the biographies, it's there in the
Sreeni
   Pattathanam case, it's there in the testimony of another person on
   here who made an account of seeing a dead body in the ashram
   backwaters, it's there in the threats her organization makes against
   those who go against her. I have not seen or experienced
anything
   directly, but after copious amounts of research and talking to
   others...it's all there, and it is all worthy of investigation in my
   opinion.
   
   In regard to investigating the financial issues, someone correct
me if
   I am wrong, but I don't think MA Center and MA Math are required by
   law to disclose their tax stuff or any other records for that matter
   unless a case was brought against them. They are registered under
   Church, so it gives them much less accountability.  I think you'd
   have a better chance of finding the Holy Grail than of getting any
   kind of financial disclosure on the charitable activities or
   hospitals. Though, I would LOVE to see what the hell is really going
   on at AIMS. So many people have said that the thing is a sham. 
   
   
   Violet
  
 

[FairfieldLife] Re: Morford: American kids dumber than dirt

[feste37]

You must have taught at some lousy colleges. I have taught at high
school, undergraduate and graduate level and have been fortunate
enough to have had some brilliant students. In the words of The Who,
The kids are all right! 

I wonder why you deign to contribute to this list since you have such
a low opinion of the educational attainments of its members. 


--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Angela Mailander
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

My career has been unusual because I've taught at every level of
instruction from preschool through graduate school.  I have NEVER
taught anything at the undergraduate level in college that shouldn't
have been covered by eighth grade. 
 
 I hate to say this, but the low level of education is felt
EVERYWHERE in America, including Ff, including this group. a


 
 Bhairitu [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:  
Warning: The next generation might just be the biggest pile of idiots in 
  U.S. history
  
 
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2007/10/24/notes102407.DTL
  
  (Would be FFL columnists would do well to study how Morford's
writing 
  style can carry you forward like butter instead of looking over at the 
  pane slider to see how much more you have to read).
  
  

 
  Send instant messages to your online friends
http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: Morford: American kids dumber than dirt

[Angela Mailander]

Of course there are brilliant students, but that doesn't mean they've had an 
education.  I met brilliant illiterates all over the world.  They're 
illiterate, not stupid.  Get the difference?  I don't have a particularly low 
opinion of most of the members, but somebody posted something about the 
educational level in the U.S. generally, and I have to agree that it is 
abysmal.  Europe is deteriorating too, but not as fast. 
One Ph.D. from the University of Iowa, one from Kent State.  My profs wanted me 
to go to Harvard, and I was accepted, by my husband didn't want to go there.  

And th

feste37 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:   You must have 
taught at some lousy colleges. I have taught at high
 school, undergraduate and graduate level and have been fortunate
 enough to have had some brilliant students. In the words of The Who,
 The kids are all right! 
 
 I wonder why you deign to contribute to this list since you have such
 a low opinion of the educational attainments of its members. 
 
 --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Angela Mailander
 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 
 My career has been unusual because I've taught at every level of
 instruction from preschool through graduate school.  I have NEVER
 taught anything at the undergraduate level in college that shouldn't
 have been covered by eighth grade. 
  
  I hate to say this, but the low level of education is felt
 EVERYWHERE in America, including Ff, including this group. a
 
  
  Bhairitu [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:  
 Warning: The next generation might just be the biggest pile of idiots in 
   U.S. history
   
  
 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2007/10/24/notes102407.DTL
   
   (Would be FFL columnists would do well to study how Morford's
 writing 
   style can carry you forward like butter instead of looking over at the 
   pane slider to see how much more you have to read).
   
   
 
  
   Send instant messages to your online friends
 http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com
 
 
 
 
   

 Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com 

[FairfieldLife] Jews Turning Against Israel's Right Wing Zionist Policy

[do.rflex]

Jewish Glasnost Update: Zionist Panic!

Tony Karon
Rootless Cosmopolitan, October 23, 2007
http://tonykaron.com/2007/10/23/jewish-glasnost-update-zionist-panic/


Is Israel's top liberal daily a fifth column?

Apropos my earlier piece arguing that the ferocious backlash by the
Zionist right against Jewish critics of Israel — also targeting as
'anti-semitic' those like Archbishop Desmond Tutu who seek to judge
Israel by universal moral standards — is a sign of panic over losing
their claim to a monopoly on representing Jews, evidence is growing
that they are increasingly aware of their own predicament. 

One reader ... pointed out this glum editorial by arch-Zionist and
neocon Daniel Pipes, warning that even if it overcomes all the mortal
threats that neocons like to see all around Israel, that won't help it
cope with what he calls Israel's ultimate challenge — a Jewish
population increasingly disenchanted with, even embarrassed by, the
country's founding ideology, Zionism, the Jewish national movement.
(Actually, Daniel, I'd call it the Jewish nationalist movement, but
let's not quibble here.)

It's worth quoting at length from Pipes' piece:

Worse for Israel, Jewish nationalism has lost the near-automatic
support it once had among secular Jews, many of whom find this
nineteenth-century ideology out of date. Some accept arguments that a
Jewish state represents racism or ethnic supremacism, others find
universalist and multi-cultural alternatives compelling. Consider some
signs of the changes underway:
  
# Young Israelis are avoiding the military in record numbers, with
26 percent of enlistment-age Jewish males and 43 percent of females
not drafted in 2006. An alarmed Israel Defense Forces has requested
legislation to deny state-provided benefits to Jewish Israelis who do
not serve.
  
# Israel's Attorney General Menachem Mazuz has up-ended the work
of the Jewish National Fund, one of the pioneer Zionist institutions
(founded in 1901) by determining that its role of acquiring land
specifically for Jews cannot continue in the future with state assistance.
  
# Prominent Israeli historians focus on showing how Israel was
conceived in sin and has been a force for evil. Israel's ministry of
education has approved school books for third-grade Arab students that
present the creation of Israel in 1948 as a 'catastrophe' (Arabic: nakba).
  
# Avraham Burg, scion of a leading Zionist household and himself a
prominent Labor Party figure, has published a book comparing Israel
with 1930s Germany.
  
# A 2004 poll found only 17 percent of American Jews call
themselves 'Zionist.'

Noting that these trends simply put young Israelis and American Jews
in line with international trends, the only consolation he offers is
that things will hopefully get better for the Zionists a quarter
century from now.

Add to this the observations of Phil Weiss, whose blog is must-read
for those seeking a smart and sober chronicling of the battle of ideas
in today's America, much of it focused on Jewish identity politics
(although far from exclusively so).

When he heard that the rightwing Zionist media watchdog organization
CAMERA was organizing a summit on Jewish Defamers of Israel, he did
what any good journalist should: He paid his $40 and attended the
event. And what he found was a bunch of alte kakkers (he didn't call
them that, of course, simply noted that the average age appeared to be
over 60) kvetching in communion with stalwarts of the Zionist right.
He writes:

The CAMERA people are losing and they know it. Near the end
Cynthia Ozick was asked how we should go about delegitimizing the
delegitimizers of the Jewish state and she sighed and said, It's
hopeless. Alvin Rosenfeld, the author of the disgraceful report on
Jewish anti-Semitism put out by the American Jewish Committee, was
mildly more optimistic. He said exactly what I say: We are in a
furious intellectual struggle. There is a war of ideas going on… it
won't end quickly…. It is steady work. And it is serious and
worrisome inasmuch as these ideas may now enter the mainstream. Amen.

…The reason It's hopeless for the other side is that there was, in
the basement of the synagogue, little to zero acknowledgement of the
three great realities that are feeding Jewish post-Zionism.

1. the end of anti-Semitism. My old friend and I talked about a
Jewish Daily News columnist who refused to hire Jews. That was 50
years ago. The injury is fresh. As the memories of anti-Semitism are
for my parents. And they are virtually meaningless to young Americans.
A panelist very briefly acknowledged this at the end, saying that Jews
are so comfortable in America, how do we stir them?

2. the Israeli occupation of Arab lands and Israel's brutal
treatment of Palestinians were at no time acknowledged, but endlessly
rationalized. The separate roadway system for settlers and Palestinian
Arabs–rationalized. The incursion into Jenin–whitewashed. And so on.

[FairfieldLife] Re: Power of the Puja (What is the purpose of the puja?)

[t3rinity]

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, biosoundbill [EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote:

 Even the Lords Prayer in the orignial Arameic,another Energy 
 language,would probably work,as it takes one back to source - see:
 
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUIlaRKOT7A
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnYV0WFpiCg

Re: [FairfieldLife] Jews Turning Against Israel's Right Wing Zionist Policy

[billy jim]

Who cares?
  Let them all eat yellow cake.
  Better yet, while dining in the valley of megiddo. 

  
do.rflex [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
  

Jewish Glasnost Update: Zionist Panic!

Tony Karon
Rootless Cosmopolitan, October 23, 2007
http://tonykaron.com/2007/10/23/jewish-glasnost-update-zionist-panic/

Is Israel's top liberal daily a fifth column?

Apropos my earlier piece arguing that the ferocious backlash by the
Zionist right against Jewish critics of Israel — also targeting as
'anti-semitic' those like Archbishop Desmond Tutu who seek to judge
Israel by universal moral standards — is a sign of panic over losing
their claim to a monopoly on representing Jews, evidence is growing
that they are increasingly aware of their own predicament. 

One reader ... pointed out this glum editorial by arch-Zionist and
neocon Daniel Pipes, warning that even if it overcomes all the mortal
threats that neocons like to see all around Israel, that won't help it
cope with what he calls Israel's ultimate challenge — a Jewish
population increasingly disenchanted with, even embarrassed by, the
country's founding ideology, Zionism, the Jewish national movement.
(Actually, Daniel, I'd call it the Jewish nationalist movement, but
let's not quibble here.)

It's worth quoting at length from Pipes' piece:

Worse for Israel, Jewish nationalism has lost the near-automatic
support it once had among secular Jews, many of whom find this
nineteenth-century ideology out of date. Some accept arguments that a
Jewish state represents racism or ethnic supremacism, others find
universalist and multi-cultural alternatives compelling. Consider some
signs of the changes underway:

# Young Israelis are avoiding the military in record numbers, with
26 percent of enlistment-age Jewish males and 43 percent of females
not drafted in 2006. An alarmed Israel Defense Forces has requested
legislation to deny state-provided benefits to Jewish Israelis who do
not serve.

# Israel's Attorney General Menachem Mazuz has up-ended the work
of the Jewish National Fund, one of the pioneer Zionist institutions
(founded in 1901) by determining that its role of acquiring land
specifically for Jews cannot continue in the future with state assistance.

# Prominent Israeli historians focus on showing how Israel was
conceived in sin and has been a force for evil. Israel's ministry of
education has approved school books for third-grade Arab students that
present the creation of Israel in 1948 as a 'catastrophe' (Arabic: nakba).

# Avraham Burg, scion of a leading Zionist household and himself a
prominent Labor Party figure, has published a book comparing Israel
with 1930s Germany.

# A 2004 poll found only 17 percent of American Jews call
themselves 'Zionist.'

Noting that these trends simply put young Israelis and American Jews
in line with international trends, the only consolation he offers is
that things will hopefully get better for the Zionists a quarter
century from now.

Add to this the observations of Phil Weiss, whose blog is must-read
for those seeking a smart and sober chronicling of the battle of ideas
in today's America, much of it focused on Jewish identity politics
(although far from exclusively so).

When he heard that the rightwing Zionist media watchdog organization
CAMERA was organizing a summit on Jewish Defamers of Israel, he did
what any good journalist should: He paid his $40 and attended the
event. And what he found was a bunch of alte kakkers (he didn't call
them that, of course, simply noted that the average age appeared to be
over 60) kvetching in communion with stalwarts of the Zionist right.
He writes:

The CAMERA people are losing and they know it. Near the end
Cynthia Ozick was asked how we should go about delegitimizing the
delegitimizers of the Jewish state and she sighed and said, It's
hopeless. Alvin Rosenfeld, the author of the disgraceful report on
Jewish anti-Semitism put out by the American Jewish Committee, was
mildly more optimistic. He said exactly what I say: We are in a
furious intellectual struggle. There is a war of ideas going on… it
won't end quickly…. It is steady work. And it is serious and
worrisome inasmuch as these ideas may now enter the mainstream. Amen.

…The reason It's hopeless for the other side is that there was, in
the basement of the synagogue, little to zero acknowledgement of the
three great realities that are feeding Jewish post-Zionism.

1. the end of anti-Semitism. My old friend and I talked about a
Jewish Daily News columnist who refused to hire Jews. That was 50
years ago. The injury is fresh. As the memories of anti-Semitism are
for my parents. And they are virtually meaningless to young Americans.
A panelist very briefly acknowledged this at the end, saying that Jews
are so comfortable in America, how do we stir them?

2. the Israeli occupation of Arab lands and Israel's brutal
treatment of Palestinians were at no time acknowledged, but endlessly
rationalized. The separate roadway system for 

[FairfieldLife] Re: Morford: American kids dumber than dirt

[feste37]

Every generation that has ever lived has complained about the younger
generation, but what young people need to know changes from generation
to generation. Has it ever occurred to you that the young people today
do not necessarily need to know everything that you learned so long
ago, and that they may know things that you are entirely ignorant of? 

And as far as brilliance is concerned, I wasn't talking about
illiterates. These were very well educated young people. I'm sorry you
appear to have had such little luck in finding high-quality students
to benefit from your great wisdom and knowledge. 


--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Angela Mailander
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 Of course there are brilliant students, but that doesn't mean
they've had an education.  I met brilliant illiterates all over the
world.  They're illiterate, not stupid.  Get the difference?  I don't
have a particularly low opinion of most of the members, but somebody
posted something about the educational level in the U.S. generally,
and I have to agree that it is abysmal.  Europe is deteriorating too,
but not as fast. 
 One Ph.D. from the University of Iowa, one from Kent State.  My
profs wanted me to go to Harvard, and I was accepted, by my husband
didn't want to go there.  
 
 And th
 
 feste37 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:   You must
have taught at some lousy colleges. I have taught at high
  school, undergraduate and graduate level and have been fortunate
  enough to have had some brilliant students. In the words of The Who,
  The kids are all right! 
  
  I wonder why you deign to contribute to this list since you have such
  a low opinion of the educational attainments of its members. 
  
  --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Angela Mailander
  mailander111@ wrote:
  
  My career has been unusual because I've taught at every level of
  instruction from preschool through graduate school.  I have NEVER
  taught anything at the undergraduate level in college that shouldn't
  have been covered by eighth grade. 
   
   I hate to say this, but the low level of education is felt
  EVERYWHERE in America, including Ff, including this group. a
  
   
   Bhairitu noozguru@ wrote:  
  Warning: The next generation might just be the biggest pile of
idiots in 
U.S. history

   
 
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2007/10/24/notes102407.DTL

(Would be FFL columnists would do well to study how Morford's
  writing 
style can carry you forward like butter instead of looking over
at the 
pane slider to see how much more you have to read).


  
   
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Re: [FairfieldLife] Re: Morford: American kids dumber than dirt

[Angela Mailander]

Jesus Christ.  They guy either told the truth: American kids are dummer than 
dirt, or he didn't.  If it's true, then we have better things to do than to 
engage in pissing contests on a personal level. Then there are serious 
questions to ask about that. Plus, once again, you're not reading what I 
actually said.  Where did I say that a clear river, for example, the river 
clear as glass that educated my grandfather wasn't the best schooling a man can 
have?  You are imputing motives to my statements that I do not have. If what 
the guy said is true, and I believe that it is true from my perspective as a 
professional in the field of education, then, as I suggested earlier, we are 
all embedded in it including the folks in Ff.  The forest is green, remember, 
because every leaf of every tree is green.  Why are you taking that personally? 
a


feste37 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:   Every 
generation that has ever lived has complained about the younger
 generation, but what young people need to know changes from generation
 to generation. Has it ever occurred to you that the young people today
 do not necessarily need to know everything that you learned so long
 ago, and that they may know things that you are entirely ignorant of? 
 
 And as far as brilliance is concerned, I wasn't talking about
 illiterates. These were very well educated young people. I'm sorry you
 appear to have had such little luck in finding high-quality students
 to benefit from your great wisdom and knowledge. 
 
 --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Angela Mailander
 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 
  Of course there are brilliant students, but that doesn't mean
 they've had an education.  I met brilliant illiterates all over the
 world.  They're illiterate, not stupid.  Get the difference?  I don't
 have a particularly low opinion of most of the members, but somebody
 posted something about the educational level in the U.S. generally,
 and I have to agree that it is abysmal.  Europe is deteriorating too,
 but not as fast. 
  One Ph.D. from the University of Iowa, one from Kent State.  My
 profs wanted me to go to Harvard, and I was accepted, by my husband
 didn't want to go there.  
  
  And th
  
  feste37 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:   You must
 have taught at some lousy colleges. I have taught at high
   school, undergraduate and graduate level and have been fortunate
   enough to have had some brilliant students. In the words of The Who,
   The kids are all right! 
   
   I wonder why you deign to contribute to this list since you have such
   a low opinion of the educational attainments of its members. 
   
   --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Angela Mailander
   mailander111@ wrote:
   
   My career has been unusual because I've taught at every level of
   instruction from preschool through graduate school.  I have NEVER
   taught anything at the undergraduate level in college that shouldn't
   have been covered by eighth grade. 

I hate to say this, but the low level of education is felt
   EVERYWHERE in America, including Ff, including this group. a
   

Bhairitu noozguru@ wrote:  
   Warning: The next generation might just be the biggest pile of
 idiots in 
 U.S. history
 

  
 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2007/10/24/notes102407.DTL
 
 (Would be FFL columnists would do well to study how Morford's
   writing 
 style can carry you forward like butter instead of looking over
 at the 
 pane slider to see how much more you have to read).
 
 
   

 Send instant messages to your online friends
   http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com
   
   
   
   
 
  
   Send instant messages to your online friends
 http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com
 
 
 
 
   

 Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com 

[FairfieldLife] 'Madison Scientists Offer Perspective on Wildfires'

[Robert]

University of Wisconsin-Madison Experts Available on Wildfire Ecology and Human 
Impacts
   MADISON, Wis., Oct. 24 (AScribe Newswire) -- The fires raging in 
southern California have already consumed more than 600 square miles and forced 
the evacuation of more than half a million residents, and they continue to 
spread. 
   University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists are available to offer expert 
perspective on wildfires and their impacts on both people and ecosystems. 
   In addition to the areas of expertise designated below, these scientists 
may be able to provide comparison to Wisconsin's historic Peshtigo fire of 
1871. While the Peshtigo fire was a one-time event, fueled by giant piles of 
logging debris, the California chaparral is a fire ecosystem that burns 
repeatedly and predictably. 
   - Volker Radeloff, associate professor of forest ecology and management, 
is an expert on wildfires in urban regions, including southern California, and 
how housing growth and urban development have influenced fire occurrence. 
Contact: Volker Radeloff, 608-263-4349, [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
   - Paul Zedler, professor of environmental studies, is an expert on fire 
ecology and its interaction with physical landscapes. He can provide comment on 
the connection between extreme fires and extreme weather, the contributions of 
people and their infrastructure, and the impacts of building homes in 
fire-prone areas. Contact: Paul Zedler, 608-265-8018, [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
   - Tom Gower, professor of forest ecology and management, can provide 
insight into the relationship between climate and fire pattern and the effects 
of wildfire on ecosystem dynamics. Contact: Tom Gower, 608-262-0532, [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] 
   - Ed Hopkins, assistant state climatologist, is an expert in meteorology 
and climate, including weather patterns that may influence wildfire. Contact: 
Ed Hopkins, 608-274-0112 (mornings) or 608-263-2374 (afternoons), [EMAIL 
PROTECTED] 
   - Monica Turner, professor of zoology, is an expert on forest fires in 
the western United States, especially the Rocky Mountain region. She studies 
ecosystem responses to and recovery after wildfire. Contact: Monica Turner, 
608-262-2592, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Note: Dr. Turner will not be available for 
comment until Oct. 29. 
   - - - - 
   CONTACT: Jill Sakai, UW-Madison Communications, 608-262-9772, [EMAIL 
PROTECTED]

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[FairfieldLife] 'John Lennon- Studio Tracks Collection'

[Robert]

Quinta-feira, 25 de Outubro de 2007
John Lennon - Studio Tracks Collection 
John Lennon Studio Tracks Vol. 1 

 

tracklist:
1. I'm The Greatest 
2. Going Down On Love 
3. Honey Don't 
4. Matchbox 
5. How Do You Sleep 
6. Out Of The Blue 
7. Goodnight Vienna 
8. God 
9. Mucho Mungo 
10. Woman Is The ** Of The World 
11. I Found Out 
12. Cold Turkey 
13. Cold Turkey (Track 1) 
14. Do The Oz 
15. Beef Jerkey 
16. Power To The People 
17. God Save Oz 
18. Only You 
19. Be My Baby 
20. I'm The Greatest (Version 2) 

DOWNLOAD
--
John Lennon Studio Tracks Vol. 2 

 
tracklist:
1. Imagine 
2. Crippled Inside 
3. Jealous Guy 
4. It's So Hard 
5. How Do You Sleep 

6. Gimme Some Truth 

7. Oh My Love 
8. How Do You Sleep (Version 2) 
9. How 
10. Oh Yoko 
11. San Francisco Bay Blues 
DOWNLOAD v2 
---
John Lennon Studio Tracks Vol. 3 


 
tracklist:
1. Maggie Mae 
2. I Don't Want To Be A Soldier 
3. People 
4. Watching The Wheels 
5. Corinna, Corinna 
6. Whatever Happened To ... 
7. Move Over Mr. L 
8. Bless You 
9. Real Love 
10. I'm Stepping Out 
11. Dear Yoko 
12. (Just Like) Starting Over 
13. Dear John 
14. Imagine 
15. A Nice Noise 

DOWNLOAD V3
-
John Lennon Studio Tracks Vol. 4 
 
tracklist:
1. Woman 
2. She Is A Friend Of Dorothy 
3. I Don't Wanna Face It 
4. Free As A Bird 
5. Howling At The Moon 
6. Memories 
7. Beautiful Boy 
8. Everybody's Talkin' (Nobody Told Me) 
9. Borrowed Time 

10. I'm Losing You (Piano Version) 
11. I'm Losing You (Guitar Version) 

12. Clean-Up Time 
13. One Of The Boys 
14. Rock Island Line 
15. (Forgive Me) My Little Flower Princess 
16. Real Life 
17. Boys And Girls (Real Love) 

DOWNLOAD v4
--
John Lennon Studio Tracks Vol. 5 


tracklist:

1. Watching The Wheels 
2. I'm Steeping Out 
3. Woman 
4. Dear Yoko 
5. I'm Losing You 
6. Clean-Up Time (Rehearsal) 
7. Clean Up Time 
8. Beautiful Boy 
9. In The Studio 
10. (Just Like) Starting Over 
11. (Forgive Me) My Little Flower Princess 
12. Nobody Told Me 
13. Living On Borrowed Time 
14. Life Begins At Forty 

http://rapidshare.com/files/64419275/Studio_Tracks_Vol._5.zip 
--
John Lennon Studio Tracks Vol. 6 
 
tracklist:
1. Mother 
2. Love 
3. Well Well Well 
4. Look At Me 
5. I Found Out 
6. Medley: Honey Don't / Don't Be Cruel / Matchbox 
7. I Don't Want To Be A Soldier 
8. Well (Baby Please Don't Go) 
9. How Do You Sleep? 
10. Cold Turkey 
11. Mother 
12. God 
13. My Mummy's Dead 
14. Oh My Love 

DOWNLOAD v6 
--
John Lennon Studio Tracks Vol. 7 

 

tracklist:
1. Mind Games Radio-Spot 
2. Make Love Not War (Demo) 
3. Mind Games (Studio) 
4. Tight As (Demo) 
5. Tight As (Studio) 
6. Meat City (Demo) 
7. Meat City (Studio) 
8. Intuition (Demo) 
9. Intuition (Studio) 
10. One Day (At A Time) 
11. I Know (I Know) (Demo) 
12. I Know (I Know) (Studio) 
13. Freeda People (Demo) 
14. Freeda People (Studio) 
15. Call My Name (Demo) 
16. Aisumasen (I'm Sorry) (Studio) 
17. Only People (Studio) 
18. Here We Go Again (Demo) 
19. Out The Blue (Studio) 
20. Nutopian International Anthem (Exdended 12 Version) 

DOWNLOAD Vol._7
--
John Lennon Studio Tracks Vol. 8 
 
tracklist:
1. Walls And Bridges (Radio Spot) 
2. Move Over Ms. L 
3. Beef Jerky 
4. Going Down On Love 
5. Surprise, Surprise 
6. Only You 
7. Steel And Glass 
8. Scared 
9. Bless You 
10. Nobody Loves You When You're Down And Out 
11. Old Dirt Road 
12. Whatever Gets You Thru' The Night 
13. Rock'n'Roll People (Studio) 
14. Rock'n'Roll People (Demo) 
15. Move Over Ms. L 
16. What You Got 
17. Surprise, Surprise 
18. Mucho Mungo 
19. No.9 Dream (Version 1) 
20. No.9 Dream (Version 2) 

DOWNLOAD_Vol._8 
--
John Lennon Studio Tracks Vol. 9 
 
tracklist:
1. Hello Little Girl 
2. Bad To Me 
3. I'm In Love 
4. If I Fell 
5. A Spaniard In The Works 
6. He Said He Said -- She Said She Said 
7. Strawberry Fields Forever 
8. Strawberry Fields Forever (With Organ) 
9. You Know My Name 
10. Good Morning Good Morning 
11. She Can Talk To Me (Hey Bulldog) 
12. Cry Baby Cry (Piano Demo) 
13. Cry Baby Cry (Guitar Demo) 
14. Dear Prudence 
15. Sexy Sadie 
16. Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey 
17. Child Of Nature (Jealous Guy) 
18. What A Shame Mary Jane 
19. The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill 
20. I'm So Tired 
21. Yer Blues 
22. Revolution 
23. Julia 
24. The Maharishi Song 

25. Oh My Love 
26. Everyone Had A Hard Year 

27. A Case Of The Blues 
28. Don't Let Me Down 
29. Because 
30. Happiness Is A Warm Gun 
31. Give Peace A Chance (2 Versions) 
32. Give Peace A Chance (Final Version) 
--
DOWNLOAD Vol._9.part1
DOWNLOAD Vol._9.part2
--

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[FairfieldLife] TM in Breakfast of Champions

[Stu]

I have been slowly rereading Kurt Vonnegut who I read passionately when
I was in high school.  As I reread the books I am taken by how
influential his skeptical point of view was on my then forming mind.

While reading Breakfast of Champions I came upon this description:

When Bunny played the piano bar at the Holiday Inn, he had many, many
secrets. One of them was this: he wasn't really there. He was able to
absent himself from the cocktail lounge, and from the planet itself, for
that matter, by means of Transcendental Meditation.

He learned this technique from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who once stopped
off in Midland City during a world-wide lecture tour.Maharishi Mahesh
Yogi, in exchange for a new handkerchief, a piece of fruit, a bunch of
flowers, and thirty-five dollars, taught Bunny to close his eyes, and to
say this euphonious nonsense word to himself over and over again:
Aye-em, aye-em, aye-em.

Bunny sat on the edge of his bed in the hotel room now, and he did it.
Aye-em, aye-em, he said to himself— internally. The
rhythm of the chant matched one syllable \with each two beats in his
heart. He closed his eyes. He became a skin diver in the depths of his
mind. The depths were seldom used. His heart slowed. His respiration
nearly stopped. A single word floated by in the depths. It had somehow
escaped from the busier parts of his mind. It wasn't connected to
anything. It floated by lazily, a translucent, scarf-like fish. The word
was untroubling. Here was the word: Blue.

And then another lovely scarf swam by. It looked like this: Claire
de Lune

Fifteen minutes later, Bunny's awareness bobbed to the surface of its
own accord. Bunny was refreshed. He got up from the bed, and he brushed
his hair with the military brushes his mother had given him when he was
elected Cadet Colonel so long ago.

I wonder what influence this had on me when I went to learn the
technique?

s.

[FairfieldLife] 'DOD to Modifiy B-2 Bombers'

[Robert]

From The Times
October 26, 2007

Now what would a huge US bomb be aimed at?
Gerard Baker 
Nestled deep in George Bush’s latest $190 billion request to Congress for 
emergency funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is a tantalising little 
item that has received scant attention. 
The US Department of Defence has asked for an additional $88 million to modify 
B2 stealth bombers so that they can carry a 30,000lb bomb called the massive 
ordnance penetrator (or MOP, in the disarming acronymic vernacular of the 
military). The MOP is an advanced form of a “bunker buster”, an air-delivered 
weapon with an explosive capacity to destroy targets deep underground. 
Explaining the request, the Administration says it is in response to an “urgent 
operational need from theatre commanders”. What kind of emergency could that 
be? 
It’s possible that the US Air Force wants more firepower in the hunt for Osama 
bin Laden and al-Qaeda as they skulk in their caves in Afghanistan. But that 
wouldn’t require stealth bombers – the sleek, black-skinned, radar-dodging 
darts of the US military. The Americans own the skies over Afghanistan and Iraq 
and could, if they wished, blanket the two countries with all manner of 
bombardment from a few thousand feet in broad daylight. 
So what lies somewhere between Iraq and Afghanistan that might demand the 
urgent deployment of a stealth aircraft that can quietly drop a 30,000lb bomb 
and destroy something several storeys below ground? The secret wine cellars in 
Tehran that house the illicit stash of vintage clarets belonging to the Iranian 
President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? The vast collection of grey polyester suits and 
Iranian goody bags that lie in wait for the next batch of luckless British 
sailors? 
Pat yourself on the back if you correctly identified the subterranean nuclear 
enrichment facilities operated by the Iranian Government in its pursuit of an 
epoch-altering Bomb. 
The debate in Washington about what to do with the increasingly recalcitrant 
and self-confident Iranian regime has taken a significant turn in the past few 
weeks. And the decision to upgrade the bombing capacity of the US military is 
perhaps the most powerful indication yet that the debate is reaching a climax. 
A number of developments have tilted the argument towards a more assertive US 
posture. First, even the ever-optimistic Sisyphuses at the State Department are 
tiring of pushing the rock of diplomatic futility up the slopes of Russian 
intransigence. It’s clear even to the most starry-eyed of Russophiles that 
Moscow, under its breathtakingly arrogant and ambitious President, has no 
intention of lifting a finger to help the US and its allies with serious 
economic measures that might persuade the Iranians to disarm. (This is a 
staggeringly shortsighted decision given the threat posed by a militant, 
nuclear-armed Islamist state on the borders of former Soviet republics with 
large Muslim populations.) Meanwhile, China too continues its myopic pursuit of 
global commercial opportunities to the exclusion of its long-term strategic 
security. 
At the same time other diplomatic signalling has become much more favourable. 
France has long been an advocate of a hardline approach towards Iran and 
Nicolas Sarkozy’s Government has recently indicated its willingness to put its 
military wherewithal where its mouth is. 
Then there was the resignation last week of Ali Larijani as the chief Iranian 
nuclear negotiator. Those of us who have watched Mr Larijani’s deadpan 
performances over the years as he has explained Iran’s wholly peaceful 
intentions to international conferences have wondered how long he could keep it 
up. 
It’s possible he just got fed up with the effort of telling all those lies to 
disbelieving Western audiences. But the more likely explanation, among Iran 
watchers in Washington, is that he failed to convince the religious leaders to 
whom he was accountable to rein in the lunatic reveries of Mr Ahmadinejad. So 
much, by the way, for the old comforting contention that the mullahs didn’t 
really share the President’s apocalyptic messianism on the issue of the Bomb. 
Another significant development was what happened last month when Israeli jets 
attacked a target inside Syria. The details remain murky but 
it looks increasingly as though Israel may have pulled off a near-repeat of its 
1981 takeout of the Iraqi Osirak nuclear reactor. The word in parts of the US 
Government is that the assault went encouragingly well, defanging an emerging 
threat, and, crucially doing so without obviously provoking a devastating 
backlash against Israel and its allies. 
Iran is not Syria, of course. Its tentacles, through terrorist networks around 
the world, are much more extensive. But the biggest argument within the US 
against military action in Iran has always been that such a move would inflame 
public opinion, causing the Iranian people – who despise their regime perhaps 
more than the