[FairfieldLife] TM, Quietism, & the Quakers

[yifux...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]]

Does TM have any European antecedents? .  The Quietist Movement arose in the 
Catholic countries: Italy, France, and Spain and is most associated with Miguel 
de Molinos, 1628 - 1696.
 A parallel type of thinking and practice arose through George Fox, but many 
rudimentary antecedents can be found, for example, some practices of certain 
Gnostics, Cathars, and Meister Eckhart.
 .The online sources are using the term "contemplation" (Quietism would be an 
example). The sources use the term "meditation" implying meditation ON various 
religious images and themes including silent repetition of prayers and vocal 
prayers, as well as various religious rituals.  To clarify TM's place in the 
17-th century controversy, we can isolate the Silence/Transcending aspect of 
TM, and for the same of discussion, forget the Puja part.  Then, TM would 
definitely be in the Quietist camp, since there's no imposition of any 
religious images (they may or may not arise spontaneously).  But all of this is 
heretical, as Miguel de Molinos found out some time after his Spiritual Guide 
was published.  At first, the Mystical approach of Molinos was accepted among 
many Catholics, but detractors eventually emerged such as Gottardo Bellhuoma, 
who in 1678 pointed out that (what he called the Quietism of Molinos), was 
definitely heretical since it elevated "contemplation" above "meditation (i.e. 
meditation "on" various religious images along with prayer).
 .
 Some key works or phrases in the Quietist movement:  self-annihilation (of the 
ego), self-absorption, withdrawal of the mind, passivity, and continual 
contemplation on "God" (i.e. the Absolute...not the "God" of the Bible); all 
leading to what the Quietists called the "Unitive Life"  (sound familiar?).  At 
any rate, Molinos was eventually tried for Heresy and died in the Inquisition 
prison.
 But thanks to people like George Fox, the Quietist movement lived on under 
different names.