Re: [FairfieldLife] press report on skelmersdale quotes paul mason
I'm curious how many people were learning TM prior to "the ban". Probably as many are learning it now! The whole thing is so silly. Teach TM if you feel it's the right thing to do. What's the worst thing that can happen, MMY yells at you? --- George DeForest <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > The Town That Lost Its Guru > > Story from REDNOVA NEWS: > http://www.rednova.com/news/display/?id=210725 > > Published: 2005/08/17 06:00:00 CDT > > > > With eyes tight shut, legs crossed and mind > meandering, I briefly flirt with > inner peace. Beneath > a golden dome that is the British centre for the > teachings of a mystical guru > from the East, the > time has come to dabble with the power of > meditation. For a moment it seems > like paradise. > Then my eyes flicker, the faith fades and I remember > that I am in > Skelmersdale, Lancashire. > > Strange though it may seem, this new town of a > thousand roundabouts is the > European home to > the followers of the man whose cosmic notions so > entranced The Beatles in the > 1960s: the > Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Here they came to deploy the > force of transcendental > meditation (TM), > to find personal happiness and to make the world a > better place. > > Now, though, a dark cloud casts its shadow over the > Maharishi's British flock. > The UK, the 95- > year-old sage claims, has become a 'Scorpion > nation', and meditative teachings > merely serve to > 'feed the destroyer of the world'. The Maharishi, it > seems, is rather ticked > off about the Iraq War > and the arms trade. > > Teaching TM must cease in the UK immediately, he has > ordered. 'We are > rejecting one nation " > Britain " which has proven to be a poisonous, > divisive influence in the world > family,' the leader > blasts in a memo issued to his Global Country of > World Peace recently. > > It all seems slightly hard on his followers in > Skelmersdale, who set up base > here 25 years ago > and have built up a 400-strong community. Some of > the people here wonder why > their home > country has been singled out and the US left alone, > and a few have even mooted > the previously > unthinkable: disobeying the legendary figure and > carrying on teaching. > > 'He is deeply upset about the arms trade,' says > David Hughes, one of the > founder members of > the community, explaining that Britain, per head of > population, actually has a > worse record than > anywhere else in the world. 'This is an issue we are > all very concerned > about.' Teaching > meditation in the UK, it seems, could foster > energies that make the situation > worse. If the > community has to cease such activities, then it will > be for the greater good. > But the rest of > Skelmersdale is slightly nervous too, for they've > grown rather fond of the > Yogic fliers over the > years. > > With meditation has come an award-winning school, a > gym, a business centre and > new houses. > The Maharishi's men and women have injected cash > into the local economy and > some even > claim their presence has revitalised it. Now the > Yogics are being urged to > flee for larger, better- > funded settlements abroad. 'When we first came in > 1980 things were really > bleak,' explains > Hughes, a Lancashire man by birth. Hughes and a > handful of other devotees > opted for > Skelmersdale over other new towns because the rents > were cheap and it was near > the heart of > Britain, offering easy access from Scotland and the > Southeast. At the time, > very few other > operations viewed it as a viable centre. 'Now you > can hardly find any spare > business space. If > you want to set up here you have to build from > scratch.' > > It has even been suggested that their communal > meditation reversed the crime > rate in the > nearby Merseyside area from being one of the worst > in the UK to being among > the best " > although Hughes concedes that he still doesn't leave > his car unattended in > Liverpool at night. > > He admits that the general upturn is not entirely > down to the power of > meditation, but believes > that it has been a significant force. And the > economy certainly needed a > boost. In the 1960s, > Skem " as it is affectionately known locally " > survived the decline of the > mining industry only to > be turned into a concrete jungle. Its reward was to > be used as an overspill > town to resettle > crowded Merseyside. Industrial employers proceeded > to leave the town en masse, > and the only > growth figures related to crime, drug abuse and > poverty. > > But, as Hughes points out, things have been looking > a little better of late. > We depart the dome > for a tour of the town. 'It was originally proposed > that it should have a > population of 80,000,' he > says. 'But it's only really got up to 40,000.' > > Similarly, the meditation community needs to have > 800 members to affect the > way the country > lives, claims Hughes. With it languishing at just > 400 it could not possibly > oust the B
[FairfieldLife] press report on skelmersdale quotes paul mason
The Town That Lost Its Guru Story from REDNOVA NEWS: http://www.rednova.com/news/display/?id=210725 Published: 2005/08/17 06:00:00 CDT With eyes tight shut, legs crossed and mind meandering, I briefly flirt with inner peace. Beneath a golden dome that is the British centre for the teachings of a mystical guru from the East, the time has come to dabble with the power of meditation. For a moment it seems like paradise. Then my eyes flicker, the faith fades and I remember that I am in Skelmersdale, Lancashire. Strange though it may seem, this new town of a thousand roundabouts is the European home to the followers of the man whose cosmic notions so entranced The Beatles in the 1960s: the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Here they came to deploy the force of transcendental meditation (TM), to find personal happiness and to make the world a better place. Now, though, a dark cloud casts its shadow over the Maharishi's British flock. The UK, the 95- year-old sage claims, has become a 'Scorpion nation', and meditative teachings merely serve to 'feed the destroyer of the world'. The Maharishi, it seems, is rather ticked off about the Iraq War and the arms trade. Teaching TM must cease in the UK immediately, he has ordered. 'We are rejecting one nation " Britain " which has proven to be a poisonous, divisive influence in the world family,' the leader blasts in a memo issued to his Global Country of World Peace recently. It all seems slightly hard on his followers in Skelmersdale, who set up base here 25 years ago and have built up a 400-strong community. Some of the people here wonder why their home country has been singled out and the US left alone, and a few have even mooted the previously unthinkable: disobeying the legendary figure and carrying on teaching. 'He is deeply upset about the arms trade,' says David Hughes, one of the founder members of the community, explaining that Britain, per head of population, actually has a worse record than anywhere else in the world. 'This is an issue we are all very concerned about.' Teaching meditation in the UK, it seems, could foster energies that make the situation worse. If the community has to cease such activities, then it will be for the greater good. But the rest of Skelmersdale is slightly nervous too, for they've grown rather fond of the Yogic fliers over the years. With meditation has come an award-winning school, a gym, a business centre and new houses. The Maharishi's men and women have injected cash into the local economy and some even claim their presence has revitalised it. Now the Yogics are being urged to flee for larger, better- funded settlements abroad. 'When we first came in 1980 things were really bleak,' explains Hughes, a Lancashire man by birth. Hughes and a handful of other devotees opted for Skelmersdale over other new towns because the rents were cheap and it was near the heart of Britain, offering easy access from Scotland and the Southeast. At the time, very few other operations viewed it as a viable centre. 'Now you can hardly find any spare business space. If you want to set up here you have to build from scratch.' It has even been suggested that their communal meditation reversed the crime rate in the nearby Merseyside area from being one of the worst in the UK to being among the best " although Hughes concedes that he still doesn't leave his car unattended in Liverpool at night. He admits that the general upturn is not entirely down to the power of meditation, but believes that it has been a significant force. And the economy certainly needed a boost. In the 1960s, Skem " as it is affectionately known locally " survived the decline of the mining industry only to be turned into a concrete jungle. Its reward was to be used as an overspill town to resettle crowded Merseyside. Industrial employers proceeded to leave the town en masse, and the only growth figures related to crime, drug abuse and poverty. But, as Hughes points out, things have been looking a little better of late. We depart the dome for a tour of the town. 'It was originally proposed that it should have a population of 80,000,' he says. 'But it's only really got up to 40,000.' Similarly, the meditation community needs to have 800 members to affect the way the country lives, claims Hughes. With it languishing at just 400 it could not possibly oust the Blair government and move the UK towards the goal the Maharishi sets for all his communities " bringing peace to the world. So now they face the prospect that their teachers will heed the guru's order to depart to the likes of South Africa and the United States. But Hughes says that does not mean the end of the road for Skelmersdale. 'Just because we cannot teach TM for the moment, does not mean that we will go away. It is like riding a bike: once you've had your four lessons you can keep doing it. Maharishi hasn't told us to stop meditating, only to stop teaching it.' Hughes, who fir
