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I too had emailed the SM library and had a very nice email back from the librarian.
Deborah, thanks for sending the email. If you have time, I'd enjoy reading the email you sent them, and their reply.
Regarding this article, just for fun I googled the Pacific Palisades Women's Club. Yes, they charge rent for their rooms. Also, I was surprised by the photo they used of Maharishi. I always thought Maharishi's "signature" was his joyful face. Finally, I re-read the quote by Maharishi several times, and it doesn't seem to make any sense. Or am I just retarded? I think when I was in TM, Maharishi taught us the reverse of that quote.
One thing that is curious to me is that neither Jerry Jarvis nor Charlie Lutes (to my knowledge) ever expressed dissatisfaction with or even reservations about the basic TM practice. By which I'm referring to the technique and the twice-daily practice.
My understanding is that Jerry remained, basically, a supporter of MMY - while on the other hand Charlie felt MMY had "made a left turn" somewhere (meaning lost his original vision and commitment, went astray).
I've heard a lot of former TMers and others speak critically of the TM practice. And, too, given all the disappointment and disgust with, and criticism of, TM expressed on this site and others on the Web... Well, it's interesting that these two men among the very closest disciples of MMY never - as I say, to my knowledge - recanted about TM.
I haven't heard much critical about the 2 x 20 TM practice. Not even here. I may be one of the most critical as I tend to think it is worthless and the only reason it works as a relaxation technique for some is the expectation that it will provide some benefit. Without the expectations I think that it is pretty much a waste of time.
However, I also think that it can become habit and habits can be comforting. Rituals and routines can be good things. Better than a smoke and a beer!
My dog-eared 1963 Signet paperback edition of M's "The Science of Being and Art of Living" has a glowing Preface by Charlie Lutes which was subsequently deleated a with no explanation and replaced by an even more more fauning Preface by Bevan Morris with no explanation. Very Soviet-like. Sign of a rift?
Incidentally since Laurie raised the question of photos of M I note on the back cover of the Signet edition there is a truly precious photo of M unmistakeably learing at Mia Farrow.
Comments,anyone?
Let me amend and correct my prior correspondence.The Signet Edition is labelled FIRST PRINTING MARCH 1968. The original 1963 edition is labelled ALLIED PUBLISHERS PRIVATE LIMITED.
The "unmistakeably learing" comment was disrespectful and gratuitous and I withdraw it
Speaking of the old guard, I recall a telling interaction that I had in 1976 with Dr. Snelling, and his wife, Peggy.
In Interlachen, Switzerland, I and a few friends were out for a winter walk on an incredibly beautiful sunny day. Usually the weather was overcast and very drab. However, this day was what I called a "Swiss Calendar Day." I was ebullient. In our walk, we met up with the Snellings, who were probably in their 60's at that time. I recall that Peggy Snelling asked me in the course of our conversation, "How are you?" I told her the truth, "Wonderful, ecstatic, thrilled, blissful..."
I remember so clearly the surprised look on Peggy's face, as she turned to her husband, and commented, "It's been a long time since either of us have felt like that, hasn't it?" Vincent nodded in seeming agreement.
Then it was my turn to be surprised, thinking..."You've been meditating for how many decades? And the goal of meditation is bliss. Maybe this TM stuff doesn't really work? Maybe I'm just happy because it's a beautiful day?" That one comment by Peggy Snelling sowed yet more seeds of doubt in my mind.
I can't say that the Snellings ever repudiated Mahesh, but I think they knew in their hearts that Mahesh had not delivered the goods as promised. Like most people who have invested in any religion or guru, they would rather go to their grave as a True Believer, rather than admit publicly to their doubts. I think it is as true for Christians, Muslims, or Maharishi-ites. Chalk it up to human nature ---and cognitive dissonance.
So that is my long explanation as to why some of the "old-timers," like Jerry Jarvis, and Charlie Lutes, never repudiated Mahesh. Gina has lots more stories on this point that she has shared in the past. Us "old-timers" here appear to be more the exceptions than the rule!
ATP --- Regarding the photo with Mahesh and Mia, can you scan and send the file to John or Gina? Perhaps a commentator could upload it in the blog section.
Just for "historical" purposes, I think it would be good to make the photo publicly available for viewing.......and let people reach their own conclusions. After all, the Mahesh-Mia link is allegedly recapped in a very famous song, "Sexy Sady," and discussed in this site's "Hot Topics" section.
Haha Karina. Yes he did not seem to be too happy. Severe Parkinsson. Last time I saw him was 1978 when I recieved my last advanced technique in TM at an academi in Denmark from him. Prior to that I had placed a joke from Playboy on the wall at the academi dininghall. It was a sexy lady and a man asking her: "Are You into transcendental meditation too? wanna screw?" Quite innocent I think ....it was removed in a few minutes by staff. I was about finishing my studies and finishing my attachments to TMO. The technique I got from Vincent was to mentally chant the first part of the Puja after meditation. Later I learnt that that specific technique might have been a sort of punishment. Anybody who can confirm that? Anyway, did not use it more that 2 or 3 times.
I remember Vincent Snell quite well.As head of the English TM movement he came to a meeting held in Leeds and impressed us all with his evident sincerity. He was very excited about the Wallace/Benson research which was just being published.
He was also excited to have found a method which worked after years of intellectual effort with the Gurdjieff groups.
He was then very helpful in sorting out a problem I had about course credits gained by working in the kitchens. (I had worked more time than agreed in Mallorca to "help out "- the organisation then tried to backtrack on my credit gained-Vincent fixed it for me ).
A good man.
(btw,referring to another post,in the kitchens were lots of ex hippies, having LSD flashbacks as they prepared the food ! "How is the veg trip going" was a common question.There were certainly a few oddballs in Mallorca).
"in the kitchens were lots of ex hippies, having LSD flashbacks "
It is relatively uncommon for LSD users to claim "LSD flashbacks" so it would be extraordinary if "lots of ex hippies" were having such experiences in those kitchens. Besides the use of the word "trip" in that era was common even amongst "straights" and in some places it still is.
Wasn't Maharishi equally disparaging about hippies..?
>>> swift shuftee to find article >>>
... ah, here tis, from an article in the December 1967 issue of International Times, featuring quotes from poet Allen Ginsberg:-
'As he'd put down drugs I said there wouldn't have been anybody to see him if it hadn't been for LSD. Devotees gasped. He said, well, LSD has done its thing, now forget it. Just let it drop. He said his meditation was stronger. I said excellent, if it works why not? I said I would be glad to try; can't do anything but good. Then he said that 'acid' damaged Hippies nervous systems, he had six hippies visit him in a room in LA and had to take them into the garden, they smelled so bad.
I said WHAT? you must have been reading the newspapers. He said he didn't read newspapers. I said he likely had a misconception from his friends (at that point, I guess I said acid hippies were the largest part of the day's audience). He insisted that hippies smelled. I must say that was tendentious. His final statement on war was he didn't want to get into that, he wanted only to emphasise meditation, meditation, meditation. I said that's fine. I'll meditate.'
Yes, I remember, either at Humboldt or Mallorca, MMY was taken to task about his disparaging remarks about hippies, at a Q&A period following a lecture. The questioner said that he felt MMY perceived them as being like 'niggers', and reminded him that most people in the room had come to TM via that route.
It was very tense, MMY being directly confronted like that. In that instance, he was not given a free pass, as the charming giggling guru.
But whatever Maharishi thought he thought about hippies, he took their £sd, but he definitely did not understand the LSD experience.
Yes Paul,
I should have said "some" ex hippies were experiencing flashbacks.
However, one or two at least of my fellow workers in the kitchens had been in communes and had been heavy users of LSD.I remember covering for some who were struggling-not just putting it on.
I got the impression that drugs had been an eye opener for many,especially Americans, at that time. Thanks for the Ginsburg article, I had vague memories of it.
"LSD has done its thing, now forget it"- I think that drew many people to TM.
In the Uk I don't think mind-changing substances were as common then.
Being in the kitchens we met a lot of people on the courses and,certainly at Mallorca, had lots of late night conversations,some of which which were eye-opening.
John Nickson.
Did Mahesh really take LSD and how did you know about that?, in Indian culture hashish is common but LSD!
John, as I recall there was only one or two communes in Britain in those days (Sid Rawle & Findhorn come to mind), so I guess you are talking about Americans? Now Americans are not one of my specialist subjects, but LSD, Maharishi and transcendental meditation are.
The UK (then proudly known as Great Britain) was awash with acid (LSD) in the late-sixties. Liquid in an eye-dropper bottle, on blotting paper, White Lightning, Orange Sunshine, Pink Clouds, Purple Haze, Ousley, Blue Cheer, all sorts.
Personally, I do not regret using LSD myself, nor would I say meditation is 'stronger' than LSD - no real comparison. Meditation is not a drug, especially not a psychedelic drug BUT I do think that some people were hoping to get something like the bliss that is sometimes experienced on LSD. That is the link.
I would definately not dare take it today, but as You say it was a gateopener to many of the early TMers some 40 years ago. Was it not more than bliss Paul? We had an interesting discussion on this issue some years ago about "gating" as an irreversible change in outlook.
Yes Paul,with reference to communes I am referring to the Americans who were the main people I encountered in Mallorca. I know there were drugs available in the UK but most of the people I knew didn't take them, including those who did TM-possibly too "square" ??
I had not heard that M took LSD, but there was a lot of interest at the time in soma(a Psychedelic I think)being taken by sadhus etc., and some theorising that meditation enabled one to produce it within oneself.
I didn't take LSD but found the insights of those who did fascinating.
I did actually have some experiences during meditation which seemed to resemble LSD type trips.
Bjarne, could you explain "gating " please ?
Btw Paul,I suppose it depends how you describe communes but there were a few "communes" ( ie, people living in common,sharing things etc. a bit more than flat-sharing)that I was aware of and that friends were in.
Most if not all collapsed due to personal problems in relationships.
I was involved in forming one for married people attached to a Christian monastery-unfortunately (or possibly fortunately ! )it fell through.
John Nickson.
Bjarne, LSD was a gateway to an altered state of consciousness - and personally I think that for everyone who experienced this there is a great potential for that altered state to be re-awakened. When I first leaned meditation I had such a re-awakening, whereby I was pretty much in a rapturous state for about a month, a period of temporary 'cosmic consciousness' or similar.
Acid Commercial:
"Hands up Charlie and-uh...
Now if you're tired or a bit run down,
Can't seem to getcha feet off the ground,
Maybe you oughta try a little bit of L.S.D.
Only if you want to
Shake your head and rattle your brain,
Make you act just a bit insane,
Give you all the psychic energy you need —
Eat flowers and kiss babies
L.S.D.
For you and me!"
-Country Joe & the Fish
"I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die" 1967
John N! Paul has a lot more knowledge on "gating" than I have, and I think he did explain it. Paul! Please write another book, this time on the different ways to "gating" of the late sixties....would be nice! By the way just forgot the name of Ram Dass (the american psychology professor)Guru who took a large dosis of LSD and was totally unaffected by it.
Those were the days !
There was "something in the air", an excitement and a belief that the world really could be changed and that "Truth" was attainable. Is that still the case ?
I sometimes used to think that those who had taken a bit of "stuff" had more "interesting" meditations.......
John N
Just seen your comment, Bjarne-thanks.
Wasn't Ram Dass guru Har something ?
Wasn't Ram Dass R Alphert of Tim Leary and Harverd fame ?
btw, did I see a comment that you play tennis Bjarne ? I am just off to do some coaching and then play a league match.
John N
No John. I dont play tennis, but enjoy my flyfishing a lot, if You come to Sweden we might do some meditation and fly-fishing, not to be confused with this stupid flying-meditation. Yes You are right about Alpert alias Ram Dass here a YouTube from the sixties:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=5...feature=related
One of the features of the sixties culture was how eclectic it was. Whereas former generations explored the uncharted territories of the world, the mood was discover the uncharted areas of the brain. Mood altering substances had always been around but all of a sudden they went mainstream and some took the experimentation FURTHER. Meditation was probed for its secrets .... enter the Maharishi.....
For some inexplicable reason people just assumed he knew stuff... whereas as far as LSD was concerned he knew virtually nothing - there is a tape of him chatting about LSD at the Kumbha Mela on 7th February 1966. I would link you to the files but alas, the website was zapped yesterday.
Wasn't Ram Dass guru Har something ?
Neem Karoli Baba was given some acid by Ram Dass, supposedly, and was unaffected by it. I am a bit sceptical figuring that the Baba palmed the acid or used sleight of hand to avoid taking it, sensible fellow, and saw an opportunity to prove his imperviousness to all drugs.
Great hearing about old articles from IT and the acid days in UK--I didn't indulge myself as I was loopy enough but did enjoy the scene.
Darth Veda, I said he took the £sd (£=pounds s=shilling d=denerius/penny), that was the term for British money back in the Sixties before we became decimalised. Coincidentally both the currency and the acid were both known as LSD.
Sorry about the confusion, but it was my little quip. That's all.
>>Those were the days !
There was "something in the air", an excitement and a belief that the world really could be changed and that "Truth" was attainable. Is that still the case ?
So very true! the late 60s were like one long party, everything seemed possible. People viewed strangers with wth the expectation of making a new friend. I'm so glad I caught the tail end of it, though I was still in my mid-teens.
I feel sorry for young people today. Yes, youth is always exciting and full of new experiences, but how depressing to be born in an age where recreational drugs were discredited long ago, people view strangers warily, traveling is not universally safe (we used to hitch hike everywhere!), sexual contact is shadowed by the threat of AIDS, the environment is under serious threat, little great music or films are being produced, a climate of fear due to terrorism, huge recession on right now...saddest of all is the lack of hope and optimism.
Deborah, I remember that incident at Humboldt too! (1972) (Where Maharishi disparaged hippies.) Here's what I remember.
(Maharishi said all his male initiators must have short hair.)
Long-haired young manin blue jeans, sandals, etc.: Maharishi, I have searched my heart and I cannot cut my hair.
Maharishi: Then you should use your head. I would rather shut down my movement than have people who look like you represent it!
Odd, Maharishi had (1) long hair, (2) beard, (2) beads, (3) sandals, (4) carried flowers, (4) wore robes. The quintessential hippie?
John Nickson wrote about his interesting "late night conversations" while on staff in Mallorca (1971?) Does everyone know that things "tightened up" over the years, and by the time I was on staff (MIU, 1980), we had a meeting til 9:45 p.m., and we had to be in bed, lights out, by 10:00 p.m.!
Also, John N. writes that there was theorizing back in the early days about soma being produced by meditation. By 1980, Maharishi was telling us that we were producing soma in our bodies by hearing the Ninth Mandala of the Rig Veda, read to us in English for 15 minutes after "flying." I think I still remember the first verse: "Flow Indu, flow for Indra, in a sweet and exhilerating stream, effused for Indra to drink. Flow Indu, for Indra." Indu was soma. I don't know what Indra is.
Was Maharishi laughing at us, do you think? Did he have contempt for us? "These fools will do anything I tell them; will believe anything I tell them."
I think it was at Humboldt that MMY said that in an enlightened person, whatever they eat turns to soma. (The implication was that he was enlightened.)
And now a PBS - BBC special series on India said that "soma" is an actual plant that originated in Persia. It is still used in the middle east, and readily available at street bazaars and herbalist shops. You can ask for it by name. Sorry Mahesh-ites, your leader was ignorant. See http://www.pbs.org/thestoryofind...s/
10.html#vedas
The program tells the story of "Soma," the actual herbal beverage, and how it was extolled in the Rig Veda. Thousands of years ago, the Persians exported their culture, including the Sanskrit language and the Vedas, to India. The light-skinned Aryans, then intermingled with the people of the sub-continent, and soon Hinduism was the predominant religion.
I guess Hinduism got exported once again.
Laurie, do you remember where the guy said that MMY referred to hippies as if they were niggers? you could have heard a pin drop, the room was so silent.
Thanks for all the feedback-
I am glad you had such a good experience of meditation Paul,. There were many different possibilities in those days -I went on a Sufi retreat for eg. It looked like anything could be possible.btw Have you read Peter Russells(Still does TM I think) work on the speeding up of human evolution ?
I for one looked on TM as a possible "gateway" and neglected other methods in its favour
They were exciting times,and also times when many people were sincere in their motivation to discover the "Truth", wherever it lay.....
Laurie wrote :
"Does everyone know that things "tightened up" over the years, and by the time I was on staff (MIU, 1980)"
I think they were beginning to tighten even by Mallorca, we used to discuss it and conclude it was caused by fanatics near M and that if he knew about it he would not approve. I remember V Snell complaining even back then.
I couldn't believe how rigid the whole movement became.
Good point about M looking like a hippie, a pity he didn't act more like one !
btw TM is getting going again in the UK. See http://www.mvi.org.uk/tmteachers.htm, you may recognise some names.
I contacted an old friend who is on the list and he suggested I get re-authorised !
Thanks for the you-tube link and offer of some fly-fishing Bjarne,although I am afraid it would only be hopping in my case !
John N
"Does everyone know that things "tightened up" over the years, and by the time I was on staff (MIU, 1980)"
All that tightening up, in bed by 9.45 and lights out at 10, the rules about appearance--classic infantilisation which is of course an early signifier for cultic thinking-- and McRishi enthroning himself in the rule-followers minds as the Big Daddy Godman who is all knowing, all powerful and everywhere. Regression to childhood and parental security?
Ah, anyone wishing to hear Maharishi and his support group talking about LSD back in 1966 can download the mp3 files from:-
http://
spiritualregeneration.org...MYPage1966.html
19660207_KumbhaMela_2of3_Kali_yuga_psychedelics
19660207_KumbhaMela_3of3_Kalki_psychedelics
Maharishi: "I would rather shut down my movement than have people who look like you represent it!"
So, it was all about Maharishi? All about 'my' movement. That what I've said before, that the movement was really just Maharishi's fan club. Which is a shame because in my opinion this actually hampered the spread of meditation. It became all about image and spin, and many people would have seen through or been put off by the lack of naturalness and the way movement people either avoided questions or gave dubious answers.
Yes, Maharishi was not a hippy at all. Perhaps a good look at his adopted son Bevan would provide a clearer image of Maharishi?
Grazie, Paolo!
g
Maharishi: "I would rather shut down my movement than have people who look like you represent it!"
Same sentiment, but it was actually spoken to the whole Humboldt State College auditorium-ful of TM initiates: "I would rather dis-band my movement than have initiators of this appearance!"
It sent a shockwave through MMY's audience, and everyone went silent. The young man protested verbally a bit more. MMY then said somberly to the everyone, "Now go to your lunch." And MMY did not re-appear (as was the routine by this point in the month-long course's daily schedule) for the after-lunch lecture session.
The assembled group ran the gamut from "hip" to "straight", youthful to middle-aged or older - but when his words went out to the audience, everyone went stone quiet.
Some sensitive young women came out the the auditorium crying as the group streamed out towards the cafeteria. I sat at a table at lunch where a man in his mid-twenties across from me declared, "Well, I see it's his movement, not ours."
The incident definitely put a wobble in me, for the rest of the course and for some years afterwards!... its effect in me tapered off, though.
"I would rather dis-band my movement than have initiators of this appearance!"
I always found the ethos within the TM movement extremely superficial.
One time after having travelled around the Himalayas, slept in the room Maharishi used in Uttarkashi, and used the same cave, visited Jyotirmath monastery, etc etc offered to give a slide show to a TM centre. A friend ferried me there and he and I unloaded the projector etc and set it up. It was very evident that they had assumed my friend was going to give the talk, and seemed really put out when they discovered it was me. Yup, long hair, Indian shirt, confident and jokey, it was all too much for them.
I myself would have been viewed by MMY and by many people at that course in Arcata (Humboldt State) as "a hippie". But here's the thing, as I see it.
Maybe there's no good reason to have hippies as TM teachers. And also, the counterculture was in no way perfect as a replacement for ordinary "straight" culture (many books have been written that go into the details of this).
But the shock came as we suddenly realized that MMY could get publicly angry when surrounded by thousands of his meditators. And that the movement belonged to him, not to all of us together. And that there was very little room to discuss these sensitive sorts of things in a late 20th century American manner.
Sure, we all knew he wanted to propagate the TM technique and grow the movement. Almost all of us there would have totally agreed with that aim. If it was a practical problem having long-haired, non-conforming hippies (who were, afterall, still wet behind the ears as people) representing the movement, that probably could have been explained in a less harsh and dramatic fashion.
That's how I saw it a month or so after the incident.
Perhaps Maharishi was unstressing?
In this context I cant help citating an old meditationfriend, G Muhlman:
"As long as the Maharishi was a beautiful picture on the wall or was video-talking about cosmic love and consciousness (as he did wonderfully) there was no problem. Aloof as he was for us, he could as well have died 2000 years ago.
But when he became real I became real too. Some goodhearted blue-eyed TM-teachers suggested the Maharishi that we should create a more democratic structure - at least in the Danish branch of TM - timber started to fall down on our heads. I was there in the TM-headquarters in Aarhus, Denmark when the TM-rebellions were talking in phone with the Maharishi. The conversation was amplified so everyone in the room could hear what showed out to be the voice of an angry old man.
GOOD BYE TO TM
Maharishi means Great Seer. It was for me a chock to hear our great wise shaman almost scream in anger in the other end of the line. The Maharishi of the real world did not tolerate any feed back or criticism in his top-down organization.
25 years later in India I watched the Maharishi in a TV program. Maharishi was praising the dictatorship of General Musharaf in Pakistan. He furthermore argued that democracy should be replaced by enlightened ruler-ship like it was
practiced in India in the days of the golden age of the Veda's.
This was indeed a dilemma. On one hand this archaic ruler had created an outstanding spiritual organization second to none in our culture.
On the other hand his top-down ruling was not well digested by my guts.
I started to doubt. And this doubt was colliding with the Bliss I felt from meditation. With inspiration from Descartes the choice these days were between either being a happy cosmic pig or a doubting unsatisfied human being.
It was difficult to leave this crazy honey pot. And it was frightening to stand alone...
from:
http://www.meditation.dk/contact.htm
Anonymous, yes, that's the incident I was referring to. You may have remembered it more accurately - that MMY said "disband" rather than "shut down." We both remember him saying "my" movement. I remember being shocked that he felt ownership of the movement. I had thought before that that he felt it was God's movement. I was shocked that he was willing to shut down a movement that I/he believed would save the human race!
Deborah, no I don't recall a questioner saying that Maharishi looked at the hippies as "niggers."
Bjorne, that's exactly how I felt: Should I be a happy blissful cosmic pig or a doubting confused human? And it was so lonely after the commune mentality of TM.
Deborah
Bjarne, do you know much about Acem Meditation which started as a "modification" of TM in Norway and is quite active around the world ? It seems to mix mantra type meditation with psychotherapy.
I remember the Scandinavians as being an independent and (bright) group.
"Acem is a non-
profit organisation founded in Norway in 1966 by Dr. Are Holen"
http://www.acem.com/
John N
Bjarne, thanks for sharing G Muhlman's reflections. Unlike G Mulman I never thought the TM organisation to be of any great value, beyond its ability to inform people the name and phone number of a TM teacher. I was skeptical that teachers needed to be trained, that they hadn't naturally acquired the gift to teach as a consequence of practising meditation. After all, the teaching of meditation is not exactly rocket science is it, but they needed months and months of training?!
I am sure Gunnar Muhlman did not see TMO to be of any great value either. He just gave his very clear reflections on what happened in the danish TMO in the seventies. Like You Paul, he is a free tinking spirit and never had any intensions of being trained as TM-teacher, and only met MMY once, on the phone, and that obviously changed his outlook in a radical way. However, he does have a wide spectred knowledge on meditation per se and has travelled India for many years in that respect.
Dr.Are Holen is holding a high academic position as associate Dean at the Faculty of Medicine at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_Holen
I have not looked into his organisation or research on meditation, but I do recall clearly his brake away from MMY from having been quite a "golden boy" as MMY called them those days. MMY was furious about him going in his own direction in 1972 and said:"Are Holen is digging himself a grave from where he will never get out". However, he seem to be doing quite well still.
"Are Holen is digging himself a grave from where he will never get out".
- Wow, this sounds more like gangster talk. Now hands up as to whether or not Maharishi's definition of a saint applied to him.
Thanks Bjarne, I rather thought the story of the split would be something like that.........
I imagine there was a similar story when the London School of Meditation/Economic Science went their own way, taking the TM technique with them.
John
I understand Maharishi instructed his supported to go whacking the front door of the School of Meditation with sticks! More street warfare from the man who gave transcendental meditation to the world.
>>Sure, we all knew he wanted to propagate the TM technique and grow the movement. Almost all of us there would have totally agreed with that aim. If it was a practical problem having long-haired, non-conforming hippies (who were, afterall, still wet behind the ears as people) representing the movement, that probably could have been explained in a less harsh and dramatic fashion.
That was one of the things that led to my leaving the TMO. It didn't affect me personally, because as a woman, I didn't have to make any modification in my appearance, particularly not changes that would have given clear signals to the world about my status and political beliefs, such as a short haircut and tie on a man would have signified back then. But to go along with MMY's directive that teachers be 'clean-cut' and 'straight-looking' felt hypocritical to me. I had unwillingly let go of recreational drugs for TM, but the rigid pressure to conform to a straight norm within the movement felt too dishonest for me to continue. Of course, I knew that we are not just our outer image, but the authoritarian nature of the directive was very unpleasant.
Anonymous above is me, in a hurry.
>>Deborah, no I don't recall a questioner saying that Maharishi looked at the hippies as "niggers."
I actually think this might have occurred at Mallorca.
I would be interested to know at what point MMY's war with hippies ended. By the late 70s, the hippie movement was all but gone, so presumably people didn't have to change their image to join the TMO.
Deborah. When I was putting together the Guru Dev books, someone who I believe is still very involved suggested rather strongly that I should swap the snap of me with a snake around my neck for one with a neck-tie. So the pressure is still on.
Just wondering which Humboldt course the above comment from Mahesh about hippies and disbanding "my" movement occurred? Was it 1971 or 1972?
I was there in '71, and I think I hazily remember the comment, but perhaps I just heard about it, or saw it on video tape. (Even then I didn't like to go to all the lectures.)
It was at Humboldt '71..that's when I was there.
I understand the sentiments of several commentators on this board that the intensity of their experiences created problems in their individual lives. It's clear, and it wasn't well explained at the time, that these surges of energy up the spine could cause bliss as well as misery. It wasn't until I sat down to a full steak dinner, with a glass of red wine, that I was able to appreciate being grounded, to have nothing expected of me, to not have to live up to expectations imposed upon me by the "marketing agents - aka the TMO and "the Capital". Can you relate?
Yes!
Deborah said :
"to go along with MMY's directive that teachers be 'clean-cut' and 'straight-looking" and "authoritarian nature of the directive"
I totally agree, I began Tm as part of my search to becomes free of outward superficiality and to gain a glimpse of my "original face", not to become a clone who could be lectured to by people like Bevan(Headmaster)Morris.
Agree with Bjarne about the steak !
"I understand Maharishi instructed his supported to go whacking the front door of the School of Meditation with sticks! "
Amazing Paul, isn't it ?
MMY used to call the hippies "the cry of Mother Nature" or something to that effect. The hippies were a lost bunch (me included) and MMY gave us guidance and put our lives back into the stream of evolution, he helped thousands find real meaning in life.
TM may not be the end for every one but certainly a good beginning for many.....
It's funny to me what a lot of stick hippies got/get. When actually they were just being honest about being hedonistic and idealist. I would as soon trust a hippy, than trust someone who put on a suit and cut their hair when forced to by some cult leader.
Wine deadens your spiritual receptivity (lowers your vibrations) and meat increases your passion (aka lust), All the vibrations that are in the animal, you ingest when you eat meat. It's also full of 'sin', in that, unnecessary killing *for the pleasure* of eating meat is sinful.
The slaughter houses of today are houses of pain suffering and agony against poor innocent animals. When food was scarce killing to survive was necessary, not any more!
That may be BillyG., but sometimes you can't beat a great steak with a glass or two of wine.
Emphasis on *Dead* budda.....
Is anyone here going to attend this?
Commenting by HaloScan
