The Madharishi Marches On Kansas
File under: PPCOM and Wackadoo Gurus
[Ed.note: We just realized that yesterday's pro-TM™ story also originated at kansascity.com. We find that fascinating.]
Why is the Madharishi building the World Capital of Peace in north central Kansas? Because the land is cheap? Because it's closer to Fairfield, Iowa? Because the local Baptist churches are rolling out the welcome wagon for them? Probably not. Apparently, the World Capital of Peace can only be built near the geographical center of the continental U.S.
How cute! The Madharishi's obsessive-compulsive disorder is driving his world takeover scheme.
It's not like we really need to say this, but the Madharishi's dream of forming a new world government ain't gonna happen. It would require mass acceptance of the Madharishi himself, and the only place that is going to happen is in the poor old man's delusions of grandeur and those of his faithful. It's a nice dream... but a pipe dream.
We want to see the world a better place too, but we know it will have to happen collectively and trans-ideologically. All those yet to be built Peace Palaces and funny money investment schemes aren't going to get folks flocking to TM™ just because they get announced in an occasional press release.
You've got to give it to the Madharishi for ambition, if nothing else. Not necessarily a desirable quality in a guru, but definitely attractive to those who feel an irresistible need to be a part of something grand, even if it is only just one man's grandiose obsession and ridiculous attempt to capture world history for himself.
posted by guruphiliac @ 9:30 PM
14 Comments:
The peace palace thing is over the top imo. I've talked to people who told me that in the main location for MMY's "world government" or whatever it is, in Iowa, that people now gravitate to any guru who passes through. It appears that his followers are not very loyal. I also heard, and don't have first hand info on this, that many of those people who were exposed to Advaita, took the teaching to mean "well, that means all these years of doing what I'm told by MMY and TM was a waste -- I should do whatever I want...." and it turned out that whatever they wanted, was becoming alcoholic and heavy drug users in quite large numbers. This surprised me, since I thought that the practice should have made them feel quite peaceful. Evidently it doesn't work for everyone.
I was sent an e-mail a few years back by someone associated loosely with TM about these east-facing dwellings that had just been built in the Iowa central town. A huge wind/tornado came along just as they were completed and destroyed a large number of them. So much for MMY's use of "vaastu", the science of placement! Haha
I personally think MMY is just getting old and is totally out of touch with the world.
LMAO at the vaastu debacle! It's true that Fairfield is a destination for many camps promoting their own spiritual ideologies. Heck, even the "Kalki" camp stopped there for a big event. Too many suckers willing to buy any "spiritual" baubles being handed out, I guess.
My teacher said, "I heard that he said the White House should be demolished and a new building be built according to vaastu!" and, looking to us, "White House is the American tradition, no? It is their culture, no? How can he say all this?" I wish MMY would understand this point.
BTW, not to condemn MMY and his approach (after all, it is through him that I was first exposed to meditation of any sort, and a remarkably effortless practice, at that), but through my own observation of my body and mind through personal practice of TM (which I dropped about 5 years ago), it sedates the mind very well, and is useful in silencing the non-stop mental "noise", but I am afraid it did nothing to me beyond that, as far as awakening or realization.
Usually, it would just make me so sleepy, that I had to crash for an extended period of time. It may be good for hypertension and as a solution for disturbed sleep, but from my personal experience, that's about it.
Vipassana would be far more effective an approach, IMO, for those seeking to realize their Self, and to allow that awareness to permeate all outer life as well.
Vipassana would be far more effective an approach, IMO, for those seeking to realize their Self, and to allow that awareness to permeate all outer life as well.
I'm in wholehearted agreement with this. It's less ideologically-mired than TM™, it doesn't cost thousands of dollars to learn and is free of psychotically grandiose guru pictures looming on every wall.
There are likely no more enlightened practitioners of Vipassana than there are of TM. Techniques are secondary and a picture of a Guru is just another object to be noticed and let go of, unless you feel devotion through that photo. That devotion, even to an unworthy Guru, reduces selfishness.
Vipassana is less of a "technique" than TM, because it does not involve any conscious attempt to do anything. It is pure awareness and acceptance of the NOW in its essence, an awareness which takes you beyond mind. TM, on the other hand, involves a conscious thought of moving away from the present thought in ones mind, and back to the mantra.
Incidentally, Osho, as well as my present teacher, has said that by vipassana alone, "thousands" of Masters were produced in the East. It is the one big reason that Buddhism has become such a powerful catalyst for inner transformation in the West, even more than Hinduism. Vipassana is the pure message of the Buddha (BTW, I'm Hindu and do not "practice" vipassana, just in case this sounds like a spiel for it).
Completely agree about what you say regarding surrender through the guru's image, though. One can even become enlightened by worshipping a brick... heck, in India they decorate milestones on the highway as Shiva Lingams and worship them with reverence. The object is irrelevant.
One can even become enlightened by worshipping a brick
Ramakrishna said: "as many faiths, so many paths." In other words, it's not what you believe, it's how you believe it.
"Incidentally, Osho, as well as my present teacher, has said that by vipassana alone, "thousands" of Masters were produced in the East."
MMY says the same thing and can't prove it anymore than your teacher or Osho. I doubt very much that Vipassana meditators are any less involved with thoughts and how to deal with them than those doing TM. In dhyan there must be even less technique than Vipassana, since you are simply remaining alert with eyes closed noticing thoughts as they arise without getting involved with them intellectually.
"It is the one big reason that Buddhism has become such a powerful catalyst for inner transformation in the West, even more than Hinduism."
This is just religious nonsense talk. Buddhism is already waning in importance. Just a few years ago Buddhist monks tried to kill the Dalai Lama because of a doctrinal dispute. Buddhism is just another religion with its pros and cons.
“Vipassana is the pure message of the Buddha (BTW, I'm Hindu and do not "practice" vipassana, just in case this sounds like a spiel for it).”
It does sound like a spiel and I am not a Hindu.
Fine. I'm not interested in getting into ideological arguments. It was my opinion that I stated, and jody seemed to agree. No need to get your panties in a bunch.
I've always noticed that this falseguru gets testy. Maybe you're right, Shoonyata, he wears panties and they are too tight. That said, you introduced ideological ideas into the conversation. Falseguru just reacted to your religious spiel.
I've noticed that chuck seems to try to find someone he is sure is male, then say things like "he must wear panties" blah blah blah. Hey Chuck, are you a homophobic person? I was under the (possibly mistaken?) impression that this site is for the purpose of discussing gurus and their disciples, yet you seem to always try to attack someone for some opinion they have, and then get into some sexuality thing, like Rita did for a bit, calling people "little" or "limp wristed" etc. You don't even argue with them. You just slam them with insults. What's your problem Chuck? You did it to me for about 10 posts, now you start on facedog. So what if he disagrees with Shoonyata and vice versa? You picked up on Shoonyata's rather standard version of "don't get too upset over what I said" and turned it into a personal, sexual attack on facedog. You never commented on what facedog said. You just commented on your crystal ball reading of his underwear choices. You seem to really be into taking off on a thread, reading more into one post than there really is (like Shoonyata's, which I don't think was intended as a personal insult to facedog) and then trying to get a gang up against one or the other poster you don't agree with. Are you in the army or something? Do you like wars? I still don't get it.
Falsely accused again by the one who has called me a racist and now a homophobe. If you will read what I actually said, I was defending falseguru, not attacking facedog. I figure a guy with a name like facedog needs any help he can get. Previously you were begging rita to abuse you. Why so affronted by my abuse?
Seems like it was only 20 years ago that another hardy group of devotees of the then called Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh wanted to do something similar in Antelope, Oregon. They bought up land, moved in, took ovev the city council and renamed the town Rajneeshpuram. The locals revolted and ultimately the Federal Gov't was the big winner and Osho cast out of God-Bless-America herself.
The not so dumb farmers in Kansas have probably heard a little about the Oregon affair. It was nightly news way back when.
Sheesh, you would think that all these so-called gurus would get together and form a Union or whatnot. That way they could learn from each other's mistakes.
Kansas = Oregon
Tokyo Subway = hanging
False prophet = stoopid
Shooyata, your present teacher sounds like Swami Nithyananda. I watch his youTube videos. Great stuff but many contradictions too.
Nithyanaanda said many things. In One place he said you can be devoted to anything (brick, idol, or an unenlightened pandit in the case of Ramdas) and gain enlightenment. On another video, he said it is up an "enlightened master" to give enlightenment. So how does one who is devoted to brick or an unenlightened guru gain enlightenment w/o the benefit of an "enlightened master" ? It seems that even if it is possible one gain enlightenment from a brick or an unenlightened pandit, it would take too long.
I had practiced both Vipassana and TM, given up on both years ago. I don't like the TM scam the commercializing and false presentation of ordinary mantra japa into megabucks packages.
Falseguru said: That devotion, even to an unworthy Guru, reduces selfishness.
Devotion to unworthy gurus often leads to destructiveness. Many of these gurus are not only unworthy, but greedy, despotic and psychotically grandiose. These unworthy gurus mix truth and falsehood confusing many. Seekers may well end up wasting their time, money lives being devoted to them.
Post a Comment
<< Home