Re: virus: More tangents on religion, etc. (prev. Demon Thread)
James T. Martin (martinj@theriver.com)
Tue, 30 Apr 1996 21:10:44 -0700
At 08:57 PM 4/28/96 -0400, you wrote:
***** Reed Konsler wrote (inpart):
>I hesitate to admit this, but everytime I try to enter into a TAOIST frame of
>mind I get very confused. My attention starts to meander around. Usually I
>fall asleep. I hope this doesn't indicate a lack on my part. I've honestly
>tried...maybe I'm just not doing it right. I've entered meditative trances
>before, but only by focusing my concentration on a point in space or an idea.
> I've listened to my heart beating and to the humming drone of the city on a
>quiet night, but when I try to step out of my own perception...I'm at a loss.
> There isn't anything there, and that isn't very interesting.
>
>It reminds me of the sensory deprivation experiments during the 40s to 70s. If
>you take someones body away from their mind they hallucinate, become paranoid,
>go nuts...I think if you take the mind away from the body you get pretty much
>the same thing.
*******
Thanks for the detailed explanation of Effect=Meaning. Still seems a bit
anthropomorphic to me, but useful. It appears that you have elements of
Transendental Meditation (TM) confused with Taoism. TM is a western application
of ancient Vedic practices employed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi to get girls and
Rolls Royces. I've been told that you can't develop the techniques yourself,
you must have lessons from a qualified instructor. The Taoist writings
(i.e. Tao te Ching) require meditation only to the extent that the form of
expression is such that most of the meaning must be derived from the
contemplators context or viewpoint. This is precisely the reason most people
conclude that the writings are vague. The Way that can be spoken of is
not the true way. Jim Martin
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