Posts by Alexander Parker69

Taylor Campbell4 said:I have to admit, even I found it a bit strange, but I passed the information along anyway—which, looking back, perhaps wasn't my best move.
However, that isn't really the crux of the matter.
To address just a few of the questions being asked: it’s essentially group meditation; a handful of people, maybe ten or so, agree to meet and meditate within the Sai Baba Ashram, say, twice a week for an hour at a time. When I was there, we actually held it outdoors, in that little park area inside the Ashram.
Sai Baba was once asked by several followers about transmission meditation, to which he responded affirmatively, implying it is indeed a beneficial practice.

Like I mentioned before, you see all sorts of odd behavior happening within the ashram. And Americans can be quite peculiar in their own way, too. One moment they’ll permit absolutely anything, and the next, something snaps and they'll kick people out of the ashram for practicing something they had been perfectly fine with just the day before. When you read about the murky, questionable things going on behind closed doors, perhaps some of those illogical decisions I used to attribute to a certain cultural mindset actually start to make sense.

I think he gave some sort of response along the lines of "yes, yes, very good." That seems to be the standard answer to most questions, almost as if he isn't even listening.😁 But honestly, I can't take everything he says seriously anyway, so it hardly matters.

There is also this other dimension to consider—it’s been said that nothing within the Sai Baba aspect occurs without his will, and I suppose that applies especially to the things that are constantly unfolding.

Yeah, right.😛

😁

Taylor Campbell4 said:Your assertion that Sai Baba doesn't hold other teachers in high regard is certainly an interesting one to unpack.

I recall when Hislop asked him something along the lines of whether there truly isn't a single worthy teacher left, and he went ahead and listed a handful of semi-legendary Vedic and Puranic figures who have long since passed away. 😁

Furthermore, he explicitly claimed that not a single fully realized master has ever appeared in the West, nor has one ever traveled here.

That said, he was always quite willing to praise certain Indian masters—deceased ones, of course, so there's no way to verify the claims—specifically those who maintain massive popularity back in India. He’d even go so far as to recount his supposed connections to them; for instance, mentioning the incarnation from Shirdi, or how Shivanand supposedly showed him immense reverence. He even told this story about how, upon the passing of Ramana Maharshi, he underwent a sort of spontaneous manifestation where vibhuti flowed from his feet, claiming Ramana had reached his very feet in death. It is deeply curious, isn't it, that no one has ever actually corroborated these tales? Isn't it strange that such a dramatic visit from Shivanand, which supposedly lasted for days, is something absolutely nobody in Shivanand's circle knows about, hasn't heard of, or witnessed—not even his closest disciples who are constantly by his side? Even if it did happen, it seems to have passed by quite unnoticed, regardless of how much he puffed up the narrative.

Of course, it's a very clever tactic to suggest that yoginis and others might know the truth but aren't permitted to speak, or perhaps they're being silenced so as not to drive too many people toward him. In every cult, you find these beautifully crafted excuses, justifications, and elaborate theories to cover up any nonsense. Even in cases involving assault, murder, financial manipulation, lies, or outright fraud, followers always seem to find a way to rationalize it all away.

Taylor Campbell4 said:Regarding those claims, anyone who has actually spent any significant amount of time practicing that specific type of meditation will tell you the same thing; that’s certainly been my own experience.

It is a remarkably common psychological phenomenon that ninety-five percent of people will loudly praise any technique, any faith, any political party, or absolutely anything they happen to be involved in, simply because they have tethered their very identity to it—they express their own sense of self-worth through the perceived success of the ideas and methods they champion. And naturally, every single one of them is "the best," or at least the best among equals. Even when the method is utter nonsense, even when people don't truly feel a profound shift, they will still puff themselves up and claim they felt something. And honestly, feeling *something* isn't even that difficult, even if you just make up some mediocre meditation on the spot. I could invent one right now if I wanted to. Or look at that ridiculous nonsense I wrote during that initiation ceremony. Just find a group of people, sell them on the idea that these techniques were channeled from higher intelligences used back in Tibet or ancient Egypt, and you'll see how everyone starts exploding with "experiences." 😁 You might even turn a profit while you're at it. 😂

Taylor Campbell4 said:Transcendental meditation sessions are being held more and more frequently at the Sai Baba Ashram in Puttaparthi; apparently, it’s the only meditation—aside from his own—that he permits there.

I find it genuinely fascinating how lately I’ve been reading all these stories and supposed "experiences" on the forums regarding Baba (likely triggered by that ABC documentary), which honestly bear almost no resemblance to what I actually witnessed. Since I spent a significant amount of time there while most of these people either weren't present or were only there briefly, I dare say they are talking nonsense (like that guy on the forum claiming the accommodations are free and such).

I haven't noticed Baba being particularly protective or restrictive about one specific meditation over another; there are countless people who have their own preferred methods—TM, Kriya, and so on—and they simply continue practicing them even after arriving within the Sai organization or the Ashram.
Generally speaking, Baba usually mentions three forms of meditation, which might be the three most typical styles in India: breath-focused techniques with the So-Ham mantra, and focusing on the Ishta Devata along with His name while fixing one's gaze on the tip of the nose (both of these are frequently cited in the writings). The third is typically a more New Age approach—meditation on light. 😁 Beyond those, He was known to recommend things like Sun Salutations, certain Pranayamas, and so forth.

So now I am curious: what exactly do you mean by "Baba's meditation," and how is this "transmission" meditation actually conducted in the Ashram? Or perhaps a group of Maitreyas decided to cook up something of their own down there and is just making things up as they go? It reminds me of how Reiki groups and similar circles—even though Swami poked fun at them a few times—manage to weave everything together into such elaborate philosophies. It seems people always find a way to push their own personal agenda, even when it runs totally contrary to what Baba (or whoever they’ve decided to idolize) actually teaches and demands; they just conveniently ignore the core teachings while swearing they are devoted followers. 😁

Knowing how much Baba dislikes other gurus (at least the ones still living 😁), this strikes me as somewhat suspicious, though I suppose nothing is impossible—I'm not entirely caught up on everything anymore. I would love for you to tell me specifically what, how, and where this is done in Pathija; better yet, if you could find some discourse or statement from Baba where He actually permitted or recommended it within the Ashram.

P.S. I don't see why anyone would feel the need to prove what happens in Puttaparthi; if you aren't in the loop, it's already become quite obvious that the situation surrounding Baba is beyond proving anything at this point. You'd be better off coming up with something like the Reikists do, claiming Jesus practiced transmission meditation. 😂

Look, I don't personally know the man, but I’ve spent some time wading through his articles. From what I can gather, he seems to stick to traditional yoga sadhana regardless of whatever specific organization or institution he might be affiliated with—or whether he's just operating as an individual, for that matter—and despite all those "new agey" techniques floating around these days. He doesn't come across as pretentious or cultish to me; he actually seems to know exactly what he's talking about, and frankly, he strikes me as a fairly grounded, sensible person. To be honest, he left me with a pretty positive impression. If anyone is genuinely interested in Raja Yoga, I'd say they probably won't go too far astray by following him, though of course, I could very well be wrong.

hollowviper72 said:Look, folks, if you're willing to take a bit of advice from someone who actually writes—even if I'm just an amateur—here’s the thing: when you're working with allegories, they have to actually make sense through association. I can see what boldsailor32 is trying to get at, really I can, but the associations here are completely off the mark. A fighter jet brings to mind noise, warfare, killing, and death. It doesn't suggest adaptability in any universe. No matter how much I grasp boldsailor32's underlying point, I simply cannot agree with him; to do so would be to accept that a military aircraft represents some sort of noble ideal, which, as a pacifist, fills me with nothing but pure disgust.

Has anyone here seen "Hero"? It’s a stunning film, and it carries one of my absolute favorite lessons:

"A Mačevati's first success is unity with the blade. At that moment, he has no equal."
"A Mačevati's second success is having the blade in his heart while his hand remains empty. Then, even a blade of grass becomes a weapon."
"A Mačevati's greatest success is the absence of the blade in both heart and hand. For the Mačevati swears not to kill, but to bring peace to mankind."

I refuse to view life as a battlefield, because existence is far more profound than that. I don't seek to conquer; I seek to understand. That is why a sailboat is my ideal; the wind isn't something you conquer, but something you harmonize with. It’s the fundamental difference between that aggressive Western mindset and a more passive, Eastern approach.

Well, that's exactly why your comparison falls flat.

Good grief, you people are trying to turn Chinese soap operas into deep spiritual philosophy. 😂

velvetpilot212 said:But honestly, what I find even more fascinating are the women they’re actually talking to. They just sit there nodding along, looking incredibly naive, giving them those wide-eyed, innocent little glances, while internally thinking, "Honey, you couldn't charm me if you tried... I can play the ingenue way better than you can play the smooth talker." Then, they give him exactly what he wants—not chocolate, mind you, but his undivided attention—and the guy walks away thinking, "Wow, I'm a natural; she didn't see through me at all!"
To reiterate, essentially: "You aren't half as clever as you think you are, but I can pretend to be clueless better than you can act suave" plus that look 😍 "Oh, you're just darling, you're not even a player, I could just kiss you... though maybe not."
I suspect (😁 ) that this might actually be the root cause of all our earthly problems. We should probably write entire philosophical treatises on it; one would have to be exceptionally brilliant and sharp-witted to truly penetrate her, or rather, his, thought process. And here I am, claiming to be smart, eh?

👍
Look at that, such an honest woman 😲 😁 😉

I think you completely missed the mark on what the poet was actually trying to convey (including the subtext following those ellipses)

Ryan Wilson2 said:Excuse me? I don't just "finish" when it comes to sex. I’m there for the whole damn process, from start to finish.😁

You can't have one without the other, really. Especially not when you're dealing with those self-proclaimed spiritualists.

Well, personally, I don't even bother getting started with either side of that equation.😳

Ah, "spiritualists"... whatever happened to those people... 🙂 😁 😍

hollowviper72 said:Well, I guess we’re just going after Alexander Parker69 then. 😁

Lol, and you aren't even considering her well-being?

(Or maybe you'll just recite some poetry to her instead 😁 )

Ryan Wilson2 said:Oh, please, you self-proclaimed "spiritual seekers"... the moment you're let off the leash, you always find a way to steer the conversation right back to sex.😈

Who's actually stepping up?😂

Well, since you're the one doing all the talking and acting the part, you're just as much of a "spiritual seeker" as the rest of them, aren't you?🙂

velvetpilot212 said:I’ll personally give you a piece of my mind and a smack right on your backside😁

I have absolutely nothing against the idea, provided we swap sides first.😈

hollowviper72 said:Look, Ravanek, maybe you didn't quite catch my drift the first time:



Clear? 😁

Oh, I caught it, believe me... honestly, every time I try to make a point, you just seem to spin in circles like you've got nothing but air between your ears.😁

hollowviper72 said:In a battle against oneself, there can be neither victors nor the defeated. That is why you don't fight yourself. Meditation and introspection aren't weapons of war; they are instruments of understanding.

...what do you mean by "Accept disgrace willingly"?
Accept being insignificant.
Don't obsess over what you lose or what you gain...

I am insignificant. You are insignificant. Even Bush is insignificant. Once you truly grasp that—once you actually embrace it—the struggle ceases and peace finally takes hold. That’s when you can actually start living. It isn't some sign of weakness; it’s an understanding of the Whole. Whether you win or lose, the Whole remains unchanged.

I completely get why you might push back against that. Earlier today, after about ten minutes of deep contemplation, I managed to wrap my head around that quote, and for a moment, I found myself looking at the world with a sense of genuine humor. But the ego is a persistent thing, always lurking, fighting tooth and nail against its own negation. Even now, I can feel this internal "disagreement" with the sentiment because, apparently, I am "important." A voice inside me insists that being important matters, and let's face it, it's a damn hard voice to ignore.
And yet... for a fleeting second, I understood. 🙂

Oh, my enlightened friend,😍

after devouring three books and sitting through a few meditation sessions, we've already got ourselves a new little philosopher in the making. 😂

Jack Harris3 said:hollowviper72, look, I’m giving you some genuinely decent advice here. 😁
Not that you’re actually going to take it, but hey, it doesn't matter much. 😂

The other option would be to just focus on finding a woman, though I suspect even you wouldn't agree with that approach. 😁

hollowviper72 said:It’s not even about whether people take me seriously. 😉

In reality, the most profound shifts in consciousness usually come from massive ego bruises—total structural collapses of the self. My own ego took a serious hit recently, and frankly, it was a godawful mess. But through those cracks, I caught a glimpse of a part of myself I had already started to bury deep underground. 🙂 So, that’s why I’m evolving. The only thing that actually matters is that *I* take myself seriously, not you.

Actually, it's the exact opposite. The real goal is to stop taking yourself so damn seriously.
And let’s be honest, pretending you don't care how others perceive you is a total lie, so just watch how quickly you start philosophizing your way out of the truth 😁

It looks to me like your ego still needs a good shaking to wake it up. 😁

In any struggle, there are winners and there are losers. But let’s be clear: wars aren't won by individual skirmishes. What actually matters is coming out on top in the grand, overarching war of life itself. Of course, you can always choose to sit on the sidelines and play philosopher if that’s your speed. You don't lose, you don't win—you just exist in this state of nothingness. Honestly, if that's the goal, you probably shouldn't have been born in the first place.

And I’m sure this profound little philosophy will hold up for you until you stumble upon some other book that catches your eye. Or maybe I should put it this way, as someone whose name I won't bother mentioning—regular sex😂

Jack Harris3 said:A king and a beggar at the exact same time? 😁

Neither, really; once you strip away the royal robes or the rags, they’re fundamentally the same thing anyway. 😛

hollowviper72 said:Well, you know how they say... small words from a small mind.

Hold on, let me try something a bit more cutting:



Heh...

Look, man, you basically dug your own grave when you spent all that time whining about that untouchable penny stock—which, let's be honest, was probably a total scam anyway—so who on earth is going to take you seriously now? 🙂

hollowviper72 said:How on earth do you expect to conquer the ocean? Or master the wind? Subdue the stone? Extinguish the light? Seize the lightning? Tame the mountain?

Wait, did we all just collectively lose our minds? It’s getting late, 🙂

If you can't control the elements outside, then start by mastering the chaos within. Stand your ground and fight; don't be some spineless coward who lets every passing breeze blow them around.