The celebrated director David Lynch, whose films include Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, and Inland Empire, as well as the TV series Twin Peaks, has long promoted the value of meditation. The David Lynch Foundation gives millions of dollars to schools for "Quiet Time" programs "utilizing the stress-reducing Transcendental Meditation technique." It will now be presenting a benefit concert entitled "Change Begins Within," headlining (Sir) Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Donovan, Sheryl Crow, Moby, and flutist Paul Horn, who has recorded many albums of meditation music.
Lynch has spoken out for years about the value of meditation in his life and his desire to spread the word. There appears to be some confusion about whether Paul and Ringo will actually play together or appear as separate acts. McCartney has also announced his affection for meditation, and 60s music figure Donovan, who hs described his involvement in Buddhism in his book Hurdy Gurdy Man has also recorded a CD entitled Sutras.
So, following the public pronouncement of the words Namaste and Om, we now have world-famous musicians promoting the value of meditation by raising money for a program to teach school children its value.
What I heard from the Oneness Founder Sri Bhagavan - who is one of those whose words I use for comtemplation -put me into awakening to valuable truths or current reality of the human condition in the oneness of what it is. I got the following from him: every place at present is there to murder the children - the hospitals where births are handled, the schools where they are educated, the parents who (this got me!) raised them at home, culture, society, all off these places were only for murdering the children.
Personally I too believe that what I have heard as true and that is, enough people of the world population have recognized that our species itself collectively is endangered, which is not different from what is revealed about the tigers or dolphins.
And each one who is waking up is holding hands with those who were being and doing for rest of us to leap up into this space, of relief.
As much as I support, I need not be surprised when a school where I was a parent introduced yoga apart from karate. Musical stars working toward promoting what meditation is about in schools? Glad, which while at the same time is not to make - as you have explained in "Loving the Divine Within" blog - "life so easy that the very tensions that inspire" for change "would somehow evaporate".
By the way, years back an elementary child practicing TM at a Maharishi school in India had chattered about his experience to one of my relatives: that everyone have their eyes closed during the meditation session. But he shared that he opens his eyes a little but not too long and he goes to quickly close his eyes back that the teachers would not catch him for doing that!
What a blessed chat though.
Thank you for facilitating for more hands to hold toward leaping or settling into the spaces called relief, peace, life, etc. through 'Spirit on the Web'.
Bhamini, Thanks for your fascinating comment. I always wondered why we don't teach children the really useful life tools as early as possible, like deep breathing, yoga, meditation, art, music, and how to fix an internal combustion engine. Sri Bhagavan is right that most schools murder the creativity and life force in our children rather than breathe it into glowing existence. Even the small step of incorporating "Quiet Times" to teach a simple, nonsectarian form of meditation is actually a giant step forward.
peter,
this is a wonderful site which i discovered by reading yours and ron roth's
book:Reclaim your spiritual power. The book is really great. When i picked it up to open it- I had the distinct feeling that it would lead me to my mentor whom i have been seeking for most of my life. At this point I will say no more about that, but the feeling is even stronger as i write this e-mail- I have sought GOD since I was A Child and instead of bringing me joy it has unfortunately led me to experience a rather tortured life. but your site is like an oasis in the desert of my life- maybe I can pause and be refreshed here. I have some personal questions (re:me) that I would like to ask you, if you would allow me to do so, I would be most grateful. Again, thanks for this beautiful page and continue to flourish.
Phil,
Thanks for your kind words, and for reminding me of the blessed privilege I had of working with Ron Roth on a total of five books over several years. Ron's stroke has slowed him somewhat but he is still continuing his ministry as last I heard. Your words also remind me of the old Yiddish saying that, "God is not an uncle, God is an earthquake." We often enter the Dark Night before emerging into the Light, but the Light is always with us, even when we're not aware of it.
Feel free to write to me directly with any question you may have: peter@myss.com.
Namaste.
Peter