The effect of charismatic "presence"

Darko,

I am pleased that you had (and are continuing to have) such an enjoyable experience. Until Transcendental Meditation and NSR Meditation came along, Satsang such as the personal presence or intercession by a charismatic guru was one of the few techniques available that had any chance of bringing the experience of pure bliss consciousness.

Unfortunately, Satsang as a technique has not had a very good track record, possibly due to the large gulf between an enlightened guru and the typical Western beginner. Maharishi once commented that when he came out of India to bring TM to the world he was surprised at the enormous amounts of stress he found in those who came to him for instruction (he mostly blamed marijuana when he told us this, but I think there are probably lots of other equally harmful stressors in the modern world).

The main problem with attempting to gain enlightenment from being in the presence of a guru is that this method does not even attempt to reduce the stored stress in the nervous system. Without eliminating the stress, there is not much chance for dramatic "enlightened" experiences to last more than a few hours or weeks.

I will among the first to rejoice if a true, permanent, lifelong state of enlightenment (including scientifically measurable freedom from anxiety, increase in intelligence, field independence, and all the rest of the effects of freedom from stored stress) can be obtained in two hours.

Until such verification, I will continue to advocate Transcendental Meditation and the alternative of NSR Meditation as the most practical methods for stress reduction and the strengthening of consciousness for the entire world population.

David Spector
NSR Meditation/USA