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<DIV><SPAN class=229160523-01052005>Yes, and I agree that it provides a
counterpoint, certainly. Whether -- to me, only to me -- it's
"wonderful" or not is another story. I like the concept, the abstract idea
of this cointerpoint, but wonder sometimes if the fact of Kornfield lectures
interspersed throughout the shows "works." After all, there's quite a bit
of counterpoint in those shows without them. Maybe it just comes down to
this: that I feel there's more for me to LEARN FROM -- and certainly more
for me to IDENTIFY WITH -- in, for example, your conversations with JF, than
there is in listening to a (prmarily) Buddhist teacher's reflections on how one
might lead an "ideal" life. E.g., I'm not religious, but it seems to be
that Christ -- assuming there was some actualy historical figure resembling
him -- probably had a lot to say about how to live a decent, fulfilling
life. But I'm not sure I'd want to hear his lectures about turning the
other cheek and so on.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=229160523-01052005></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=229160523-01052005>And I agree with you definitely, Larry, that
there is something perhaps crypto-Faschistic and certainly naive about Dyer's or
Kornfield's notion that one can just BE a certain way if one TRIES HARD ENOUGH
(implying, btw, that if you fail to BECOME this certain way, you've clearly not
TRIED hard enough). It reminds me of a conversation that you had with JF
in which you recalled some 1960s- or 70s-era guru who proposed such a way of
thinking, and you said something like "it's not NEARLY that EASY!!" And I
agree. I'd say that, often, it's impossible, actually. And generally
when something's impossible, one tries OTHER approaches to achieve whatever the
goal is (the goal here being to achieve a fulfilling/meaningful/happy life, I
guess). If you want to fly from New York to L.A., you could try flapping
your wings REALLY HARD. But you'd find that to be an impossible way of
flying. So, instead, you'd probably go to Jetblue.com instead and buy a
ticket. You'd have shelled out $400 for the flight, but think of all the
time and energy you'd have saved for OTHER things that you want to
accomplish.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=229160523-01052005></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=229160523-01052005>It also reminds me of various conversations
that JF has had with Debi Mae West (e.g. her claim that perhaps she self-healed
herself from cancer): JF's response was that the outgrowth of that way of
thinking is that if one gets cancer, one hasn't TRIED HARD ENOUGH -- or chanted
enough or been devoted to one's faith enough.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=229160523-01052005></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=229160523-01052005>Which in TURN reminds me -- and think about
it: it's not so different -- of Jerry Falwell saying that lesbians,
pro-choicers, "members of the ACLU" (he actually said that), and others "have to
take some of the blame" for 9/11, because "God will not be mocked." What
he's saying -- well, is it so different from saying that one can ward off cancer
by being a devoted Buddhist?</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=229160523-01052005></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=229160523-01052005>-- Steve.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=229160523-01052005></SPAN> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left><FONT
face=Tahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
joe-frank-list-bounces@armory.com [mailto:joe-frank-list-bounces@armory.com]
<B>On Behalf Of </B>LBlockD@aol.com<BR><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, May 01, 2005 6:40
PM<BR><B>To:</B> joe-frank-list@armory.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> [joe-frank-list]
Re: joe-frank-list Digest, Vol 23, Issue 2<BR><B>Importance:</B>
Low<BR><BR></FONT></DIV><FONT id=role_document face=Arial>
<DIV>STEVE: Sorry to have not addressed your insights. Agreed, we
put up with Jack because Joe put him there, but don't you see the wondeful
counterpoint of us low-down strugglers and this smooth talking guru. I think
he's cool, but as arrogant as Wayne Dyer to suggest that his sense of things
is available to me just because he says so. It's a kind of
crypto-fascism, dontcha think? We could all be fine if only we really
wanted to be. With regard to Kate: she's much less mysterious than you might
think. Just a beautiful woman that got Joe's attention and wouldn't let
go of it even after she had let go of it. Larry
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