Hi I'm looking for some information and I thought perhaps this forum may be the right place.
I have a friend who has recently been to a series of lectures. initially a number of people turned up to consequetive 3 lectures which seems to have covered anthropology, cosmopology, psyschology and possibly more. It also included teaching on Samsara. It seemed very interesting. Following the lectures she and another couple were invited to continue but changed locations to the lecturers' flat - which is new. Part of the lecture includes meditation sessions.
The other couple have now left and my friend has continued to go on her own with the two lecturers, who I think are a couple. They actually live in another county and travel on this one day and she seems to think they come just for her. I am concerned as she knows nothing about this organisation, I also think I'm picking up on her concern. However she went last week and had a brilliant lecture on Samsara - while she's there she feels fine - its only when she comes away she feels doubtful.
Apparently she had a sheet of advertising paper with the name of the organisation C.H.E. but doesn't know what it stands for.
I don't want to put her off as she is searching for something and she says she feels calmer since seeing these people - so she is getting a lot from it but is she safe to continue?
I don't usually feel suspicious as I too am inquistive and interested in anything outside of 'western thinking' sphere myself but I'm feeling uncomfortable about this.
Any ideas - please?[>:]
RE: Is this potentially harmful?
I must confess that I do not even know what Samsara is, perhaps you could enlighten us here?
The idea of going to this couples flat on her own need not necesarily be a problem, if your friend is comfortable with this. If she isn't then she needs to use her own discernment whether to continue or not. If she doesn't know what the initials CHE stand for, why doesn't she ask?
June
RE: Is this potentially harmful?
Thanks for the reply Talisman. She has not asked because she says it seemed inappropriate (last week). Her own discernment seems ambivalent and I think I have reacted to her concerns although a number of us have. I'm not sure what Samsara is - I have read something but I couldn't describe it accurately.
x[:-]
RE: Is this potentially harmful?
It sounds to me as if your friend is afraid to ask. Perhaps she fears making herself look foolish? She does need to know all the facts though about who she is dealing with before she can really decide whether or not she needs to continue with this stuff. If it makes her feel good, and is making a difference in her life, then I say all well and good, but if not, then she needs to make a decision as to whether this is really right for her or not. If she is having doubts then she needs to voice them properly to get clear in her own mind, as to exactly whether concerns are and where they are coming from.
June
RE: Is this potentially harmful?
Check the internet. Put CHE in the search engine and see how it goes
RE: Is this potentially harmful?
[&:]
RE: Is this potentially harmful?
:DHi Aspira
I found some info that may help, not sure how much you have found out so far. These are not my thoughts, I found this info on the net. Found it interesting about this samsara, so thought I would go find out.
Apparently it means reincarnation based on past actions. Rebirth etc. It was mentioned (not sure if this is correct) it's a combination of karma and upanishads to produce samsara. Upanishad means inner or mystic teaching. Like I say not sure if the facts I read are true. Not too sure what C.H.E stands for though.
Hope this has helped.:D
Love & Blessings
[sm=nature-smiley-008.gif]
Fayth
xxx
RE: Is this potentially harmful?
Thanks everyone for chipping in - I've still very little to go on. I'm away now for the next two weeks in europe so I'll let you know when I hear anything. I can't do anything without any more information even though I'm concerned.
Thanks again x
RE: Is this potentially harmful?
Perhaps you could go with your friend to one of these meetings to put your mind at rest.
Is your friend still attending these meetings?
Love and light
Rosi X
RE: Is this potentially harmful?
I second Rosi's point - you could go with your friend - just the once, to check everything is ok... The impression I get from the original post was that it does sound a little dodgy. However - these people could be genuine and it could all be perfectly 'above board', without further information - you'll never really know... This is one of the ways that cults recruit their victims.
Many years ago, I knew of two very nice women, nice as pie they were, until they would ever so gently and cleverly coax people into thinking the way they did about 'spiritual issues'... They were part of something called the Eternal Flame sect from the USA, the central basis for their ideas was ludicrous, they actually believed they were physically immortal, crackpots! Yet - as I say... nice as pie...
Sol.
RE: Is this potentially harmful?
Hi June,
ORIGINAL: Talisman
I must confess that I do not even know what Samsara is, perhaps you could enlighten us here?
(IMHO) simply put – samsara is the constant cycle of birth and rebirth… the objective being to reach a state of (lets call it) ‘enlightenment’ that warrants the end of this cycle or the breaking of it – this is the ‘fundamental’ & ultimate “hindu-esque” mystical objective – to break samsara. (As I understand it) - but I'm sure that Venitian or Sunanda could give us a very clear definition.
Dunno if that helps?
Rgds,
Roger
RE: Is this potentially harmful?
Thanks for that vote of confidence, Rog. (Have you moved from Ealing BTW?) Off the top of my head, I understand samsara to be just what you said but it's used too to describe the world of maya, or illusion, which most of us believe to be the 'real' world. So I've heard people talking about being 'sucked back into samsara' which, of course, we're all trying to claw our way out of.
Love and light
sunanda xxx
RE: Is this potentially harmful?
So it is really an allegory for the material world then by the sound of it, and the need to release ourselves from all of that and see past the illusion? A Hindu version of Gnosticism if you like? It is interesting how these things seem to crop up in different cultures under different names.
June
RE: Is this potentially harmful?
Not an allegory, June. It's the name of the world of karma, the world of actions, the world which is an illusion. The wheel of life. And Hinduism, like Buddhism, is indeed about 'waking up' and detaching from the illusion. This cannot happen while ego (mind) is in charge. Hence the symbolism of the Goddess Kali (my avatar!) cutting off the head of the demon. what she's really doing is killing our egos. I don't know much (anything really!) about Gnosticism but during my odyssey of discovery of the last ten years I have been struck again and again by the similarities between the core beliefs of most of the world's religions. And yet how many wars are fought by men declaring 'my religion is the only one. My God is better than your God!'
But, sorry, this is full on deviation from the subject of this thread. I must say I can empathise with the feelings of doubt which are obviously there...but what to do? When in doubt, do nothing can sometimes be a useful thought.
Love
Sunanda xxx