|
|
| JOY: The Journal of Yoga is requesting academic articles related to yogic philosophy, consciousness studies, and ayurvedic medicine.
Articles are uploaded to our academic database and available to educational users worldwide.
Here is a short description of JOY posted on the website:
JOY: The Journal of Yoga is an international and transdisciplinary scholarly journal dedicated to work in asian philosophy, consciousness studies, and yogic spirituality. JOY welcomes contributions from researchers and yoga practitioners exploring the philosophy of yoga, neuroscience of meditation, schools of eastern thought, historical development of the yoga tradition, ayurvedic medicine, and spiritual phenomenology. The journal seeks to provide a forum for east-west comparative analysis and potential applications of yogic philosophy to contemporary concerns. In particular, JOY aims to investigate the impact of yogic practices upon cognition, physical health, and social interactions.
Please visit JOY online at http://www.journalofyoga.org :lol:
Edited by psi 2005-12-14 11:03 AM
|
|
| |
|
Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
  
Location: A Blue State | Here's a fun link from J.Yoga, obviously a scholarly publication.
Pilgrims flock to see 'Buddha boy' said to have fasted six months
By Thomas Bell in Bara District, Nepal
(Filed: 21/11/2005)
Thousands of pilgrims are pouring into the dense jungle of southern Nepal to worship a 15-year-old boy who has been hailed as a new Buddha.
Devotees claim that Ram Bomjon, who is silently meditating beneath a tree, has not eaten or drunk anything since he sat down at his chosen spot six months ago.
Ram Bomjon maintains his vigil in the shade of his pipal tree
Witnesses say they have seen light emanating from the teenager's forehead.
"It looks a bit like when you shine a torch through your hand," said Tek Bahadur Lama, a member of the committee responsible for dealing with the growing number of visitors from India and elsewhere in Nepal.
Photographs of Ram Bomjon, available for five rupees (4p) from his makeshift shrine, have become ubiquitous across the region. "Far and wide, it's the only topic of conversation," said Upendra Lamichami, a local journalist.
He said no allegation had yet emerged of Ram breaking his fast or moving, even to relieve himself.
Santa Raj Subedi, the chief government official in Bara district, appealed to the capital, Kathmandu, for assistance in dealing with the influx of visitors, and for a team of scients to examine the case.
Local doctors failed to reach a final conclusion, although they were allowed no closer than five yards from the boy mystic, declaring that they could confirm no more than that he was alive.
The popularity of the phenomenon is partly because it resembles an episode in the life of the historical Buddha, who was born 160 miles away around 543 BC. The Buddha achieved enlightenment when he meditated beneath a sacred pipal tree for 49 days.
Ram Bomjon is also sitting beneath a pipal tree, in the same posture as the Buddha is depicted, but his vigil has already taken longer.
Ram's mother, who is called Maya Devi, like the Buddha's mother, admits to anxiety, particularly at meal times. But she tells herself: "God took him to the forest and I have faith that God will feed him."
She said: "He's definitely got thinner. Early in the morning he looks sunken, like there's no blood in him, but as the sun rises he seems to get brighter and brighter."
The fervour increased last week when a snake is said to have bitten Ram, and a curtain was drawn around him.
After five days it was opened and he spoke. "Tell the people not to call me a Buddha. I don't have the Buddha's energy. I am at the level of rinpoche [lesser divinity].
"A snake bit me but I do not need treatment. I need six years of deep meditation
Edited by Bay Guy 2005-12-14 10:46 PM
|
|
| |
|
| Saw a similar version on yahoo. They mentioned that his followers cover him a night, so he might be getting up to go to the bathroom/eat then. |
|
| |
|
| I would hope so. |
|
| |
|
| belovedofthegod - 2005-12-15 5:48 PM
I would hope so.
Wellll, supposedly he doesn't need these sorts of things because he's in a trance/mystical state, etc etc etc.
I'd personally like to see him get up once in a while, stretch, fart, eat something, and go back to meditating, this just sounds like a stunt to me. |
|
| |
|
Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
Location: A Blue State |
Oh please... it's total bulltihs.
|
|
| |
|
| Hmm, where is the LOVE?? Saints are not just from the past, we need them NOW more than ever (maybe, but you know what i mean). Anyway here is something of the recent past of a saint whom also did not eat.
Well i copied and paced but theres just too much info available online and too much to read here .. search St. Therese of Konnersreuth and others, saints that are referred to as 'breatharians' or 'living on light' alone.
|
|
| |
|
Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
Location: A Blue State |
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
|
|
| |
|
| So true, and many get lost just looking for Love. or from Love. |
|
| |
|
| If you don't eat, you also probably don't need to have your followers cover you up ever night. Personally I don't care much for saints, they're always cause lots of trouble, and holy wars. I'd much rather have a single level headed sinner than a dozen saints. Much more likely to get something useful done.  |
|
| |
|
| Well then, when you're ready. |
|
| |
|
| Bay Guy- are you making fun?
I put up the article and picture of the 15 year old for several reasons. First, I find it personally inspirational. Perhaps it is just a bunch of b.s., but I like to think that there are some people out there seriously (and maybe he is not one of them) undergoing meditative transformation. Second, I think the story is relevant to JOY readers even if it is not exactly 'academic.' Unfortunately, this has been an issue with the eastern sciences and ways of investigation generally- they have not been sufficiently scrutinized by the larger scientific community. I started JOY to create an academic arena to rigorously explore yoga and related sciences. To some extent the journal has been successful in this goal, but I sincerely hope that JOY continues to evolve and becomes a much stronger scholarly resource on yoga. Most of the serial publications out there on yoga seem to appear to a largely watered down and westernized form of yoga and while I don't necessarily have any issues with that, I hope that JOY will appeal to readers looking for a little more depth and interest in the philosophies that have helped shape the yogic tradition. Yet, by no means can I do it alone, and hence, my post and call for articles. |
|
| |
|
| I would say that fame is not an aid to anybody's practice. I also find it disturbing that he's aping something with historical significance. In the end I guess I think that if this was sincere, he'd be doing it in private, instead of making a huge, international show. |
|
| |
|
Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | Even in a country such as Nepal..there are just as many fake and phonies as in any place. My Mother-in-law called us a couple of months ago talking about this little Buddha guy. (My mother-in-law is Nepalis). There are lots of Nepalis who are not convinced about this guy and then there are some that are. I don't think there has been any confirmation about this boy's abilities. This kind of thing goes on all the time in Nepal. This is nothing for this country as there are always "supernatural" type stories going on in the villages of miraculous miracles and things happening. Somebody is obviously making a big to do about this particular situation for whatever reasons - maybe they are looking for recognition or attention..who knows.
Even Jesus Christ and Buddha himself had to deal with scrutinity...it's just part of the terrain, |
|
| |
|
| Cyndi - 2005-12-16 11:10 AM
Even Jesus Christ and Buddha himself had to deal with scrutinity...it's just part of the terrain,
True, but only after they had gotten there, not before. After all where are all those years before JC starting preaching? |
|
| |
|
Location: Upstate NY | Om All,
In regards to Buddha Boy, I find it a hellva feat to sit and meditate for hours on end, days and months let alone anything else.
So many enlightened ones walk the path today yet noone knows who they are or where. In this era of greed and self loaving people are in such need for a "saint " that they a prone to cling to "false prophets".
Have you ever seen how the people flock to the crazy images of the Virgin Mary?
I would love for this boy to be a reincarnate because this world needs someone like him, but swamji also says to question everything, never follow blindly.
-I am not this body, I am not this mind.
Om Shanti,
Ravi
|
|
| |
|
Location: Upstate NY | sorry mis-spelled..... self-loathing........ |
|
| |
|
Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | It's okay Ravi, we understood you. Where are you from or what is your local?? I don't think we've had the pleasure of an introduction yet. |
|
| |
|
Location: Upstate NY | Om Namah Sivaya
Cyndi,
I live in upstate NY..............a little place called Norwich. I am one of only two people certified to teach yoga in our whole county  if that gives you an idea how rural it is here. 
I just came across the site here recently and really enjoy the community here. I have gained a great deal of insight form you all which has enable me to deepen my practice every day. I look forward to reading the posts everyday. I have taken alot and incorporated some stuff into my own classes, which I feel has made me a better teacher. Swamiji always said the best teacher was also the ever striving student.
Om Shanti,
Ravi |
|
| |
|
Location: Upstate NY | hahahahaa...I did it again......I meant from not form.......  |
|
| |
|
| Hello GreenJellow,
Whether he eats, etc... or not the fact is he sits for long time continuously (at least all day, perhaps he gets up at night). Most people can't sit still for half an hour. Also, he never made all those claims since he practically does not speak - its the people around him who noticed him and telling others and speculating. This is the way the word spread. So I understand the need for skepticism on such matters, but to call it a stunt and speak dismissively of someone who is clearly trying to achieve serious yogic attainment (16-year olds don't just decide to sit in meditation all day for so long) is very much unwarranted. Also, there might be a lot of pressure on him to continue from other people around him, etc... Also, apparently he was ticked off at the fact that people said he was enlightened, which he strongly denies - always a good sign.
My only issue with the whole ordeal is if someone would explain to him, perhaps quoting the Buddha, that excessive fasting and engaging in too difficult penances are an obstacle to practice and not an aid. Often young people when get into things get into it with too much zeal without understanding how to go about it systematically - in this case there seems some emotional desire to replicate the Buddha's course of practice. It would be helpful if he had a Guru,
Regards. |
|
| |
|
| belovedofthegod - 2005-12-16 9:02 PM
Whether he eats, etc... or not the fact is he sits for long time continuously (at least all day, perhaps he gets up at night). Most people can't sit still for half an hour.
I disagree with this, ask anybody who's gone deer hunting how long they can sit for. This includes 16 year old boys. Generally they aren't too motivated to do this sort of thing, but given the right circumstances I could see it happening.
Also, he never made all those claims since he practically does not speak - its the people around him who noticed him and telling others and speculating. This is the way the word spread. So I understand the need for skepticism on such matters, but to call it a stunt and speak dismissively of someone who is clearly trying to achieve serious yogic attainment (16-year olds don't just decide to sit in meditation all day for so long) is very much unwarranted.
Well, that appears to be where we disagree. I don't think it possible to tell what's really going on with him, but I find that fact that it's made internation news much more likely that it's not true.
Also, there might be a lot of pressure on him to continue from other people around him, etc... Also, apparently he was ticked off at the fact that people said he was enlightened, which he strongly denies - always a good sign.
True. It would be an even better sign if he had gotten up when the crowds started to gather, and went else where. Maybe someplace inside, or away from people so he wouldn't be disturbed.
My only issue with the whole ordeal is if someone would explain to him, perhaps quoting the Buddha, that excessive fasting and engaging in too difficult penances are an obstacle to practice and not an aid.
Which was what I was attempting to get at with my comment about getting up, stretching, eating something, moving around, etc. This is also part of the reason I think it's more likely to be a stunt, it's very over the top and showy. |
|
| |
|
| belovedofthegod said: "My only issue with the whole ordeal is if someone would explain to him, perhaps quoting the Buddha, that excessive fasting and engaging in too difficult penances are an obstacle to practice and not an aid. Often young people when get into things get into it with too much zeal without understanding how to go about it systematically" what i find interesting about this point, whenever it is raised, is that the buddha did in fact do these things before he became enlightened. he then said they were not necessary, but would he say that anything is really necessary? of course, i don't know what the buddha would say, but it seems to me that most people have to do the unecessary things if they still have any tiny belief that they might be useful, if only to prove to themself experientially that it doesn't matter at all. kinda like the "we all have to learn our own lessons" kind of thing, but on a "more evolved?" level otherwise there may always be this nagging doubt that you might be better off, or more enlightened, or whatever. in my own life, on a mundane level, an example of a tattoo. i wanted a tattoo and i thought it would be really cool. i would be cooler if i got a tattoo. i would be expressing myself more fully. i would have a symbolic and meaningful symbol on my skin. my life would be more meaningful....and on and on. i don't even remember some of the things i believed would be more true once i got the tattoo. once i got the tattoo, nothing changed. everything was exactly the same. i found out that i didn't need a tattoo. that the change i wanted to see was within. but i (at my stage, for me, at the time) absolutely needed that tattoo in order to realize that i didn't need one. and that actually was an impetus to send me inward, and to realize some attachment to material trappings. what i would say to other people is: "you don't need a tattoo to feel _insert what you think will change when you get a tattoo_" and it's true. you don't. but other people who are like me might need to go through that experience if they're not already ripe enough to get just the words. the words are for the ripe. the austerities are for the rest of us. |
|
| |
|
| Hi GreenJellow,
"I disagree with this, ask anybody who's gone deer hunting how long they can sit for."
Right, but do they go deer hunting everyday for months? Keep in mind that even when (or if, if you like) he gets up and moves around at night he isn't really going very far. Its difficult circumstances to put oneself into. Also, I don't know about deer hunting, but I doubt people sit absolutely still for hours - that would greatly surprise me.
"I don't think it possible to tell what's really going on with him, but I find that fact that it's made internation news much more likely that it's not true."
Again, my basic point stands. He doesn't really talk, so he hasn't claimed anything - those around him have. It makes no sense to accuse him of making this or that claim.
I don't think the fasting, etc... is true, but there seems as of now no reason to believe the person is not sincere in practice.
Hi Shiva,
"what i find interesting about this point, whenever it is raised, is that the buddha did in fact do these things before he became enlightened. he then said they were not necessary, but would he say that anything is really necessary?"
Yes, he said people had to practice the eightfold path to get liberation.
The Bhagavadgita also says:
"Yoga is not for him who eats too much, nor for him who eats too little, nor for him who indulges in too much sleep and surely not for him who keeps awake (too long). He who is moderate in eathing and movement, in exertion and in work, in sleep and wakefulness, to him accrues yoga which destroys sorrow." (VI: 16-17)
"of course, i don't know what the buddha would say, but it seems to me that most people have to do the unecessary things if they still have any tiny belief that they might be useful, if only to prove to themself experientially that it doesn't matter at all."
If you makes a mistake, then its good to learn from one's mistakes. However, its better to follow good advice and avoid making the mistake in the first place. The purpose of having a tested tradition is that people have a roadmap to follow and do not have to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes different traditions, etc... disagree but on this there is widespread agreement,
R. |
|
| |
|
| the buddha also said, "don't take it from me. experience it yourself." or something to that effect. i guess i'm not trying to argue against the path of moderation. but even moderation in moderation! it is wise to avoid making mistakes. but to avoid making mistakes, when you don't know in your heart of hearts why you're doing what you're doing, is just following another's dogma. and of course all traditions agree that you should follow their dogma... as i believe you should follow mine!  the buddha said there is an end to suffering and that is by following the eightfold path. i don't know if he would have said that anyone "HAD" to "practice the path to get liberation...that sentence kind of reads grammatically like "You have to believe that jesus christ is your savior in order to go to heavan" which is fine and dandy, but not what buddhism is about. check out http://www.buddhanet.net/4noble.htm and particularly click on "8 path as reflective teaching" of course, this guy is not the buddha, but i like it. to me, buddhism is more subtle than that: >>Yes, he said people had to practice the eightfold path to get liberation. Best, |
|
| |
Call for Academic Papers
