The Big Ideas

It turns out the David Lynch, the writer and Director of such dark and surreal masterpieces as Mulholland Drive, EraserHead, and Blue Velvet, is a dedicated meditator. He practices Transcendental Meditation as popularized by this well-robed, and abundantly bearded fellow. I understand that the good Yogi is still alive and well. Good to hear.

Lennon wrote a song (Sexy Sadie)about the Maharishi, back in 1968, after he (Lennon) was disillusioned by some overly friendly contact that the Yogi supposedly had with Mia Farrow.

Since I'm one of those who thinks that the "saints" among us are really flawed human beings just like everyone else, I'm not surprised or disillusioned to find that the good Yogi might be in same the club with Sinatra and Woody Allen - men attracted to the lovely Mia.

Anyway, I too, tried the Transcendental Way. Back in something like 1978 or so, my cousin and I went to a TM house, we went through the ritual, we agreed to refrain from smoking pot for a week or so, we received a mantra. I can remember coming out of the intial session supremely serene. My cousin took one look and thought that I had been transformed.

It didn't last, I ended up dropping it all, it wasn't until I found Invision (see link) that I re-affirmed my life of meditation. Now it's a daily ritual. Instead of a mantra, I now create visual images, which I use to focus and "clear." It's pretty much the same concept, just a little bit different technique. This is in contrast to the Zen way, where you try to still and empty your mind. I find this to be very difficult, if not impossible, I mean I think it's a struggle to find emptiness...using the the mantra or creative visualization as a point of focus seems to be a more fruitful technique, with practice it becomes almost second nature.

Anyway, I've always been a great fan of David Lynch's work. It's validating to hear that he too sits in the silence, looking for that "quiet alertness," finding a stillness so that the "big ideas" can find a place to settle.