gdp's Comments

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:32:06 +0000

Scott Carney's article will be in the March issue of Playboy. He said it will also be on his website.

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 20:32:47 +0000

There was a bear that showed up during the DM Vajrayogini 10-day retreat about 2008 or 2009. Several of the retreaters had experience with it. It ripped open one tent and stole the offerings from her alter. Another woman came out of her tent, saw it, puffed herself up and started shouting mantras. It went away. I assumed it was the same bear. Did they kill that one too. I am very very sad to hear about this. Smokey how could you even chose that name? Smokey represents survival. I assumed the bear was relocated from what you wrote. Nice cover up. Also, Jerry, we don't have any dogs back here. There are 6 of us spread out on probably 100 acres or more. Over the hill and near the road a guy has a couple dogs. It is quiet back here. Very rare to see a dog out here. (one old fat cat that can hardly walk)

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:22:19 +0000

Sorry to hear about the bear and the javelinas. A few times a month DMers do rituals where they offer food to the spirits. They take it outside their cabins when they are done, whatever beings want to partake. The animals are probably learning their schedule since it is based on various moon cycles. Perhaps this practice should be banned in the interest of protecting life and obeying the laws. Making an offering with one's mind is just at powerful as setting out a bunch of fruit, meat, and cookies. We are nearly animal free over here. It can happen. Three years ago we had a herd of more than 15 deer that grazed around here. One day they entirely circled my house grazing while I snapped photos from every window. Now I occasionally I see one or two. We had bobcats that I saw sometimes. Not any more. A pack of javelina used to regularly clean up orange rinds after the birds finish eating. They had a cripple in their pack for years so they were very comfortable living around here. Now they all seem to be gone. Even the coyotes are few and far between. I used to hear them howl at night. Now it is a special event to hear them. What is up with that?

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Sat, 17 Nov 2012 01:28:57 +0000

Roach certainly knew about the internet. Follow this link and read a letter from one of his former students which documents his knowledge in 1999. I feel pretty confident that was not his first exposure to the internet. This open letter, from a man of principle, paints an interesting picture. http://www.lamrim.com/dmtn/

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Fri, 9 Nov 2012 22:51:20 +0000

Jerry, How would one transport 300# of weed through the desert and that kind of terrain?

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Thu, 8 Nov 2012 01:52:47 +0000

Nanda may be referring to one of the first retreat women who left Roach after the retreat and became a nun with FPMT. There were actually 5 full-time women in retreat. The word on this forum was that there were some part-time women as well.

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Mon, 5 Nov 2012 01:58:56 +0000

I am ready to turn the reams of Roach papers and books into post consumer products. He said these words had the power to transform and I am about to prove it.

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 01:48:03 +0000

The Medical Examiner's Report: "Circumstances of death. Mr. Thorson, a 38-year-old man, and his wife were camping/living in a cave for the last nine days eating berries. He was having stomach pains and they ran out of water three days prior." Sheriff's Report: "One civilian identified as x x. According to the information received, she brought food and water to the two individuals, with the last food drop about three weeks ago." The term 'last food drop' implies it was an ongoing process. At the very least, the reports indicate they were in the area at for the month of April. If they left for a period of time in March, why did they return? Where the photo is displayed on the web, the caption says it was taken in May 2012. We know that didn't happen. Maybe that is why ABC said spring 2012.

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 04:32:44 +0000

On closer examination. The civilian identified as xx name is the first block of black...followed by (block of black) between two parenthesis. The name is much shorter than I originally thought. The description or alternate name is the second block of black.

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 03:36:05 +0000

Not many people get to take a helicopter ride while on three-year retreat. The sheriff's report say retreaters hiked up the mountain without any water and were dehydrated. The medics had to give them water before they air lifted them out. We know it wasn't anybody with horse sense. I wonder if someone in retreat also had a cell phone. Or were they expecting the drama to unfold like a script and they could tell something was going wrong.

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 01:50:38 +0000

Per Sheriff's report, "...one civilian identified as xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx. According to the information received, she brought food and water to the two individuals, with the last food drop about three weeks ago." The name is blacked out with a marker and the x's are a guess on how many characters in the name but first name has more than the last. Who is this woman? What does this suggest to those who know about the logistics? One gallon per person per day of drinking water is what we need. That means they should have been delivering about 50 gallons of water or more for a three week period.

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 01:25:00 +0000

Sorry I can't answer that question.

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 15:29:34 +0000

Scott's article has been delayed until the spring.

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:19:14 +0000

Off topic.

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:16:08 +0000

Ladies, let's be nice here. anon, are you a PRACTICING buddhist? Have you received teachings on how to treat others? Nobody wants to read these insults.

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 02:49:31 +0000

Do you have any friends at the county recorders office?

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:54:15 +0000

“A Shift in the Matrix – Dispelling Darkness by Shining Light into the World.” After giving information about how she and Ian were removed from the retreat she says, “Personally, I started to feel like I had gotten the bad end of a divorce settlement! This land has a long history of being battled over… It felt to the retreatants like a military invasion…However, when you see injustice, you must speak out… Some friends who were concerned about us and new our plan to camp had stowed away some extra water and propane in a place just outside the DM property line, but the board had set up guards there, and so that luxury was now off-limits. Guards! What are they doing?” Regarding the divorce, I had no idea that McNally and Roach were married. I assumed the word divorce was metaphorical. I had heard from students close to them say that Roach was giving Diamond Mountain to Christie. Now I take her words at face value that it was part of an unofficial divorce settlement. Roach got his students to buy him a house and Christie took DM. How would you feel if you thought someone was reclaiming your divorce settlement, which was just an oral contract? Not just your retreat but taking away basically everything that you had, your reputation, your students, your home, your career, etc. And the person who is being wronged is a goddess. “All this, coming from people who a week ago were happily bowing at my feet. “ I don't know what their motivations were. I only know some of the facts, but it seems possible they wanted to draw attention to their plight.

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:53:42 +0000

anon asked me to elucidate the publicity stunt turned tragedy theory. She said, “I mean, what sort of "publicity" has the "stunt" generated that doesn't reflect badly onto the organization?” Okay, so let’s look at the timeline. The quotes come from the Sheriff’s reports and the autopsy report. Saturday April 14, 2012 or so – They “were camping/living in a cave for the last nine days.” Thursday, April 19, 2012 – Lama Christie Teachings Facebook page is created and the Matrix papers are published. It was written sometime during the two months after the expulsion in mid-February but not published until things were looking grim. Thursday April 19, 2012 Christie and Ian run out of water. Thursday or Friday: Ian “had gotten upset approx. 2 days prior and hit himself in the head several times.” Christie “spoke about a small verbal dispute she and her husband were involved in and at that time Ian struck himself in the head with some plastic piece. When asked if he passed out at the time she stated no, saying he strikes himself so he would not strike her.” Friday, April 20, 2012, Christie and Ian eat their last meal of split pea soup. Ian is already complaining of stomach pains. Saturday April 21, Ian’s skin becomes “flushed and puffy”. Christie “further explained Ian was okay before they went to sleep.” Sunday April 22, 2012, 0600 hours Christie calls for help. Between 0800 hours and 1000 hours, Christie says to medics “she could hear a faint heart beat and also of him breathing.” 1145 paramedics repel into the cave and report Ian was deceased. “Ian died of exposure to the elements.” Christie is in fair condition, “well enough to be “screamer suited out” and didn’t need to be placed on a backboard.” The officer “briefly spoke with her after she was tended to by medical personnel, she refused transport at the time.” The report also said, she “was to a point of being hysterical, hugging the body and crying profusely. She made the following remark. “I thought they could bring him back.” Those words have always bothered me. The officer “briefly spoke with her after she was tended to by medical personnel, she refused transport at the time.” Friends take Christie to the hospital where she is treated and released. The timing between the public posting of the Matrix papers on Facebook and this tragedy has always bothered me. They went to the cave for some purpose. They were not prepared to stay there for an extended period of time. Some on the forum have speculated they went there to commit suicide by natural causes. I cannot accept this theory. It is not logical that Christie would end the Matrix papers saying “I love you all very much, do not worry about us, we are still impossibly very happy- more and more joy each day. But do send your prayers to help mend the rift that has happened” if she intended to end her life or the life of Ian. How did the Matrix papers get published? Christie had a cell phone and I cannot imagine any of her students posting it without specific instructions. Doesn’t it seem logical that Christie would tell someone when to post it? Jerry in an earlier post said, “Hell they had a beacon, cell phone and lungs...at night you can hear long distances up there.” Jerry even rescued someone calling for help some distance from his own home. Christie often mentioned how sound travels in the retreat valley. People have focused on their inability to carry water back up to the cave, but both of them scrambling down the hill to the other cave where there was food and water seems better than going to the point of death. Christie had a cell phone and a SPOT to give GPS coordinates. This just creates more questions.

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 20:14:49 +0000

I agree mental illness may play a part.

elephant journal: Yoga, Sustainability, Politics, Spirituality. : The Michael Roach Bubble.

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 19:10:57 +0000

My guess is this is written by someone whose first language is not English. The reference to fulong gong makes me guess Chinese. I think this person believes they have written an account of their experience and I doubt they are capable of writing a satire.