Jack Forem embodies a wonderful conversation with the idea of living a life of questing, of exploring and living into the question as a way of being.
He’s an author, ghostwriter, spiritual teacher, husband, friend, and infinitely more.
But I know him as I know him and it’s in this vein that I invite you into a conversation with the two of us.
“Your universality will have its own individuality,” Jack Forem
But first, stories…
All of us have stories that precede the meeting of others, as you and I know each other from this point in time, a point where our stories and history precede our relationship.
Who you were, who I once was, no longer is; yet it carries in our memory as if it’s so.
It’s like this for me with Jack.
I know Jack as a friend, as a person with a profound and deep understanding of the human condition, an understanding that allows me to also explore my knowledge of existence via conversations with him.
We know each other present time, and in our style, it’s almost as if the past doesn’t matter or exist for us, so it rarely is a story to be told or recounted.
And so I know him as I know him, but he also has an incredible story that sinks deeply into the idea behind Questing The Unknown.
And I believe a glimpse of his story will intrigue you and inspire you along your own journey.
I offer this connection to you, to read from the introduction of his book Transcendental Meditation: The Essential Teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
Here’s a taste from the introduction, for context: “In the autumn of 1968, shortly after my 25th birthday, I moved to Ohio, where I’d decided to finish my undergraduate studies.”…
“So I was thrilled, during the Thanksgiving vacation of 1969 in Ohio, when I received a phone call from Jerry Jarvis, the national director. It went something like this:
“Hi, Jack, this is Jerry.”
“Hi, Jerry.”
“What are you doing in January?”
Long pause.
“Yes! I want to go!”
Laughter. “Good! We’ll take care of the costs.”
I had just been invited to go to India to study with Maharishi, and train to become a teacher. What had held me back up to that point was the money: the round-trip fare to India, and the cost of the teacher-training course itself, which I had never looked into, believing I couldn’t afford it. When the exultation diminished enough for me to think clearly, I realized that I had signed an agreement to be a graduate student, receive a fellowship stipend, and teach classes for the duration of my time at the university. I had every intention and desire to go to India, but wasn’t sure if I would be able to do so. So I went to the graduate advisor and presented my case like this:
“I love my classes, and I’ve enjoyed teaching. But I’ve just had an offer to study in India with a great spiritual master, and I would really like to do it. I also want to pursue my career at the university. What do you think I should do?”
The professor gazed at me with an incredulity that I misinterpreted at first. “There’s absolutely no question about it,” he said, and I knew the ax was about to fall, that he was about to say, “How can you even consider something so irresponsible as going off to India when you have such a generous fellowship here, and an opportunity to advance your career?” But what I heard was: “The university will always be here. You can always go to graduate school. If you have a chance to go to India and study, how can you even think twice about it?”
I laughed and said, “Oh, all right then, so you would approve?”
“Absolutely! And have a great time. Stop by to tell me about it when you get back.”
Early in January 1970, I found myself arriving at the New Delhi airport, about to begin one of the great adventures of my life. In my suitcase was the first draft of this book, which I’d completed in my final undergraduate year, and then hadn’t looked at again.”
Continue reading at Jack Forem.com
And with that I invite you into our conversation, to sit with us as we explore awakening, vegetarianism, drugs and spirituality, the craft of creating and writing as artists of life itself.
To your pleasure,
Emeric Damian Thorpe
Ideas We Speak Of:
- Transcendental Meditation
- LSD and Spiritual Seeing
- Veganism and Vegetarianism
- Awakening and Enlightenment
- Lucid Dreaming
- Responsibility to Share Your Creative Work
- Writing and The Creative Process
- The Ego & Its Role In Life
- Speaking Truth When It’s Uncomfortable
A contemplation for you:
In what way are you exploring and unveiling your own awakening?
Background, Context & Reference:
- Website: www.JackForem.com
- Book: The Essential Teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
- TM: Transcendental Meditation
Curiosities Mentioned To Explore if You Wish
- Article Mentioned: Addicted To Distraction
- Adyashanti: Adyashanti
- Dana Marsh: Heart Of Dharma
- Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, “I am That“