Regarding Todd

[Guest guest]

Dear group members,

In the past few days the discussions on the group had got too

personal. Most of them were directed against Todd who was a moderator

of the group and doing a great job. Even when he was only a member

his answers were very detailed and had helped quite a few people.

In order to prevent the undue advantage that may have been accrued by as moderator and to cool the entire matter off, I discontinued's privilege to edit and approve messages. This was to be a

temporary measure as beleive me not too many people are ready to be

moderators and take up the task of moderating messages. However an

unfortunate result of this is that Todd has left the group.

Those who are regulars on the group will know how helpful his

messages were and also he was a great help as moderator.

Though I have never done anything of this sort before I request you

to write to Todd at phyto to reconsider his decision. I and

the other moderator have already written to him but it would be

helpful if some of the group members also write to him.

In order to prevent such instances in the future we are thinking of

implementing some strict rules regarding posting of messages.

[Guest guest]

As a matter of fact I expected this and wrote to Todd day before yesterday as

under (I didnt expect him to leave):

 

 

 

Sorry for addressing this mail outside the group. The whole argument about Velg

v/s non Veg has been an interesting debate. But unfortunately not all people

can take it objectively. Some tend to get emotional (wrongly though).

 

I have a lurking feeling that you have got fed-up of the discussion and may

contemplate cutting down on your involvement with the group. If I am right, I

have a request to make on behalf of many in the group. We all value your

knowledge, comments and sincearity.

 

Vinod

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

> "Cybervaidya" <cybervaidya

> <ayurveda> Regarding Todd

>

> I think you should have thought it through a bit more. There will always be

debates, and disagreements on these types of forum's. That is what keeps them

interesting. Everyone should be able to express an opinion, moderator or not!

Bonnie

[Guest guest]

Namaste Cybervaidya!

 

I feel that you did not do the right thing in removing Todd from the

moderator position. I do not feel that he abused his position in any

way.

 

I personally feel that you should apologise to him for removing

previliges and make him a moderator immediately.

 

Regards

-yogaman

 

ps. I will write to Todd personally

[Guest guest]

Since it was my dialog with Todd that precipatated his quitting the

qroup I feel that I should respond to the modorator and his comments.

 

I am sure that Todd's service to the group owners has been very

useful. Yet why would his perspective be the one to dominate the

group and opposing viewpoints not be allowed. I did not realize that

to be a member of this group one must suffer the moderators abuse

without objection. Is there some rule about that. I did notice that

he took many postings and point by point tried to negate the

arguments of the poster. Is this the Todd site or is it a free forum

for discussing conflicting opinions. If it is the Todd site and his

position is the one that must be acknowledged or he will leave - then

I do not think many people here will stay. many have written me off-

list complaining of Todd's dominace of the group. It is a weak point.

Although I have no objection to Todd giving his opinions about

Ayurveda - still it would be difficult to understand why his opinions

should be thought of as the last word on any subject. In the realm of

ideas and science all contradictions should be up for discussion. Who

ever heard of a scientist running away because they were contradicted.

is proposing a new perspective about Ayurveda - one I throughly

agree with. I have studied many of the issues he is interested in

fprofessionaly and personally for many years and personally know many

people who he sites their work and believe my understanding is more

mature than his simply because I have worked longer on the details.

But his analysis of the issues that he is proposing has not achieved

fulness. It is a preliminary perspective and not one that is in

accord with the traditional teachings of Guru's. I am a MD

(Endocrinology)doing research in the issues he mentions (insulin

resistance, etc)for past 25 years. This subject is very big and will

take many years for the conflicting or contradictory ideas to be

worked out. But for us devotees it is not a difficult issue as I said

in my last posting because Guru's have already given their

perspective for past many years.

 

These issues that concern him are being discussed by many people

today. I heard a lecture at Maharishi University in Rishikesh that

discussed the same issues with more inclusive perspective. Some

western thinkers are trying to incorporate modern western concepts of

metabolism into their interest in Ayurveda.

 

I was accused of being ignorant and unqualified to discuss these

issues - besides I was accused of being senile 'neuro decline'. This

is inflamatory and unprofessional. As one lady who wrote me said 'all

you did was speak up after being attacked then Todd attacked you even

harder - he does that to anyone who disagrees with him' I am not sure

why that would be an accepetable standard for a public forum.

 

I was born into a family of vaidyas and my father is a life long yoga

practioner and teacher - so am I. He and I both are trying to serve

the vision of our Guru. From the traditional perspective of yoga and

ayurveda many of Todd's concepts do not apply and we will never go

for killing for health. To be thought of as being agressive because

one takes this position is curious at a site that purports to be an

Ayurveda discussion group.

 

It is not possible for me to apoligise to Todd for my opinions as I

believe 100% in the validity of my perspective (just as he does). He

need not apoligise to me or the teachings of others he simply needs

to realize that there are those who have been thinking about these

issues before he was born and have a radically differant perspective

on the issues of health and recovery. His implication that if one

does not agree with his position this is proof that one does not

understand the issues - is immature at the least.

 

I read every word of his web site and did not find anything useful or

new. Many contradictions though. Todd is a young inexperienced man

who is full of enthusiasm who would like to be seen as knowledgable

(which he no doubt is) but he would do better to have a little

respect for the traditions of other cultures. Does anyone really

believe there is anything in Todd's arguments that contravene

scriptures and are superior to the teachings of the Guru's. Nothing

in his analaysis would be new to any student of tradition. Swami

Sivananda discussed these issues in depth many years ago. So did

Gandhiji so did Leo Tolstoy. Many of we Indians have been immersed in

the study of health and recovery for many years - why would we take

insult from those who have just dipped their toes into the vast ocean

of truth.

 

But of course I am distressed that others have been disturbed by this

exchange and would like to apoligise to them. At the same time I

would like to encourage the young to look deeper than the surface of

these issues. Do not be intimadated by those who would like to deny

you the right to propogate the teachings of Guru - claiming superior

evidence from scientific evidence. I am a scientist and have thought

of these isssues since a boy - the perspective that Todd proposes is

valid according to scientific research and tradition but it is only

one small part of the great human evolution toward Vedic Culture.

Jai - Guru

 

 

ayurveda, <bonniect@c...> wrote:

> > "Cybervaidya" <cybervaidya>

> > <ayurveda> Regarding Todd

> >

> > I think you should have thought it through a bit more. There

will always be debates, and disagreements on these types of forum's.

That is what keeps them interesting. Everyone should be able to

express an opinion, moderator or not!

> Bonnie