# Did you ever do TM, EST, or become a Hare Krishna?  Or maybe joined a commune?,



## Ralphy1 (Nov 7, 2014)

Perhaps you tripped out on LSD, tried a commune, went off to be a flower child.  Did you make love not war?  Tell us about your "hippie" experiences.  I would if I could but I was of the Eisenhower era known as the quiet generation...


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## Debby (Nov 7, 2014)

What if those folks can't remember their hippie experiences?  Could they make some stuff up?

As for TM or Transcendental Meditation, from some reading that I've done, I think that's just a version of meditation where the new 'student' is assigned a mantra by a teacher or guru.  But according to a physicist whose books I'm currently reading, the word's only purpose is to give you something to focus on so that the endless stream of errant thoughts don't keep intruding in your mind as you seek to find that still quiet place within yourself.  And the word itself is meaningless, it's purpose is more a distraction than anything.  

But I'm not sure what EST is.


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## Ralphy1 (Nov 7, 2014)

Sure, we can trip on that...


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## Debby (Nov 7, 2014)

I'll bet you weren't nearly as 'quiet' as you like to pretend Ralphy.  I do recall someone boasting of a certain prowess as a 'swordsman' and let's face it, that does take practise to achieve that status!  'Making love' instead of war.....come on, spill the beans.....................actually on second thought, maybe not.


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## Ralphy1 (Nov 7, 2014)

My "beans" are beautiful...


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## QuickSilver (Nov 7, 2014)

Not me... I was married at 18 and rocking a baby at 21...  No time for any of that.


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## Ralphy1 (Nov 7, 2014)

Well, perhaps there is still time...


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## Cookie (Nov 7, 2014)

I was a hippie on the path of enlightenment - before yoga and health food became trendy.  Was great while it lasted and until the reality of bringing up a child and earning a living set in.  Also corruption and abuse in that sphere was prevalent.


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## Pappy (Nov 7, 2014)

Closes I ever got to any of this stuff was watching Cheech and Chong and their goofy drug movies.


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## Falcon (Nov 7, 2014)

Nope, None of that inane crap.  Too busy taking university classes which led to my career and left me where I stand today;

Everything paid for, no debts, certain luxuries and a worry-free lifestyle with money in the bank and elsewhere.


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## Davey Jones (Nov 7, 2014)

I tried the holy rollers but my back and toes gave out,Ill stick with the torture of kneeling in the pews.


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## Cookie (Nov 7, 2014)

Maybe it's a baby boomer thing - we are pretty free spirited - my own sister and her husband who are only 3 years older have always the picture of conservative traditional bliss - financially secure and smugly self-satisfied and accepting the views of mainstream society - while I was more into exploring and looking for answers to life's questions from an early age.  They are now just questioning their values as they age.


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## kcvet (Nov 7, 2014)

the Navy would not let do any of that stuff. but god were those flower child babes good in bed


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## Warrigal (Nov 7, 2014)

QuickSilver said:


> Not me... I was married at 18 and rocking a baby at 21...  No time for any of that.



Pretty much the same here except that I was still 20 when my baby was born. No free love for me.


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## Cookie (Nov 7, 2014)

Sad for all who missed those special times that were a'changin -- but don't give up on love and peace - we still need it.


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## Butterfly (Nov 7, 2014)

I guess I was too busy earning a living for all that stuff.


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## shedevil7953 (Nov 8, 2014)

I was on the tail end of that era.  Wildest things I ever did were drink Boone's Farm Apple Wine and smoked a couple of joints.  Hacked my head off so no need to ever do it again .


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## Ameriscot (Nov 8, 2014)

shedevil7953 said:


> I was on the tail end of that era.  Wildest things I ever did were drink Boone's Farm Apple Wine and smoked a couple of joints.  Hacked my head off so no need to ever do it again .



I didn't like beer as a teenager so drank Boone's Farm Apple Wine. Got sick on it so many times that I wouldn't drink wine for another 20 years.  The great thing about smoking joints is you don't get sick and don't have hangovers.


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## Ameriscot (Nov 8, 2014)

QuickSilver said:


> Not me... I was married at 18 and rocking a baby at 21...  No time for any of that.



I was also married at 18.  At 21 I was having my second, and final, baby.


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## Ameriscot (Nov 8, 2014)

I got into Zen Buddhism in my mid 50's.


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## SifuPhil (Nov 8, 2014)

Well, I was born after the "Hippie Era" but I spent my life teaching and practicing things like Taiji and Chinese Medicine, which are usually considered to be Hippie pursuits.

I also picked up their mantle of weed usage and free love - I felt that _someone_ had to maintain their traditions ...


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## Debby (Nov 8, 2014)

Ameriscot said:


> I got into Zen Buddhism in my mid 50's.




So are you still a practising Buddhist?  Or did you back-slide?  Hmmm, do Buddhists 'back-slide' or is that strictly a Christian term?


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## tnthomas (Nov 8, 2014)

I got to make love *and* war, dranks lots of Boone's farm and Tyrola wine in th woods of Virginia...then off to Vietnam.       After I got home I had little use for hippie views or lifestyle- reality had set in.


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## Debby (Nov 8, 2014)

tnthomas said:


> I got to make love *and* war, dranks lots of Boone's farm and Tyrola wine in th woods of Virginia...then off to Vietnam.       After I got home I had little use for hippie views or lifestyle- reality had set in.




'Reality' is what we've made it.  It all comes down to choices and your reality was simply different than theirs.


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## Butterfly (Nov 8, 2014)

SifuPhil said:


> Well, I was born after the "Hippie Era" but I spent my life teaching and practicing things like Taiji and Chinese Medicine, which are usually considered to be Hippie pursuits.
> 
> I also picked up their mantle of weed usage and free love - I felt that _someone_ had to maintain their traditions ...



Hey Phil -- Chinese medicine, Tai-Chi and acupuncture are pretty mainstream among people I know (including me).  Nothing "hippie" about them that I see.  Alternative, maybe, but not hippie.  I've had wonderful results with several things with TCM and acupuncture.


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## SifuPhil (Nov 9, 2014)

Butterfly said:


> Hey Phil -- Chinese medicine, Tai-Chi and acupuncture are pretty mainstream among people I know (including me).  Nothing "hippie" about them that I see.  Alternative, maybe, but not hippie.  I've had wonderful results with several things with TCM and acupuncture.



You must know the right kind of people. I've been accused of being everything from a Communist to a Satanist. 

I'm glad you've had such good results.


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## Cookie (Nov 9, 2014)

Once upon a time Chinese medicine, Tai Chi, Yoga, Vegetarianism, Meditation, acupuncture, etc. were pursuits that the hippies practised - hippies were the forerunners and pioneers of alternative lifestyle choices around the late 60's and early 70's and looked upon by mainstream society with suspicion. Now, of course anything goes - alternative lifestyle choices aren't so alternative any more and health food stores and yoga centers are big business.  Things change - someone has to stick their neck out and it's usually the young and the reckless that are eager to try new things, but at least they are the instruments of change when it's needed or wanted. It wasn't all sex drugs and rock & roll.


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## Ameriscot (Nov 9, 2014)

Debby said:


> So are you still a practising Buddhist?  Or did you back-slide?  Hmmm, do Buddhists 'back-slide' or is that strictly a Christian term?



I can't really call myself Buddhist, but I do try to do Buddhist practices.  Meditation, mindfulness techniques, etc.  That's the good thing about Buddhism, you can just take what you need from it.  It's not a religion.  Unless you are a Buddhist monk or nun you don't have to adhere to the 'rules'.  You can be a catholic or any religion and still practice buddhism.  

Hoping this upcoming trip to Thailand will inspire me to be more consistent.


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## Twixie (Nov 9, 2014)

I was a belated hippy..I did smoke dope..and once someone spiked a glass of water with LSD..I drank it, not knowing..I knew there was something wrong when the carpet started rippling like the sea...fortunately, I was with some good friends who looked after me..

I saw monks..giants fighting..and my pillow kept flying away!!


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## Ameriscot (Nov 9, 2014)

Twixie said:


> I was a belated hippy..I did smoke dope..and once someone spiked a glass of water with LSD..I drank it, not knowing..I knew there was something wrong when the carpet started rippling like the sea...fortunately, I was with some good friends who looked after me..
> 
> I saw monks..giants fighting..and my pillow kept flying away!!



I was very rebellious as a teen.  Wanted to do everything I was told not to.  Smoked pot, drank, smoked cigarettes, etc.  I would have tried LSD but there was a girl in school who had a bad trip and ended up in the psychiatric hospital.


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## Twixie (Nov 9, 2014)

Ameriscot said:


> I was very rebellious as a teen.  Wanted to do everything I was told not to.  Smoked pot, drank, smoked cigarettes, etc.  I would have tried LSD but there was a girl in school who had a bad trip and ended up in the psychiatric hospital.



I didn't do it willingly..I would have been too scared...


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## Ameriscot (Nov 9, 2014)

Twixie said:


> I didn't do it willingly..I would have been too scared...



If I hadn't been scared out of it, I don't know if I would have tried it or not.  I was pretty stupid at 16.


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## Twixie (Nov 9, 2014)

We were all pretty stupid at 16...


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## Ameriscot (Nov 9, 2014)

Twixie said:


> We were all pretty stupid at 16...



Some stay stupid well past 16!  :chuncky:


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## jujube (Nov 9, 2014)

Well, does it count that I wore frayed bell-bottom jeans and ponchos in college, had bangs down to my eyelashes and long pressed-on-the-ironing-board hair, and carried a guitar everywhere with me?   I could play three chords, which could get you through all the Peter Paul & Mary, Chad Mitchell Trio, and Guthrie songs.  If I could have played four chords, I would be down with Dylan, too.    I'd sit out on the steps of the dorm with all the other wannabe folksingers, strumming away, pretending to smoke cigarettes to show how truly cool we were and sneering at the greeks in their Bobbie Brooks and Weejuns. It was the mid-60's, after all.  Anyone want to join in on a rousing chorus of Michael Row the Boat Ashore? No?  OK.


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## Ameriscot (Nov 9, 2014)

jujube said:


> Well, does it count that I wore frayed bell-bottom jeans and ponchos in college, had bangs down to my eyelashes and long pressed-on-the-ironing-board hair, and carried a guitar everywhere with me?   I could play three chords, which could get you through all the Peter Paul & Mary, Chad Mitchell Trio, and Guthrie songs.  If I could have played four chords, I would be down with Dylan, too.    I'd sit out on the steps of the dorm with all the other wannabe folksingers, strumming away, pretending to smoke cigarettes to show how truly cool we were and sneering at the greeks in their Bobbie Brooks and Weejuns. It was the mid-60's, after all.  Anyone want to join in on a rousing chorus of Michael Row the Boat Ashore? No?  OK.



I liked some folk back then, but I was a die hard Beatles fan.


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