Fairfield 20: Picking Up Where I Left Off

 This post is the first in two years about Fairfield, Iowa, and MIU (Maharishi International University), which I visited again in November 2024. (The previous post is here.) There wasn't much to report about in the interim; I spent 99% of my time at the Raj during the intervening trips, focusing on Ayurvedic health treatments and dodging COVID-19. I entered the Golden Dome for my meditation program only once, or twice, or not at all during those visits. This trip was the reverse: it was 100% about meditating in the Dome.

The view approaching from the back.

This sunset photo shows the Maharishi Tower of Invincibility and the side of the women's Dome, the view every time I walked to the men's Dome.

The front of the Dome had a refreshed entryway. No more would ice and snow slide down on folks opening the front door in winter. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

Inside the Dome, in the lobby and shoe room, there were lots of ways to spend your money.

A small alcove exists for those who wish to perform yoga postures (asanas) before entering the meditation area.

It was satisfying to settle in at the Dome again. While the early-morning session was well attended, the late-morning 2nd session typically had only a couple dozen of us.

 

Walking from the Dome to the Argiro Student Union, this bridge and scene caught my eye.

Climbing up to the Argiro.

The miniature Vedic Observatory in front of the Argiro.

For a long time, the cafeteria in Argiro barred visitors such as myself, but now, with a decreased student population, guests may purchase a meal pass. The old paper punch-out tickets have been replaced by credit-card-sized e-cards, and the number of remaining meals is stored electronically.

In the Argiro, I reconnected with many of the folks I hadn't seen in a while, including Tom Hall, a TM instructor in Knoxville in the early 1970s -- I was instructed by his wife, Jill Hall. I also dined off-campus with Steve Nolle, another former Bell Labs employee, and Irene Murphy.

 

I paid a brief visit to the Wege Center for the Arts,

The view from the atrium; you enter from the other side.

Many of the student works had a deeper meaning, or, were perhaps whimsical?

The most significant change over the last two years was the university's financial situation. After a greater-than-expected deficit in the budget, the Dome Market & Cafe and the university store were closed as cost-cutting measures. Various staff were let go, including, perplexingly, a shrink in the Development Department (fundraising!). The president of the university, John Hagelin, was replaced by Dr. Tony Nader the month before I arrived. Uncertainty about what would happen next floated around the campus.

 

On the last day of my visit, I was fortunate enough to visit Bill Graeser, a poet, photographer, and locksmith. Here's a rough panorama of his office. The camera collection was the first thing that jumped out at me.

A closer look:

Bill is also fond of visual puns, for example:

A keyboard.

Shoehorn and mousetrap.

 

My ten-day visit was chock full, yet from what I heard and saw, I'm concerned about the university's future.

Fairfield 19: In the Time of COVID

It's hard to believe that I've written 18 "Fairfield" posts since this blog began. It shows that I've been a regular visitor—once or twice a year. But covid changed things.

 

The most recent Fairfield post gave a short description of the abbreviated March 2020 visit. November 2020 and March 2021 came and went without a trip. In July the situation appeared manageable, so I contacted the Raj and booked accommodations and several Ayurvedic treatments for November. I also planned to visit the Maharishi International University (MIU) campus.

 

I arranged for my first day to have no treatment, so that I could go to the Invincible America Assembly (IAA) department, open only on afternoons, and have my expired badge updated, allowing me to participate in extended group meditation in the Golden Dome. In October I contacted the IAA and learned their requirements for a vaccinated visitor from out of town: isolating for four days after arriving in Fairfield, a negative covid test after that quarantine, and proof of vaccination. My first day at the Raj was now open to schedule a treatment—it was the first day of my "quarantine."

I called the Raj. They, like so many employers, were short-staffed after a year’s closure, and the depleted ranks of the PK technicians were fully booked. I couldn't schedule a treatment on that first day, and I couldn’t shift any afternoon treatments to the morning. “Very well,” I said, “Let’s just cancel the Monday treatment, the day after the quarantine expires, and I can go to the IAA department then.” Six days of treatment instead of seven would still be great.

 

I ventured to Fairfield in the second week of November, after a Moderna booster at the end of October. Cary Davis, our local TM teacher, came along and shared the driving. That meant no overnight stays along the way were required, eliminating one area of concern. He stayed with friends, while I stayed at the Raj, planning for six Ayurvedic treatments followed by three days simply lodging there.

I checked in at the Raj, spitting into a test tube for a covid test. The next day brought more schedule changes. The Monday I’d abandoned was, mysteriously, still on my schedule as an afternoon treatment. Dr. Toomey managed to arrange a switch to late morning for me on that day, giving me seven days again.

 

Then I learned that you can’t get a covid test anywhere in Fairfield on the weekends. I had arrived on the worst possible day, being eligible for the covid test just as the weekend began. The quickest test turnaround was as a guest at the Raj, where I could fill the saliva tube on an evening, it would be sent to the lab first thing in the morning, and the Raj could write a letter advising of the result the following day. I called two other testing locations, but they required multiple days for a test result. The IAA office administered tests only on Thursdays. I decided to stop struggling to combine an IAA visit and a treatment on the same day, pushing back the IAA check-in, and was finally able to relax and enjoy my remaining treatments without worry.

 

In addition to vaccination and masking, social distancing was in effect at the Raj. Before, the guests all sat together at a long table, making conversation easy, lively, and natural. Now, each group of guests—usually singles, such as me, or couples—sat at widely spaced tables. A placard told each of us where to sit. However, the Raj did not object to invitations to join another table, which could hold up to four. Talks were given on half the evenings, again due to a shortage of available speakers.

 

I ended up with just two mornings in the Dome. That was enough to learn how everything worked. The protocol for entering the Dome included my badge, now sporting a covid-safe label, a temperature check, hand sanitizer, and segregated seating; unvaccinated participants were directed to the southwest quarter of the Dome. I needed to find a spot such that I sat not directly beside, in front of, or behind anyone. Some participants sat two spots apart, an inefficient arrangement that only works with low Dome attendance.

 

I had a little time to cruise around the town square and the university campus, and see what I changes could spot on a cold November day.

 

The Fairfield county courthouse, and a tree.

Petra Park, one block off the town square, was built on the lot of a printing service whose roof collapsed in a snowstorm several years ago.

It is dedicated to Petra Stanley.

The view back to the street.

I was surprised to see this colorful Volitions roller skate store on the square.

Back on campus, I wanted to check out the renovated Wege Center for the Arts.

This west-facing side is the back.

A walkway to the east side, the auspicious side for entry, hosted a banner, one of several on campus celebrating MIU's golden anniversary.

The interior of the Wege's upper floor. It was Thanksgiving break for the students, so the campus was depopulated.

 

This visit was worthwhile, even though tense in its first half with multiple schedule changes. The treatments at the Raj were as good as ever, and I had a couple of enjoyable outings with Cary before we drove home.

 Another visit? Yes. When? It's all up to covid.