Theos-Talk Archives (June 1996 Message tt00018)

Jerry Hejka-Ekins wrote:
>
> Nicholas Weeks:
> >Before promoting & serving the TM, I would like to read what
> >Jerry & the rest of list think are the keynotes of the TM today.
> >How different are they from a century ago? What does the
> >Brotherhood wish we aspiring helpers would do to foster the
> >Theosophical Movement?
>
> JHE
> >From my view, I see the TM as timeless, it is the changing
> cultures that make for opportunities, or lack of them, for the TM
> to manifest. HPB mentioned in IU classical Athens and nineteenth
> century American and Europe to be rare times when the TM was able
> to find expression. In the intro. to the SD, she gives a grand
> tour of instances where the AW teachings were withdrawn from the
> public.
>
> Today, we are living in very insidious times. The trend is to no
> longer view ethics as a standard connected to spiritual roots.
> When standards are established, they are more often than not
> based upon the expediency of the situation. I raise ethics here,
> because in spite of repeated objections from others on theos-l, I
> still believe that ethics are at the very heart of the TM and
> sounds the unchanging and undying keynote.

BB

I agree also. A student doesn't get far on the path without an
ethical code to guide him/her through lessons designed to test
that very code to see how strongly the student has progressed in
his/her understanding. We cannot gain the self-discipline we
have to have if we decline to acknowledge authority and blow
around in the wind directionless. I believe we develop ethics in
the physical plane by initially subjecting ourselves to an
authority that we believe in and following its dictates until we
develop some ethical understanding and spiritual insights that
give us the inner conviction called conscience. We are then in a
position to look deeper into the authority structures around us
and decide to give them a wide berth if their authority is not
based on brotherhood.

> Therefore, I think today, as in the past, any activity that
> inspires people to act unselfishly for the betterment of humanity
> serves the TM. But since we live in a postmodern world that
> denies authority; the notion of an absolute truth; and a code of
> ethics based in the spiritual, we have to find new ways of doing
> this.

BB

Can we really compromise truth, ethics etc because the modern
world is too preoccupied with material comforts to concern
themselves with their own spiritual growth? In past ages it seems
that when the world got too materialistic the Brotherhood
withdrew the wisdom until such times that the world got so bogged
down that souls living had no option but to see how bad it all
was and then the wisdom was like a saving light in the darkness.
That seems to be the way of human spiritual evolution at its
present stage. If the TS waters down the wisdom given to it over
100 years ago to fit the temporary lack on interest in the modern
world, what will be left for the seekers in another 50 years? The
organizational structure of the TS may not be inspiring but it is
still a repository for the books and the avenue to the wisdom
give to it.

I see big cracks in the New Age groups because so many entities
of one sort or another have made predictions that the followers
have grabbed at and many of them should have occurred by now so
it strikes me that as the huge ground swell of new agers get
disillusioned with their chanels and the quality of information
then they need somewhere to turn where their present belief
systems are not at odds with the spiritual teachings of a long
standing wisdom tradition. We need to hang in with a visible
image and an intact teaching from the Masters, not teachings that
have been interpreted by modern minds, no matter how learned
these minds may be. We need to be there with a building etc with
Theosophy writ large upon it so that the whole town knows where
we are if needed. We may not personally like the way the Lodge
or organization conducts itself yet we need to support a visible
Theosophy system. I can only speak from a provintial sort of
outlook over here in NZ but our Lodge has weathered the latest
change in spite of resistance to that change by the older
members. Changes are instigated from within the organization and
have to be worked at quietly and unnoticed until suddenly it
becomes a fact and the members get very nervous about this when
it is realised. Then comes the hard work of keeping one's cool
and using as much diplomacy as one can muster. With patience the
organization slowly changes to fit the new pattern laid down.
Most members are passive imbibers on theosophy and if changes are
not too noticable or abrupt they sort of slide into the changes
because it is easier to do that, than make a fuss.

> Bjorn
> >The organizations seem to be rather fossilized, although not
> >without value for many of their members. The future is "up for
> >grabs" and there is MUCH we can do, individually and in groups,
> >based on the teachings and inspiration coming through
> >Theosophical books, as well as many other sources. We need an
> >"up and do it" approach. We are individually accountable and
> >can't wait for this or that organization to come to life.
>
> JHE
> Yes. Without the organizations to organize us, we have to
> organize ourselves.

BB

As mentioned above, people in general won't organize themselves.
We can't as yet abandon structures for holding the wisdom even if
only for future generations. To organise our Lodge has literally
cost me 2 years of my life so far but I do it for the
Brotherhood, not the members or myself. One more year and I hit
the golf course again and leave the running of it to the rest of
them.

> Jerry HE

Regards Bee Brown