Theos-Talk Archives (October 1997 Message tt00046)

Dear friends: Kazimir Major and Visanu Sirish and all the rest of
us:

Very glad to read your thoughts and suggestions.

So, Dallas TenBroeck thinks as follows :

Re: Perfection/inperfection -- the universal paradoxes of
contrast -- Spirit - matter -- changing - changeless -- mysticism
- logic -- law - chaos, etc...

While these "divergent opposites" are recognized, does not their
perception by something in us imply a third position ? We have
two extremes and a medial positon which balances those two.  This
gives us 3 points of view.

If we perceive the difficulty of reconciling the indescribable
ABSOLUTENESS of pure SPIRIT -- as a concept, as remote from any
earthly limits -- as the UNIVERSE WITHOUT LIMITS OF SPACE TIME OR
ENERGY, then we also perceive and recognize our limits.  But, are
our limits such that we are debarred from thinking wide and great
thoughts ? And, our "limits" are included in the "space" of that
Universe.  We share in every aspect of it.  This is perhaps a
fresh idea, but it is worth thinking about, as Science now
demonstrates this kind of universality in many ways.

We know our bodies change constantly by gathering in and sending
out billions of atoms and molecules daily.  Yet our
"individuality," our "consciousness" remains unitary (so far as
our memory tells us).  And this seems to be a common experience,
when we exchange ideas with other humans.

Can we say with fairness that there is SPIRIT on one hand, and
"matter" on the other; without also thinking : That which sees
them both is the MIND -- the Power to think, to observe, to make
( on the basis of observation, memory and anticipation )
conclusions ?

Chaos and Law are opposites, but their reconciliation lies in our
own individual existence, and the existence (however illusionary)
of others around us who have capacities that compare with ours,
or am I mistaken ?

Please: I am not trying to force a point or to refute any of your
thoughts, but am asking if my considerations are legitimate and
fair.

One conclusion we can accept is the idea that we share in the
"world." Nothing is completely and defensively, or purely "our
own." Even the atoms and molecules of matter come and go in and
through us under laws of their own, and we do not know how to
control them intelligently yet.  What are we ? Where would we
keep any thing that we "owned exculsively ?" What should such a
posession consist of ?

As to "Perfection." Even that is relative, is progressive.  We
graduate in knowledge and intelligence from one stage to another,
and what seems to be perfection in one area of learning is only
the beginning of study in another and greater area, and so on.
The progress of a pupil through school and college is similar to
this.  And we also know that the attainments of any one pupil do
not necessarily coincide with the levels of excellence of another
-- there are always some differences.

How can there be "finality" in an unlimited and indefinable
condition.  What are the limits of the UNIVERSE, in either time
or space ? What are the "limits" of our minds ? Has not the known
Universe apparently expanded because we devised the "Hubble"
telescope, positioned it in space, and are now able to see
Universes and Galaxies (which were always there) far beyond the
limits of our previously "known Universe ?" As we advance the
"limits" seem always to recede.  What is common? It is the
capacity to understand similarities, analogies, so that what is
distant can be related to our experience here, near at hand.

The Universe is endlessly different, and yet is also seen to be
endlessly repetitve in terms of those similarities.  This is LAW
in operation.  It is also evidence of the universality of the
evolutionary process, guided by the unerring "hand" of Evolution
which is inherent in every aspect of "matter," and is
simiultaneously attuned to every other being.  Spirit is the
unifying link.

I wonder if the following ideas are useful ?

1.  The only thing we can be absolutely sure of is our OWN
EXISTENCE.  We exist.

2.  The next thing is that we are in and a part of the UNIVERSE
or WORLD.  It exists.

3.  And a third thing we are absloutely sure of is that there is
not only one primary RELATIONSHIP between us and the Universe,
but that there are uncountable other relationships in time-past,
as well as in time-future.

To resolve this question, let us suppoe that a "ray" of the "One
Consciousness"-- an aspect of the ONE LIFE, were to position
itself voluntarily, (as a teacher might in a school of children
who are eager to learn), in the illusions of the forms that
"matter" builds.  The purpose of such a positioning, would be to
aid the evolution of intelligence in that speck of "matter--call
it a 'life-atom' or a 'Monad.' "

That "ray" of Spirit could then provide a basis in "matter" for
the development of such a "life-atom." It would provide at all
times the illuminating ray of innate purpose, and, since IT is
immortal, it provides "hope," the lure of achievement through
self-effort.  It would not and could not interfere with the
development of the "life-atom" as it proceeds from stage to
stage.

Continuing this concept, let us say that the "life-atom" reaches
the "man-stage." There the power of the thinking capacity is
developed.  The power to ask questions such as the one we are now
considering arises.  The "ray" of the spirit which is resident
within thrills with response to this effort of the 'Monad.' It
opens in dialog with it the ideas that are universal.  (Do not,
when thinking engage in a dialog with our selves ?) It takes it a
little way out of the limits of material life and the memories of
one birth, and shows the concepts and the potentials of all
evolution, of its own immortal nature, and of the endless
possibilities to live and to learn in the future.

In a way, while it does not terminate confusion and chaos, it
serves to offer some idea of law, of regularity, of general
progress.  It offers the evidence of laws working thorugh all
living things and uniting them into a harmony.  It therefore
draws attention away from a personal self-centered attitude to a
broader one that includes all selves as brothers, as members of
the One Family of Living Beings.  Therefore it speaks of
cooperation and interrelationship with other beings on a lawful
and a purposeful basis.  We always have a free hand in making
decisions

When this kind of basic logic is not fully detailed, we might
call this appeal "mystical." But we sense that there is a basis
of fact and possibility.

We have the example in history of great minds which have
illuminated the thought of a century and left their impress for
hundreds and thousands of years, sometimes in tradition, in
science, in myth or in theology as an excellence which is
potentially within the reach of all thinking beings.

Why can we not aspire to be an "Einstein," or a "Newton," or a
"Bohr," or a "Rutherford," or a "Curie ?" What would prevent us from
developing the mind of a Plato, a Pythagoras, a Descartes, a
Voltaire, or a Buddha, or a Lao Tse, a Kant, or a Schopenhauer,
or a Boehme, or a great student of human psychology like Jung or
Maslow ? For those of us who are familiar with the writings of
H.P.Blavatsky, where did she draw on to secure her wisdom ? Who
among us could write a "Secret Doctrine," or an "Isis Unveiled ?"

The study of their lives and works reveals that within a man
there are unlimited potentials that our desire and determination
can bring to fruit.  There is at all times evidence of the
growing tip of development among us.  What can we do for
ourselves ? Are we to remain pesimistically static ? Or are we to
dare to seek for excellence wherever it may be found and ask
questions that are constructive, rather than chaotic ?

Spirit unifies and synthesizes.

Matter divides and analyses.

Mind perceives both of these and makes decisions -- to adopt one
or the other "path" of self-development.  No one can live
another's life for them.

Each makes his own decisions.  Our intelligence as individuals is
of the MIND.  We are THINKERS.  The way we "feel" about things,
people and situations is something quite different from the way
in which we THINK about those things.

We make our own yardsticks out of the material of our own
experience and being, now, here.  It can be minute or it can be
grand and wide.  Nothing restricts us other than doubts,
suspicions, and depression -- all negative attiudes that lead
ultimately to ignorance, inertia, and ultimately to a complete
confusion, as life then appears to be without purpose.

Well, I hope this is not too much of "beating on a dead horse,"
but the discussion about our own natures and potentials is very
stimulating.  Just what are the limits to what we can do ? Who is
going to find out ? But, if we decide in advance that life is
without purpose and that nothing can be done, then indeed, we do
nothing.  And so, we create our own succes or failure depending
on our aspirations.  At least that is how I look at it, using
such Theosophical principles and ideas as I have studied.

Let us seek to understand the "Unity of all Life" so that we
participate in it with greater understanding.  DTB