Theos-Talk Archives (December 1997 Message tt00123)

Dec 25th 1997

Dear Annette:

May I break in on your chat with Sophia, etc...  ?


As I understand the theosophical concept of brotherhood is based on the
omnipresence of the Deific Principle -- an all-inclusive background within
which we all exist.  No one is excluded and no one can exclude
themselves from this situation.

But there is far more, as you sense, than just a body and a mind and the
sentiments and feeling of our being human.

If at our base we are "immortals," each of us being a necessary part of
this vast living whole, which some have called "Universe,"  "God,"  or
"Nature," then we are sharing the space we live in with many other beings,
and many other forces and powers, most of which are invisible to the
average person, but, for those who are sensitive, touched and understood in
whole or in part.

In our physical bodies we take in nourishment and air to live.  We sleep to
recuperate, by some unknown process, energy and psychic vitality to
continue later to change the condition of perception from "deep-sleep," to
"dreams," and then we return to be awake and energetic.  And. presumably,
when this body "dies, and is dispersed to its elements" the "Spirit/Soul
that is the True Human" survives and animates a future baby body to which
it is drawn by such karmic bonds as it has made and is making.  And there
after a learning period (similar to gestation, but longer) it takes up the
pilgrimage of living again.  And that is the "We" of our todays.

This question of duty and responsibility becomes a dimension, not of how we
like or dislike the idea of "bondage," or of "enforced sacrifice," but
rather under Theosophical concepts a change in attitude:  a sharing of
essentials with others who supply us (under great laws that we do not yet
fully grasp,) and whom we, in reciprocity, also supply, usually
unconsciously.  Example:  Your thought, whether written or just THOUGHT,
will of necessity have a direction, an address attached to it, and will
find and touch me, wherever I may be (in California, in Calabasas) far more
quickly that the written or the spoken word.  But that is a concept which
has dawned on us in the last few decades.  And there is the proof that
there are "sensitives" who can apprehend the content of thoughts, wholly or
partially and sometimes at very great distances.  [ I recently read an
article in SCIENCE NEWS in which they drew attention to the observed fact
that a portion of a living plant taken some distance away, (and later to
several hundred miles) reacted instantly to pleasure or threat made to the
parent plant !  -- This was an experiment demonstrating the fact that that
transmission was faster than the speed of light or of electricity. ]

Curiously Science in its investigations has been proving how right the
statements made in the S D are as it speaks of the fact that the atoms and
molecules that make up our bodies are the result of extremely ancient solar
explosions which forced complexity on simple basic atoms of matter close to
the original impulse which was their very, very ancient start in
manifestation in our present UNIVERSE.  It was even suggested that these
might be hold-overs from some previous Universe, if there was a progressive
series of dyings and intervening manifestations -- but this was not gone
into in detail.

The constant exchange of atoms, and of forces of vitality, the exchange of
feelings and thoughts, the needs of simplicity for complexity, the general
rule of laws everywhere, all this leads to a question of our position as
thinkers as well as "feelers."  It is well known that the animals can
communicate when in flocks or schools (as with birds, herds, or fishes) so
that the many units make a collective change in direction, as though it was
one single Unit -- an extension of that sensitive instinct.  Humankind, by
their separating into thinking units, seems to have lost that particular
sense, though in some cases rage, elation, amusement, fear can be seen to
spread over a crowd, and change an orderly gathering into a scattering and
self-protecting mob, or still more horrifying, a mob directed at
victimizing an individual or a smaller group -- something which individuals
will admit they would not do if they had been "in control of myself."

Since we achieved the ability to think we also acquired an independence
which we place, usually in our bodies and call it along with our feelings
our personality.  But lurking in the background is another aspect of our
consciousness which seems to remain unaffected by the constant going and
coming of our feeling-minds.  Some have called it the Perceiver, or the
Spectator, and HPB has used the suggestive idea of the unmovable, immortal
HIGHER SELF (Atma-Buddhi--the MONAD).

Now these are of course words to us, and are only useful if they lead to
mental concepts to which we can give our own words.  What I like about this
is the concept that we are always in touch.  It gives a warmth to
relationships we treasure.

But there remains the question of those who offend us in one way or
another, of thoughts that seem to be perverted or obstructionist.  Of
transgressions against what we think are the norms of decent and brotherly
relationships.  What about them ?

First let us look over our own memories.  Are there not things we did in
the past we are not pleased with and wished we had never done ?  Perhaps
some of these objectionable characters we know are caught in a condition
where their inside rectification mechanism is no longer well functioning.
Perhaps they, like some old record have scratches that cause the record
needle to jump and repeat a passage endlessly -- in other words, they are
caught in their own trap.  Should we not pit them, and extend a helping
hand if possible ?

I do not say this is mandatory, but only something we might do which would
be of general assistance.  Of course there are extreme cases where only
restraint over months of years is the solution.  And yet, in the annals of
some prisons there have been exceptional Wardens who have engaged in trying
to redeem and reeducate inmates who were willing to make a change.

I think this interior willingness to change is what is important.  All we
have learned in the pat right up to know, has been, if we think of it, the
result of our deciding that we would consider it, and if useful and
reasonable adopt it in whole or in part.  If for us there has been
"progress," then, has it not been the result of our adoption of some
disciplines to learn and to improve some skill we did not have, but which
we valued in anticipation of acquiring it ?

So as regards "duties," or 'sacrifices," perhaps we do not value them
highly as concepts, but somewhere they hae a value.  perhaps some search to
discover those things, might be useful, and would give us at least a clue
to our own abilities, likes, dislikes and talents.  We might discover that
we had some hidden genius that needed only investigation for it to bloom.

Genius and talent as well as dislikes and disabilities are indexes (to me)
of qualities and works we labored at (or did not labor at) in our past.
There is so much of us that is self-made that this ought to be one of the
primary points of attention for us, almost all the time, and certainly once
or twice during the day.

At least that is what I got out of Theosophical considerations on this very
complex situation -- and we are all involved in it.




Dallas TenBroeck

dalval@nwc.net                        (818) 222-8023
                   23145 Park Contessa,
            Calabasas, Ca., 91302, USA.

> From: "Annette Rivington" <libidium@globalserve.net>
> Subject: Re:The Real Christmas--Helping Humanity
> Date: Friday, December 26, 1997 7:51 AM
>
> Dear Sophia:
> In response to Doss's comment you wrote:
> > If one takes payment for the "good works" being done in publicity, that
> > is probably most of the good karma being reaped then and there.
> > One has to do what one has to do because it is a DUTY, what HPB calls
> > being "Due to Humanity,"  if it is due, it is a debt, one does not go
> > around annoucing one has paid ones debts.  On pays them, a gets on with
> > the job.
>
> I appreciate what you are saying but think it's only part of the
> "picture".  I don't think that Doss was advocating that list members
> "toot their horns" or feed their egos by telling about their good works,
> I think he envisioned a method of celebrating the success of Theosophy
> by list members sharing how it works in their everyday lives.
>
> Definitely I'm unhappy with this feeling of "doing one's duty and
> getting on with the job" as it feels very much like a 19th Century
> thing, an enslaving thing, and one of the things I personally emigrated
> away from.  I can't see it as being a 21st Century thing that calls
> people to dream and to practice.
>
> I'd like to tell you that one of the key things that catapulted me into
> releasing my spirituality was telling myself and anyone else who would
> listen at the time that I felt very strongly that I had paid my debts,
> had helped others along the way, until I was darn near exhausted.  Of
> course, once I felt and said it, I moved to the next stage of knowing I
> was wrong and started again with more feeling.
>
> I think Doss has a good idea, as reading what others have done always
> seems to plant a seed that I can do it too.  We are surrounded by so
> much negativity and fear most days, any positive feedback is a real joy.
> Bet you could tell us some good ones, Sophia.
> Love and Light
> annette