Theos-Talk Archives (March 1998 Message tt00084)

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Sigtryggur Omar Jonsson wrote:

> My last posting ended on a high note.  Sometimes it is necessary to use a
> powerful tone to awaken the higher sense.
>
> I want it to be completely clear that I am not in favour of splitting up
> the Theos-talk list into specialised and narrow paths.  The work must be on
> broad lines, forward moving and open minded.  We must be able to discuss
> all that we feel important for our purposes.  It is quality that counts,
> not quantity.

One of the disadvantages of belonging to an Organization that promotes freedom
of expression, is that we have to put up with people who express themselves
freely.  Of course we can question whether their expression was responsible,
courteous, constructive, high minded, spiritually inspiring etc.  But whatever
our opinion of a contribution, it begins with our personal reaction to it.  We
can never know for sure the motivations of the contributor, nor can we truly
know the background of personal experience that person is writing from.  Those
of us who perceive theosophy as a precious inspiration in our lives feel pained
when we read about politics and wrong doing in its vehicle, the TS.  It is like
putting graffiti on something we hold dear and find to be a positive force in
the world. On the other hand, there are those who genuinely perceive wrong
doing, hypocrisy, sophism and manipulation coming from the organization, who
feel this to be a blight upon the theosophy they hold dear.  And true to the
spirit of the founders who protested the encroachment of Christianity upon the
Indian and Sri Lankan cultures (see final article, BCW vol. 1), who protested
the hypocrisy of allowing the poor to suffer in the wake of wealth (See Bow
Lodge, Lucifer 1890, and discussion of White chapel in the Key), the harm of
cant in place of honest communication (see Key), so they feel that the
hypocrisy and cant they perceive must also be protested in the TS
organizations.  Though the discussions, may appear "low minded,"  perhaps there
is also truth in them.  Protesting a wrong may not appear to be high minded to
some.  For them, I can only say that sometimes one has to get dirty when
pulling a brother out of the gutter.

>
>
> I think it is a good idea to consider our effort as a pioneering work.  We
> are trying to move into higher and subtler realms.  We are not the first to
> do that, but maybe we are the first to attempt this on such a large scale
> and world-wide.  For me this is a great challenge and I hope you feel the
> same way.
>

Let us first be sure that the work we are pioneering is the true work.
Discernment is the key.  There are many who do not distinguish
spirituality from the uplifting of their emotions.  Then there are the few, whose spiritual
perception are not at all grounded in the emotions, and are thus able to
perceive truths regardless of whether they are clothed in a positive or
negative garb.  Therefore, perhaps, the moving into higher and subtler realms
also involves the embracing our own shadow, or has HPB and Judge put it,
meeting the dweller on the threshold.   Wisdom comes from understanding and
finding value in the unpleasant as well as the pleasant.  And it is the
unpleasant that we have to thank for bringing us our greatest lessons.

> I realise the difficulties.  They seem insurmountable, but I have faith in
> the power of our united effort.  The power of the united goodwill is great,
> but in the same time it is very fragile and delicate and it can easily be
> disturbed.  Therefore we must take care not to fall into the many pits on
> our way.  That is only possible if we have the high spiritual vision
> constantly in our minds.
>

"There is a road steep and thorny..."  But it is yet a road, and its successful
navigation requires the wisdom to recognize the pits and thorns that are both
within and without.  Though we can all agree to step upon this road together,
ultimately, at some point,  the journey is always taken alone.

> You may ask, what spiritual vision?  This I can not answer, because each
> one has to find it by his own effort.  But think:  What made me search in
> this direction?  What made me want to learn and know about the inner and
> higher realities?  Was it not the voice of my higher self, which was trying
> to point out to me the path?  This voice or feeling may be unconscious, but
> it is constantly there, and it embodies this higher vision.
>

And for some the voice of that Higher Self whispers to take a path that
requires one to stand against deception and hypocrisy.

> Subtler realms mean subtler understanding, clearer thinking, discernment of
> subtler energies or faculties, also greater responsibility.  We all know
> about the great law of Karma.  All we think, feel, say and do is our
> responsibility, and we must take all the consequences.  With more knowledge
> we incur greater responsibility, there is a greater demand on our right use
> of energies.  Those energies that demonstrate in thinking and talking and
> teaching.  We must formulate thoughts that are suitable for our purpose,
> which is what?... Think!
>

Truly said. Greater knowledge indeed leads to greater responsibility, and the
end of man is not a thought, but an action (Carlyle).  What action? It depends
upon our spiritual path (dharma), and who are we to judge the path of others?
For some that path leads to confronting perceived evils in institutions, while
others may see this as negative, and low minded.  Those who take the little
treaded path are the Parcivals who ignore the disdain of others and must suffer
the steep and thorny road to reach that holy grail--that spiritual truth and
its gift to those who reach the top.  The more popular path is across the sunny
plains of platitudes and inspiring thoughts, of spiritual affirmations, of
intolerance to negativity, of condemnation of the dirty pilgrim--or the "greasy
Tibetan" as KH called himself when mocking Sinnett's intolerance (Mahatma
Letters to APS).  Who will find the end of that road first: the dirty pilgrim
or the walker of the sunny plain?  Which ever, I know that the dirty pilgrim
gives his blessings to the others.  Can the latter find a place in his heart
for the dirty pilgrim?

> When I talk about knowledge, I am not so much talking about factual
> knowledge.  I mean that special energy that is evoked by right knowledge
> and is transmuted into faculties which light up the mind and broaden the
> vision.  That light must be used to light up all our thoughts and actions;
> we must make right use of our energies!  This is all very logical, not some
> mystical dream or high ideals which have no application in every day life.
>

Yes, and this Gupta Vidya (See the Secret Doctrine) grows and wanes among the
people of the world as tolerance for the free exchange of ideas grows and
wanes, which leads me back to the point of my last post on this subject.
Rather than making a judgment of what are high or low minded posts, let us
recognize the spiritual pilgrim that is behind each of them and learn to
perceive the truths that each have to offer.  Otherwise, if we cannot tolerate
the truths of others because we do not recognize their path, then let us indeed
split theos-l into those specialized and narrow paths until we can learn to see
beyond our own.

jhe