Theos-Talk Archives (March 1998 Message tt00213)

>Well, Frank, it's interesting that you are comparing the two organizations,
>because I am, too. I certainly don't want to contradict anything you have
>been told already. All of the likenesses of adepts, beings, masters, and
>humans that I have seen at the temple are paintings and very stylistic, so
>that when you have seen enough of their art, you can recognize the style
>repeated again and again. None of them are photographs, so rest assured
>that you won't need to verify these.

Correction: There are some photos around of the founders, but I believe
that the likenesses of them which hang in the front of the temple are
paintings (perhaps from photographs).

>My approach to studying at the I AM Temple may be slightly different than
>yours. I don't really feel a need to discuss theosophy there. I prefer to
>find out from scratch what their teachings are and only make my own
>analogies. The Temple is not open to discussion because the writings,
>readings, and dictations are not really "our own," so to speak. No one is
>forcing me to study there. I do because I get a great deal out of my
>association. I go and with very little mention of the books I've read or
>what I personally think or need proven to me, I just participate and leave
>feeling much rejoicing and light.
>
>Just because it isn't discussed openly doesn't mean that there isn't lots
>of individual interpretation of the material. Everyone is able to find a
>proper place for their thoughts or they wouldn't be there.
>
>St. Germain is St. Germain
>We just have to listen to what is said.
>I know St. Germain is viewed as an ascended master and I don't believe HPB
>is viewed as one. Does this answer your question?
>Brenda

P.S. An ascended master is a being who belongs to the next kingdom of
nature, in my mind. Similar to the thought that we are no longer animals,
although our physical and astral natures are sometimes akin to animal.

I think your objection arises from the fact that St. Germain took
incarnation in the 17th? and 18th? centuries. So this makes him human in
your mind. Of course, this is the familiar likeness we have of St. Germain,
so why not keep the likeness. We can change our likenesses incarnation from
incarnation. The story at the temple isn't that he took incarnation in
America anyway, but that he worked "through" his messengers, the founders,
the Ballards.

What I have been spouting off about in recent weeks is that ascended
masters have a purpose here on earth which may be to "acquire" the
earth from us and create their types of "vehicles" in the physical matter and to
transform all of the kingdoms into their vibratory rhythm of life. Raising
all matter, not just ascending the human, until earth becomes their "home."
I mean, honestly, you're a student of theosophy and if we are to leave
earth and go to the next globe, this means that the lifewave the follows us
on earth is the mental elementals. How do thoughts as living things get
here? Doesn't thought have to have a thinker?