Theos-Talk Archives (April 1998 Message tt00438)

KPJ writes-->
<< Seems to me that most people who disdain the personality have
 personality disorders that they had better work on, and fix the
 problem rather than trying to "rise above it." There's something
 really creepy-feeling about most of those "above it all" types
 I've met, whether they're Theosophists or Baha'is or whatever.
 It's as if the stronger they deny the personality the more
 evident it is that they are totally in the grips of a personality
 with definite blind spots, complexes, avoidances, etc. >>

Oh yes, I can agree with all you say, although I have not met so very many
AUTHENTIC "above-it-all" types in Theosophy. Mostly, in my opinion, one runs
into Fifth-Degree types who are merely practicing their sinning at the Fourth
Level of consciousness (acquiescing to an ENTIRE transmogrification of Self-
awareness when semi-Selves are permitted to form at the desire-mental level of
consciousness).

So anyway, what one may often have to deal with is an individual who is
(egoically speaking and at least momentarily) deluded he or she REALLY IS the
mental construct which he or she has fallen in love with. If the construct
happens to be something like the "Abstemious Recipe for Spiritual Growth," it
is not always so pleasant to relate to such a person--since he or she may even
regard a minor demurral by someone else as a major animadversion directed at
his or her own "true identity." Furthermore, if the person also happens to
believe that the construct can be traced back to an Indefectable Source
somewhere . . . well, then, I remember the "R-I-P-P-L-E" TMR made, and so do
you. . . .

I don't know . . . I don't think I have ever been on bad enough terms with my
"lower personality" (workingly-defined as the more habitual pattern of semi-
Selves forming at the desire-feeling and desire-mental levels) to "distain"
it. I often think of my lower personality as something like a pet dog . . .
which I may still want to take out for a walk from time to time, just to see
if I still can have a firm-enough grip on the leash to prevent it from getting
into too much trouble. I suppose if I were trying to control Cerberus or
worse, however, I might join with our more pious brothers and sisters and try
to keep the damn thing locked up entirely. . . .

Incidentally, I liked your expression "creepy-feeling." There's a creepy-
feeling one can get from a lot of things Theosophical, isn't there? It is
hard to put your finger on just what it is, though. I mean, I can still get a
creepy-feeling just walking around Olcott, even though I have been there quite
a few times. It's almost as if even the buildings, grounds, and everything is
being neurotically held only semi-successfully together in some rigid
posture--maybe just like the people you are talking about.

By the way--same question I asked Jerry S.--are you planning to be at Summer
Convention? I hope so. Best wishes and

Godspeed,

Richard Ihle