Theos-Talk Archives (April 1998 Message tt00443)

The human being can be likened to an iceberg.
The little bit at the top, out in the open, and representing the personlity
can think it is all that there is.
If we begin to plumb the depths, quite simply looking and listening, and
seeing the panorama which begins to unfold, the personality, the bit at the
top, can begin to quieten down. The depths have a soothing effect. The
personality sees that there is more to it all, and that it is part of the
iceberg, which is part of the ocean. The personality is the garments for a
particular life, which are shed at the end of it, like a snake sheds its
skin. It is an important part of the iceberg/being.
Is anybody really denying this?
The personality collects the pollen and brings it to the rest of the being.
The Mahatmas have strong personalities. So did HPB.

Tony

Paul wrote:
>>Mark's comments about the unfortunate prevalence of an internal
>>"holier than thou" split in Theosophical consciousnesses strike
>>me as right on the mark. I won't argue that a contemptuous
>>attitude toward the "lower personality" can be found in the
>>source literature, since I know that it can. But a more nuanced
>
>>approach can also be found, e.g. in the second fragment of the
>>Voice of the Silence.
>>
>>The bottom line, for me, is the evident results of disdain for
>>personality. It can manifest as monasticism, actual or virtual,
>>a rejection of all pleasures of the flesh, a stern
>>otherworldliness. ..............................................

Sure it can.