Theos-Talk Archives (April 1998 Message tt00573)

April 28th 1998

Dallas offers to Jerry (and the rest of us readers) :

I recognize that many desire to find HPB writing clearly that the
path is actually a ritual performance of certain acts, or the
following of a certain single path.

But if you consider our various different personalities as
evidence of our singularity and personal evolution ( as a result
of our free-choices), then you will have to agree that the only
way in which we "grow" in either psychism or in spirituality is
by choosing those methods and disciplines ourselves and for
ourselves.

Consider that the personal nature we have is opposed to the
spiritual nature which is also innate and stems from the resident
Monad. The personality is essentially selfish in all its wants
and desires. It desires to know FOR ITSELF, it desires to
acquire powers FOR ITSELF. it wants to know how and what the
Universe is for FOR ITSELF. ... and so on.

The fact that Theosophy advances as spiritual progress is that we
are first of all members of a vast community. We are
interdependent on that community of beings (high and low) for our
present embodiment, and most of our faculties and physical,
psychic and even part of our mental tools. The only thing that
is purely OURS is our identity, and this we can local neither
physically, psychically, and we do sense that it is "SPIRITUAL,"
but we do not have direct access from this embodied mind to IT.

Every ancient esoteric school, including Theosophy states that
moral refinement and universalizing our perception (brotherhood
in actuality) are the real tools.

If we insist on being selfish, if we insist on securing a key to
"sudden enlightenment" -- as the Chinese peasant did when he
suddenly remembered the wisdom he had acquired in his past lives,
and brought it into being when he heard the verses from the
"Diamond sutra," [ and that experience appears chronologically,
to have antedated the Buddha ! ] we are going to be disappointed.

If we rail against HPB and accuse her of poor English ! -- well,
you try and write a
Secret Doctrine ! -- her mastery of the English language ( and
you can also use for comparison the English used by the Mahatmas
in Their letters) you will find that few can exceed them in
clarity of expression and in presentation.

It is our impatience, basically, which makes us anxious to "have
it all" before we are ready. I would say that the evidence of
such anxiety is a demonstration of our unreadiness. Many years
ago the brother of the present Dalai Lama wrote an autobiography
and detailed the educational process used in Tibet and at the
lamaseries. If we desire to approach Theosophy and to understand
it, we will have to undergo a process similar to that, so that
the personal consciousness is made ready to penetrate to the
esoteric instructions already embodied in the exoteric
literature.

None of this is directed at anyone in particular, it is only an
expression of what I have observed in myself, and in others.
Those who happen to have a copy of Mr. W. Q. Judge's AN EPITOME
OF THEOSOPHY could turn to pages 13-14, and especially to pp.
24-26. there the rules and regulations of spiritual education
and enhancement are clearly outlined. HPB's PRACTICAL OCCULTISM
[Lucifer Vol. 2, p. 150 ] also gives an outline of the "rules"
that will have to be followed.

Finally, it is only in the "core teachings," in the "Original
Teachings of Theosophy" that can be found clear directions to the
inner advancement that may be desired.

There is a great distinction between psychism (which is selfish
and emotional, and a refuge for those who are curious) and the
spiritual ( which is wide, profound, true, and impersonally
benevolent). Those who read THE VOICE OF THE SILENCE that HPB
dedicated to the "Few," will grow to understand what is the
self-discipline that is first needed before one can acquire some
beginnings of esoteric knowledge.

No I do not write as one who has all this at my finger-tips or is
anyone special, but it is what I have gathered by studying
Theosophy in the life for a long time. I have finally come to the
conclusion that it takes lives to finalize this, and only a
little can be done in one life. The first obstacle to overcome
is impatience, and the second to acquire is persistency, and
"attention" to what is plainly written. Our own personal nature
places filters over our eyes, and we see only what we want to
see. The result is delay and al loss of concentration, and the
goal we may aspire to is as far off as ever. I know this is
vague, but do not know how else to offer it.

 Dallas

>From: "Jerry Schueler" <gschueler@netgsi.com>
>Date: Tuesday, April 28, 1998 5:54 AM
>Subject: Re:The "Eternal Present: and KARMA

>>>The point I was trying to make, Dallas, is that if HPB's
>>writings were
>>>as complete and far-reaching as you seem to think they are,
then
>>>please explain to me why the TS split into so many pieces over
>>the
>>>years,

>>------------------------------------------------------

>> You can't blame HPB for the problems that her students
>>make.

>You missed my point. I am not blaming HPB at all. The problem
>is that when esoteric truth is put into words it becomes
exoteric
>mind-knowledge. HPB knew this, and warned us about it but
>too many folks tend to take the written word for Gospel.
>
 SNIP