Theos-Talk Archives (May 1998 Message tt00032)

Psychism Bashing, Spiritualism, etc.

Dallas wrote:
> >In the days of HPB there was Spiritualism which largely consisted
> >in the "Worship of the Dear Departed."  and, also Spiritualists
> >hoped to be able to "contact the Spirit" of those "Dear
> >Departed."


Jerry S. replied:
> Spiritalism is not psychism.

Daniel comments:

Spiritualism is very much a part of psychism, they
interwine.  Psychism (*of course, it depends on one's
definition*) is greater than Spiritualism but they
both usually deal with the realm of the psyche (the kama-manas
personality).  Of course, our everyday psychological
waking consciousness also deals primarily with
kama-manas.  Psychism as I define it and see it has
two aspects--positive and negative; much as physical
reality has two opposite poles and *much in between*!!


Dallas wrote:
> >The same problem continues today. Without information and some
> >consideration those who "visit" the "spiritual (?) plane" of
> >"channel" are in a great deal of danger.

Jerry S. replied:
> How so? This kind of statement shows me that you know little
> about the inner worlds. They are no more dangerous than
> crossing the street, riding on an airplane, undergoing therapy,
> or going to sleep.

Daniel comments:

The psychic/mental realm has dangers just as the physical world
does.  The physical world can be a very dangerous place!
Likewise the psychic/mental realm has its share of dangers.
To think it is all goodness and light is to be
as naive as to go to the other extreme and consider that realm
to be totally bad and evil.

One of the lessons to be learned from a careful study of
HPB's and the Mahatmas' writings is that the psychic/mental
realm is a place of great delusion and illusion.  What you think you
see, etc.
is not what may really be there.  You may think you are
in communication with the "Master El Morya" whereas you are
simply in "communication" with a "thought-form" of this
Master which has been created in your own subconscious.  There
are also collective thought-forms that can deceive and mislead one.
See the Mahatma Letters for examples.  Also
dozens of articles in HPB's writings.

To develop psychic sight or to get out of the body will
be no guarantee of the "reality" of what you see, etc.

This is not to suggest that one should be afraid of
psychic experiences and run the other direction.  But one
needs to use discrimination and evaluate ALL experiences (whether
of the physical, psychic, mental or so-called spiritual
realm.)

Much more could be written on this complex subject.


Dallas wrote:
> >And that's about all.  I do have a number of pretty good
> >quotations culled from various Theosophical sources for anyone
> >who is interested in reviewing them -- on this subject.

Jerry S. replied:

> Its probably those very sources of yours that I object to, Dallas.

Daniel comments:

What are those sources, Dallas?  And, Jerry, do you object to them?
And what are your reasons for objecting?