Theos-Talk Archives (May 1998 Message tt00403)

May 22nd 1998

Dear Annette:

You are quite right that some (not all) rely rather too heavily
on "books".

But consider the alternative if one does not:  personal opinions
and experiences -- fine.  But how to unite these into something
that everyone can  see and use.

The "books" have a single value:  they give a review of what
others have discovered or offered along the lines that we are
researching.  They prevent a rather large amount of floundering.
I would rather go into water over my depths having read something
about flotation and swimming techniques, BEFORE I plunge.

Reliance on books also implies lack of experience in some cases,
and reference to others that someone might select as an
"authority."  That can be very annoying, unless the others in
question are given "chapter and verse" so that they too can
investigate what has already been done.

I found that HPB gives us a lot about our own civilization when
we were Atlanteans.  Donnelley who wrote on the subject also gave
a lot of good evidence.  His book was named ATLANTIS.

Best wishes,   Dallas

> Date: Friday, May 22, 1998 8:00 AM
> From: "Annette Rivington" <libidium@globalserve.net>
> Subject: Re: Theosophical Doctrines (HPB)

>Hi Dallas:
>Thanks for the story about HPB and the history stuff.
>As usual I can't disagree with your thrust, but you left out
Atlantis
>and earlier "philosophies", and your method seems to be rooted
in linear
>time and cause and effect :)
>
>The main difference I perceive with the approach of the majority
of list
>members and that of people and methods to which I gravitate, is
that you
>guys rely heavily on books, the recorded filtering and opinion
in the
>physical of those mostly passed over, and we tend to get
messages,
>insights, memories and logical conclusions from experiencing
connection
>with nature, spirits, ourselves travelling in space and time,
and from
>experiencing the raw energy of life.
>
>It's sort of like the difference between saying either
>1.   here's this vast body of evidence, including what appears
to be
>recountings from extremely knowlegable persons, to prove it must
be so
>2.  been there, done that and know it is so, and thanks for
reminding me
>
>The last time I travelled astrally, I received this message:
>"Until you release these preconceived ideas of what should be,
you will
>not experience what is."
>This experience was my struggle, my process and my instruction
at this
>point to help me understand and move on from the frustration of
being
>bounded and fearful.
>Respectfully I propose that all of HPB's writings were her
struggle, her
>experiences and her instruction in the same process.
>Books say to me: "here's a process that I used, it worked for
me, maybe
>it could work for you".
>
>I no longer struggle with a pragmatic process of proof,
historical
>verification, memorization - there simply isn't time.  The
process of
>comparison, weighing, and common sense happens in a split second
whether
>I consciously do it or not, and I no longer arrest that process.
>Also, when I hear or read something and immediately think, "I
know that
>already, in some sense", I no longer deny that fact.
>
>It's not that I discount the book learning, discipline training
>methods.  It's just that I think they are only parts of a vast
battery
>of tools we have and this toolbox includes travelling in time
and space,
>light and deep trance, and talking to trees and animals.
>
>Initially I was egotistical and thought I was moving forward.
Now I
>know I am going back to the source and the future.
>
>Can you see it from my perspective too?
>Blessings
>Annette