Theos-Talk Archives (May 1998 Message tt00450)

May 25th

Re:  Your comments and mine on the "Astral World," etc.

Dear Annette:

You are quite right.  We all have those faculties.  Some are kept
in abeyance.
Some seem forced into them.  Theosophy issues information and
cautions and that was all I was concerned with.  We could not
communicate if we did not use our hidden abilities in addition to
the tangible ones of this plane.

I do have available a selection of quotations drawn from various
Theosophical sources, an the subject of this "invisible world"
and if you or anyone would like to see them I will be glad to
send.  It is lengthy and cannot be sent over "Theos-talk" due to
their "length" restrictions.  I would have to send it as an
"attachment," direct.

Fear or knowledge -- both are important.  Fear usually comes from
ignorance.  Knowledge delivers from "fear."  When one knows, then
one can will and command the situation and those (planes) or
forces that are accessed.  I
thought that what I was offering would be helpful.  That's all.

Each one has to follow whatever path they choose.  No two paths
exactly coincide.

I also agree with you on the matter that we are both parts of the
"Spirit."  But as "intelligences" (Souls ?  Minds ?) we are free
to choose our own paths.

We all make judgments, but to be "judgmental" I wish to avoid,
since we are all "free."  And again, that is all I meant.  I find
that the "labels" people attach to things and events and people
are the result of broad judgments, and some are quite
unreasonable.

As to "hot" -- I though you might quote to me the phenomena of
"Fire walking".  [A friend of mine did it and came through
unscathed.  I would not. ] Yes, heat is relative.  As I recall
when in mediaeval times one was accused of lying, the accused, if
honest, cold put his/her hand in the fire, and if it was
unscathed, they "proved" their veracity !

As for myself I am not interested in any kind of control except
over my own "lower nature."  And that is like everyone's personal
to themselves.  As I recall in LIGHT ON THE PATH  the author
observes that each companion is as much a mystery as their own
natures are to themselves, or something to that effect.

The information reposed in the many pages of a library is
"secret" to those who cannot read.  The jargon of a specific
science, say mathematics, is abracadabra to the
non-mathematicians, and so on.  Given the key to the learning of
that knowledge, and anyone with the will and determination to
master it can do so.

But there is a knowledge of the invisible and inner planes of
Nature which is spoken of in Theosophy.  It has to be sought for.
Everything is already in Nature as you observe.  But the
obtaining of knowledge, if it is for the purpose of "control of
others" is an abuse of that kind of knowledge.   Anything put to
selfish use is an abuse.  And that is all I mean.

As to the metaphor that I used of the preservation of my "skin."
It is a metaphor, and does not limit me to the physical at all.
I meant that I do not desire to open chinks in my own
individuality which could be employed by any one else to cause me
to act as they choose.  Or something like that.  I say this, as
one of the effects recorded about "astral travel," etc... is that
such chinks may be opened, unless the individual who does this is
an Adept.  Again, this is said in a cautionary vein.  And that's
all.

Yes, the "jungle and confusion of words" is indeed daunting.  We
are all different in our makeup -- Theosophy considers that each
of the "Seven Principles" of man is seven-fold -- making some 49
variants and so on -- quite useless as information, but
interesting to remember because it explains why we are not all
copies of one another.

Your observation about the use of similar words is agreeable to
me.  Most of such discussions revolve around vocabulary and the
meaning we ascribe to words -- which convey ideas.  It would be a
lot simpler if we could communicate mind t mind, and, probably in
some "future" this will be commonplace.

In your concluding observations on various systems of practice,
and tradition I would say that all movements have a common root.
Even those of analytical Science have common roots, since
science, theology and philosophy have to combine ultimately and
be one.

Yes, I have learned much from the thoughts of "other men" (and
women) for the soul has no "sex."  The heritage of each is a
common one. there is no reason to try to "remake" others, since
each will devise and follow their own path.  The only thing that
can be done is to extend helping hands wherever and whenever.

Thank you for all you have written.  Very graceful and
thoughtful.        Dalas

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