Theos-Talk Archives (November 1998 Message tt00451)

In a message dated 11/23/98 2:35:42 PM, Jerry S wrote:

(Leon)
>>Essentially, what you speak of is our "higher consciousness" which, although
>>we cannot objectively "measure" its constituents, we nevertheless can
>>experience its causal effects.  Therefore, it must, as HPB has pointed out,
>>"exist" in some "spiritualized" form or another, capable of interfacing with
>>and affecting the lower mental and physical fields--possibly as a vibratory
>>field, in itself, that is of a higher order of frequency than the
>>electromagnetic fields we can measure, and even higher than the astral-
mental
>>fields that are also beyond the scope of detection by our ordinary sensory
>>or physical instruments.

(Jerry)
>This is, I believe, pure assumption. There is no way for us to know of
>spirit's "causal effects" and I am not at all sure there any such thing
>exists. The idea that we can experience spirit's causal effects is an
unprovable
>assumption. It may or may not be a true one. However, you seem to have
>missed the idea that higher consciousness can, and has, been
>experienced by people throughout history. Rather than trying to
>experience the effects of something (which may not even exist as such)
>wouldn't it be better to experience that something directly and then
>draw your own conclusions from those experiences?
>
You misconstrued my statement.  Since our higher nature is actually the
"Spirit in all humans" (Atma, as expressed through it's vehicle, Buddhi)--and
since our choices of action can either be determined by our lower or our
higher natures--these choices can result in differently motivated "causal
effects" which we experience on the physical plane.   In fact, we cannot avoid
experiencing these "effects", since they are the result of our (self
determined) choices, and all that we can do is consciously observe (or
recall), and learn from them. . .  Especially, if such higher- or lower-
principled choices, as cause, can be followed to their ultimate karmic
(reactive) effects--as the cycle of action-reaction completes itself according
to the 2nd fundamental principle.

Experiencing the higher nature directly, as in meditation, cannot teach us
anything about the *mechanisms* of our consciousness and its
interrelationships with our fields of memory, mind, brain and body.  If so,
why would HPB have written more than a thousand pages in the Secret Doctrine
trying to explain these mechanisms (and give us very little information about
obtaining personal enlightenment)?  Understanding them can only be found by
either deep study in the SD, or of the writings of others who have discovered
them through their own self devised and self determined efforts.

The difference here is trying to learn about the actual mechanisms and
processes of these fields--how they actually work--rather than trying to
experience the higher consciousness itself--which can only lead to individual
self realization, but does not fulfill the goal of being a working
"theosophist" whose ultimate purpose is:"to be in the true service of
humanity".  (See:  Declaration of the United Lodge of Theosophists -
<A HREF="http://www.ult.org/";>http://www.ult.org/</A> )

The purpose of such study of the *processes* and *mechanisms* through which
our higher nature expresses itself, is so that eventually it can be *proven*,
to ALL skeptical materialists, that the higher nature, as a spiritual field,
actually exists.   How else, can we "change the minds of the common people of
the race--using the language of the age", as HPB advised--without first
convincing their gurus, the scientists, artists and writers of the age, of the
truths of karma and reincarnation--based on the fundamental cyclic laws of
such fields.  Isn't that what the work of the theosophical movement is all
about?

We can never convince any materialist (who influences this failing world and
puts us even further behind in evolution) of the realities of karma and
reincarnation, and thereby cause them to change their perceptions and reverse
their selfish actions--by just talking about it to each other, or experiencing
higher consciousness in meditation--without first learning to describe a
logical process that everyone can understand, and that is consistent with all
other scientifically proven theories.  From a Mahayana Buddhist perspective,
this is the necessary work in this age of a true Bodhisattva, or one who has
reached adepthood and who forsakes Nirvana to return lifetime after lifetime
in order to teach and help all sentient beings.

The ultimate scientific conclusion in the SD is that everything in the
universe, from spirit to matter, and all their "forms" and "expressions", are
the result of vibrating fields of "electrical energies" whose causes and
effects are based on the fundamental laws of cycles and periodicity.  It
behooves us all, as theosophical "companions", to not only study and "practice
the three "objects", but to also study those spiritual-scientific teachings of
HPB, "so as to be better able to help and teach others".

Best wishes,

Leon

References:
<A HREF="http://www.tellworld.com/Astro.Biological.Coenergetics/";>
http://www.tellworld.com/Astro.Biological.Coenergetics</A> (new theosophical-
scientific theory of consciousness based on SD)
<A HREF="http://www.blavatsky.net/";>http://www.blavatsky.net</A> (Secret
Doctrine and other references)
<A HREF="http://www.wisdomworld.org/";>http://www.wisdomworld.org</A> (reprints
of Theosophy magazine science articles)
<A HREF="http://users.aol.com/unIwldarts/uniworld.artisans.guild/einstein.html
">http://users.aol.com/unIwldarts/uniworld.artisans.guild/einstein.html</A>
(What the Secret Doctrine Teaches)