Theos-Talk Archives (January 1999 Message tt00347)

Jan 28th 1999

Dear Tony:

Many thanks - my brush with "Trans-personal Psychology" had only
showed that they dealt more with the "psychic" [ Kama and Astral
side ].  The really "SPIRITUAL" [ HIGHER-MANAS and BUDDHI ]
remained to be identified.

It is my opinion that the impersonal application of LAW - fair,
just, impersonal and enormously sensitive - to all beings as to
man's psyche was yet to be discussed scientifically
(impartially) - as this has often been regarded as the field of
ethics, morals and therefore "religious."

Am I correct still on that ?

Also my belief that Theosophy alone, so far, gives a
comprehensive explanation of the inter-relation of ethico-mental
to personal-psychic, and thence to physico-action areas.


On another subject:	Archaeology and Anthropology

I need some help in up-dating the SD, if it is available and if
anyone has some information.

I have been reading FORBIDDEN ARCHAEOLOGY by CREMO and
THOMPSON-reminds me of Charles Fort's evidence and E.
Velikovsky's, these, and also, on Sphinx by West and Shwallager
de Lubec.


Do you, or anyone in the group have some views on the relations
and comparison of Theosophical chronology and dating as given in
SD II (mainly), and geological, archaeological, paleographical
and paleontological sciences - a link or up-date to what HPB
discusses.


De Quatrefages, for instance discusses the average volume of the
human brain (about 90 cubic inches) with that of the cranial
capacity of the large Apes (about 35 cubic inches) and inquires
if the tracing by hypothesis of a link is reasonable.		SD II 661
682 774

Ape-man likeness is exaggerated  SD II 56fn 87fn 645-6 651 662
			SD II 667-8 681-2


I also found the following references in SD I and II


Apes more likely to descend from man SD II 287-8 646 666-7 682
687fn

Man not descended from apes	SD I 186 190-1  II 87fn

Atavism & man's stature	SD II 749

Anatomy of Apes & Man compared	SD II 87fn 287 315fn 665fn 666-8
667-8 680-5

Apes begotten by mindless men		SD I 190  II 189 193 678 689 717

>From 3rd Race Men in this Round	SD II 185 262-3 728-9

Man an indirect ancestor	SD II 289 717

Man lived before mammals	SD II 155 749

Chasm between Ape and Man	SD I 190  II 189 190 665fn 720 729

"Is there a common ancestor ?"  SD II 185 189 258 187-8 634 674
677-8

Apes show no development	SD II 682fn

Semi-astral in their beginning	SD II 689

Ape-like forms evolved in the 3rd ROUND	SD II 186-7 688fn 729

Emanated by the Lunar Pitris	SD I 180-1 190

Man in the 3rd ROUND	SD I 188-9  II 57fn 185-7 261-2 730

Unnatural cross-breeds		SD I 183-4  II 201fn 261-2


Thanks in advance,

Dallas

> From: Peter Merriott
> Sent:	Thursday, January 28, 1999 8:03 AM
> Subject: RE: After-Death Bliss

Dear Dallas,

In a recent post you wrote:

> I do not think that modern psychology considers
> the immortality of the Spirit/Soul, and therefore
> the states that Theosophy describes are unknown,
> though possibly suspected by some psychologists.


Dallas, I just wanted to point to a small gleam of light with
regards modern
psychology.  In the main I agree that your observations are
correct.
However there has been an emerging and now growing force in
psychology, over
the last 40 years or more, that is dedicated to the study of
spirituality
and the highest potential in the individual.  It largely goes
under the
heading of Transpersonal Psychology.  The term "trans" being used
differently by different psychologist there is still a general
agreement
that the aims of transpersonal psychology are:

"... concerned with the study of humanity's highest potential,
and with the
recognition, understanding, and realization of unitive, spiritual
and
transcendent states of consciousness."
(Lajoie & Shapiro)

and that..

"Transpersonal experiences may be defined as experiences in which
the sense
of identity or self extends beyond (trans) the individual or
personal to
encompass wider aspects of humankind, life, psyche or cosmos."
(Walsh &
Vaughan)

While many of the writers, researchers, psychologists and
psychotherapists
tend to based in the USA, I understand that the American
Psychological
Association(?) still does not acknowledge the validity of
transpersonal
psychology enough to offer it formal recognition.  However, here
in Britain,
the British Psychology Society agreed the creation of a new
organizational
Section for Transpersonal Psychology about three years ago.
While this may
seem a small move to us as Theosophists, this is a major leap
forward in the
psychological profession.


> As I understand it, modern psychology does not
> deal with these feelings, emotions or thoughts
> in the same way as Theosophy does, and therefore
> it has a rather non-moralistic approach.

Many psychologists and therapists in the field of 'trans' argue
that we can
only begin to make sense of consciousness, peoples experiences
and
difficulties in life through an understanding of the 'ancient
spiritual
traditions' especially those concerned with the 'mystical and
spiritual
path' that is common to all the major religions.

In the field of transpersonal psychotherapy (a cumbersome name!)
there are
approaches to helping people based on the understanding that the
individual
is essentially a spiritual being that *has* a personality.  Also
of
fundamental importance in this work is the use of the
understanding that
there is a 'Self' and the need for the 'Soul' / ego to come into
alignment
with that 'Self' and the impersonal spiritual laws that are the
basis of our
lives.  So, we can see an attempt to acknowledge three streams of
consciousness and being in the person - Self, Soul, and
Personality.  This is
quite extraordinary in the field of psychology.

So, Dallas, I probably haven't communicated the above very well
as I only
want to say a little bit about it and not divert the list onto
'psychology'
and 'therapy' topics.  Transpersonal psychology still has a long
way to go
but it is a growing influence and a vital one in its field.  The
fact that
it exists at all I find very hopeful for the future.

Best wishes,

Peter


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