Theos-Talk Archives (April 1999 Message tt00069)

In a message dated 4/5/99 5:35:59 PM, schuelergerald@optec-hq.optec.army.mil 
writes:

>I guess that we will simply have to agree to disagree here.
>I see karma as both personal and collective, and I very much
>believe that our personal beliefs are an effect of our personal
>karma and a cause of our future personal karma. The
>idea that beliefs and opinions are not karmic sounds like a
>simplistic idea to me and one that I can't accept.

As Buddha said, and I think confirmed by HPB, "Everything we are is the 
result of what we have thought..."  This is a clear indication that our ideas 
and thoughts, as well as our actions, create our individual karma.  The only 
problem I have with your statement is your confusing the word "personal" with 
"individual," since I think they have quite different meanings in theosophy 
and even in transcendental psychology.  However, I understand that 
psychologists of a behavioral bent can only focus their attention to our 
lower "personal" nature, and focus exclusively on "self image" and "behavior" 
as signs of mental health.  In such case, they find it no problem to create a 
false self image or egocentric point of view so as to modify behavior--so 
long as it protects one from mental distress in their present life and allows 
them to function in society.  Unfortunately, this point of view can easily 
distort one's view and interpretation of fundamental principles, which govern 
all processes of evolution including the operation (checks and balances) of 
individual karma... A most complex subject, indeed.

LHM


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