Theos-Talk Archives (August 1999 Message tt00084)

Aug 29th 1999

Dear John:

Let me offer this in answer to your request/inquiry:


May I draw your attention to the benefits of BLAVATSKY NET ?


Apart from an introductory course which it offers, I would suggest
that it is possible to widen one's own approach.  In your search for
Theosophical Literature you should visit the Web-site:  BLAVATSKY.NET.
and make full use of its facilities.

It is accessible at 	http://www.blavatsky.net

Once you are there look at the first page (Home Page) presented.

Towards the bottom you will see

	INTRODUCTION

Click on that.  Read the information given there and especially MORE
INFORMATION.

Through BLAVATSKY NET you will be able to access directly the text of
a great number of introductory texts.  Also included are the more
extensive texts and there is material for all to see and read or even
download onto their own computer for further consideration at their
leisure.


Try reading  some of the following material written by Wm. Q. Judge:

1.  THEOSOPHY GENERALLY STATED	A very brief survey. 7 pages

2.  APPLICATION OF THEOSOPHICAL THEORIES	Practical hints.  2 pages

3.  UNIVERSAL APPLICATIONS OF DOCTRINE	Interrelation of main ideas.
About 	11 pages and  then,

4.  THE SYNTHESIS OF OCCULT SCIENCE  16 pages.  These will give you an
idea of the 	scope and the interrelation of all Theosophical concepts.

5.  AN EPITOME OF THEOSOPHY	A condensed summary of Theosophical
concepts 	and ideas is given in about 35 pages.  It also offers a
survey of Spiritual cultivation.

6.  OCEAN OF THEOSOPHY	A condensation of the SECRET DOCTRINE
teachings.  	This is about 180 pages, as is used regularly as a basis
for study classes.


By H. P. Blavatsky:  ( She is the "mother" of the Theosophical
Movement. )

1.  THE KEY TO THEOSOPHY 	A survey of Theosophical teachings and
doctrines 	using the Question and Answer format. -- This introduces
the reader to the essential information that will be needed to read
and understand THEOSOPHY.

2.  ISIS UNVEILED	The large book in 2 volumes serves as a review and
an introduction 	to the world invisible that is hidden within our
world -- occult and causative Nature.  It is historical as well as
factual,  and forms an important introduction historically to THE
SECRET DOCTRINE.

-----------------------------

I would strongly recommend that you use BLAVATSKY NET as your source
to access information about Theosophy.  It is a very old philosophy
and it includes science and theology also -- it therefore is
non-sectarian and not dogmatic in the least.

Its attitude is invetigatory -- all statements and ideas are to be
thoroughly checked out by each individual for themselves before they
are adopted.  Many students have spent years studying aspects or the
whole of this philosophy and for them the ideas called "Theosophical"
are facts.

They do not recommend any kind of "faith," or "blind belief."  They
reject any idea of "authority."  Each individual they maintain is
independently free.  hence any learning or consideration has to be
done entirely by the individual for himself.

It will take some effort, and a great deal of honest sincerity and
enthusiasm to proceed, as some of the concepts of Theosophy, while
reasonable as we consider them, are at first view, strange to many of
us.  But once viewed, it will be found that they serve to open our
minds, and also to fill the many gaps of learning that our sciences
and theologies leave us with as "questions in our minds."

Theosophy has been called "sanctified common sense."  It is also
called the Perennial Philosophy (Sanatana Dharma).

Here are some basic Theosophical CONCEPTS:

1.
Each human being, as well as all others, ranging from the "atom" to
the "Suns" and the 	galaxies, are immortal beings in their essence.
Evolution is universal and proceeds eternally for all.  We are
"Eternal Pilgrims" and we are at present, each of us, located in the
exact middle of our own progression.  Each has the same "goal" of
ultimate "Perfection" (all-wisdom) before us/them.  Hence we live in a
BROTHERHOOD of all beings.

2.
Brotherhood is the first object of the Theosophical Movement.  The
more advanced students 	try to assist those who are less advanced in
their own evolution.  And they find that those converge and in turn to
serve them by providing the needed "bodies" at each stage of
evolution.  It is cooperation in fact and quite objective to us in our
own living bodies.

3.
Karma, our whole World and Universe are an expression of honesty,
justice and fairness to all 	beings.  We impress the "life-atoms" )of
which our bodies are made) with our feelings and thoughts, and either
help them in their progress or we retard and debase them.  Since they
converge on us, they always return with the impression that we gave
them, and with them our "karma" returns to help or hinder us.

4.
Reincarnation, the Spirit/Soul in each human is immortal and the whole
of life experience is a 	study, a learning effort.  Living is the
"teacher" and we are the "pupils."  When a body grow old and can no
longer assist us in our progress, it dies and its elements, after a
sojourn in nature are drawn again to the center where the
reincarnating Ego is returning to life again as a babe.

5.
 7 "Principles" in Man and Nature,  the physical body has within it an
electro-magnetic 	mold or skeleton called "astral" (linga sarira) and
the life principle (jiva);  within that are the separate principles we
name the "desires and passions" (kama), and the Mind (manas);
superior to these is discrimination and wisdom (Buddhi) -- the highest
part 	of our natures, and finally there is the One immortal Self or
ATMA (a "ray" from the UNIVERSAL ONE SPIRIT -- PARAMATMAN).

6.
The immortal Man is called the MONAD and this is a compound of
Atma-Buddhi-Manas 	(Spirit, Wisdom, Mind) -- it is the essential,
eternal and immortal entity (a Triad, or the "Three in One"), and it
is called the true "reincarnating human being."  The concept is that
the Essential Human being (also called the true Ego) is an immortal
Soul, an Eternal Pilgrim, and that our many lives (incarnations) are
like "days" that we spend at the School of Learning which is
Earth-Life.  It is therefore recommended that in our living we strive
to maintain the highest morality, to be practically noble and
altruistic.  "To live to benefit mankind is the First Step," along the
Path of true living.  In the course of innumerable incarnations every
one in the human family has been closely related to us as kindred.
The seeming "stranger" to day,  may have been the brother, sister, or
parent of a previous incarnation.

7.
The whole Universe and our Earth is a cooperative.  We affect all
others and they affect us.

8.
God/Deity is omnipresent (present in all things) as it is essential to
their living.  It cannot be 	"killed" 	or destroyed, nor can it be
kept ignorant of our most secret thoughts and desires -- it is the
"Universal Eye."  Each smallest thing (life-atom) has an element of
the ultimate Deity in it.

9.
Theosophy teaches the history of our past evolution from the very
beginning of manifestation.  	All manifestations are cyclic, since
there is  a period of rest (Pralaya) between each period of
manifestation (Manvantara).

10.
No being is ever left out of the purview of the universal Deity.
Karma belongs to every least 	being, since each is an Immortal,
presently located at its own level of intelligence, and proceeding on
its ever increasing evolution.  Hence we have both Karma and
Reincarnation operating on all beings. And taken as a whole, there is
constant interaction between all beings.


These are a few of the most important concepts that a student of
Theosophy does research on, as the purpose of the Theosophical
approach is to encourage each one to understand, think of, and then
prove their accuracy for themselves.

We are all pupil-teachers on the great ladder of Life and evolution.
Adventures are to  the adventurous, and success comes only to those
who TRY.

Best wishes, and do not hesitate to ask more if you so wish,

Dallas
dalval@nwc.net 


Dallas
dalval@nwc.net 


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-theos-talk@pippin.imagiware.com
[mailto:owner-theos-talk@pippin.imagiware.com]On Behalf Of
THEMAZEMAN@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, August 28, 1999 12:44 PM
To: theos-talk@theosophy.com
Subject: Re: Theos-World - introductory publications?


ramadoss@eden.com writes:
    << ... we need to have some good introductory publication. >>

This is true, not just on the internet, but in other fashions.

After one of the Theosophy meetings at the Theosophical Camp in
Sulphur
Springs, Arkansas, one of the active members loaned me three books
from the
camp library that she said would introduce me to Theosophy. They're
still on
my desk, waiting for me to motivate myself to pick them up. I dread
the long
sentences and all the names that are well-known to the people who
really know
what they're reading.

Note that I'm not below average in my reading level. I'm off the chart
on
word recognition tests like the JOST (Jordan Oral Screening Test) and
the
Slosson. I got about 620 on the verbal section of my GRE (and 800
quantitative and 750 analytical). But reading books like that is WORK
(with
all capital letters, not shouting).

I'm guessing that most of the books that are tossed around as good
introductions have some of the same faults as what I've seen in a few
messages in the lists I receive. Long words or terms that are used
without
clarification. Long sentences that I sometimes have to read two or
three
times to understand.

I'd love to see a book that was written for the average reader or even
below.
I'm currently reading the NIRV (New International Readers' Version) of
the
Bible and loving it. It was written at about a third grade reading
level (by
one reading index). Even though I can read the King James Version and
understand it, I'm finding that I prefer reading the NIRV. Could we
hope to
see some materials, internet and elsewhere, that are written to be
easier to
read?

I hope so, and look forward to seeing them. I know that I've deleted
some
messages from this list because I had to work to understand the first
few
sentences, or special terms were used that weren't explained. When I
don't
understand the first few sentences, I don't read the rest, in much the
same
way that most people read a newspaper. The first paragraph must GRAB
the
reader's interest or the article doesn't get read.

John <www.MAZES.com> Knoderer
Northwest Arkansas

P.S. if you enjoy interesting e-mail lists, here are some that are
available
for free, including bizarre news, human interest stuff, etc: (<A
HREF="http://www.shagmail.com/al/affiliates.cgi?276";>shagmail</A>)
http://www.shagmail.com/al/affiliates.cgi?276

and here's <A
HREF="http://www.planetall.com/main.asp?cid=6100887&s=193";>my
address book</A>.

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teachings. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message consisting of
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