Theos-Talk Archives (October 1999 Message tt00072)

Dallas & All,

Dallas wrote (from one of the Masters):

"....The cycles must run their rounds. Periods of mental and
moral light and darkness succeed each other as day does night. The
major and minor yugas must be accomplished according to the
established order of things. And we, borne along on the mighty tide,
can only modify and direct some of its minor currents. If we had the
powers of the imaginary personal God, and the immutable laws were but
toys to play with, then, indeed, might we have created conditions that
would have turned this earth into an Arcadia for lofty souls."

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Can anyone help answer a question for me?

It seems that there are two separate universal "forces" that can be
considered to affect the world we live in:

1) the action of the yugas, of fixed duration and therefore outside of the
chain of cause and effect with regard to humanity's   
    actions

2) universal karma - the combined effect of all the thoughts, words, deeds
of humanity

In the age we live in, I often hear it said that the ignorance & materialism
etc is due to the actions of man, that we have chosen a lower path and are
therefore facing the consequences of our past actions. But, from the above
text and from what I understand of the yugas in general (very little), it
seems that the "moral darkness" associated with kali yuga is something
completely outside of our control.

If this is true, then my reasoning would suggest that we are no more
responsible for the "moral darkness" than we are responsible for it getting
dark at night or cold in the winter! If the masters can only modify some of
the "minor currents" then what can be expected of the rest of us "mortals"? 

The only solution I have found to satisfy my reason so far is that kali yuga
is like a "spiritual winter" (where the sun has moved further away from the
earth). And like in a physical winter, although food may be scarce, this
does not give us the right to steal it from others. So the temptation to
break universal law to further one's selfish ends is greater. And like in a
physical winter, the harshness of the environment will cause the strong to
survive and the weak to fall.

Does this make sense to anyone? Any thoughts or pertinent quotations would
be gratefully received.

"No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible."
- Stanislaw J. Lec; 1909-1966


Kind Regards,

Nicholas John Street.

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