Theos-Talk Archives (May 2000 Message tt00210)

In THE SECRET DOCTRINE, I. 480, HPB says:

 > Since only a certain portion of the secret teachings can be given out
 > in the present age, if they were published without any explanations or
 > commentary, the doctrines would never be understood even by
 > theosophists. Therefore they must be contrasted with the speculations
 > of modern science. Archaic axioms must be placed side by side with
 > modern hypotheses and comparison left to the sagacious reader.

Blavatsky was writing in terms that westerners of her age would
understand. Her references to science, to how things were viewed in
her era, were clothed in the language, myth, metaphor, and prejudice
of the time. If she were writing the same materials in our age, it'd
likely be in different words.

If Blavatsky were writing in the middle ages, her words would have
to conform to the prejudices of the time, in order to not be
violently stamped out. The language of the Mysteries, which she
sought to express, would have to be more thickly veiled.

The very lowest part of ourselves, the animal-physical nature, called
the vital-astral-physical monad, has definite features, traits,
genetic code that has a strong influence on what it is and what
happens to us. But that is not the real "us." We are the intermediate
nature, a conscious entity of mind and heart, pulled down by our
animal nature and uplifted by our spiritual core.

While we may have a physical body of a certain appearance, with
certain traits, our actual self is quite independent. Someone
may be born in China, with one appearance, yet feel more at home
in California. Another person may be born in a crowded European
slum, yet find most comfort in the life of a woodsman.

In Blavatsky's time, the term "race" may have been useful. In our
day the same term more likely denotes prejudice based upon superficial
things likes someone's appearance. (Of course, there are many forms
of prejudice, some acknowledge as bad, others openly practiced,
like the hateful shunning of fat people, as though there were something
wrong with them.)

Earlier root races and subraces may have different physical
appearances. But the physical form is not the determining factor.
One can have a particular physical form and yet be in any currently
existing so-called race.

The races are more like cultural theaters. They are also like
special classes at school. Some are at different grade levels; but
many are just different courses, subject areas, specialized experiences
that any of us may, through karmic necessity, chose to go through.
Yet another way to describe them is as different specializations of
the collective unconscious, several active at any period of history,
new ones arising as others fade into oblivion.

In considering human evolution through the races, we need to
keep clear the distinction between the evolution of races, 
cultures, societies, on a macro scale, as distinguished from the
evolution of the individual on a micro scale, who through personal 
karma slips into and out of one race after the other, not
necessarily in a particular sequence.

Various cultures have persisted over time. There have been
general improvements in most or all of them. For the most part,
slavery is gone, both based upon race, nation of birth, and
social standing. Women are getting more of an equitable position
in life. Disease and starvation are being wiped out in some parts
of the globe, though still rampant elsewhere. Constant warfare,
crime, and violence is on the decline, although again there are
hot spots on the globe where things are still awful. More and
more people are getting the basics of food and shelter taken 
care of, leaving them a bit of time for philosophy, a consideration
of art, for doing things for others and wondering about life and
the world.

Coming finally to the comment regarding the Australian natives
as degenerate remnants, this means that the culture-form, the
type of society and life-experience that they currently have, is
old, worn old, losing its life energy, becoming less and less
attractive, as less-and-less people chose to be born into it.
This is not to say that renovation isn't possible there. In any
part of the world, certain pioneering spirits, certain advanced
humans may be born that can bring about revolutionary changes in 
a culture's psyche, transforming it into a place highly-attractive
for incarnating souls -- be it there, or in the uncaring heart
of a major western metropolis like New York City, or in our
own neighborhood!

-- Eldon

At 10:18 PM 5/20/00 -0400, you wrote:
>In the Secret Doctrine I found a reference to the "Negroid" race as a 
>degenerate remnant of the Lemurian race that would soon die out.  She 
>describes them physically and actually names examples of certain peoples (I 
>believe the Australian natives were one of them.)  What do you make of that?  
>Its pretty hard to write that off as a reference to a a totally spiritual 
>race.  If you dont believe me i can fish out the quote I believe I have it 
>highlighted. 


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