Theos-Talk Archives (May 2000 Message tt00222)

Thankyou.  Very well written and clear to me.

Gene


-----Original Message-----
From: Eldon B Tucker <eldon@theosophy.com>
To: theos-talk@theosophy.com <theos-talk@theosophy.com>
Date: Saturday, May 20, 2000 10:33 PM
Subject: Re: Theos-World Theosophy, Aryans, and Racism


>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.
>
>
>-- THEOSOPHY WORLD -- Theosophical Talk -- theos-talk@theosophy.com
>
>Letters to the Editor, and discussion of theosophical ideas and
>teachings. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message consisting of
>"subscribe" or "unsubscribe" to theos-talk-request@theosophy.com.
>


-- THEOSOPHY WORLD -- Theosophical Talk -- theos-talk@theosophy.com

Letters to the Editor, and discussion of theosophical ideas and
teachings. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message consisting of
"subscribe" or "unsubscribe" to theos-talk-request@theosophy.com.