Theos-Talk Archives (April 2001 Message tt00151)

Friday, April 27, 2001

Dear Friends:

Re: changes we can make in our personality -- altering the
Skandhas,
and adjusting old Karma.

As I understand the matter, we are doing this changing of our won
personalities, all the time.

It depends on our motives. Our own choices (even a choice to do
nothing, is still a CHOICE) are the creators of our vehicles.

Suppose that one or several of us desire to create for themselves
a personality which will be of service to others, do we not then,
bend our will upon that effort -- to improve ourselves, to be
harmless and charitable, always to assist if possible and to
exercise the best discrimination (Buddhi-Manas) we can bring to
bear on a subject at the time?

Then, do we not abandon any thought of being recompensed, and,.
like NATURE, we support others in their endeavors towards
self-improvement?

Nothing we know is our property in terms of knowledge and wisdom.
NATURE has already established those laws, rules and procedures.
(We need only scrutinize her processes to verify this.) And, we
find that Nature never sleeps, and being constantly aware, it
suggests we do our part where we are and pass on such keys to
understanding as we may have gained. And that is our
responsibility and duty to do this as well as we can. That is
how I see it.

We ought not to argue that our present condition is so arduous
and demanding that we cannot alter our motives and views so as to
include a wider horizon -- the parameters of improvement -- which
like the oil of benevolence, brings a change in the personality,
and the way we deal with others, as one tries to apply truly
SPIRITUAL restraints (disciplines) on our Kamic nature.

But these are pretty well described in the 1st article in FIVE
YEARS OF THEOSOPHY, the article by G. Mitford: "THE ELIXIR OF
LIFE."

Obviously if we allow selfishness and self-interest to enter into
our life after making such a resolve, much of the profit (merit)
earned will be dissipated and we will have to start again. At
least that is how I understand it.

Best wishes,

Dal

==========================

-----Original Message-----
From: Jerome Wheeler [mailto:ultinla@juno.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2001 5:49 PM
To: study@blavatsky.net
Cc: study@blavatsky.net
Subject: [bn-study] Re: on being awake....

At present we are in the condition of the carpenter who mistakes
the
hammer for himself and acts accordingly --- so a pretty drastic
change
has to happen --- so drastic for westerners that I personally
think we
have a long, long, time in realizing how much in the incorrect
direction
we have actually wandered!! To say that all I need to do is to
reform my
personality and use it for the benefit of mankind is
possible---and
frankly I think the great majority would agree with you.

A lot hinges on what we mean when we use the word "personality."
Sentimentality is a dangerous foundation for the perseverance
required to
learn the science of the soul. To cherish humanity without
being
sentimental or romantic over its actual appearance on the
external plane
is difficult.

I would be the first to admit that Buddha, Plato and Plotinus
each had a
very distinctive "persona" through which they worked.

Madame Blavatsky articles: "Modern Apostles and
Pseudo-Messiahs,"
"Practical Occultism," and "Spiritual Progress" help in getting a
"feel"
for the difficulty of the task.

jerome


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