Theos-Talk Archives (September 2001 Message tt00052)

Dear Sapphire

Many thanks for your good essay on the cardinal VIRTUES and the description
of them in practice.

Would you allow me to ask some further questions?

1. Can we say there are two approaches to TRUTH ? By that I mean:

1. how we FEEL about it, and

2. what we KNOW about it ?

2. If we can show that TRUTHS and VIRTUE are inter-related. But,
are they
universal or, are they only the way we “see” things as a person ?

3. Is not the singe “God or Source” a statement that the Universe in
its entirety is pervaded by the spiritual essence as a basis ? If so, how
are we to explain the existence and influence of selfishness and “evil?”
These must be a reason why there is IGNORANCE and consequent FEAR .

4. If UNITY is assumed then BROTHERHOOD would be the practice
universally. As an IDEAL all subscribe to it. Even the thief, or the liar
plays the part of an honest man.

5. If IDEALS exist and are TRUE, then why is it so difficult to
practice them? In other words what is the origin of EVIL ?

6. Would it be right and fair to assume there are universal laws in
SPIRITUAL NATURE and that these are reflected at all levels of the
evolutionary scale?

7. If there is an evolutionary scale, then how has Nature (or God)
devised it? What are its beginning and end? What is its purpose?

8. Is there in Nature something like a basic Unit which living and
acting as a “pilgrim” passes through the various stages of “evolution” and
emerges VIRTUOUS and WISE ? Are the Sages, Prophets, “Sons of God,” etc… of
this potential?

9. What is the position and condition of Man’s Spirit and Soul? Is
there a difference between SPIRIT and SOUL ? ( for instance, as between
WISDOM and MIND ?)

10. How can we best establish the relationship between SPIRIT and
MATTER? Are they co-existent ? What function do they play if they are
essential? Can units of “MATTER” be spiritualized? Does thinking and
consciousness play a part in this ?

11. May we define “LOVE” as the natural attraction between the pairs
of opposites ? Is it an equilibrating state and force? Could this again be
expressed as “Universal Brotherhood?” Does this not do away with any
conflicts, animosities, desire to dominate others, etc… and, Do we not
have to give to others the same freedoms we expect for ourselves ?

12. If there are Universal TRUTHS and LAWS, then ought not our faith
be based on those once that they have been proved to exist? Why is it so
difficult for us to realize there may be such facts? Why is it difficult to
admit that they are universal and uniform for all? Why is there a constant
attempt to escape from the limits and rigors of Laws ? This is a most
peculiar psychological condition and needs explaining. What aspect of Man
demands freedom?

13. Does not “RESPECT” fit in with the concept that we are, at base,
all SPIRITUAL BEINGS? That which we respect in others is identical with the
“fragment of God-Spirit” that is inherent in us. If God pervades the
Universe, then are not all beings potential “Gods.” But can this be
demonstrated logically ?

14. Does not “KINDNESS” also pattern itself as an attitude and a
practice of the concept that the Universal God-Spirit is present in all
things, from the Atom to the Human, and from the little Earth we live on to
the utmost limits of the COSMOS ? Why does our having to live in a form of
matter make us forgetful of the IDEALS and the facts of our ALL being a part
of the IMMORTALITY of the UNIVERSE ?

15. Is this not the great mystery of LIFE ? To be seemingly
“separate,” yet to be each one analogous to others in some degrees, while
being quite separate as to memory, experience, capacity and faculties ?

16. Are these differences indicative of our personal evolution? Is
it perhaps that our present emphasis on differences makes appear so
different from one another? How do we reunite? , One wonders why it is that
the UNIVERSE seems to have split itself into innumerable “parts” and through
those “differences” it again seeks to reunite itself into ONE WHOLE ? Of
course experience and acquired knowledge and wisdom will accrue during the
process.

17. Are not HONESTY, JUSTICE, and KINDNESS efforts that the personal
mind has to make to become truly united with all others ? And is not that
Unity one of voluntary adoption of the Laws of the Universe (God) for the
guidance of our freedom to choose?

18. If we have this freedom, and, if it is derived from SPIRIT (which
is One) then, are not the many kinds of qualifications and differences
prevailing in the World false? By “differences” I mean
nationality, race, creed sect, level of education, language, etc… Shouldwe
not examine these carefully to see how and why they are taught, imposed, and
we are then placed by some in those categories ?

You see all you write has suggested a number of questions to me, and I
wonder if your views applied to them will help answer some of them.

Best wishes,

Dallas

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




-----Original Message-----
From: Sapphire Blue [mailto:sapphire_10@hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, September 07, 2001 4:16 PM
To: study@blavatsky.net
Subject: [bn-study] Truth and the Sacred Heart

Greetings dear friends
Thank you for the wonderful exchanges on bn-study recently. I was
particularly moved by Peter's original email on belief and truth, and his
comment about finding the concept of truth a great problem in his present
incarnation. Blavatsky simply but profoundly stated "There is no Religion
higher than Truth" summing up the Truth of the Ageless Wisdom teachings in
which she endured great personal pain and self-sacrifice to give humanity.
But defining the essence of truth is most elusive, and endeavouring to live
truth as a daily reality is even more difficult. Peter summed this up by
saying " I have this 'Feel' that truth is invariant and never changing. But
I live in a physical world that is changing all the time and what I believe
to be a truth seems to change as life changes. So what is true or truth?"
I believe that pure truth can be found only in the heart, not the mind. We
call this 'thinking in the heart'. The heart centre is the true source of
human power. The mind is merely a servant which behaves well when given
positive impulses and behaves poorly when given negative impulses. In
esoteric parlance, it is generally said that "the mind is the slayer of the
real". When we speak symbolically of "getting to the heart of the matter" we
essentially mean the truth.
It is common esoteric knowledge that the Sacred Heart, which is the
spiritual aspect of the physical heart organ, is the true source of our
higher intelligence and our sacred link to the Father - our Divine Spark or
Monad. The Heart's function is to honour that sacred bond. When Master Jesus
spoke of the temple, He was referring to the Sacred Heart and when referring
to the Kingdom of Heaven, He meant the zone of perfection which is the bond
between God and man found within the Heart.
>From the Heart Centre of wisdom and truth, there are found seven dimensions
of higher intelligence which resonate outwardly. They can be regarded as
principles for living a life of truth. As we begin to master them in their
completeness, they can be seen with more clarity as dimensions of greater
ability and knowledge. The seven dimensions of Intelligence within the Heart
are:
1) UNITY - is the primary awareness that there is but one God or Source, one
Power which is the unifying force in all of life. This awareness affirms the
oneness of spirit, reveals the wisdom of the ages, and provides insight into
the larger order of things. Through respect for unity , one comes to
understand the patterns of cause and effect which permeate all of existence.
Unity is also the source of intelligence, for it grants the ability to
integrate knowledge and to correctly define priorities. That is the
beginning of wisdom. Integration is the principle of successful thinking and
living. Without priorities, there can be no focus in life and no values.
This translates into higher intelligence when you understand that there are
core issues in everyone's life relating to dominance. Dominance is always an
issue in the world. Competition hinges on the problem of dominance, ranging
from business to military conflict. In personal lives the! re are endless
battles for position. Until one allows God to be the unifying force in life,
there is nothing else capable of ending the chaos of competition. In the
presence of unity, which is God, the One, the Supreme, you have all the
power you need to fulfill your life and existence.
2) LOVE - is the power of the Universe. Therefore, your greatest defence in
life is to protect, honour, and respect love in its many forms. When you
maintain this principle with clarity, your life purposes will come into
view. This is because all your purposes are etched in love. Love is beyond
just a feeling or an orientation. It is a dimension of intelligence and
purposeful living. Above all, it is the essence of beingness. A person who
is operating with a commitment to purpose has higher intelligence than one
who is not. A person who is operating on his true purpose is then able to
assign values to life. The heart's intelligence is cumulative. Through
perceptions of unity, priorities are established. Then love assigns the
purposes. Furthermore, love heightens a person's instinct to nourish,
enhance, and apply those purposes. Love is both a way of being and also a
pathway for becoming. Love ignites life. Love savours life and sustains
faith ! and hope. Even though life often brings lessons in hard packages,
learning happens only when forgiveness has occurred and love is restored. It
is love that ignites the learning. Only with love can learning occur. Love
brings certainty to life, and when your love is clear and unpolluted with
regrets or false desires, you will have the confidence to live your life
with passion. With passion, there will be fuel for life. Meditate upon love
as the power of your beingness and the essence of who you really are.
Earnestly apply its principles and you will be successful in love and life.
3) LIFE - life is love in action. The hope of life is meaningful experience,
happiness, fulfillment and continuity. Life has indwelling intelligence.
Follow life, serve the living, and fulfill your love by following the
pathways that life is revealing to you. There is great wisdom in that simple
process. Life and the living will light your way and unfold your future.
Instead of watching life through a rear-view mirror, look before you and
behold the current possibilities with innocent perception. In practicing
this, you will cultivate the inborn intelligence of how life works and how
the love that you are can foster better involvements with it. Forgive
yourself and others, for yesterday has already been lived. Be here now and
face the path in front of you, for that is where life is. Regard the present
moment as sacred. Respect life in all its ways as an unfolding experience.
Life is not behind you - it's in front of you. It is not history or a!
memory. Life is that which is birthing before your very eyes. Know that, and
your intelligence will become a dynamic force rather than a stagnating body
of knowledge with formulas for mortal structure.
4) RESPECT - it begins with respect for God, respect for yourself, respect
for your brothers, and for all life forms. Respect is a point of honour,
although it is a great deal more than that. Though we are one in spirit,
each being is unique in love, purpose, and life. Unique qualities belong to
each person and endow him with abilities, freedoms, and responsibilities
that may not be present for another. Each person, and every aspect of life,
is irreplaceable. What you do not bring to the Earth, no one else will.
Respect begins with knowing that you and your Creator have a covenant, and
in that covenant are all the answers and resources you need to make your
life work. Then you extend that right to others. This ultimately leads to
respect for Divine Order, which is the highest intelligence. Composure comes
form respect for Divine Order. Do not complain, for that is disrespect. Do
not wallow in self-pity, for that is disrespect of! self. Why should a child
of God feel sorry for himself? That is the essence of denial. And in so
denying, do you see how you disempower? Through respect for Divine Order,
patience is cultivated. This brings knowledge of proper timing. In that is
great intelligence. Often other issues and other needs have to be worked out
before your plans can unfold, before your place can be set at the table. By
respecting all things, and most especially Divine Order, you will attain
peace and patience. Through this, you will be directed to the most efficient
use of your life, so that you can experience self-respect to the fullest.
The greatest act of self-respect is to honour the Sacred Heart as the seat
of your covenant with God and your access to higher intelligence.
5) HONESTY - the practice of honesty will reveal the power of innocent
perception. Without honesty, there is no such thing as higher intelligence.
In many ways, honesty is the summation of other dimensions of intelligence,
for how can one even access intelligence except through the practice of
honesty? How can intelligence be applied to life unless a situation is
honestly evaluated? It is unfortunate that honesty is regarded primarily as
a guideline for morality rather than an aspect of intelligence. Honesty
brings solutions to every problem of life, as well as science, law, and
social management. Honesty begins with the most simple question, 'what is
it?' followed by a direct uncensored answer of what is. The most dangerous
person ever to deceive is yourself, for in doing so you destroy your basis
for honesty. Honesty is the foundation of intelligence, while dishonesty is
the foundation of stupidity. Many doors are shut to a dishonest p! erson.
Even if he could enter, he could not walk through the maze of his own
self-deceptions. This includes honesty about habits, relationships, ideas,
careers, and plans. You are not going any further than honesty will carry
you. Contemplation of honesty will open the chambers of your heart and
opportunities in life which have been hidden from you.
6) JUSTICE - exchange is the basis of life in the universe, from the most
elemental particles to the most complex human situations. Justice is the
intelligence of exchange and balance. When balance is maintained, health
prevails. This is true in all things, from a healthy person to a healthy
planet. Through practicing balance and fair exchange, you will develop
wisdom in your discourses with life and with others. All things return to
balance eventually. Being a wise and effective custodian of those balances
is the hallmark of justice. There is a special dimension of intelligence in
the heart which allows this to happen. There is a fair price for everything,
and that derives its justice from an exact ratio of displacement. How much
energy, time, effort, and ability was spent in producing the product and
service? Paying too little and paying too much are equally damaging to the
act of exchange and both will inhibit a return to equilibrium. In every e!
xchange, love is the element, energy, and willingness which allows it to
happen. Stealing, invasion, or trespassing may be brought about with force
or deception. There is no true exchange without love. You are exchanging
friendship, rapport, confidence, trust and values that build justice. When
justice is gone, trust is gone. When trust is gone, civilization is gone. If
containment of criminality were the only reason for justice, it could hardly
be regarded as higher intelligence. The true purpose of justice is not about
containment of anything. Rather, it is about adjustments and resolutions.
Justice is a way of life which nourishes goodness and stewards the never
ending flow of exchange. Nevertheless, criminality flourishes when there is
widespread injustice. Justice is like water. It finds its own true level if
there is enough fairness and exchange to accommodate the flow. When
adjustments cannot be made, desperate measures will often be attempted.
There are many possi! ble causes of criminal action. Yet, when a society
practices justice, there is no fertile ground to permit its cultivation.
7) KINDNESS - is not just an act of charity to the young, the vulnerable, or
the needy. It is the will of God for everyone. Your goodness is strengthened
through kindness. It is the will of the Father that you know and use that
power to be a wise custodian of what you have been given. Through acts of
kindness your own abundance increases, for you have multiplied the ways in
which your giving may be returned to you. The world regards kindness as a
compensation for life, or a gentle protection from its harsher realities.
Actually, kindness is the heart of living. It is what makes life bearable,
meaningful, and delicious. In order to develop the intelligence of kindness,
you must discover the joy of truly giving and forgiving - no strings
attached, not even so much for glory or recognition. In tapping into
kindness, you are literally tapping into the intelligence of God. In
understanding kindness for yourself, you also understand it for othe! rs. It
is the will of God that you be kind to yourself and others. Kindness is the
right use of will. Kindness is GOOD WILL - expressed as caring, helping,
refraining from hurtful actions, sharing, making life work, and
consideration of others. Kindness is strength in action. The confidence that
comes from showing kindness is a masterful influence over any situation.
Consider how much strength it takes to show good will to someone who is
hurting you. Kindness builds strength, and strength builds greater kindness.
Kindness is the consummating dimension of the heart's intelligence, the will
of God for life itself. Do not confuse intelligence with the dry detachment
of mental reasoning. True intelligence is merely certainty and
understanding, which bring both clarity and passion to life. Another way of
saying the same thing is that within the Sacred Heart are seven passions:
Unity, Love, Life, Respect, Honesty, Justice, and Kindness, which bring
understanding and focus to li! ving. Together they generate COMPASSION,
which is the soul's true knowing.
The Sacred Heart is the soul's gateway, both into life and beyond into
eternity. The Heart is the timeless and indestructible source of all higher
knowledge. It is the one point within each person where the inner and outer
forces are the same. Within the Heart, the will of God and your own may be
brought into harmony. Thus, through living and thinking in the Heart, we can
strive to reflect the essence of truth in our daily lives, and by empowering
it, we consciously raise our energy level physically, emotionally, mentally
and spiritually.
Love & Blessings to you all, Sapphire



_____

Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
<http://go.msn.com/bql/hmtag_itl_EN.asp>
---
Current topic is at
http://www.blavatsky.net/talk/bnstudy/bibleSyllabus1999.htm
You are currently subscribed to bn-study as: [dalval14@earthlink.net]
To unsubscribe, forward this message to
leave-bn-study-6660817A@lists.lyris.net


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]