Theos-Talk Archives (September 2001 Message tt00129)

Sunday, September 16, 2001


Dear Friends:


According to The SECRET DOCTRINE H.P.Blavatsky there are several
aspects of "prayer." All results are dependant on the motive and
the strength of the DESIRE force used when a "prayer is made."

It is important, first to ask:

1. To whom shall a "prayer" be addressed?

2. What energy or force ought to be put into a "prayer ?"

3. Should a prayer be addressed to any living entity?

4. Is it wise to utter a prayer for ones' self?

5. How could a prayer be made on behalf of another?


In considering these questions let us look at the Universe and
how it is constituted.

1. First of all, Theosophy considers that the Universe as a
whole ( and this includes ourselves, other humans, the
environment made up of all kinds an sizes of entities-- minute
atoms, and our Earth, and, the greatest of Galaxies ) is ruled
by exact LAWS which adjust all effects to the causes that concern
them. If this were not so, then the Universe would dissolve into
chaos in time. There would be no point to the existence of
ourselves and the rest of manifestation if the potential and
possibility of evolving into wisdom did not exist. This forms
the basis for Universal brotherhood.
It also precludes and eliminates the concept of a "Personal god"
who would have the extra-legal power to manipulate His own Laws
and by special favor, restore a shattered harmony of comfort,
for some specially designated persons ( and not for others).

2. Second, all events whether gradual or catastrophic in terms
of time and location are the result of the interaction and
cooperative nature of many LAWS and the individual Karma of
millions, if not billons of humans, and other creatures that are
linked Karmically to a place, an event, a time and the nature of
their own individual existence in their present adopted forms.
There is an energy generated voluntarily by any one who prays.
Theosophy recommends that any prayer be made universal and
altruistic in character: "for the general good."
Self-beneficial prayers are selfish and elf-serving and do not
take into account the generosity of Nature which evenly
distributes all effects, good, or bad to those who (in the past)
sowed the seeds of their present fruition. This is, of course a
general statement, since the individual seeds and final
resolutions are not to be traced by us without good reason. Nor
does any present catastrophism, necessarily reveal the causes
that led to a person's involvement.

3. Third. Theosophy places the concept of continuous progress
spiritually and psychically before us as the causes (in general)
of all events. This is a UNIVERSALIZING and not a
"personalizing" of the wish for good to prevail and heal. It is
better to have some concept of universal harmony and purpose than
to believe that all is ruled by chance, or quite imperfectly by
the occasional whims and fancy of a fallible God who needs human
direction for his decisions.

4. Fourth,. For a catastrophe, or an accident to occur, an
enormous focusing of Karma is required -- as in a war, a bombing,
a wanton destruction or impairment of useful lives. Nature
precipitates weather conditions that affect millions for long or
short periods: storms, frosts, plagues, diseases, earthquakes,
floods, eruptions, sudden changes of climate, etc... We do not
argue (although we deplore the suffering and pain incurred) about
these events. But when an act of war, or of terrorism envelops
the lives of many thousands of apparently innocent persons we
wonder if LAW is still operative.

But let us get back to the question of the efficacy of prayer.
Observations shows that responses are indeterminate. More often
prayer is of passing comfort to the one who prays than to any
actual results that can be proved to actually ensue.

[ An aside: As to after-death states no one has returned who is
able to demonstrate to us other that by theory and argument that
they are actual and real. If we as spiritual consciousnesses
have repeatedly passed through the states of Kama-Loka and
Devachan, our new brains (fresh tools provided for the Manas -
mind - to use in each incarnation) have no recollection of those
events.
(see KEY TO THEOSOPHY (HPB) pp. 124-5, 130-2, 136, )

The brains' atoms have been dispersed for too long, and there is
no mechanism for a complete restoration of that composite record,
unless the astral body has been retained by Karma for the new/old
materials to reassemble on. [ Such cases are very rare.] ]

5. In The SECRET DOCTRINE we find H.P.Blavatsky discussing the
question of Prayer, Evil, Temptation, in Vol. I pp 413 - 417.
It is well worth reading. It may be summed up without going into
the logics and the arguments as follows: "God cannot be tempted
with Evil, neither tempteth he any man." [Gen. Epistle of James,
i, 13] [Good and Evil] are separated instead of being regarded
as the two facets of one and the same thing...echoes of universal
and philosophical dogmas in nature." [S D I 414-5]" "Anger
is the passion of fools...Every man reaps the consequences of his
own acts. ...Mercy is the might of the righteous...every such
"sacrifice" or prayer to God for help, is no better than an act
of black magic." ... In Kosmos the equilibrium must be
maintained." {S D I 415-16]

On the positive side: one might turn to S D I 280:

"All [ Great Creative beings] are entitled to the grateful
reverence of Humanity...and men ought to be ever striving to help
the divine evolution of Ideas, by becoming to the best of his
ability a co-worker with nature in the cyclic task..

The ever unknown and incognizable Karana alone, the Causeless
Cause of all causes, should have its shrine and altar of the holy
and ever untrodden ground of our heart--invisible, intangible,
unmentioned save through "the still small voice" of our spiritual
consciousness. Those who worship before it, ought to do so in the
silence and the sacrificial solitude of their Souls; making
their spirit the sole mediator between them and the Universal
Spirit, their good intentions the only priests, and their sinful
intentions the only visible and objective sacrificial victims to
the Presence."
S D I, p.. 280.


Best wishes,

Dallas

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


-----Original Message-----
From: B. F.
Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2001 3:00 PM
To:
Subject:: A thought on prayer....

Jerome,
I find your comment below very interesting:

>There is a sense in which ALL inner prayers are answered. If
you should
>pray and say, "Oh inner god or good, wherever you are, please
cause that
>karma to fall on me that is needed to make this unit more useful
in
>serving humanity;" it might just so happen that you will call
down 30
>years of mental, psychological, and physical suffering on
yourself ----
>but the gods have another way of saying it, they call it
"necessary
>purification."


CUT