Theos-Talk Archives (October 2001 Message tt00496)

Tuesday, October 30, 2001


Dear Monica:

We have all had problems learning what theosophy has to say about
Man's 7 principles and how they serve to explain the problems
that beset our concepts of his psychology.

Unfortunately with a few exceptions, modern psychologists do not
recognize the IMMORTAL and ETERNAL principles that make for the
REAL MAN. If this fact could only be grasped there would be a
revolution in the teaching of the purpose of life and the dealing
with psychological problems. The base would be expanded to
include experiences from past lives (that are always with us
interiorly) and we would have a surer perception of the
potentials of our future lives, which we are all molding right
now through the employment of the power of WILL/CHOICE.

Let me suggest:


If you (and all of us) study how H P B makes use of the 7
principles in the KEY TO THEOSOPHY, there are about 100 pages
devoted to explaining the nature of Man's capacity to create
through motive. These ought not to be overlooked. We have to
work out the interplay described there between them.

The REAL MAN is of course the ATMA and that is a "ray" of the
UNIVERSAL SPIRIT (or ATMAN) -- this is what makes us brothers to
each other as well as to all beings in Nature in whatever
condition. [ Do look at the Key, and especially the tables at
pp. 91-2, 135-6, and 175-6. ] The Key is "on line" though
http://www.blavatsky.net ]

The process of EVOLUTION on a UNIVERSAL SCALE places all of us,
who are a part of the HUMAN KINGDOM in the center of the
evolutionary scheme -- where the "ways" go up and down. As
explained in S D I 181 and S D I 157, 3 lines of evolution
converge in each us and makes us the independent thinking AND
feeling entities we are.

Above these two is the "RAY OF THE ONE SPIRIT' (the Atma) which
is the REAL MAN the PERCEIVER and the ACTOR. It trend is to
think, feel and act universally, impersonally, and with
generosity to all.

Each of us is called a Microcosm of the MACROCOSM. For this
reason we have in POTENTIAL all the forces and powers of the
WHOLE.

Why don't we use them? Why are we ignorant of them?

The barrier is caused because we do not look on ourselves as
SPIRITUAL or even MENTAL beings. We immerse ourselves in the
pleasures, delusions and short-term fancies of an animal which
has developed its instincts to the level where it has snared the
lowest aspect of MIND. This PERSONALITY (a "mask" -- persona) is
the selfish, pleasure-craving and isolated slower Self.

The fact we are able to "see" intellectually these three aspects
of our psychology in action implies their presence and our
ability to be detached for and in them.

So Theosophy says that the ATMA uses the 6 other principles as
tools and powers. If any one of those "takes over" and we (the
Real Man allows it) to replace the ATMA as the Perceiver, the
DOER and the WILLER, then because of its inherent limitations,
there is trouble and eventual chaos and "bad" Karma for the
PERSONALITY. The most frequent usurper is the KAMA PRINCIPLE.
It is called "Passions and desires." It is mean and selfish and
self-serving, always on the defensive to lie and scheme to
preserve its "independence" and it unique selfishness.

When we are awake and acting in our body we are immediately
ensnared by DESIRES AND PASSIONS. If we wish to think
spiritually we have to subdue them. And they do not like that
and try to frighten us with the concept of the loss of the
pleasures they bind us with. We are afraid that if we lose
those, we will have nothing but severe and heartless discipline
in life. That is untrue.

The WILL is a tool of the ATMA when it acts spiritually,
IMPERSONALLY AND FOR THE GOOD OF ALL.. The will is transformed
into tyranny and selfishness in the hands of the PERSONALITY.
The WILL is opposed to DESIRE. They appear similar, but the
objective of the WILL is to purify and universalize. The
objective of the DESIRE is to personalize, isolate and selfishly
rule or acquire ascendancy over other processes and persons. To
achieve this it deliberately breaks all the rules of decency and
brotherliness.

BUDDHI is given the quality of WISDOM because it draws on the
Akasic record of the totality of the past recorded there. It
sees past errors. it is able to warn us using the voice of
conscience. We need to grasp at that warning if we desire to
keep our independence of the delusions and follies of the
principle names KAMA which is composed of desires and passions
and the ignorance of selfishness.

To make our will ONE WITH THE UNIVERSAL WILL we need to
impersonalize, spiritualize and universalize our personal
outlook -- so that this is operative all of the time, and not
some few stray moments, when our conscience causes remorse to
prick us.

Our job is to take the instincts and the yearnings of the
PERSONALITY ( a mixture of the animal and the thinking principle
and make it wise by preventing its selfish and isolationist
tendencies.

Since we have not been trained since childhood in education and
religious instruction to look on ourselves as IMMORTALS, who use
this body of ours as a tool for this incarnation, in its search
for the real and the permanent IMMORTAL LIFE, we are fearful and
ignorant.

Yet these stray concepts (when we come upon them) resonate and
tend to awaken the memory of the permanent INNER and HIGHER SELF
(the ATMA) -- and they try to illuminate the Personal Self and
show it a wider and more permanent vista than the average person
is aware of.

To make it clearer, see if this helps::

1. The ATMA is a DIVINE SPIRIT. It is the REAL INDIVIDUAL.
It is Immortal. It represents WISDOM and all the VIRTUES when
wisdom is APPLIED. WISDOM ALWAYS WORKS WITH UNIVERSAL LAW
(Karma).

2. The MIND is a power as well as an entity. It can be used
by the Spirit or the Terrestrial animalism that is striving to
become spiritual, but at present is too ignorant to be sure how
to do that. So the Mind is dual: Higher Mind or BUDDHI-MANAS is
different from Lower Mind or KAMA-MANAS.

3. The KAMA principle of selfish and personal desires,
passions and vices.-- its highest attainment is INSTINCT. It is
unable to see the future of any of its desires without the help
of Manas/mind.

Since it does not understand IMMORTALITY or the attainment of
WISDOM through obedience to KARMA and universal LAW, it makes of
itself the "ANTAGONIST."

It does not understand that the Laws of Nature (if used) gives it
IMMORTALITY, eventually. [I say "eventually" because it takes
time to work off the debts the personality in its selfishness has
accumulated as "bad" Karma.]

It is the LOWER SELF. It is the law-breaker and the tempter and
the annihilator in us. But its redemption is always through its
own efforts to become WISE. This is our present position. We are
all at various levels trying to get to being fully integrated
wise and permanent IMMORTALS.

At least, that is how I understand Theosophy teaches,

If this is done then everything and everyone benefits. There is
a marked improvement in the personality, the individuality, the
Mind and the surroundings.

Best wishes,

Dallas

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




-----Original Message-----
From: M S
Sent: Saturday, October 27, 2001 6:06 PM
To:
Subject:: THEOSOPHY == and TS, ULT, Krishnamurti & Besant, etc...

---dalval 14...> wrote:


> WE the REAL INDIVIDUAL are the ATMA. It is not one of our
> "tools."

My thinking was more along the line that at the Atmic level,
there is
the Will. It is the Will which we the REAL INDIVIDUAL must align
ourselves with, is it not? And in that respect, the Atmic Will
can
help us attune. As Buddhi is Intuition, Atma is Universal Will.
When our will is one with the Universal Will, we are identifying
with
universal spirit, also Atma.

Monica