Theos-Talk Archives (November 2001 Message tt00324)

Saturday, November 17, 2001

Re: The doctrine of the Perfectibility of all Humanity --
Karma, the Law, and Reincarnation the Process.

Dear Terrie:

The reason reincarnation seems to come up for frequent review is
that it is so normal a concept. Let us look at the analogy of
sleep. Every night we find our body and brain lose consciousness
as we sleep. A process of re-invigoration takes place and we
awake refreshed. Every morning we awake in the same body again,
and the memories of all the many days we have lived are, in
general, available to us to assure ourselves of our continuity.
To this self-assurance we can add the welcome we receive from our
family, friends, and companions of all kinds.

The only difference between "sleep" and "death" is that the
physical death of our (usually old and worn out body) causes the
physical matter with which we have clothed ourselves to disperse
back into nature.. On reincarnating the same Soul/Spirit/Ego --
ourselves -- has to take on a new body reassembled under our
"Karma" by Nature, only very partially from the atoms and
molecules of the scattered elements of the old material -- so
that our memories of a previous life are usually very few and
only sketchy. Little children sometimes give this evidence, but
it may easily be overlooked or called fancy.

Let me see if I can find you something in Theosophical literature
that makes this whole thing simple and reasonable. Of course you
can go to the KEY TO THEOSOPHY (HPB) or to the OCEAN OF
THEOSOPHY (Judge) [both are on line at
http://www.blavatsky.net -- so you could read the relevant
chapters. You will find the reasons offered cogent and
reasonable. In brief:

Theosophy tells us of the origin, history, development and
destiny of mankind.

1.	Each Human spirit is a manifestation (or a "Ray") of the One
Spirit, and thus a part of all. It passes through a series of
experiences in incarnation, and is destined to ultimate reunion
with the Divine. These "experiences" are also seen to influence
the progress of the matter that is used in the physical form we
assemble and use. It also benefits from our progress.

2.	This process we call reincarnation is not single, but
repeated, each individuality becomes re-embodied during numerous
existences in successive races on our Earth, and, accumulating
the experiences of each incarnation it steadily marches towards
its perfection. [This is similar to our education, as we go from
class to class, daily. The whole ending in our graduation. Also,
we progress at our own chosen place -- as we did in school. In
effect, we are always choosing our grades.

3.	Between adjacent incarnations, after grosser elements are
first purged away, comes a period of comparative rest and
refreshment, called Devachan-the soul is therein prepared by its
"Higher Self" (the spiritual center of our Being) for its next
return into material life.

4.	The constitution of man is subdivided in a septenary manner,
the main divisions form three pairs. These are: body, soul and
spirit. These divisions and their relative development govern his
subjective condition after death. If the present seven-fold
division, as given by Theosophical writers is adhered to strictly
and without any conditional statement, it will give rise to
controversy or error. For instance, Spirit is not a seventh
principle, for it is the synthesis, or the whole, and is equally
present in the other six. The present various divisions can only
be used as a general working hypothesis, to be developed and
corrected as students advance, and, make for themselves their
own development.

Let us give a description (without going into extensive details)
to better understand this.

The physical molecules that form our cells, bones, blood, organs,
brain, etc... are always aggregated on an electro-magnetic
pattern body (the 2nd, or "Astral body.")

This "Astral Body" is molded into its configuration by the
underlying "life currents," called Prana or "breath" -- or the
body of the vital airs in Sanskrit ( the 3rd "principle").

The 4th principle -- of the desires, passions, needs, wants.
fancies, and dislikes form this 4th "principle" called "Kama."
This is quite different from our mind and our creative ability to
think.

The Thinker, and his thoughts, make up the 5th principle. And
this is Mind or the dual Manas. There is a "Lower Mind"
(Kama-Manas), which is that aspect of thinking that is attracted
by and attached to the principle Kama (desires and passions).
And, there is its twin faculty, which we may call: a noble and
altruistic Mind (the Higher Mind, or Buddhi-Manas).

Buddhi, or Wisdom (is the accumulated experience of our many
previous incarnation.) It is also called Soul-memory, Intuition,
the Voice of Conscience. This is the 6th Principle.

The 7th is the "Ray of the Spirit" incarnating in us -- the ATMA.
This being universal it forms the basis for Universal Brotherhood
and the sense of idealism, fairness and justice which prevails
throughout nature.

Let us return to a survey of the cycle of reincarnation.

The state of spiritual but comparative rest known as Devachan is
not an eternal one, and so is not the same as the heaven of
Christianity. Nor does "hell" correspond to the state spoken of
by Christianity. After the death of the physical man all the
memories stored in the bodily centers and the brain are
concentrated in the "Astral Body" -- the 2nd Principle, which
survives the death of the physical body for a short time. The
human consciousness there, passes into a state called
technically, Kama-loka (the state of desires), and there a
separation takes place of those elements that are purely
spiritual and altruistic. These are taken by the immortal
Soul/Ego into the state named Devachan -- the place of the
"Gods." The residue, selfish and ignoble relating to man's lower
desire nature, being abandoned by the Spirit, that gave it its
life, begins to rapidly disintegrate in Kama-loka All such
states are transitory and purificatory states. When those are
passed, in a relatively short time -- a few days or months --
the spiritual individual goes into Devachan. The word "God" is
used for the Spiritual nature of man, as it is there "one with
the ALL-PRESENCE." A long period (average is about 15 centuries
of our time) is spent in reviewing and meditating on the ideals
and altruistic thoughts and deeds of the past life and building
them into the permanent character of the Soul/Ego. Then the
power of Karma attracts the Spirit/Soul back to incarnation to
continue its pilgrimage and self-education, and we say a new babe
is born.

The nature of each incarnation depends upon the balance of the
merit and demerit of the previous life or lives-upon the way in
which the man has lived and thought; and this law is inflexible
and wholly just. It is obviously a mixture of the residue of
evil and good that we have generated. The great and universal
law of Karma operates to find a place where the returning soul
may meet the balance of life impulses from his past.

"Karma" is a term signifying two things, the law of ethical
causation ("Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.");
and the balance or excess of merit or demerit in any individual,
deter-mines the main experiences of joy and sorrow in each
incarnation, so that what we call "luck" is in reality "desert"-
a just desert acquired as a summation of our past existence.

Karma is not all exhausted in a single life, nor is a person
necessarily, in this life experiencing the effect of all his
previous Karma; for some may be delayed by various causes. The
principle cause is the failure of the Ego to acquire a body which
will furnish the instrument or apparatus in and by which the
meditation or thoughts of its previous lives can have their
effect and be ripened.

Theosophy holds that there is a creative power in every human's
thoughts during life. It is sure to bring about its results,
either in an immediately succeeding life, or in one more distant;
that is, in whatever life the Ego obtains a body capable of being
the focus, or instrument for the maturing of some particular
aspect of its past Karma.

There is also a vibrational power in Karma, as we may trace its
effects upon the soul, for a certain course of life-or
thought-will influence the soul in a particular direction for
sometimes three lives, before the beneficial or bad effect of any
other sort of Karma can be felt. Nor does it follow that every
portion of Karma must be felt in the same detail as when
produced. for we can see that in the course of advancing, several
sorts of Karma may come to a head together at one moment in life,
and, by their combined effect, produce a result which, as a
whole, may accurately representing only some of the elements in
it, still, it is as a whole modified from that of any single
part. This can be called the balancing of the effect of that
particular aspect of personal Karma.

The process of evolution up to the final reunion with the Divine
ONE SPIRIT is, and includes, successive elevation from stage to
stage of power and usefulness. The most exalted beings in and on
Earth, are known as Sages, Adepts, Rishis, Buddhas, Dhyan
Chohans, Elder Brothers, Masters of Wisdom, etc. Their function
is the preservation at all times, and when cyclic laws permit,
the extension (by teaching and sharing) of the universal
spiritual knowledge and influence.

When union with the Divine is effected, all the events and
experiences of each incarnation are known. The status of the
Individual Ego is not lost, for it continues in its own majestic
career as a force of powerful. assistance to Nature according to
the needs of the General karma of the Rae and the Earth. [ A
portion of this explanation is drawn from Mr. Judge's THE EPITOME
OF THEOSOPHY OF THEOSOPHY and the OCEAN OF THEOSOPHY .)

If one desires to "peel back the onion" we discover these
definite ideas can be seen working in us, and also we may see
some of the value of theosophy in organizing them, so we can
develop some certainty concerning their probably existence and
worth.

One of these is the fact that every part of Nature, has 7
corresponding aspects and Man, as a part of Nature has emerged
from the stage of being an "animal Monad, into being a HUMAN
MONAD. Having earned this opportunity, he has also earned
independence (by his Mind being lit up by the elder Brothers
millions of years ago).

The "Gift of the Mind" is a wonderful process and we can see it
in our families repeated with every child, as all the stages of
that awakening can be seen in operation as the years of infancy
are gone through. The instincts of the bodily child are
gradually transformed and placed under the dawning control of an
"old mind" returning into the position of a new "King" to rule
his new "kingdom" -- the body which he or she will live and learn
in for the rest of this life. We are also witness to the eternal
struggle in us (and in every child) between the animal instincts
guided by passions and desires, but also presided over by the
internal Monitor -- the eternal Spiritual Soul. Impulse is
gradually tamed, and made to follow the dictates of the
intelligent Thinker within. This struggle continues throughout
life and those who are able to perceive this operating in
themselves, and assist positively in this battle for the "Higher
Life" are fortunate.

I hope this proves to be of value.

Best wishes, as always,

Dallas

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





-----Original Message-----
From: T----e H-----n
Sent: Friday, November 16, 2001 11:21 AM
To:
Subject: Re: Continuity of information on reincarnation



Hi,

I noticed your chat along the lines of (re)incarnation
which is a bit of an interest of mine cuz I think,
maybe, it gets into speculating about the continuity
(or, theoretical lack thereof) of information.

I tried to explore some of me thoughts on this
beautifully wacky subject a few weeks/months back. I
thought I'd like to pass some of these ideas along -
it's not much - but, maybe it helps.

I think that I can see how a continuity exists (such
as it does) here in the "real world", that there is a
definite (self)perpetuation in process, in this
regard, even though the past(s) is, oh, yeah,
transitory (at best), temporary and/or indefinite
there is/can be this kind of continuity with
information that is patterned or expressed
within/by-way of the macro (like
sciences/culture/religion) and the micro (like
family/friends/people) which, in part, continually
aids us (as/on macro and micro) in depicting and
defining our "selves", our cultures, our histories,
our futures, our thoughts, our feelings -so on-

So, yeah, I wonder if there is an energy mirror
(certainly, it'd be efficient -and- it is just like
nature to be efficient) -And- if there is a mirror,
okay, would it reflect as the processes that are
actually acting out (witnessed/experienced) here in
the "real world" -or- would it be
chaos....and,hmmm....if it is chaos, gosh, what's
chaos, really, maybe, just more unrecognized order(s)
acting out its processes accordingly.?

It'd be sooo very nice to more thoroughly figure some
of these questions for, yeah, even theoretical
reasons! I think it's interesting to speculate.

I guess, maybe, sometimes, I think that some of the
confussion with exploring this particular topic (the
macro/submacros to the micro levels) is that we are,
maybe, unproportionally preoccupied with the micros of
this E/M concept, the individual "(in)carnation".

Just as exciting - there could be a whole
understanding to witness FURTHER

? in many/many instances, of these instances, is it,
maybe, not truly, in fact, (re)incarnation
(energy/matter (re)volution) being exampled rather
possession.

This is what I mean, like here in the "real world"
maybe I have my grandmother's eyes (in a sense a
biological/genetic memory) and some of my mother's
habits (in a sense a personality memory) -so- yeah,
the past lives on, the nature of events or nature
itself speaks so clearly about that that it's like
these things are habits -on the other hand- we are not
our grandmothers nor our fathers, as a matter of
consciousness, right? So, being "who" we were (at
least, in this particular cycle/loop) would lack an
accounting of the transmutation processes that are
acting out, that we all are witnessing/experiencing
here in (ya know) the real world.

As I understand it, no actor truly wishes to be
ultimately (or, eternally) defined by the roles he's
played in a movie -but- these movies, each petal,
leads one unto a blossom, a (re)collection(?), a self
contemplation, maybe....

Clearly, possession, is associative topic resembling,
maybe, another/other infos like time, feedback loops
or natal symbol -I imagine all that depends upon the
specifics none-the-less as a theorem, maybe, in some
ways, it's wide and entirely diverse -AND- emulates a
variety of understanding (facts) in and/or out of this
particular E/M loop -that'd get into layers -ooh-
mirrors maybe -don't know- but, like
you, I'll be looking into it, trying to see what
nature has to say about it. "Peel back the onion!"

As far as past lives, I kind of imagine they are a lot
like old lovers and friends - you just happen to run
into folks like that - at the grocer/on the street -
it's just in the nature of things/events, depending on
the individual(s) continuing similarities/connection
or energy/spiritual ties. And, maybe, they are not so
unlike physical examples/indicators or opportunities
for interesting synaptical activities - that would be
efficient.

Just thinking....

Have a BEAUTIFUL day,

Terrie

CUT