Theos-Talk Archives (December 2001 Message tt00048)

Tuesday, December 04, 2001

Dear Friend:

This is a most interesting contribution and if you will allow me, I will try
to put hereunder that which I think I have gained from a study of theosophy:
Of course there may be views and opinions that differ from mine, and I would
be glad to hear of them.

Let me, then, try to advance what Theosophy seems to teach:

When we write and express our views we usually rely on two broad based
foundations:

1. Others’ thoughts or statements. and

2. Our own thinking or opinions.

Here we are trying to learn how Theosophy looks at many varied aspects of
“being,” “life,” and “our own presence in circumstances we now find
ourselves in.” We assume that THEOSOPHY is that body of statements which
has lately been made available to us as the original articles and books of
Mme. Blavatsky, the Masters of Wisdom (in their Letters) and of close
students to H P B, such as W Q Judge. I say this since their passing, other
students have advanced their view, and in some cases they differ from those
ORIGINAL presentations.

It is also inevitable that we try to find the best solutions, if we are
serious at trying to devise applications and processes we might adopt out
all this information. In effect it is the power of the ONE CONSCIOUSNESS
in us, working through the embodied (and therefore limited) brain-mind.
(Kama-Manas -- the “desire mind”) Basic Man is the immortal ATMA-BUDDHIC
MONAD with which is associated MANAS (Mind).

The reasoning is that this immortal entity is the binding link between all
the many incarnations of experience (like days spent at school) represented
as the experiences of a single ENTITY which unites in itself all aspects of
form and matter as well as SPIRIT (or Perfection) and MIND -- the
INDEPENDENT perceptive and inquisitive power, over the span of a Manvantaric
evolutionary period of many millions of years.

We cannot avoid a certain minimum of self-interest. If we are aware of it
then we are able to control it. [I think this is important as the
Theosophical concept is that CONSCIOUSNESS (which is an impersonal base)
bridges all gaps of perception (new data, true or false), as well as of
fancy on one side and the accurate recording of events on the other (memory
of experiences also true or false).

This ability to be stable and to bridge such great gaps in time and
experience, indicates the importance of the identical Spiritual base from
which all Monads have come. The physical form and the emotional vesture
that enshrouds the SPIRITUAL Monad is provided by Nature, since the
spiritual Being (MONAD) incarnates in these limited forms for the purpose of
assisting them (and they are also Monads of lesser experience) to rise to a
level of independent perception such as it already enjoys. It is a form of
service as well as sacrifice performed by the HIGHER SELF in service of all
the many LOWER SELVES. This may be called one of the great mysteries of
evolution. In Theosophy the physical form gives no index to the height of
the CONSCIOUSNESS that indwells there. Fossils, therefore, do not afford an
index to the rise of intelligence.

In between SPIRIT and Matter, lies DISCRIMINATION and that is where we all
are -- we are students who are learning testing, and passing on for
verification, that which we hear of, but do not fully understand. [This is
an age-old process as described in the S D I 272-3.

Logic, allegories, etc.. are attempts, as I see it, to communicate with one
another. None are compelling, but all are suggestive of the many facets of
thinking we represent as we have developed. And each of us draws on the
others for view points which seem to have been missed in our own thinking or
experience.

It is inevitable that when we answer, we may seem to the correspondent, that
we are partial to some special aspect of his letter or query. Inevitable --
because of space, time, interest, etc…but further questions with greater
precision can be framed, and answered.

Individual experience whether in ”spiritual” (needs to be defined)
development, or any other kind of inquiry, is, and always be, special to
that individual. And it is most difficult to convey it to others without at
the same time adding some personal element that leads them to feel that it
may also be an attempt to prove and to convert them to agreements which they
have not had a chance to yet test. If this happens to be true, then we can
all see that it is necessary for us to frame such information in broad and
impersonal terms, so that it may be seen as a general event or, an inquiry
which any one can test.

There seem to be in the world’s experience certain events, and also certain
people, that exhibit extraordinary abilities. I would not call those
“miraculous.” But I would begin seeking for the laws of Nature that permit
such events and allow people to serve as focal points for their occurrence.
I found in studying Theosophical literature that ISIS UNVEILED provides
examples of these.

Theosophy has specifically avoided any text-book like information which
could lead to physical or mental practices that might develop in an
individual PSYCHIC POWERS. Generally psychic powers are used selfishly and
devolve into “black magic.”

Theosophy does speak constantly of the common source of wisdom and spiritual
living (expressed generally as UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD) of which everyone is
aware and finds it seated in his or her own heart. It is a common trust.
It is the HEART VIRTUES that are important and are to be practised all the
time if one would ever succeed in true spiritual elevation of one’s moral
character. The VOICE OF THE SILENCE by H P B offers hints which can inspire
those who desire to walk this path -- the path of practical Theosophy based
on the Theories and Doctrines it teaches As HISTORICAL EVENTS AND
DISCOVERIES.

We ca all secure information about theosophical doctrines and teachings from
the OCEAN OF THEOSOPHY and the KEY TO THEOSOPHY (HPB) nut the application
will be found epitomized in other words by great ancient teachers such as:
the BHAGAVAD GITA (Krishna), and the DHAMMAPADA (Buddha), and UPANISHADS.

PATANJALI in his YOGA SUTRAS gives advice on self-control, mediation,
learning, and application -- but first, one has to secure determine how and
why he uses the word “soul” since in each on us there are 3 SOULS [ see
KEY TO THEOSOPHY (HPB), p. 175-6 (Indian Edition pp. 173-4). Thus the
theory has first to be learned before any practices are engaged in.

Theosophy teaches spiritual and mental discipline, when one is full awake
and alert, and those are NOT based on physical postures, mantrams, or the
encouragement of passive trances and “communications” with spooks and
spirits of either the “dead” or the “living.”

This may raise some eyebrows and controversy, but some minutes spent on
identifying the difference between the physical, the astral, the psychic,
and the spiritual natures we all have and the “planes of consciousness”we
contact daily ( see S D I 157, 181-2 ) will help. There are valuable
passages in both the OCEAN OF THEOSOPHY and the KEY TO THEOSOPHY (HPB)
which indicate these ideas and suggest their value.

Best wishes,

Dallas

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


-----Original Message-----
From: M----n S-------t
Sent: Monday, December 03, 2001 5:14 AM
To:
Subject: Re: Logic, Allegories and Love...

Hi Dallas, and also to all of you on the list,

My - short - answer is this :

1. All that analytical and (as always? very) very philosophical thinking of
yours below - is in this case I think sort of allright and wellmeaning. And
my latest email wasn't in general speaking against those below views of
yours.

If you or someone thinks so, then please show me why.

2. A question is. Why do you take a small part of my email out and only
answer on that part?


The idea with that email - was that the last part was to have some
importance too in the debate on 'dry knowledge', logic and allegories and
LOVE.
My point also is, that Allegories also has something to offer (- i.e. on
moral or spiritual development) on this list and elsewhere.


3. As for my experiences :

A. My experience is, that if one makes Bibles out of books, either the
christian Bible, certain Buddhist texts or The Secret Doctrine of HPB or
other books - or make just one single writer so very very exclusive (as some
Theosophist are doing) -- then one is in a great risk of missing the wisdom
of HPB, when she in Section 2 of “The Key to Theosophy” - when questioned
about which thoughtsystems or books to use/support, said something like: "We
cull the good we find in each."


But to say that The Secret Doctrine is an important historical book of great
quality within the wisdom-tradition - is to me very true.

B. About spiritual development.
For instance: First one creates confidence or is being helped to get it.
Then one gets satisfaction and learns. Then one is able to learn the
importance of helping others. Then one becomes an Avatar.

C. The Children of today are the worldleaders of tommorrow !!
I think that too many Theosophists (here also more general speaking) too
often put too little emphasis on this.

Too many children doesn’t have much confidence today. Too few children is
today being taught, that all human beings are (really) born equal, that all
religions should be deeply respected for what they are -- religions, and
that some people misuse religions forgetting that religions in reality are
non-violent - and else they are not real religions - but false religions.
Too few children learns about that life matters – and that life isn’t about
getting a coffin after a few decades and then be gone forever. Too few
children learn about the paths and methods on spiritual development – and
that wisdom can be achieved etc.


There are to few Theosophical Schools or Schools teaching the global Heart
Doctrine (i.e. for instance not the narrowminded eastern one - a so very pro
pro Buddhist one).
And there are to little debate on Theosophy and religions - relation - to
politics in an information-society as the present one.

D. My experience has been and is, that there is only ParaBrahman – that’s
all (or ALL).

E. My experience is also, that one sometimes makes letters and emails, which
people or readers doesn’t understand. I feel that this is also the case with
this email.

F. I find, that too much philosophy without the heartdoctrine in it – will
not move the world.
A view one can have: God is sweet and soft. God always cares. God will never
seek to make things complex for you. God will always seek to address you in
a manner, so the message isn’t too difficult for you to understand or others
who might listen to your conversation.
I hope you understand. If one thinks different about God, then we talk about
a different God.
Of course - the 'negators' on this list maybe would disagree on this.

G. I think that the author Idries Shah (d.1996) is very interesting. To me
he covers some Theosophy in the area of the Middleeast - (and even more) -
and that is an area which HPB didn't do much on in The Secret Doctrine. She
also says why in SD. She says, that she is not writing much on it, because
only very few books has been translated into european languages at her time
of writing the SD.

H. If anyone are aware of some -- very good -- online Internet texts on
Dzogchen etc. (both for beginners and advanced) - then please let me know.
Let the poor people learn.
If we are going to have a meditation practice on this list - á la -
Dzogchen - then I and others probably will have to study first.

CUT




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