Theos-Talk Archives (June 2002 Message tt00013)

June 3rd 2002

Re: Changing "initial assumptions."

Dear Friends:

It seems to me we ought to find out exactly what "initial assumptions"
are for ourselves -- it is useless to try and guess what motivates
others.

In any case Karma is entailed, so we might as well try to start where
we can identify and control it in and for ourselves, first to render
our participation harmless, supportive, generous, and useful to
others -- in short, to make impersonal and impartial service our
goal -- when we are the one who can and ought to provide that. But
that requires discrimination. The whole of the BHAGAVAD GITA (by
Krishna) deals with this theme. Patanjali, an ancient Hindu sage has
written a short series of verses on this particular practice and it is
like a "road-map" and worth consulting ahead of time.

Both texts are available at http://www.blavatsky.net in either hard
copy or in electronic mode.

I think we can acquire a concept of what discrimination implies
through meditation and seeking thereby to discover its meaning and the
impact that it will have on us and others. Let me think about
"mediation" out loud with you and see if anything comes out that may
prove to be useful. I base myself on what I have studied and learned
from Theosophy, but, of course, that study is probably biased on my
own inclinations and personal preferences -- so for some it may not
sound true or useful.


Meditation is a process. Any one can use it.

It is concentrated thought.

It is not making the mind a "blank."

It is done with full consciousness.

It is the CONSCIOUSNESS of the impartial HIGHER MIND, focused on the
Lower (embodied) Mind, and the pieces of knowledge and data that it
has accumulated as memories.

The process is therefore in the beginning the elimination of delusion,
illusion, false memories, and personal desires and hopes.

It is a full impersonalizing of our Mind and without any
preconceptions being allowed, it is a search for the exact and true
results of the search to understand a chosen subject in all its
aspects: past, present, and potential futures. This implies that any
vice, any animosity, any personal advantages, any kind of limitations
relative to our "embodied, ordinary physical and personal lives" have
to deliberately abandoned.

How then does one proceed. It is probably advisable for us to consult
PATANJALI'S YOGA SUTRAS -- the verses and the strictures advanced, and
the explanations offered there are very ancient and reflect the
methods used and the observations made by those who have practiced
meditation for ages before us now -- perhaps even we participated in
those disciplines in our previous incarnations.

Meditation:

1.	It is used to find out for one's self the truth on any chosen
subject., so

2.	It begins with choosing a subject.

3.	The practitioner then isolates himself for a period of time ( he
selects the duration) for study, thought and the removal of impossible
solutions.

4.	Apart from the chosen subject, the environment and its impact on
the subject have to be considered, and that series of influences
identified, weighed, and given their appropriate (not any exaggerated)
place.

5.	No illusion or delusion can be permitted, for the reason that if
one starts the practice with an error, the result is bound to be
erroneous. The fault lies with the practitioner and not with the
method.

>From that point on the devotion and the sincerity and honesty of the
meditator is alone the guide. He has to learn to guide and to correct
himself (his lower self) by his IMMORTAL HIGHER SELF -- and invoke the
LIGHT ON THE PATH of the ONE SPIRIT that shines in and on every being
in the Universe.

The final unity that gives enlightenment, is that ability to so
transform the personal and the embodied self (mind) that it becomes
pellucid -- transparent -- to the divine universal truth and life.
Ordinary words fail to express that which is in inexpressible.

I trust this may prove to be of some help.

This is what I have learned from Theosophy. And it is my way of
expressing an understanding of the methods of mediation that can lead
to certainty and secure veracity in regard to any fact in Nature. The
Universe is NATURE taken as a whole. It is the "omnipresence" of
DEITY.

Dallas


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

-----Original Message-----
From: mikap
Sent: Sunday, June 02, 2002 11:03 PM
To:
Subject: RE Mika


> Mika, if we posit a self that comes into manifestation, >undergoes
"progress," and then gets out of it, we will ask >such questions, and
we
will find no logical answers. Usually >when we can ask logical
questions
that have no logical >answers, the problem lies with our initial
assumptions. In this >case the initial assumption that there is a
separate evolving >self is false and so we wind up with an
unanswerable
>question. Linear evolution is also based on a false >assumption. So,
when we couple the two together, like >many Theosophists do, we have
numerous logic problems. >The only way to avoid illogic is to change
our
initial >assumptions until they go away.


And meditation is the key to changing our initial assumptions, I
guess?


mika