Theos-Talk Archives (July 2002 Message tt00000)

July 1 2002

Dear Friends:

A simple test as t whether the Higher Manas ( Buddhi-Manas) or the
Lower Manas ( Kama-Manas) might suggest that the use of the words Kama
( desire, passions & emotions ) or Buddhi ( virtue, discrimination
and wisdom ) are working.

The Inner self, the center of our eternal CONSCIOUSNESS is the
Perceiver. It can determine what, and who is operating at any time in
the mind. Of course our "mind" awake and active right now is
Kama-Manas.

To quiet Kama-Manas and secure control is a Buddhi-Manasic function.
It has been described in terms of dispassion, equanimity,
universality, and brotherhood to all beings. If operative, it takes
all into account as living parts of the ONE UNIVERSE. To those who
are imbued with the theological vocabulary, this is saying GOD. Or
rather, the ubiquity (omnipresence) of the God principle. This makes
it implicit that We are, in our innermost consciousness, a fragment of
that ONE DIVINE. There is no separation, no imbalance, no higher or
lower.

In one aspect we can equate beauty as an ideal with harmony. It has
to be dynamic since everything changes ( fast or slowly ).

The One STABILITY is that which we conceive of as SPIRIT, as the
HIGHEST GOOD. And THAT is one things that serves as a contrast with
all the rest.

Degrees of beauty or of discord and ugliness are matters of our
personal make-up. We can use our likes and dislikes as impersonal
mirrors of our "personality." It is how we view ourselves, and that
is the lower the personal point of view. The HIGHER is always the
Ideal. And often the personality denies that IDEAL.

As to carrying it from life to life, is that not one of the duties of
the "skandhas ?"

But what are the "skandhas?" Are we not told they are Monads at lower
levels of education and advancement, each one being an immortal, and
all progressing along with each other in various ways inter-related
and cooperative. The Real ruler of the Worlds of the Universe is the
impersonal Law of Karma ( or God immanent in its OMNIPOTENT
quality ). But for such extreme accuracy, where all living "lives" or
"atoms" are considered, there has also to be OMNIPRESENCE -- the God
quality present in every one without exception. OMNISCIENCE is the
quality of being CONSCIOUS. One might say succinctly: the UNIVERSE
is embodied CONSCIOUSNESS.

It is also significant that the action of the Higher Mind, of
Buddhi-Manas always involves synthesis, or the consideration of all
relevant factors. The action of the Lower Mind ( Kama-Manas ) always
involves analysis, separation, division, and an emphasis on
differences rather than on similarities. It is the method of thought
and making conclusions most frequently met with in daily life all
around us.

But, it is significant in Theosophical Philosophy and metaphysics,
that the unifying quality expressed by BROTHERHOOD -- as a kind of
mantram -- draws lour attention back to the unit as its participation,
of necessity in the whole, of the dynamic quality of this
participation, and of the total educational progression of al being
working and living together as eternal immortals do.

Now the question is: Is this a useful depiction of the situation we
are all in?

Can we use it as a basis for disciplining, evaluating and controlling
our personal reactions?

Can the Higher Mind ( Buddhi Manas ) be encouraged to become the true
actor in each of us ?

Best wishes,


Dallas

-----Original Message-----
From: Larry F Kolts
Sent: Sunday, June 30, 2002 7:38 AM
To:
Subject: Color and Music

Very interesting and informative discussion this past week on color
and
music. Once again, it is good to see someone else carrying the ball
with
discussion once in a while.

Christina's original post carried with it questions on whether certain
types of music were more beneficial than others.

We have seen that color has been used to help control prisoners. red
was
found to have an exciting effect on humans while blue has a calming
effect.

Music can "sooth the savage beast" or can enrage him.

What interests me is that the identical music seems to have different
effects on different persons.

One sits enraptured at an opera while another gets a headache.

One is calmed by rock music (my wife) while another (me) is revolted.

One is soothed by country music while another hears only discord.

Beyond this, what is it in us that responds to beauty? What is beauty
anyway? Why does one find something beautiful while another perceives
the
same thing as ugly? Is this just something environmental from this
life
or is it something we carry with us from life to life? Is it the
higher
or lower self at work here?

Any ideas?

Larry