Theos-Talk Archives (August 2002 Message tt00053)

Re the subject/defining of "esoteric/exoteric," Dallas wrote,
in part:

<<<<<The degree of study and application depends on the
determination of the student to learn and evaluate. If this
is applied then we realize that every such devotee has
within him or herself the power to perceive that which is
true and distinguish it from that which is not. If any one
accepts and adopts "knowledge" without such personal 
effort and checking, then indeed we may say there is "blind 
faith" and "blind belief" present. In such case the danger of
going astray is magnified. It is important for the devotee
to identify in such cases the "cause" for such a dangerous
decision and course. Is it impatience, is it ignorance, is
it deliberate, is it carelessness ? Only the individual can
answer these questions to himself.

ESOTERIC is: "abstruse, designed for the circle of
initiates," private, withheld from open expression." The
language of medicine, pharmacy, chemistry, physics,
mathematics, engineering, astronomy, atomic sciences,
music, poetry, etc. may be said to be esoteric to the
average person.

Any one who reads and then studies ISIS UNVEILED 
and The SECRET DOCTRINE will emerge a much more
learned, if not a wiser person. All information thereafter, 
will be viewed in that light that only an awakened Mind
employs. It universalizes the person. It makes the many 
"secret" processes of Nature (the Deific Powers present 
in all things and events) clearer>>>>>>>>>>>

So <<The degree of study and application depends on the 
determination of the student to learn and evaluate>> . . . ?
I'm tending to wonder about the kind of "esoteric/exoteric" 
sense that that "learn and evaluate" was (or might be?) 
meant in . . . 

Seems to me that there are various senses of 
"esoteric/exoteric," and if the distinction between "esoteric 
as experiential" and "esoteric as whatever else" isn't made, 
then, as I see it, confusion can result, and some people may 
get the impression that <<the determination of the student to 
learn and evaluate>>, without directly experiencing the 
"real esoteric," can somehow "meaningfully enough" replace 
the experiential esoteric. 

Yes, there may be "meaning enough" in some forms of 
<<determination of the student to learn and evaluate>>, but
I think that it might be generally helpful if a clearer 
distinction is made between the forms of "esoteric" that are 
experiential, and those that are whatever else.

Speculatively,
Mauri