Theos-Talk Archives (October 2002 Message tt00275)

Oct 31 2002

Choice, and harmlessness of Motive


Dear friend:

I had written:


"The whole key, as I understand it, is for our progress to become
totally
harmless to all beings,"


To be totally harmless to other beings could be answered by saying
that we generate every time we choose a force that impacts the living
beings around us. It is a subtle electro-magnetic force that has a
strength that depends on the intensity of our will in generating it.

The quality of that force is determined by our motive. Our motive can
be either selfish, or unselfish. Can thus, be either in harmony with
LAW, if it is noble, generous, compassionate, or, may be a distortion
or a degradation of that law, if it is selfish. [ To me, the word
"selfish" implies: I consider my personality first and what I
consider to be its needs and pleasure or benefit, then secondarily, I
consider others, and in so doing, I may disregard any effect I might
impose of others -- to their benefit or hurt. ]

Any action on any plane: feeling, thought or physical act, generates
electro-magnetic forces that rise from our point of living and affect
others. If we were able to see the planes of the 7 sub-planes of the
Astral, these would be plainly visible to us as ripples of energy
spreading from every member of humanity to each other, generated by
all who have and use their free-will to chose. Will is creative, and
hence the spreading impact.

Look at what our Science teaches: Every physical being is ultimately
made up of molecules and atoms. These, on analysis are seen to be
non-physical centers of whirling electro-magnetic force. Such being
the case, what SINGLE FORCE keeps them so organized that they form the
various structures of our physical bodies in which we as MIND-BEINGS
have embodiment ?

Theosophy declares the ASTRAL BODY, needed by each MONAD in its
reincarnation program, does this -- as it is also of a highly
specialized electro-magnetic force organized by the PRANIC element in
man, and shaped from prior evolutionary development by the KAMIC --
animal instincts ) of the physical portion of evolution. ( see p. 181,
Vol. I of the S D )

Karma is the effect received by the generator of a cause. Causes hare
always a moral content -- the "reason why" anything is done.

That means (to me) it is the ONE CONSCIOUSNESS of every man and woman,
which is operative here, to provide the necessary physical and other
vehicles for further evolution of the individual MIND. From the atoms
(themselves also Monads of lesser experience) of our own bodies, to
those of the fartherest reaches of the Universe, we are all
interconnected. Similarly, new choices made, spread their energy, and
this is impacted on, and there will influence by their presence, the
thoughts and feelings of others. Thus is individual and group Karma
formed.

To be totally harmless implies we KNOW KARMA.

We know the LAWS of our world, and impersonally of all human beings -
whom we regard as fellow immortals on a common pilgrimage to
"perfection." And also we recognize that LAW rules every aspect of
the UNIVERSE in full. We understand this LAW as KARMA, and we choose
to think or do nothing that will harm or disturb any being anywhere.
We keep them free from any harm we might do. We are then as a pure
breath of spiritual influence working towards the good of all.

This implies we already, deep inside ourselves, know the Laws and the
responsibility of choice. The evidence for this is the 7-fold nature
of every human being. Without this innate spiritual nature we could
not be talking to each other on this plane of material substance at
all.

ATMA, BUDDHI, AND MANAS, at the spiritual center of every being, are
also universal principles, and as such they are aware of all the
activities and choices of the Personal Mind which leads the 4 lower
principles of our personality. The Lower Mind -- Personality -- can
refer to them an any time. The answer received is intuitional and
also may be called the "Voice of Conscience."

Specific areas to pay attention to are the opposed combinations of
VIRTUES and VICES. We need to define these. the we need to
impartially and totally honestly examine our own personal make-up.
Which do we have and in what are we lacking. Do we understand the
value of "good" versus "evil ?" How would we define it? does it
tally with the general definitions available ?

I have fond that Theosophy offers us some general principles relative
to Karma that could be considered.

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

APHORISMS ON KARMA


(1) There is no Karma unless there is a being to make it or feel its
effects.[PARA][PARA](2) Karma is the adjustment of effects flowing
from causes, during which the being upon whom and through whom that
adjustment is effected experiences pain or pleasure.[PARA][PARA](3)
Karma is an undeviating and unerring tendency in the Universe to
restore equilibrium, and it operates incessantly.[PARA][PARA](4) The
apparent stoppage of this restoration to equilibrium is due to the
necessary adjustment of disturbance at some other spot, place, or
focus which is visible only to the Yogi, to the Sage, or the perfect
Seer: there is therefore no stoppage, but only a hiding from
view.[PARA][PARA](5) Karma operates on all things and beings from the
minutest conceivable atom to Brahma. Proceeding in the three worlds
men, gods, and the elemental beings, no spot in the manifested
universe is exempt from its sway.[PARA][PARA](6) Karma is not subject
to time, and therefore he who knows what is the ultimate division of
time in this Universe knows Karma.[PARA][PARA](7) For all other men
Karma is in its essential nature unknown and
unknowable.[PARA][PARA](8) But its action may be known by calculation
from cause to effect; and this calculation is possible because the
effect is wrapped up in and is not succedent to the
cause.[PARA][PARA](9) The Karma of this earth is the combination of
the acts and thoughts of all beings of every grade which were
concerned in the preceding Manvantara or evolutionary stream from
which ours flows.[PARA][PARA](10) And as those beings include Lords of
Power and Holy Men, as well as weak and wicked ones, the period of the
earth's duration is greater than that of any entity or race upon
it.[PARA][PARA](11) Because the Karma of this earth and its races
began in a past too far back for human minds to reach, an inquiry into
its beginning is useless and profitless.[PARA][PARA](12) Karmic causes
already set in motion must be allowed to sweep on until exhausted, but
this permits no man to refuse to help his fellows and every sentient
being.[PARA][PARA](13) The effects may be counteracted or mitigated by
the thoughts and acts of oneself or of another, and then the resulting
effects represent the combination and interaction of the whole number
of causes involved in producing the effects.[PARA][PARA](14) In the
life of worlds, races, nations, and individuals, Karma cannot act
unless there is an appropriate instrument provided for its
action.[PARA][PARA](15) And until such appropriate instrument is
found, that Karma related to it remains unexpended.[PARA][PARA](16)
While a man is experiencing Karma in the instrument provided, his
other unexpended Karma is not exhausted through other beings or means,
but is held reserved for future operation; and lapse of time during
which no operation of that Karma is felt causes no deterioration in
its force or change in its nature.[PARA][PARA](17) The appropriateness
of an instrument for the operation of Karma consists in the exact
connection and relation of the Karma with the body, mind, intellectual
and psychical nature acquired for use by the Ego in any
life.[PARA][PARA](18) Every instrument used by any Ego in any life is
appropriate to the Karma operating through it.[PARA][PARA](19) Changes
may occur in the instrument during one life so as to make it
appropriate for a new class of Karma, and this may take place in two
ways: (a) through intensity of thought and the power of a vow, and (b)
through natural alterations due to complete exhaustion of old
causes.[PARA][PARA](20) As body and mind and soul have each a power of
independent action, any one of these may exhaust, independently of the
others, some Karmic causes more remote from or nearer to the time of
their inception than those operating through other
channels.[PARA][PARA](21) Karma is both merciful and just. Mercy and
Justice are only opposite poles of a single whole; and Mercy without
Justice is not possible in the operations of Karma. That which man
calls Mercy and Justice is defective, errant, and
impure.[PARA][PARA](22) Karma may be of three sorts: (a) presently
operative in this life through the appropriate instruments; (b) that
which is being made or stored up to be exhausted in the future; Karma
held over from past life or lives and not operating yet because
inhibited by inappropriateness of the instrument in use by the Ego, or
by the force of Karma now operating.[PARA][PARA](23) Three fields of
operation are used in each being by Karma: (a) the body and the
circumstances; (b) the mind and intellect; the psychic and astral
planes.[PARA][PARA](24) Held-over Karma or present Karma may each, or
both at once, operate in all of the three fields of Karmic operation
at once, or in either of those fields a different class of Karma from
that using the others may operate at the same time.[PARA][PARA](25)
Birth into any sort of body and to obtain the fruits of any sort of
Karma is due to the preponderance of the line of Karmic
tendency.[PARA][PARA](26) The sway of Karmic tendency will influence
the incarnation of an Ego, or any family of Egos, for three lives at
least, when measures of repression, elimination, or counteraction are
not adopted.[PARA][PARA](27) Measures taken by an Ego to repress
tendency, eliminate defects, and to counteract by setting up different
causes, will alter the sway of Karmic tendency and shorten its
influence in accordance with the strength or weakness of the efforts
expended in carrying out the measures adopted.[PARA][PARA](28) No man
but a sage or true seer can judge another's Karma. Hence while each
receives his deserts, appearances may deceive, and birth into Poverty
or heavy trial may not be punishment for bad Karma, for Egos
continually incarnate into poor surroundings where they experience
difficulties and trials which are for the discipline of the Ego and
result in strength, fortitude, and sympathy.[PARA][PARA](29)
Race-Karma influences each unit in the race through the law of
Distribution. National Karma operates on the members of the nation by
the same law more concentrated. Family Karma governs only with a
nation where families have been kept pure and distinct; for in any
nation where there is a mixture of family - as obtains in each
Kaliyuga period - family Karma is in general distributed over a
nation. But even at such periods some families remain coherent for
long periods, and then the members feel the sway of family Karma. The
word "family" may include several smaller families.[PARA][PARA](30)
Karma operates to produce cataclysms of nature by concatenation
through the mental and astral planes of being. A cataclysm may be
traced to an immediate physical cause such as internal fire and
atmospheric disturbance, but these have been brought on by the
disturbance created through the dynamic power of human
thought.[PARA][PARA](31) Egos who have no Karmic connection with a
portion of the globe where a cataclysm is coming on are kept without
the latter's operation in two ways: (a) by repulsion acting on their
inner nature, and (b) by being called and warned by those who watch
the progress of the world.[PARA][PARA]Path, March, 1893[PARA]
-- W Q Judge

==============
I hope this may prove to be of help

Best wishes,

Dallas.



-----Original Message-----
From: M Y
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2002 8:35 AM
To: dalval14@earthlink.net
Subject: Question on harmlessness


Dear Dallas,

I've read your answer to "I am that I am" note.

Here is the quote that I want to mention:

"The whole key, as I understand it, is for our progress to become
totally
harmless to all beings,"

Would you like to mention specific subject areas to pay attention ?

Mu