Theos-Talk Archives (March 2003 Message tt00317)

(This letter was mailed prematurely. This is the completed version)

Dear Erika

Thank you for the very insightful additions to the comments made in my answer 
to Mauri's response to my previous post. 

I will answer some of the questions you posed under your comments below, 
along with further comments.  

In a message dated 03/12/03 7:52:34 AM, eletzerich@yahoo.com writes:

>Dear Leon
>
>I would like to add some comments to your comments,
>along with some subjective and objective questions :)
>
>(Note: These comments of Leon were made in a letter to Mauri)
>
>Leon: “Intuition has nothing to do with speculation. 
>To intuit is to know the actual reality of what any
>group of words mean. That is, having a direct
>comprehension of a fundamental truth. Or, as the
>dictionary defines it, "The act or faculty of knowing
>or sensing without the use of rational processes; 
>immediate cognition."  
>
>Erica: Intuition is not to know the actual reality of
>any group of words, it’s is as you well mention having
>a direct glimpse of a fundamental truth, not
>necessarily followed by comprehension, which seems to
>be another stage. Actually immediate cognition seems
>to be the first step into the process of breaking the
>veils of Maya. 

[Leon] Actually, intuition which includes immediate cognition, also means 
"knowing" since we define "cognition" as; "1. The mental process or faculty 
of knowing, including aspects such as awareness, perception, reasoning, and 
judgment. 2. That which comes to be known, as through perception, reasoning, 
or intuition; knowledge." (Amer. Heritage Dict.) 
 
>“He who would hear the voice of Nada (2), "the
>Soundless Sound," and comprehend it...” H.P.B. Voice
>of the Silence

[Leon] this implies that cognition and comprehension or "knowing" are 
synonymous -- when one's intuition is awakened to Nada after merging the 
seven sounds. Its' like seeing the pure white as the sum of all the colors 
of the rainbow. HPB might as well have entitled the book "The Picture of the 
Colorless" or "The Reality of the Emptiness." :-)

>Erica: We could name this “immediate cognition” as the
>soundless sound or the pathless path? But, if not
>followed by comprehension seems to be dangerous. 

[Leon] I don't know what you mean by dangerous. If one has "immediate 
cognition" through intuition -- that is the "pathless path" -- as well as 
full comprehension of the ultimate reality of the Spirit within oneself. That 
intuitive grasp of the reality of Spirit is the only way one can experience 
the "soundless sound" or the "colorless color." The experience of that state 
is also the awakening of oneself to the realization or consciousness of the 
higher Self. At which state one can commune directly with the source of all 
knowledge and wisdom. But the sounds, themselves, are only symbols of the 
seven states of consciousness that one steps through to arrive at that final 
end.  

>Erica: Many persons with bipolarity have got this “immediate
>cognition” and many having not the ability to
>comprehend it, go into a self annihilated process,
>suicide or get into deep depression falling into a
>process of self-destruction etc, because even the
>brain can’t stand the immediate cognition without
>comprehension. 

[Leon] But, the VOS and the SD were written for those who are ready to 
comprehend the immediate cognition of their intuition. Those you speak of 
who's brains are defective, are that way as a result of their own karma and, 
therefore, are not yet "ready" to assimilate the higher knowledge. HPB spoke 
only to the intuition of initiated chelas who's karma gave them the brains to 
comprehend what they could intuit through her writing. I doubt if any bipolar 
or attention deficit individual could possibly be capable of following the 
path laid down in the Voice, or the metaphysics taught in the SD.   

>Erica: To open the inner gates that conduces to the depths of
>human soul, is the first and maybe the most difficult
>step to overtake. To comprehend the soundless sound
>which of course is referred to the inner depths of the
>soul. 

[Leon] Yes, but that's why so many are called and so few chosen. My 
comments, following directly on those made by HPB on this subject -- speak 
only to those capable of using their intuition to directly comprehend the 
inner depths of their souls. But, first, comes the basic knowledge of what 
those inner gates are composed of, how to open them, and what they open into. 
Thus the "keys" to those gates given in the SD (which can only be gotten 
through ones intuition) are as important as the meditations on the path.

>Erica: But the question is when arises the comprehension?
>Only when ignorance is removed? So it seems a journey
>which every step taken open an abyss behind, and
>thousands paths in front to follow, the point is to
>make the right choice, which seems to be very limited.

[Leon] That comprehension arises the moment of intuition -- which is the 
"direct perception of ideas." But, yes, the journey is long and arduous -- 
since one must overcome the ignorance one has about each level of one's inner 
fields of consciousness, step by step -- not to mention overcoming the karmic 
residues on each of those levels. The pathless path is to make each stage a 
leap of intuition -- at which time that stage becomes fully comprehensible... 
And, thereby, that stage of ignorance is overcome -- so as to advance to the 
next stage. The difficulty is (before awakening the intuition) not getting 
sidetracked by too much reasoning or speculations that sees all those 
thousand paths, and consequently becomes confused and frozen in place.  

The process (for those avowed theosophists wishing to achieve enlightenment 
and in order to activate the intuition) is, first, the concentrated study of 
metaphysics as given in the SD. And then (or simultaneously) -- the 
meditation on what has been studied. The Voice of the Silence as well as the 
aphorisms of Patanjali, that aid in such meditation, are useless for those 
avowed students -- without the knowledge of the Secret Doctrine -- which in 
those Rajah yoga practices is always implied as their underlying basis.  
Thus, the first step on each level, is overcoming the ignorance of what that 
level actually is, and how it relates to both one's inner and outer nature.  
And, the ultimate practice of any avowed Chela intending to become an 
enlightened Adept -- includes all the seven yoga's that underlie in the 
Rajah yoga.
>
>Leon: “Thus, "esoteric" refers to the fundamental
>"occult" truths of theosophy -- not to their literal
>interpretation, nor to reasonable or unreasonable
>speculations about them.”  
>
>Erica: Yes, and the basic fundamental truth of
>theosophy we could say is:”Man know thyself and you
>will be able to unveil the secrets of "God" and of the
>universe” The fundamental truth, of theosophy is the
>inner path.

[Leon] Yes, But that inner path cannot be achieved fully and effectively (as 
a newly initiated student) without first overcoming one's ignorance of the 
metaphysical truths that underlie that path. However, for one who in this 
life is already prepared (from past lives) to make the "leaps" of intuition, 
that awakens knowledge previously gained, the inner path can be much 
facilitated. HPB taught that theosophy is a synthesis of science, religion 
and philosophy. So, the inner (religious) path is only one-third of the way 
to full enlightenment. 

I think everything you say below and quote from the Voice confirms this.

>Leon: No amount of words can explain that esoteric,
>and completely subjective experience. Each time one
>does so, however, is another "initiation" on the path
>to one's individual enlightenment. Thus, our inner
>knowledge – which we can't talk about -- comes as a
>series of plateaus... Each, an awakening at a higher
>level... Until full enlightenment is achieved.
>
>Erica: Here I would like to add to your statement the
>three halls that Blavatsky mentions in the Voice of
>the Silence:
>
> “Three Halls, O weary pilgrim, lead to the end of
>toils. Three Halls, O conqueror of Mara, will bring
>thee through three states (14) into the fourth (15)
>and thence into the seven worlds (16), the worlds of
>Rest Eternal.”
>
>“The name of the first Hall is IGNORANCE -- Avidya.”
>
>“The name of Hall the second is the Hall of Learning.*
>In it thy Soul will find the blossoms of life, but
>under every flower a serpent coiled (18).”
>
>“The name of the third Hall is Wisdom, beyond which
>stretch the shoreless waters of AKSHARA, the
>indestructible Fount of Omniscience (19).”
>
>Leon: “Unfortunately, many students reach the first
>or second plateau, think they have comprehended it
>all, and stop their searching to start preaching 
>or teaching what they know… sometimes reach no higher
>than the lower self that is caught up in the astral or
>the lower mental planes.”
>
>Erica: Unfortunately many people don’t even cross the
>first Hall, which is ignorance. First the peregrine
>has to have heard the voice of the silence, or the
>soundless sound and have to comprehend it!  

[Leon] True. That's why theosophy is only for those that are ready to 
receive it. I might add, also, that there really is no first. The three 
fundamental truths, the three halls, the three aspects of body, mind and 
spirit, all have to be worked on and comprehended, together.   

>Erica: Many can’t develop the process of comprehension 
>which is straight connected to remove ignorance. This is
>hard, one has to kill the self to get free of it. As
>there is no real learning and understanding without
>real comprehension, there is no comprehension while
>there is ignorance.

[Leon] That's why only the intuition of those who are ready can surmount 
these insufficiencies. But the first step of removing ignorance can come 
about by comprehending the fundamental truths taught in the Secret Doctrine.  
Once students or chelas self determinatively decide to do this, and thus, 
finds out the truth for themselves, they have in a sense, begun freeing 
themselves from their lower self.  

Also, there is no real learning without dedicating oneself to such study.  
And, once started, that study leads to meditation -- which, in turn, leads to 
the awakening of one's intuition, and then -- to full comprehension of what 
one has learned. Nobody said this is easy. :-)  

Actually, there's no "killing" out of the self -- but just not allowing 
oneself to be governed by its ignorance... Since, when one's is "awakened" 
to the higher self -- one still needs to use the so "tamed" and 
self-controlled lower nature in the everyday activities of one's ordinary 
life.   

>Erica: The three halls mentioned in the Voice of the silence
>are inner stages into the path of enlightenment. The
>first hall the peregrine has to pass is “Avidya” or
>ignorance, the second hall Learning and the third hall
>Wisdom. 

[Leon] How can one overcome ignorance without first learning and gaining 
wisdom in that order (or all at once)? I like to think of the pathless path, 
as being all paths, taken together, simultaneously. How can any portion of 
the path stand alone? How can any of our inner levels of consciousness stand 
alone? 

>Leon: “It's easy to form a group of lesser
>knowledgeable people around such a self 
>professed guru. But, the possibility of arriving at
>any sort of higher wisdom, realization of self and
>enlightenment, or effectiveness in helping and
>teaching others, is pretty remote.”
>
>Erica: A friend of mine use to joke saying: People
>they want to know the truth and they start meditating,
>practicing Yoga, making intensive prayers, and one day
>“God” appears and says stop you bother me. Them they
>say: “God” spoke to me. They return to the world and
>they start preaching.”

[Leon] That's right. The problem is that they left out one leg of their 
three legged stool. So, they end up preaching instead of teaching. Apropos, 
Moses couldn't have spoken to God until he had passed through all the 
initiations of his Hermetic teachings and alchemical practices as a Prince of 
Egypt, and studied all of nature while he wandered in the desert for forty 
years. And, then, in reality, he merely heard and spoke with the Voice in the 
Silence... His own Higher Self which is the Self of the all wise and 
knowledgeable Universal soul.

>Leon: Only after one reaches the highest level, can
>they turn around and speak directly using the proper
>words to answer anyone's questions at any level of 
>their understanding.  
>That's why, the entire Secret Doctrine takes so many
>millions of words on thousands of pages to explain to
>everyone at every level. And, why so "many are called
>but so few are chosen."
>
>Erica: Few are those that can start the most hard
>path, and still fewer are those that are on the path
>and can stand it... 

[Leon] Yes, That's why I see the SD and the other writings of HPB primarily 
as tools for the widespread self training of Adepts. Such open training was 
necessary at this time of the history of the Theosophical Movement... Since, 
the world's population had grown so large and so steeped in materialism -- 
that the few adepts that could only be trained in the monasteries of the past 
age would no longer be sufficient to keep their proportional numbers high enou
gh to be effective as teachers and guides in this new age. 

As we approach the inevitable collapse of this civilization, More and more of 
those newly trained adepts would be necessary to complete the work of the 
Movement. Imagine how far theosophy, and its teachings of karma and 
reincarnation have reached into the minds of the present mankind since HPB's 
time, and how many adepts might have been initiated through its teachings 
alone.  

Even if only a few out of each thousands of students who have turned to 
theosophy had passed the seventh initiation -- that would account for a lot 
of adepts in the world today -- working quietly and waiting for their moment 
of need when our present materialistic civilization fails and falls into 
chaos. Who's to help guide those unenlightened ones who become lost when 
their world is pulled out from under them? Who's to teach the ever coming 
6th sub racers who's heritage that new rising civilization will be?

>Erica: Weeping he wondered through unknown lands.
>Crossing the terrific gates of human egoism, he saw
>the secrets of the dark land
>It was a land of grief and fear, nourished by tears
>>From where love was banished and a smile never was
>seen 
>
>He felt the breath of the devil into his skin,
>Beside his own grave plot he was
>Quite he observed the shadows of death trying to get
>roots into his soul
>He tried to contemplate heaven and do not listen the
>voices of the grave
>Those voices were in agony crying out human
>ignorance...
>
>He said:
>
>'O heaven I charge thee to tell me...
>Where can I rest?
>Is there any peaceful valley?
>Where can I feel the perfume of the spring flowers?
>Where may I lay my eyes in the glittering stars?'
>
>Thunders were crossing the sky
>The wind was carrying on his wings, black storm coming
>out of chaos
>To his lamentations there was silence...
>His sorrow crossed nature to the utmost pole... 

[Leon] That's a clear allegorical study of the difficulties in facing one's 
own inner nature and feeling the karma of one's past egotistical actions as 
one makes the climb through the seven layers of ones inner nature. But that 
facing of the "dweller on the threshold" and "crossing the abyss" is the last 
stage of one's path to enlightenment. Once those actions are realized and one 
experiences their causes and suffers their effects, can renounce them in the 
heart, and accepts forgiveness for those past sins -- they become 
transcended, and allow one to advance to the pure land of blissful 
enlightenment.    

>Leon: Therefore, unless one has already been on the
>path in previous lifetimes, and one's karma warrants
>it -- to get all the way through to the top is very
>tough going, and requires deep concentrated study and
>practice, for a long, long time. So, wherever you
>are, keep on plugging. 
>(snip)... 
>The only way we can understand those esoteric aspects
>of reality, is to examine them in the light of a
>correct scientifically sound) model of fundamental 
>reality.
>
>
>Erica: The only problem is that, there is no
>fundamental reality! Only models that are turned a
>part during an inner journey.
>It seems without this comprehension every try is going
>to be without success. There is a point into the human
>quest that words would not be enough to express what
>might be to give an infant step on those virgin lands
>of the inner self. 

[Leon] That's true for the run of the mill theosophists who are satisfied to 
learn that they are eternal, follow the path of altruism, and spend their 
good life resting on that belief. But, for the prospective Adept, that is an 
entirely different story. They need the words and the models so that they 
can picture in their mind what is real and what is not real. How else might 
they be effective magicians in this physical world when the time comes for 
them to act as agents of the Masters in the work of the great plan for the 
salvation of humanity in the face of its current growth toward its inevitable 
fall? And, how many might there be already working in the physical world 
around us -- whether as teachers, or as guides, or just waiting for their 
opportunities in whatever position they are in? The fundamental reality is 
all that together -- this physical world, the spiritual world, and all the 
worlds in between -- in a great metaphysical unity. Could we comprehend that 
absolute triple unity without the millions of words and pictures laid down by 
HPB and the Masters?

Best Wishes,

Leon Maurer

>Erica Letzerich