Theos-Talk Archives (July 2003 Message tt00074)

Hi all of you,

My views are only views:


This is sort of the last email in a series of stories
and other texts...



Here is a little something.


Cultural and Psychological Problems of 
the Lower Self

The following could be called an interpretation of Theosophy and 
theosophical writings and it intends to show, where some of the problems 
with Theosophy are today year 2003. The use of the word "Thosophy", 
"Theosophical" and so on - has both a relation to the various branches 
and offshots of the Thesophical Society created 1875 - and Theosophy 
in general as the Teaching of all ages past.

The Western cultural milieu, more than those of the East,
provides a background mentality which engourages the Lower
Self. Procedures designed for Eastern people are likely
to have negative effects if adopted by Westerners.

Briefly, the Eastern tradition that one learns until one is
permitted by a teacher to teach (an ancient tradition perpetuated
in apprenticeship and the granting of degress in the West), is not
adhered to in many non-academic areas of the West.

the reason for this is not far to seek. In the West, the
prevailing culture's emphasis is on haste, on getting something
and passing it on (e.g. products or ideas, after value-enhancing)
and so on. This has taken the form, in spiritual, psychological
and other areas, of people trying to teach, to expound, to treat or
cure, to communicate before they are properly fitted to do so.

The fact that, in the West, anyone can set up as an expert, a
teacher, a therapist or an adviser, compunds this error.

The Lower Self, always agile in its sophistication,
conceals from the individual that he/she is trying to run before
being able to walk. When people start to apporve of what the
individual is doing, this is misread as validation of his or her
role. In fact, it is usually only the fact that some people are
dependent characters by nature or formation.

This, indeed, is the aetiology of many cults and most
examples of people who have become prominent beyind their
true current capacity.

Someone has to pay for this. Sometimes many people pay for
it. The reason is that the situation as just outlined is inherently
unstable. Stresses within the individual cause distress, even
breakdown. The stresses are result of the battle between
vanity, however well concealed, and the inner knowledge that
the personality is false, is trying to run before being able to walk.

This condition is hard to treat. The Lower Self will
struggle hard to maintain itself, convincing the sufferer that the
symptoms are essential parts of the personality. The sufferer will
constantly imagine an inability to return to the baseline, become
more modest, humble, less self-assertive, because he/she feels
that this would mean depletion of the personality.

The Lower Self, though, can be seen as a sort of
parasite, which first complements the personality, then takes
over certain parts of it, and masquerades as the personality itself.

Breakdowns of communication are a frequent result. Theosophical
teachers, when describing this syndrome, are often accused of
trying to keep the individual down, of saying 'You are not ready
yet' in order to maintain authority. This critisism is invalid,
unless there is plenty of evidence to support it; and; if there is,
the supposed teacher is not a Theosophist at all.

The answer? Time and service rather than wanting to take a
place on the totem-pole. It is for this reason that Theosophical
teachers divert vanity from the spiritual area, by encouraging
their disciples to channel the Lower Self's activities to any
worhty wordly ambition: while continuing to study the Theosophical
Path in a modest and non-self-promoting manner.


Please: I don't know everything...




from
M. Sufilight with peace and love.



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