Theos-Talk Archives (July 2003 Message tt00288)

Patanjali, along with Buddha, HPB and WQJ, and later, Suzuki (re Zen 
practice) taught a similar process to attain enlightenment or self realization -- 
through practicing a constant and direct awareness of ones actions on every plane 
of one's existence, including one's thoughts, emotions, sensations, tensions, 
feelings, physical actions, etc..... But, they explained the process far 
better, justified its use with a consistent and logical basis for attaining a true 
knowledge of reality, and never taught anyone to stop thinking (at least not 
with their higher or intuitive mind). They also didn't approach the teaching 
of such practice with the premise that everyone other than the teacher is a 
fool and needs someone to lead them by their noses into an action for which they 
are given no logical reason or understanding (of the nature of their dual 
self, as well as of the karmic necessity) to initiate by their own self devised 
and self determined efforts. 

To not understand that the higher Self or "Spirit in Man" (Atma) is the 
witness, is that "unbiased something," is eternal, and is the victim of the karma 
of the lower self, and to not explain the basis of the action, the method, and 
the rationale behind such an observational (actually meditative) process (so 
ordered for us to do, but not explained how) -- is a perfect example of the 
blind leading the blind. 

Perhaps it might help to read some of the recent posts by Dallas on karma, 
meditation, etc., (quoting from the writings of some of the above mentioned 
theosophical teachers). And, to follow their leads for study and yoga practice, 
while finding out for ourselves how far ahead (of this simplistic and 
methodologically unexplained practice) they were. Patanjali had this self observant 
yoga down pat more than a thousand years ago, and there couldn't be any "faster" 
method to develop one's higher consciousness (or conscience) and attain 
enlightenment. At least, he showed us, step by step, how to "hinder the 
modifications of the thinking principle" -- which is the enemy of clear seeing (that is a 
quality of the thoughful mind) -- but not to "stop thinking itself." 

As for the "scare tactics" about urgency of time running out and that 
"someone" might "eat us" if we do not follow these directions, It would be nice to 
know who that someone is and why such an urgency? Since we are not so told -- 
is it, because maintaining such ignorance on the part of the student/meditators 
is the only way a self proclaimed indispensable guru can take over control 
and guidance of their lives and make them willing slaves to his/her ideas of 
group activity? It would be also nice to know what it is that we are supposed to 
"develop" by engaging in such a practice? Is it some sort of psychic power? 
And who or what is the nature of that "unbiased observer" -- other than our 
higher self or spiritual awareness (that has already been thoroughly explained 
by HPB for the discerning theosophist, and further clarified by WQJ for those 
at a lesser level of understanding).

In any event, the idea of "displacing thought" by any sort of blindly led 
ritual or "exercise" goes directly against the fundamental teachings of 
theosophy. In fact, it is the perfect way to passively prepare the mind for being 
hypnotized. What value is a recording of what we are doing, if we cannot think 
about whether or not what we are doing is correct action or not? In other 
words, how can such a recording be useful to us if we cannot evaluate it (by 
thinking) in order to make necessary changes in our minds? 

LHM 


In a message dated 07/27/03 7:17:31 PM, wry1111@earthlink.net writes:

>The fastest way to develop is by practicing an exercise in which something
>impartial, as if from a point outside the physical body, records the body
>as an object, including sensation, tensions, feelings etc. as it moves
>around. This is very hard to do, and is even unnatural, and, in this sense,
>could be called a form of Work. Of course the regular little self with
>all of its nonsense, does not want to be recorded, as it goes about its
>day, dreaming that it has unlimited time, is already impartial, and will
>not have to die like every other Tom, Dick, and Harry, or whatever. Bear
>in mind and do not forget: something impartial has no opinion of any kind,
>and it certainly does not know if it is immortal. Any such evaluation is
>a product of thought, which is a process of the functioning of the body
>and to be simply recorded. As mentioned previously, the processes of thought
>seem to displace the impartial recording process, so it is unlikely, at
>least in the beginning years, to be able to do this exercise and think
>at the same time. Pity, but this is the nature of the beast, and whoever
>does not want to be eaten will need to contend with it realistically, by
>displacing thought with the practicing of this exercise. Sincerely, Wry