Theos-Talk Archives (September 2003 Message tt00046)

Dear Dallas

You quote "FP"? <<<"Instead of crushing out the
animal nature, we must learn to fully understand the animal, and
subordinate it to the spiritual." So long as you know the wiles and
lures of the elementary nature, you are not in danger of fooling
yourselves . Thy strength is in thy soul and thy soul's strength is in
the calm and not in storm revealed."	FP p. 38>>>

HPB writes in "Practical Occultism versus the Occult Arts":

"It is only when the power of the passions is dead altogether, and when they
have been crushed and annihilated in the retort of an unflinching will; when
not only all the lusts and longings of the flesh are dead, but also the
recognition of the personal Self is killed out and the "astral" has been
reduced in consequence to a cipher, that the Union with the "Higher Self"
can take place. Then when the "Astral" reflects only the conquered man, the
still living but no more the longing, selfish personality, then the
brilliant Augoeides, the divine SELF, can vibrate in conscious harmony with
both the poles of the human Entity--the man of matter purified, and the ever
pure Spiritual Soul--and stand in the presence of the MASTER SELF, the
Christos of the mystic Gnostic, blended, merged into, and one with IT
forever."

And before this:
". . . How can harmony prevail and conquer, when the soul is stained and
distracted with the turmoil of passions and the terrestrial desires of the
bodily senses, or even of the "Astral man"?"

A student of Theosophy can't be expected to know All. We have to
discriminate as best we can. Discrimination on our understanding of
Theosophy. If we know something to be by the Masters or H.P.B., it does
make a difference. It is a country we can look over into, but as yet we
cannot reach. Unless the animal nature is crushed out it is always there.
Always ready to flare up. Knowing the wiles and lures of the elementary
nature doesn't mean that the student or chela has overcome those dangers, or
are free from them. The Dugpa may well use that knowledge for his own
ends. Just think of the power it gives. Theosophy suggests we crush them
out or paralize them. Advising people to get to know the wiles and lures
of elementary nature isn't necessarily good advice, and may well put them in
danger? What do you think about this comment and what HPB writes? She
certainly isn't being wishy washy about it. Although you may see this as a
personal opinion (because of the way you are writing at the moment), surely
we are allowed to inquire and make comparisons and make comments on those
comparisons? It all helps in the understanding.

FP writes: ""Instead of crushing out the
animal nature, we must..."

HPB writes:
"It is only when the power of the passions is dead altogether, and when they
have been crushed and annihilated in the retort of an unflinching will; when
not only all the lusts and longings of the flesh are dead, but also the
recognition of the personal Self is killed out and the "astral" has been
reduced in consequence to a cipher, that the Union with the "Higher Self"
can take place."

Best wishes
Tony