Theos-Talk Archives (April 2004 Message tt00131)

Hey,

I feel inspired to comment on the fact that ARE, after a period of 
intense conflict that caused me to let my membership lapse, seems to 
be rebounding with encouraging statistics on membership and 
participation in conferences etc. (e.g. book sales.) An 
Anthroposophist acquaintance suggested that the overwhelming 
emphasis of the Cayce readings/movement on health was itself a 
healthy influence. The focus is on empirical questions like "does 
this advice help me?" as opposed to abstruse metaphysical questions 
that tend to dominate Theosophical (or Anthroposophical) discourse. 

ARE promotes doctrines about history and religion that are just as 
dubious/marginal as those of the Theosophical organizations. But 
the overwhelming focus is on practical application of Cayce's 
guidelines on health, meditation, personal relationships, etc. This 
seems to keep people in the here and now rather than the sweet by 
and by.

Would the Theosophical movement be healthier if it were more focused 
on the present than the past? I think so, but have no real evidence 
to support that, just gut instinct and the ARE example.

Paul