Theos-Talk Archives (June 2004 Message tt00252)

[Steve writing to Bart and Leon]

>From: stevestubbs [mailto:stevestubbs@yahoo.com] 
>Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2004 7:38 AM
>Subject: Re: Theos-World Leon, I love your "take" on the cup and 
saucer but I do have a question

>Read again carefuilly. It is a fact that most of the people in the 
>world who are aware of theosophy think theosophy is a joke and 
>Blavatsky was a clown.
>
>Since you and Leon both leon in that direction, I pose a question: 
>why take it seriously?

The same might be said of any little-known movement or school of 
thought. We could also say, for example, "Read again carefully. It 
is a fact that most of the people in the world who are aware of Zen 
think Zen is a joke and Zen Masters are clowns."

In this case, the interpretation of "who are aware of" could be 
taken in different ways. In one case, if meaning "who have heard of 
negative press on it in the media and dismiss it offhand," it says 
nothing of Zen. In the other case, if meaning "who are serious 
students and practitioners of Zen," it would claim than upon close 
examination, there is no validity to it as a spiritual dharma, which 
is untrue.

With the comparison to Theosophy, if meaning "who have heard of 
negative press on Theosophy in the media and dismiss it offhand," it 
says nothing of Theosophy. In the other case, if meaning "who are 
serious students and practitioners of Theosophy," it would claim 
that upon close examination, there is no validity to it as a 
spiritual dharma, which is also untrue.

The average person may know little beyond what shows up in the 
media. That means primarily an exposure to sensational 
representations of things, not a balanced view. Negative press sells 
more newspapers than positive information and news. Look at the way 
that people are manipulated into believing almost anything that 
their favorite political party says, regardless of the facts!

Spiritual insight is inclusive, not exclusive. If open to it, one 
sees magic and mystery wherever it appears for people, regardless of 
outer form. If closed to it, one cannot see it where it exists in 
different outer forms, even when talking to people that find it 
there, if those outer forms do not fit one's preconceived ideas 
about what is a genuine dharma or spiritual path.

Where do we find the clowns? In a positive aspect, they are 
tricksters that unsettle us enough to look at things differently and 
have new insights. In a negative aspect, their intent is harmful, 
seeking to destroy one's positive sentiment and outlook. The former, 
in moderation, is good. The latter is just expressing hostility that 
has not been brought under control.

Most if not all of us have gone through periods in life where we 
have believed in some religion, philosophy, or system of thought, 
only later to get into something else and no longer value it the 
same way. It's ease to be "me-centric" and view the world in terms 
of whatever belief we may currently entertain. From that viewpoint, 
anyone still believing in that former philosophy would be behind us, 
because "we have moved on to something better." A more accurate 
viewpoint would be "all-of-us-centric" and accept that others have 
an equal right to consider as valid that former belief we held even 
as we would have wanted others to treat us when we had previously 
held it.

One person may have just discovered Theosophy, and find great value 
in exploring it. That person may be tempted to look with disdain 
upon others that continue to believe as he or she used to. Another 
person may have just left Theosophy to become a deist Hindu, and be 
tempted to look back on those continuing with Theosophy as somehow 
inferior in spiritual practice. In both cases, they are too centered 
in themselves and failing to see the light in others and what they 
do. 

-- Eldon