Theos-Talk Archives (August 2004 Message tt00491)

Hi Paul,Eldon and all
To me the importance is how we act, not what books we read or don't read.

I am a reader and have found theosophical literature of much help but
its only one aspect of my own process.
Everybodies process will be differnt.

For me being on the "spiritual path" has nothing to do with whether
we've read theosophical books or never heard the word theosophy but
rather the way we live and act.

I don't think there is such a thing as an 'inferior function' 
'chopping wood carrying water'

Perry


--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "kpauljohnson" <kpauljohnson@y...>
wrote:
> --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, Eldon B Tucker <eldon@t...> wrote:
> 
> 
> > For certain people at a particular phase of their lives, their
greatest 
> > voyage of discovery may be in the world of ideas, and having books, 
> > magazines, study classes, and like-minded people to talk to is the
> greatest 
> > blessing. For others, it may be the worst possible waste of time,
> and they 
> > need to put thinking aside, garden, and simply hike and enjoy
> nature. Each 
> > of us has a particular need at the moment, and our needs are not
> always the 
> > same. What seems lifeless and a total waste of time to you or I may
> seem the greatest treasure to someone else with different growth needs.
> > 
> Dear Eldon,
> 
> What you write above is undeniably true, and reminds me of a concept
> in Jungian psychology. This is the transcendence after age 40, when
> we shift from developing our strong suits (primary and secondary
> functions) and start to develop our lesser functions. In my case,
> as an intuitive thinking type, my younger years focused on the world
> of spiritual ideas and organizations. But after 40 there was a marked
> shift towards the physical world of sensation and feeling; my main
> organizational activity now is with a conservation group focused on
> the welfare of a river basin. People who stay fixated on their
> dominant functions past mid-life are missing out on the chance to
> become more well-rounded. (On a related note, as a librarian I notice
> that many people want to read the same kind of book over and over,
> while relatively few are seeking growth through reading new and
> different types of literature.)
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Paul