Theos-Talk Archives (August 2004 Message tt00493)

Aug 24 2004



Dear L and Friends:



I well understand the impact THEOSOPHY has had on the "new Age" jargon. Its
ideal of a practical brotherhood of humanity has appealed to all.



I do not minimize this valuable relationship.



Also, important, when I make comments or seem to answer observations, my
responses are intended to be general, and not aimed at anyone specifically.
They ought to be treated as an "aide-memoire" for all of us. And of course
they ought to be checked for accuracy and fairness. 



However that which I am pointing to is the core and backbone of THEOSOPHY -
its metaphysics. It offers reasonable explanations based on facts we can
all access. So - no mystery there, but a lot of hard work doing the
necessary proving. That is what daunts most people, and in some cases they
join religions or societies that "promise (?)" to take care of their
spiritual "hereafter." At what cost? ["Have faith my child!" And above
all else, "Don't ask!"]



I agree that not all want to make a deep study of those things, and while
adopting the ideals on the surface, they put themselves in danger because
they have not acquired even a minimal concept of WHY BROTHERHOOD can EXIST.
This is exactly what has happened in all creeds and sects. The Moral ideal
is acceptable, but the REASON WHY is neglected.



Here is where the sly and crafty come in and pose as "priests," and
"leaders." It is all for the money they can cull from the gullible, those
who want (at thee back of their minds) something for nothing. Then
churches, lodges, secret centers, mystic names, etc. are used as fodder to
mystify and delude the "well-intentioned" sheep who are held to perpetual
ransom by claiming their support made to a church (tithing) it is a
sacrifice to 'God." 



[I say that if God made and owns everything, then any paltry gifts or
"praise," or prayers, from humans are redundant and farcical. I look,
pragmatically, for the sign that says: "The buck stops here."]



I object to that perversion and have seen it arise (although disguised) in
the THEOSOPHICAL MOVEMENT during the last 125 years. I do not paint all
THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETIES with an accusative brush. Any body, group, society
or association acquires adherents who don't have the knowledge or the will
to be independent. They say: "We want guidance!" And then attach
themselves for better or worse to "leaders." And so develop and flourish
rites and rituals. 



If we are indeed spiritual at core and heart, then we(as humanity en masse)
are a Majority, not a minority at all.



I also agree that knowledge is not uniformly acquired and in practice. But
that is precisely what we are here (under Karma) to acquire. 



I will add to this the idea that he spiritual SELF within is not here as a
victim, but as a Pilgrim devoted to assisting the "Lower Mind" and the lower
principles (all consisting of Monads of lesser experience) to take hold and
advance to the position the spiritual Being within (a "personal God")
actually holds. 



This leads to a grasp of the idea that we are potentially all Gods, and in
the here and now, we are "Gods in the making:" -- and the potentialities
for this process are not extraordinary, nor can they be inculcated by a
"laying on of the hands, etc." They are right here in our mental and
spiritual grasp if we only WILL to try. Does anyone who is sane, really
think they are here for no reason? If all this work and suffering and joy
are experienced, then why? Who feels it? Who can profit from it? 



Now it is true that there is a scarcity of thinking and knowledge. But that
can be remedied by encouraging people to THINK and be LOGICAL. 



We are, agreeably, in the 5th root race (only about 1 million years into it,
and several millions to go), and also about 5,000 years into Kali Yuga (and
are facing a long period of 427,000 more years of that). It is said that
the world, and living situations will get worse. But if Karma is just, we
will receive only that which is due to us, or owed by us. 



Lets ask ourselves one question: Why was it so important to have THEOSOPHY
so boldly and broadly expressed - even if 125 years ago? 



What is so important at this particular cycle? 



Is it not the formation of a NUCLEUS? Not a big thing but a START - that
will be nurtured by THEM and kept moving forward. 



Perhaps we, being born under our own Karma at this junction, and serving as
a part of the "bridge" into the future, have earned a special position of
great responsibility. For us the test is : shall we seize this moment and
pass on the great gift to those who are around, and who will follow us in
time? To make it possible, we have to remodel ourselves and try to embody
and practice spiritual IDEALS - and these have been catalogued for us.
Living in a "house under reconstruction" is not easy.



At present, (to me) our duty is plain: to serve where we are and do the
best we can. In the Gita Krishna advocates doing ones' duty without
anticipating (or steering as we hope) "results" - which, according to Him,
are inevitable and depend on our altruism and choices now -- and the
consequent Karma, which, once commenced, we later, cannot change. See this:
--

"This Society is a small germ of a nucleus for a real outer Brotherhood. If
we work aright the day must come when we shall have accomplished our aim and
formed the nucleus. If we had five hundred members in the Society loving one
another with true hearts, not criticizing nor condemning, and all bent on
one aim with one belief we could sweep the whole world with our thoughts.
And this is our work in the future, the work traced out for us by those
Masters in whom so many of us firmly believe.

If we only have patience, what a glorious, wide, and noble prospect opens up
before us!" -- W Q J. 

PROMULGATION OF THEOSOPHY, Judge Articles, Vol. I, p 76

So, fellow Pilgrim, bear up and forever more..



The "ring Pass Not" is (to me) a barrier to closer spiritual communion on
the physical level simply because we have not yet done enough
"spiritualizing" on our lower selves our Kama, specifically, and our daily
behaviour suffers. But we are in no way precluded from touching and being
touched by that true universal SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE on other planes of our
being. 



[For example: If you' look at the evidence the Hubble telescope provides:
We live in the center of an enormous galactic SUN, and we are bathed with
innumerable cascades of radiance and force - physical and metaphysical. All
beings are in the same position and condition - it is a part of the
universal brotherhood (we are all immortal Monads - Atma-Buddhis) -- which
needs to be brought into actuality on our little Earth. And we are among
those who can make it happen. The size of our effort is immeasurable - the
finger in the dyke that stopped a small leak helped to preserve a
community.]



The "Moment of Choice" hangs around the corner. We are told of it because
it is vital to us as well as to humanity. Some catch the hint and seek to
grasp the implications. Other find it threatening and vague and desire to
avoid further annoyance - so who gains? Personally, The VOICE OF THE
SILENCE is "good news." It offers (to me) a reasonable "path" and simple
statements that concern the potentials we can build, if we choose to adopt
that -- to a practice of brotherhood - what more is necessary? Like the
flame, it is a gift which never diminishes. 



Of course there are those who want to amass tangible property and wealth --
and they find at the end of life: "You can't take it with you." So what
can we take with us? Only one thing besides our immortal spiritual Selves
those are eternal; our character. And that, together with the spiritualized
Lower Mind is the fruit of THEOSOPHICAL disciplines - self-imposed.



Well, that's how I see it.



Best wishes, 



Dallas





===========================================

-----Original Message-----
From: Teos9
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2004 8:14 AM
To
Subject: [bn-study] Re: TIME & EVOLUTION and freedom



Hello Dallas,



Thanks for your thoughts and observations..



While I do agree with the general tone of your reply, you read much more
pessimism into my reply, than I intended. Allow me to expand a little, on
what I was trying to convey.



My comment on the current state of human affairs, is based on MY
observations and interpretations of various media reports, as they emerge
throughout the world today. 



Man's inhumanity to man, is simply an assessment of what I currently see,
or, as I see it. 



The observation itself, in no way affects my deep seated optimism and
understanding that we, as a global species are in the midst of constant
change, and are ever becoming, that which is best and brightest, at the end
of this journey. 



However, a journey it is, and it still is unfinished. 



There are rough spots and easy spots, along the path we are treading. There
is light, and there is darkness. We travel sometimes rapidly, sometimes what
appears to be not at all. That said, a race of functional empaths, seems to
be a condition that does not YET belong to us. Perhaps it will be much
further actualized, in a seventh root race humanity.



Optimism and positive thinking aside, which I agree, is a part of the best
of who we are, my comment of: "It serves no purpose to try to fit all her
commentaries into our present time," was simply my way of describing the
contrast between her works & writings, and what we find going on in the
dense physical, at the moment. 



In all my years as a Theosophist, I have never considered us to be the
majority of humankind. 



As a minority group, we still have much to accomplish, when it comes to
serving our fellow human. That appears to be an uncontested fact. 



While we certainly should allow ourselves to draw inspiration from the "Dear
Lady's" legacy, it should not be without concern for practical tools,
spiritual or physical, that address the problems of the moment.



Dallas, I am aware that you have a definite view of the what constitutes the
parameters of acceptable theosophy. 



However, there are other, more liberal "new Age" if you will, which use
certain theosophical & esoteric terms that I often find useful. Such terms
as "the ring-pass-not" or the "rain-cloud of knowable things" point out to
me, that there are certain conditions of human consciousness, that
necessarily, lie still undeveloped. 



Any reference to them seems to be an exercise in futility. We cannot know or
act upon, that which lies beyond our ability to know or act upon. To me,
that is not pessimistic. To me, that is reasonable, real and inspiring. 



Best regards,



L







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