Theos-Talk Archives (October 2004 Message tt00111)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, samblo@c... wrote:
> You know over a period of time the name of Paul Twichell has
> been posted on several occasions. ... I have wondered on
> the occasions that others posted about him why they never
> mentioned the Scientology part. what's your POV?

If I remember correctly someone named Lane did a bio on Twitchell 
which exposed him the way Tillett's book exposed Leadbeater. I don't 
know if Lane mentioned Scientology or not. Apparently Twitch studied 
under several Sikhs, then gave them no credit and used their stuff 
attributing it to fictitious "eck masters." His books are so absurd 
I have never been able to get through any of them, but it would 
appear he may have heisted some valuable material from the Sikhs, so 
that in some cases a distinction would need to be made between the 
messenger and the message.

19428From: Perry Coles <perrycoles@y...> Date: Mon Oct 4, 2004 10:14pm
Subject: Re: Theos-World Hearing the Voice of the Silence: HPB, 
Cayce, Radhasoami, &c.

> As you pointed out I think quite rightly is that these
> psychic whistles and bangs can be a mere distractions
> as HPB warns about as well in the VOS.

Yes, I am only citing the opinions of others but masters of several 
of the northern schools of Buddhism would say it was mistaken to 
listen to your ears ringing and maintain that this is enlightenment. 
>From the northern Buddhist perspective the appearance of these kinds 
of phenomena means the meditator is CLOSE to enlightenment, but that 
one last push is required for the spark to jump to amala vijnana 
(atma in Theosophy, the ninth level in Yogacara) and that to sit and 
watch the pictures or listen to the sounds of alaya is to miss the 
central experience. This is also the contention of the Raja Yoga 
school within Hinduism beginning with Patanjali and continuing 
through his lineage. A woman I used to know who studied in the 
Tibetan schools says they teach this as well.

> But that doesn't mean that "hearing sounds" and "seeing lights"
> ect may not be a part of our own experiences on the spiritual
> journey, the problem is having undue concern and attachment
> to such experiences and confusing it with "spiritual awareness".

Yes, you will experience makyos if you stay with meditation so they 
are part of it. The danger is in getting fascinated with them and 
detouring on your way to the central experience. When I visit 
Manhattan it is fun to watch the lights pass by, but that is not my 
destination.

> Spiritual awareness is reflected selfless action and has
> nothing to do with psychic visions or experiences.
Yes. Enlightenment is attained by venturing inward, but it is 
manifested outwardly in the way we conduct ourselves. Outward 
conduct gradually changes as enlightement deepens, but it is 
deepening enlightenment which drives the outward manifestation, not 
the other way around.