Theos-Talk Archives (March 2006 Message tt01041)

Steve-

I appreciate your insight and your suggestion, and I see the value 
to it.  It's just that at this specific time in my life, my focus 
must be a little bit different.  In other words, I've already poured 
many thousands of hours into various metaphysical texts over the 
last twenty years, and have therefore arrived at a very complex and 
advanced metaphysical belief system as a result.  At this time, I am 
undertaking the attempt to write a volume as large as HPB's, and 
therefore cannot dedicate fully researching a brand new text.

I suggest that there exist the roles of teachers whose specific task 
is to dispense information to others, if they do not have the 
immediate time and energy to gather it for themselves.  I'm not 
saying that direct readings of HPB lack value in any way.  That's 
just not where I'm at right now.

Currently, I engage in trance conditioning through natural 
physiological disciplines, without the use of chemical modifiers.  
This means that I interact directly with spirit entities, seeing 
them and hearing them when I enter into trance.  And this is the 
level from whence my writings will manifest inspiration.  I am just 
curious to see what degree of alignment exists between HPB's 
writings and my own belief system at this time, so I'd like to learn 
more through those gifted teachers and students of HPB.

Vince

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, Steven Levey <sallev1@...> wrote:
>
> Vince
>    
>        I am aware of how daunting the very thickness of these 
texts can appear, but I really think that you are doing yourself a 
great disservice, by not doing the study yourself, and expecting 
others to, sort of, hand it to you in some palatable form intended 
just for you. This is a great deal like going to church or temple 
and expecting the paid servent on the pulpit to do the same thing. 
>        Now please, don't take this wrong, but an important aspect 
of the philosophy of becoming a discriminating human being and 
student, is, so that what you find for yourself will be something 
you can trust in. "We are all Gods", says the ancient wisdom, 
or "You too can do what I have done" as Jesus says. In other words, 
we have what we need within us, we just have to flesh it out. That 
is the purpose of theosophical thought, not the memorization of 
thick texts. But the study of them, and application of what we see 
as true, brings rewards immediately, as the mind wakes up to its own 
powers of wisdom and discrimination.
>    
>   Steve
> 
> Vincent <vblaz2004@...> wrote:
>   Steve-
> 
> I'm just trying to understand what I can about Theosophy, insofar 
as 
> it is new to me. HPB's writings are so extensive in such large 
> volumes that I'm honestly a little bit daunted as to where to 
begin, 
> so I'm likely going to be relying on secondary abridgments for 
> awhile. In other words, someone's probably going to have to teach 
> it to me in the form of abridged quotes, before I get into 
extensive 
> reading of the core volumes.
> 
> Christians claim that the Bible contains 'absolute truth', both 
> inerrant and infallible. But this then leaves those portions of 
> universal truth concerning which we lack a firm and total grasp. 
> Namely 'occult' truth, or anything which has not been declared to 
> be 'absolute truth' by the Christian community. Hence universal 
> truth may potentially be subdivided into categories of 'absolute 
> truth' and 'occult truth'. Of course, I don't believe that any of 
> us really has a firm grasp on 'absolute truth' in the first place, 
> insofar as our minds are mortal, and we commonly have errors 
> somewhere in every belief that we hold, whether small or great. 
> Hence so many different biblical interpretations among Christians.
> 
> --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, Steven Levey wrote:
> >
> > Vince-
> > 
> > Your intution about the reason for the term "Secret" in The 
> Secret Doctrine is somewhat correct, but, it is also a bit to 
quick 
> a judgement. I'm afraid you are going to have to study the thing, 
to 
> get a really good idea about the use of her terms. However, in 
doing 
> so, I found it wise to read HPB in a thorough way to begin to 
> undestand her motivation. By this I mean, read The Key to 
Theosophy, 
> and study The Voice of the Silence, as well, or something like 
that. 
> Or, pick up one of her collected writtings of shorter articles, or 
> the Panarion. Mostly all of these are available at the Public 
> Library, but definately on-line or in Theosophy Lodges of 
different 
> types.
> > 
> > Good Searching-Steve
> > 
> > Vincent Blazina wrote:
> > Perry:
> > 
> > Thanks for the welcome. The Jehovah's Witnesses that you refer 
> also seem to have some narrow biblical interpretations, much like 
> Christian fundamentalists. I'm curious about what some of the 
> similarities and differences are between the Bible and the Secret 
> Doctrine. Why is the Secret Doctrine considered to be secret? Does 
> this simply mean that it is occult (meaning hidden) in nature? My 
> own biblical interpretations go very deep for me, and are anything 
> but dry, although I view Christian fundamentalists as often 
shallow 
> in their own biblical interpretations much of the time.
> > 
> > Vince
> > 
> > plcoles1 
> > wrote:
> > Hello Vince, 
> > Welcome to theos-talk!
> > My background was in the Jehovah's Witnesses and so as a result 
> had what amounted to at 
> > least 5 1/2 hours a week of meetings to attend, and NO 
questioning 
> what you were being 
> > told.
> > 
> > The thing I've found with studying theosophy for someone who has 
> studied the Bible is 
> > that theosophy and in particular the Secret Doctrine opens up 
many 
> interesting and 
> > profound interpretations of passages in the Bible.
> > 
> > An interesting article written by H.P Blavatsky is `The Esoteric 
> character of the Gospels'
> > http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/hpb-sio/sio-eso2.htm
> > It's a good place to start as the Secret Doctrine can be a 
little 
> bit daunting to begin with.
> > 
> > After only hearing what was to me very empty and dry 
> interpretations of the Bible, 
> > theosophy can help you to begin to get some kind of 
understanding 
> as to the deeper 
> > meaning in the bible as well as what other great thinkers, sages 
> and philosophers from 
> > various traditions have taught on these subjects which may help 
> you have some context 
> > and reference point for your own experiences.
> > Very Best Wishes on your Spiritual journey and once again 
Welcome 
> to the theos-talk!
> > 
> > Regards
> > 
> > Perry
> > 
> > --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "vblaz20042004" wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi there, I'm Vince and I am new to the group. I have recently 
> been 
> > > attending the Theosophical Society of Wheaton, Illinois for 
the 
> past 
> > > month, and have been enjoying the various teachings and 
> discussions 
> > > at that facility.
> > > 
> > > My life has been rich with metaphysical experiences, but the 
> > > Christian Fundamentalist churches that I had previously 
attended 
> for 
> > > twenty years got very judgmental towards me when I might 
venture 
> to 
> > > reference them. I also began finding many inconsistencies with 
> the 
> > > way that many Christians were representing the Bible, and my 
> > > questions about Christianity were often deemed dangerous to 
> people's 
> > > religious faith.
> > > 
> > > I am looking for a place in the Theosophical Society wherein I 
> may 
> > > potentially freely discuss metaphysical issues as they 
directly 
> > > pertain to my life, with people who are more open to such 
> > > discussions. I am very well read with the Bible, although my 
> > > interpretations of it are more metaphysical versus orthodox.
> > > 
> > > I look forward to constuctive discussion with the people here, 
> and 
> > > would like to learn more about the Theosophical Society and 
it's 
> > > perspectives, insofar as many of them are brand new to me.
> > > 
> > > Thank you,
> > > 
> > > Vince
> > >
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
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> > 
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> > 
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
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