Theos-Talk Archives (July 2006 Message tt00605)

7/29/2006 6:31 AM

		RE:  Tantra & Theosophy Virtual Lodge

Friends:

Will this weeks study probably revolve around KAMA-MANAS and cover the
subject:  Is LUST PERMISSIBLE AND EXCUSABLE ?

If this is to be discussed among students of THEOSOPHY  I say IT IS
SHAMEFUL.

I ask plainly: Sexual promiscuity -- is this to be associated with our
mothers, wives, girl and boy children?  Is this discussed in the average
home, not to mention Theosophical ones ?

Does the BUDDHI-MANAS have anything to do with this, or its vile symbology
that mocks the divine and PURE union of ATMA-BUDDHI ?


Let me quote again a portion from a just published story:  

A BEWITCHED LIFE
As Narrated by a Quill Pen  	By H. P. Blavatsky 


"One night I was abruptly awakened by a long and loud cry of distress. It
was a woman's voice, plaintive like that of a child, full of terror and of
helpless despair. I awoke with a start to find myself on land, in a strange
room. 

A young girl, almost a child, was desperately struggling against a powerful
middle-aged man, who had surprised her in her own room, and during her
sleep. Behind the closed and locked door, I saw listening an old woman,
whose face, notwithstanding the fiendish expression upon it, seemed familiar
to me, and I immediately recognized it: it was the face of the ***** who had
adopted my niece in the dream I had at Kioto. She had received gold to pay
for her share in the foul crime, and was now keeping her part of the
covenant . . . . But who was the victim? O horror unutterable! Unspeakable
horror! When I realized the situation after coming back to my normal state,
I found it was my own child-niece. 

But, as in my first vision, I felt in me nothing of the nature of that
despair born of affection that fills one's heart, at the sight of a wrong
done to, or a misfortune befalling, those one loves; nothing but a manly
indignation in the presence of suffering inflicted upon the weak and the
helpless. I rushed, of course, to her rescue, and seized the wanton, brutal
beast by the neck. I fastened upon him with powerful grasp, but, the man
heeded it not, he seemed not even to feel my hand. 

The coward, seeing himself resisted by the girl, lifted his powerful arm and
the thick fist, coming down like a heavy hammer upon the sunny locks, felled
the child to the ground. It was with a loud cry of the indignation of a
stranger, not with that of a tigress defending her cub, that I sprang upon
the lewd beast and sought to throttle him. I then remarked, for the first
time, that, a shadow myself, I was grasping but another shadow! . . . . 

My loud shrieks and imprecations had awakened the whole steamer. They were
attributed to a nightmare. I did not seek to take anyone into my confidence;
but, from that day forward, my life became a long series of mental tortures,
I could hardly shut my eyes without becoming witness of some horrible deed,
some scene of misery, death or crime, whether past, present or even future
-- as I ascertained later on. 

It was as though some mocking fiend had taken upon himself the task of
making me go through the vision of everything that was bestial, malignant
and hopeless, in this world of misery. No radiant vision of beauty or virtue
ever lit with the faintest ray these pictures of awe and wretchedness that I
seemed doomed to witness. 

Scenes of wickedness, of murder, of treachery and of lust fell dismally upon
my sight, and I was brought face to face with the vilest results of man's
passions, the most terrible outcome of his material earthly cravings. "  

	A BEWITCHED LIFE --  As Narrated by a Quill Pen
		By H. P. Blavatsky 

-------------------------------------

What do we know of “Tantra ?”  Only the exoteric, gross and disgusting rind.
What lies underneath ?  Has THEOSOPHY anything at all to do with this kind
of reality?


I think some hints will be found herein.



 		UNIVERSAL MIND AND INITIATION
 

"The action of the entire universe is but a detailed manifestation and
example of the action of mind on matter, governed at the highest point by
the action of the universal Mind.  Between the finite human mind of the
ordinary uninitiated individual and this universal mind lie an infinite
number of gradually ascending degrees, and the higher the plane of
consciousness the nearer is the approach to the universal mind which is, as
it were, the main-spring of the whole.  Although there are no hard and fast
lines in nature yet these various grades may be marked off into great main
divisions;  and it is the successive attainment of these, one after the
other that is represented by the degrees of initiation.  When one plane of
existence has been exhausted, there is needed, as it were, a fresh impulse
to enable us to go on higher and this it is that is supplied at the time of
initiation."	"Alpha"	THEOSOPHIST,  June 1886  -  	[ ULT- T A & N p. 61
]


[ COMMENT:  Krishna is the ancient name given to that living and undying
Spirit (enveloped by matter) which supports and guides evolution, which
preserves the creative life-giving force that unites all beings.  "He" lives
in the hearts of all, and therefore is closest to the true center of every
man.  He resides in our own heart.  He is not "outside," nor is He a remote
"Deity," that is abstract and to be worshiped in some man-made temple.  He
is our very own Higher Self, the "Secret Self," which is for the Universe
its universal SELF, as it is more intimately, "the Self of all creatures."  


						GAYATRI
GOLDEN  VASE 

The Sun of our system, whose glory it is impossible to "see," represents
Krishna.  It is hidden by a "vase of golden light".  Curiously, the meaning
of the Sanskrit name "Krishna" is: the "dark one," or, occultly: "he who
stands as interpreter of the brilliance of the 'Central Spiritual SUN,'
shielding 'creatures in their infancy' from its destructive light, while
preserving the living field in which all beings may evolve."  He is Pushan,
who is holder of the "vase of golden light" which shields earthly man, us
from the "Sun" of the ONE SPIRIT until such time as we learn to become one
with Him and able to remove the "vase" without destroying ourselves (for in
that process we will have created an indestructible form for our use).  This
is one of the interpretations of the Gayatri verse, used every morning by
the Brahmins to recall to memory the source and purpose of life.

Krishna and Vishnu (the force of preservation, of continuity--of
reincarnation and karma) are one, and in turn, Vishnu is an aspect of the
triple World of Energy called symbolically:  Brahma-Vishnu-Siva, or the
conjoined and eternal powers of creation, preservation and regeneration,
[after a grand cycle of general dispersal (destruction) not annihilation, it
is the Eternal "Vishnu" who places the seed for the fresh evolutionary
"day," called "creation," in the womb of 
Brahma ].  

When the cycle of living closes, he, as Siva dances into pralaya or "rest"
the energies and forces of all the beings involved in evolution (symbolized
by the "cremation ground") so that they may reappear when the Maha-Yogi
(great Initiator) regenerates them, dancing them back into the new "day" for
their resumption of karmic evolution; and a fresh Manvantara begins.  So we
have an example of the depiction of rhythm, of time cycles and of on-going
purposiveness in living for all beings without any exceptions.

This is one of the explanations which the Tantras are seen to offer, in
their purest condition.  But they have been degraded and materialized by the
ignorant who made themselves devotees of only the destructive, or rather the
dispersive forces operating in Nature.  They fear this force, and seek to
propitiate it by making themselves, they fancy, into its physical agents --
a terrible error, as It does not need anyone to carry on its appointed work.
But the priests, who feed on the ignorance of the masses, teach inverted
truths. - Ed.


"We are held and described by some persons as no better than refined or
"cultured tantrikas?"  Well, we ought to feel gratified for the prefixed
adjective, since it would have been as easy for our would-be biographers to
call us unrefined tantrikas.  Moreover, the easy way with which you notify
us of the comparison made, makes me confident of the fact that you know
little if anything about the professors of that sect;  otherwise you would
have hardly, as a gentleman, given room to such a simile in your letters.
One more word will suffice.  The "tantrikas"--at least the modern sect, for
over 400 years--observe rites and ceremonies, the fitting description of
which will never be attempted by the pen of one of our Brotherhood."
	   1st Series, Letters From The Masters of Wisdom, p. 80


			TANTRAS


[HPB explains the secret Kabalistic teachings concerning the expiations and
final sacrifice of the Initiator when the last initiation of the candidate
occurs.  "Decapitation," 3 streams of blood: to "personality that is," to
"Heaven" from which SPIRIT, and to Earth or Matter -- to purify it with the
sacred blood of self-sacrifice.

How the Tantrikas of the Chhinamasta sect have materialized this and made a
degraded rite of the symbolic sacrifice -- "a profound occult truth which is
known only to the initiated."	THEOSOPHIST, Vol 4, p. 38fn.]



[ "T.S." contributes an article on the Tantras.  An editorial (HPB ?)
footnote reads: "For reasons of their own...the Brahmos...regard all the
Tantras as the most abominable works on sorcery that inculcate immorality.
Some of the Tantric works and commentaries are certainly prohibited on
account of their dealing with necromancy (modern Spiritualism).  But the
meaning in the real old Tantras remaining a dead letter to the uninitiated
Hindus, very few can appreciate their worth.  Some of the "White" Tantras,
especially the one treated upon in the present article, contain extremely
important information for the Occultist.--Ed. ]


"There are 3 kinds of Tantras (see above). Ordinarily a Tantrica means a
Sakta...

The "Maha Nirvana Tantra" is the earliest...most important of all.  

All Tantric works are supposed to be the record of conversations held
between Shiva and his consort Parvati.  The word "Shiva" literally signifies
"Peace," and Parvati..."Yoga"."  

[ In the Tantras, 

Parabrahm always is spoken of as the indescribable Absolute One;  while
Mahadeva (Shiva) and Parvati (Sakti) represent the "travelers" bound for
that goal;  Shiva being the Purusha (Spirit and Man-male) and Parvati being
the Prakriti (Woman-female or Universal Nature).  

Yoga-Maya, is the illusion, that which connects Spirit with matter.  

The rest of the article describes the condition of polarity (male-female) in
a uniform field where individual evolutionary progress depends on
self-effort, cooperation, tolerance and compassion.]  

"The Tantric works deal...in addition...with what is called "Mantra Yoga." [
Divided into 6 branches.] ...With the exception of the last, the first 5 are
what is known as black magic, and...are prohibited [by Manu]...being classed
with "capital sins." [ Follows a description of the several degrees of
devotees and their austerities, studies and permitted food and drink -- no
alcohol or spirits. ]		THEOSOPHIST Vol. 4, p. 226


[Description of the Siddha Tantras is given here.  Intellect and will powers
considered active in the 14 Lokas of existence in the Universe.  Power of
imagination considered.]
		THEOSOPHIST SUPPLEMENT, Oct. 1883, p. 14.


[Description of the Tibetan Tantras -- called "Buddhist" -- Rise of the
Dugpa sect in Sikkhim and Bhutan, even their original texts, rites and works
have further degenerated.  The purest approach to Vedanta.  Still further
degradation by ritualism and selfish goals has attracted the sellers of
spirits, etc... Altogether objectionable and abominable.] 
 	"T.S."  	THEOSOPHIST Vol. 5, p. 96-7.


	[ END  of quotes from THEOSOPHIST. ]


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


I N I T I A T I O N


"To crucify before (not against) the sun" is a phrase used of initiation.
It comes from Egypt, and primarily from India.  The enigma can be unriddled
only by searching for its key in the Mysteries of Initiation.  The initiated
adept, who had successfully passed through all the trials, was attached. not
nailed, but simply tied on a couch in the form of a tau  T (in Egypt) of a
Svastika without the four additional prolongations (thus: [a cross], not
[svastika shape] plunged in a deep sleep (the "Sleep of Siloam" it is called
to this day among the initiates in Asia Minor, in Syria and even higher
Egypt).  He was allowed to remain in this state for three days and three
nights, during which time his Spiritual Ego was said to confabulate with the
"gods," descend into Hades, Amenti or Patala (according to the country), and
do works of charity to the invisible beings, whether souls of men or
Elemental Spirits;  his body remaining all the time in a temple crypt or
subterranean cave.  In Egypt it was placed in the Sarcophagus in the King's
Chamber of the Pyramid of Cheops and carried during the night of the
approaching third day to the entrance of the gallery. where at a certain
hour the beams of the rising Sun struck full on the face of the entranced
candidate, who awoke to be initiated by Osiris, and Thoth the God of
Wisdom...[see the bas-reliefs...especially from the temple of Philoe,
represents a scene of initiation.]		SD II 558



"The ancient MSS. mention these "hard couches of those who were in
(spiritual) travail, the act of giving birth to themselves."...remember the
allegory of Visvakarma, the creative power, the great architect of the
world, called in the Veda "the all-seeing god," who "sacrifices himself to
himself" (the Spiritual Egos of mortals are his own essence, one with him,
therefore).  Remember that he is called Deva Vardhika "the builder of the
gods" and that it is he who ties (the Sun) Surya, his son-in-law, on his
lathe, in the exoteric allegory;  on the Swastika, in esoteric tradition, as
on earth he is the Hierophant Initiator, and cuts away a portion of his
brightness.  Visvakarma, remember again, is the Son of Yoga-Siddha, i.e.,
the holy power of Yoga, and the fabricator of the "fiery weapon," the magic
Agneyastra..."		SD II 559


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Best wishes,
Dallas
==================

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Meredith
Sent: Sunday, July 23, 2006 12:29 PM
To: 
Subject: Re: Tantra & Theosophy Virtual Lodge

Thank you for the free publicity for Theosophy Virtual Lodge.


Tantra and Theosophy Virtual Lodge

I think HPB would up-chuck if she
saw the probable orientation of This
week's Theosophical Virtual Lodge
presentation by Robert Corrington.
<The focus will be on the correlation
between psychosexuality and the
etheric and astral bodies.>

Are you saying that there is no correlation between psychosexuality and 
the etheric or astral bodies? I attended the lecture and in my opinion, 
Professor Corrington presented a thoughtful, well-balanced, perspective. 
Unlike you, Mark, he did not presume to judge the theosophical value of 
a whole presentation based only on a single sentence.

Corrington, it says, also has a book
coming out on Wilhelm Reich. Reichians
believed that the only genuine human
fulfilment and psychological cure comes
through the sex orgasm, a perfect one
resulting in unconsciousness.

Corrington's book is already published. I would say that to judge the 
theosophical value of Corrington's book, based solely on the subject of 
the book is childish. For all you know, Corrington's book might be a 
challenge to those Reichian ideas you find so appalling and 
untheosophical. Your tendency toward judging others and their works 
from so little evidence only show your impotence for any meaningful 
discussion of the human condition. Clearly, you continue to suckle your 
only theosophical sustenance from the teat of Madame Blavatsky.

This is the polar opposite of
Blavatsky Theosophy. Below is pasted
an article by Legros on the issue with
quotes from Blavatsky and GdeP. I put
it here as it isn't a likely publication
for any current theosophical publication.

Blavatsky would have enjoyed the presentation. Yes, she would have 
asked Corrington some hard questions, but, unlike you Mark, she would 
have done it in a straightforward and honorable way right there at the 
public meeting AFTER she heard what he said. 

To my way of thinking, the issue of humanity's repressed sexual energy 
is an appropriate area for theosophical inquiry. The article you 
provided, which refers to "The Problem of Sex" presents but one 
perspective (that sex is a problem the solution to which is repression 
of sexual desire). Other perspectives are available. One that I find 
particularly interesting is presented by J. J. Van der Leeuw, a noted 
theosophist, in his book, THE FIRE OF CREATION. Van der Leeuw's view is 
that sexual energy is sacred and our divine duty is to transmute, not 
repress, that energy. This is human-divine alchemy. I would be happy 
to discuss sex and theosophy with you if you are up to it. 

As to "bta" s comments that the lecture was "something so blatantly 
opposite to HPB's teachings," and "is too bad because it gives newcomers 
a wrong impression on what TS is all about," I would reply that her 
perspective is sorely narrow and appears to be based almost entirely on 
your (Mark's) lack of information thus reinforcing the ignorance of both 
of you. Theosophy Virtual Lodge will, with Professor Corrington's 
permission, post the audio-recording of his lecture to the internet, 
where those who believe that it is important to go to the original 
source and to withhold preemptive judgments can actually hear and decide 
for themselves. That is theosophy at its finest, my friend -- not the 
overly protective religious dogma that you and a few others spew forth 
on theos-talk like it was your own personal orgasm. That you want to 
protect "newcomers" from getting the wrong ideas about HPB only 
indicates how afraid you are of being wrong and ultimately how little 
faith you have in your brothers and sisters to seek out and experience 
the truth for themselves --just as you did. 

Personally, I have no desire to be a part of any organization that puts 
theosophy in a box and spoon feeds it to the membership.

--bill