Theos-Talk Archives (June 2010 Message tt00065)

Dear friends

My views are:

Thanks Frank.
I think you have a point there in your words, if I understand them properly.

I am in the following just presenting some views, which the serious theosophists might find useful.

I would like to question whether the following "psychological key" so to speak should not be promoted much more in the theosophical circles. After all such teachings must - somehow - be in accordance with the original aim of the TS as it was given by HPB and the Masters from Himalaya.

Since 1875 when TS began and until now we have litterally witnessed an explosion of new sects, cults, and what not around the globe. They most often go under different names like the Church Universal and Triumphant, Esoteric Clairvoyance courses, Lightserver Schools, Institutes of the most important Rays, (or "buy my books so I can be rich-organisations" and "pay for my courses - all 7 levels - organisations and groups", "this is the new times and the New Age group") etc. etc... And great many of them have their roots in the - original - theosophical teachings as they were given in 1875-1891 or rather most often in distorted versions thereof.

What I find to be of importance is that some of these offshoots or distortions and even non-distortions can for good reasons not be digested by newcomers in a manner which will make them choose the genuine ones and discard the bad ones (the ones based on money, and narrowminded focus.)
If the newcomers to the visdom teachings should be given a fair chance when facing the TS teachings today, they aught to be given a "psychological key".

One of the I find to be, giving the newcomers a possibility to distinguish between a sect or a cult versus a non-secterian and genuine theospophical group.

This can happen in a variety of ways. One method which I find myself offering is that the seekers make themselves familiar with the science of psychology, and especially the mechanism which governs a sect or a cult, which uses Mind Control methods on various levels versus the mechanisms which govern genuine TS teachings and the original TS structure.

I can only offer the following books as well as other unnamed ones.
William Sargant and his book "Battle for the Mind", 1957. One of the early pioneers in the area of mind Control, brainwashing and indoctrination within sects, cults, political systems and other groups of society. William Sargant was there when the Tavistock Clinic (1920, a secret MI-6 group during 2. WorldWar), later Tavistock Institute(1947) was formed. This group has in the latest decades been one of the most influential groups upon leading politicians, multi-national CEO's, scientists etc. - and - their later decision-making in great many western countries. William Sargant exchanged letters with the notorious Donald Ewen Cameron (1901-1967), who was one of the leading figures in the ugly MKULTRA programs, now recognized as a failure commited by the US on its citizens. William Sargant never really liked his methods. There are others like  --- Robert Jay Lifton's "Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism"; 1961. More recently we have: Exit counselor Steven Hassan,  a former Moonie and who after being "deprogrammed" chose to educated himself and help others. Try his bestsellers: "Combatting Cult Mind Control", 1988, and "Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves", 2000 (Some lectures can be found on Youtube. One is " Releasing the Bonds1"). And later we have Kathleen Taylor and her book "Brainwashing: The Science of Thought Control", 2004.

When the new theosophical seekers have read these books - and digested them (perhaps together with the Key to Theosophy, regretably a much neclegted book today), they will much easier understand why the theosophical teachings and the TS as it was given in 1875-1891 has more to offer than many of the later distorted versions and New Age groups of various kinds has today.
At least this is a fair assumption to make.

I also find it important because the All About Cults accuses the TS and Blavatsky for pormoting Mind Control:
Theosophical Society (TS)
http://www.allaboutcults.org/theosophical-society.htm

- - -

Try to watch Cult Tactics & Mind Control - B.I.T.E. , based on Steve Hassan's books.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3FO0pAj528

Wikipedia on Mind Control 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_control

It is interesting, that the journalists use the words Mind Control, Brainswashing, Spin and indoctrination in a different manner than most scientist. And it is interestimg, that science is not telling people about this. Most scientists avoid using the term cults, brainwashing, indoctrination etc. about most new-religious movements, simply because it is unethical to do so instead of seeling to make them live together among each other in peace, and perhaps because the major religion Christianity is exactly a cult, which uses indoctrination of not brainwashing techniques - with belief as the basis of their behaviour -manipulations.
The journalists, like money, so they never call the major religion in their country a cult or a sect etc., but only refer to the new-reliious groups - most often in general - as being cults and sects, brainwashers etc.
The Christians are often agreeing with that, not seeing the selfcontradiction. And Politicians?...well let us not mention them here.

Interestingly most people say, that they have never been indoctrinated, even when it is a fact that they have and continously are. Indoctrination are so very subtle, and most people are vulnerable, and more than they like to know. - People tend to fell secure and more wuise than others. Yet there is no end to us finding well-educated persons, who are dabbling with New Age actitivies and who are members of one or more New Age religious groups these days. And they are a great number of them not aware of that they are being deceived by people who only want to make money on selling books and various 7 or 8 level courses to a price, which will make your wallet scream if it could. I hold it to be a fact that all the Messiah's we see to day in the New Age market, are NOT genuine. Some of them are clearly false. The question is can you as a theosolhical seeker spot the fake ones, and have yuu learned how to do it? - What if it only required learning a bit about pocket-psychology?

HPB talked about the fake Esotericist in Boston, with its Hiram E. Butler and Ohmart. And HPB also mentioned, that many Freemasons were humbugs. Are we now saying that most of New Age is not humbug, just because it has distorted the theosophical teachings - and operate like cults and sects, and AVOIDS telling others about the difference between cults and sects - and the non-secterin TS? - And aught these HUMBUGS not to be shown to the public for what they are - namely dangeorus or even destructive, espeically when they are run using black magic or run by an unethical hypnotist?

Now are you saying that the above issues should be down-watered within the theosophical groups?
Is this part of the "psychological key" mentioned by HPB?

- - -
This is a serious e-mail.
And these are serious questions which you can ask your bright spiritual heads about.



M. Sufilight

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Frank Reitemeyer 
  To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 3:04 AM
  Subject: Re: Theos-World Adyar School of Wisdom - 2010/11


    
  mkr, transformation is urgent? Good thing.

  The others should be transformated?

  Why not go ahead as a good example and the Adyar TS begins with the urgent 
  transformation on themselves? (and all other lineages, too)

  Why not follow the good example of the SPR, who after over 100 years 
  defamation of HPB excused in 1986, and excuse on the unjust Judge case?

  It would show that no human interpretation of theosophy is higher than 
  truth.

  And it would open a manasic path away from a merely praying and lamenting 
  mindset to teach people.

  The Adyar TS needs an urgent a transformation.

  When, if not now?

  Obviously the occult machines do not stop and wait for lazy passengers. Time 
  is running out.

  Frank

  --- On Sun, 6/20/10, MKR <mkr777@gmail.com> wrote:

  From: MKR <mkr777@gmail.com>
  Subject: Theos-World Adyar School of Wisdom - 2010/11
  To: "theos-talk" <theos-talk@yahoogroups.com>
  Date: Sunday, June 20, 2010, 6:10 AM

  The upcoming sessions of Adyar School of Wisdom has a line up of Scholars
  such as Swami Chidananda, P Krishna, R C Tampi and Ravi Ravindra.

  Here are the details: (go online to ts-adyar.org for registration details)

  Theme: The Urgency of Transformation

  1 to 12 November 2010

  Transformation: Vedanta Perspectives
  Director: Swami Chidananda

  The statement âThat Thou Artâ, from the Chandogya Upanishad, points to a
  dimension of our existence that is free from all limitations and negative
  energy. The Vedanta tradition offers insights into inner change that are
  comparable to waking up from a long dream. The non-dual teachings of this
  system give us a vision of oneness of the universe which can eliminate
  unrest and insecurity and promote love and compassion. This session will
  explore important passages of the Mundaka Upanishad and also of selected
  observations by Sankaracharya, the well-known commentator on the Upanishads,
  which contain substantial food for thought, if not the ending of thought.

  Swami Chidananda is the Director of the Rajghat Education Centre,
  Krishnamurti Foundation India, Varanasi. He studied Vedanta under Swami
  Chinmayananda and has lectured on that subject both in India and overseas.
  He is the author of a number of books, including Flame of Who Am I?

  15 to 26 November 2010

  The Urgency of Transformation
  Director: Prof. P. Krishna

  The state of our society is a projection of the state of human
  consciousness. It cannot change in any fundamental way unless we bring about
  a change in our consciousness. Our consciousness does not change through
  intellectual understanding or the changing of opinions and views. Knowledge
  and experience do not alter consciousness. Therefore time does not help to
  bring about the transformation of consciousness. How can the human
  consciousness come upon wisdom? In this session we shall explore these
  questions in depth and attempt to discover the truth for ourselves.

  Prof. P. Krishna is in charge of the Krishnamurti Study Centre, KFI,
  Varanasi. He was the Rector of the Centre and Principal of the Rajghat
  Besant School from 1986 to 2002. He has lectured widely on Education,
  Science and Society and is also a Fellow of the Indian National Science
  Academy.

  29 November to 10 December 2010

  Transformation in the Teachings of N. Sri Ram
  Director: Prof. R. C. Tampi

  N. Sri Ram compared humanity to âan ancient plant that has seen many
  seasons. It is preparing for a new flowering, which will not be a
  reproduction of the old, but the flowering of a new species evolved from the
  old.â This course aims at a serious study of selections from Sri Ramâs
  writings on the nature and scope of human transformation.

  The following books by N. Sri Ram are recommended reading:

  An Approach to Reality
  Seeking Wisdom
  The Nature of Our Seeking
  Consciousness: Its Nature and Action
  Thoughts for Aspirants, Series I & II

  N. Sri Ram: A Life of Beneficence and Wisdom (a biographical study)

  Prof. R. C. Tampi, a long-standing member of the Theosophical Society, is
  the Director of the School of the Wisdom at Adyar and Retired Professor of
  English. He is also a National Lecturer for the Indian Section of the TS.

  5 January to 9 February 2011

  Theme: Inquiry into the Nature of the Self in the Upanishads
  Director: Dr Ravi Ravindra

  Many sages in India have stressed the importance of discernment between Self
  and non-Self, and they have said that the major characteristic of a basic
  human ignorance is the blurring of this distinction. What is the Self? How
  can we approach the understanding of the Self? How do we distinguish this
  from the usual many manifestations of self? The Upanishads regard the aim
  of human existence to be Self-realization and they present a model of a
  free, bold and non-sectarian inquiry into the nature of the Self. This
  course will draw upon the insights of the principal Upanishads in an
  exploration of the Self.

  Dr Ravi Ravindra is Professor Emeritus at Dalhousie University, Halifax,
  Nova Scotia in Canada, and the author of a number of books including Yoga
  and the Teaching of Krishna, The Yoga of the Christ and Whispers from the
  Other Shore. He has directed a number of sessions of the School of the
  Wisdom in the past.

  Recommended Texts:

  The Principal Upanishads, translated and edited by S. Radhakrishnan
  The Upanishads, translation and commentary by Sri Aurobindo
  Yoga and the Teaching of Krishna by Ravi Ravindra

  [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

  [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



  

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]