theos-talk.com

[MASTER INDEX] [DATE INDEX] [THREAD INDEX] [SUBJECT INDEX] [AUTHOR INDEX]

[Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next]

Re: Theos-World Re: [bn-basic] complexity of theosophic "basics"

Jan 28, 2001 05:30 AM
by Compiler


Based on what Leon has said in his message, which is found below mine, new
students to Theosophy may find this series of articles, entitled "The Pursuit of
Self-Knowledge", helpful:
http://www.wisdomworld.org/additional/ThePursuitOfSelf-Knowledge/index.html

John DeSantis
(Compiler)

You may find a great deal of the Truth that you are searching for here:
http://www.wisdomworld.org/index.html

-------

leonmaurer@aol.com wrote:

> Mauri,
>
> You take such an awful lot of words to express your thoughts, which are not
> only "diffuse" but sometimes so contradictory that one finds it difficult
> figuring out how to respond. (Although lately, I notice it's improved
> somewhat.:-) But you certainly can ask the right question -- which, in this
> case I boil down to; Why can't theosophy be expressed in other terms or other
> symbols that can make it's inner complexity more evident to those that do not
> wish to search for the answers within themselves by their own "self defined
> and self determined efforts"?
>
> Of course, aside from the indictment that you would like to have the inner
> teaching handed to you on a silver platter -- actually, in one respect, you
> have already answered your question.
>
> The reason that you have to use roundabout, long drawn out, wordy and diffuse
> methods to express your own theosophical ideas -- which (with no intent to
> denigrate what you are attempting to say) generally results in vague
> indecision, inconclusiveness and, sometimes, confusion for the readers -- is
> that the English language, with it's paucity of esoteric meaning related to
> any of its words (that can only deal in limited, linear, sequential, and
> concrete logical mechanical, or architectural terms) will never be able to
> fully express the subtle intuitive ideas and that can lead to a true
> understanding of theosophy's basic "simplexity" (to use a word coined by a
> scientist trying to explain how ultimate simplicity can lead to infinite
> complexity).
>
> Isn't that why HPB had to write the Secret Doctrine using 1500 or more fine
> print pages and innumerable foreign words and inflectional tricks (to
> indicate words that could be intuitively "seen" with the inner eye as
> nonlinear symbols), along with a great deal of redundancy to explain even the
> basic fundamentals of theosophy? Or, why she and WQJ had to write thousands
> of more pages of articles further explaining those explanations, as well as a
> comprehensive glossary clarifying the meanings of the foreign words?
>
> Therefore, what need is there for any more words? Isn't it already obvious
> that theosophy's inner, esoteric meaning, which is non-linearly, non locally,
> and non-temporally (non-sequentially) multidimensional in nature, can never
> be entirely expressed in linear words and sentences? For the purpose of
> learning whatever one needs to know intellectually (before one can correlate
> that knowledge with what remains to be learned intuitively) I don't think
> that anyone could do any better than what HPB and WQJ have already done in
> almost infinite detail and multiple repetition\.
>
> So, what's the point in trying to repeat all this in e-mail correspondence
> (other than trying to restate particular teachings in our own words in order
> to clarify our own minds as well as answer the queries of others)... Since,
> any serious student who really want's to know can make the effort by studying
> deeply in the SD and other writings of HPB and WQJ in combination with the
> meditative practices necessary to awaken one's own direct intuition? On top
> of that, there are many advanced students in these forums who can easily
> answer (or at least further clarify) any direct questions that any student on
> a lower rung of the ladder might have.
>
> Besides, to further answer your questions; It's obvious that in any public
> (exoteric) teaching, much has to be left out or inserted in the form of
> "blinds"... Since, any written teaching that can lead one toward a thorough
> understanding of the "magical powers" or the nature of controlling the Will
> could be quite dangerous in the hands of those of a greedy or self serving
> nature who have not yet understood the essential unity and compassion that is
> necessary to maintain the harmonious progress of evolution for the benefit of
> ALL LIFE.
>
> Thus, trying to expand the teachings in writing further than what has been
> already done could be a manifest waste of time and effort (if not unwise).
> Such effort might be better applied to individual study of a private nature
> in the books that are given to us by Masters and transmitted by Adepts (e.g.,
> HPB and WQJ) in quite adequate "language of the age" (provided one
> assiduously refers to the theosophical glossaries to explain the meaning of
> foreign words the teachers were obligated to add to the basic English).
>
> So, who are we to compete with them -- other than to attempt to further
> clarify their teachings when direct questions are asked by beginning students
> who have already done their homework? And, usually, the best way to do this
> is to refer to the original teachings, stressing the moral-ethical
> implications, and let the student use his own intuition to comprehend the
> occult metaphysical meanings. (This is not to say that further
> clarifications in the form of scientific and logical analysis and synthesis
> using geometric and other mathematical symbolism, is not also appropriate.)
>
> This need for "blinds" and secrecy, of course, gives us a lead as to why the
> Ancient Masters had to use "oral" ("mouth to ear") teachings along with
> "secret" symbolical drawings and paintings to transmit the esoteric ideas to
> their "avowed" disciples. (Avowed -- referring to those students whom the
> teachers trusted would not, for selfish motives, improperly or harmfully use
> the deeper teachings that lead to applications of tthe so called "magical"
> processes.) For one thing, the language that was (and still is) used for such
> oral teachings was always the sacred languages of Sanskrit, or Hebrew, both
> of which, in their esoteric or cabalistic aspects, uses inflectional, and
> variable tonal (musical) chanting to give single words many different subtle
> meanings. Also, sound, being in itself a nonlinear radiative wave form, much
> like the original etheric "light" of primal emanation, reaches much deeper
> into the higher transcendental intuitive (Buddh-Manas) "field" nature of the
> listener than any written words can... This is in contrast to the written
> words which, when taken literally, can be interpreted only through limited
> linear, one, two and three dimensional conceptualizations... And which, by
> themselves, can sometimes retard us from arriving at an unlimited intuitive,
> nonlinear, coadunate, inner enfolded, multidimensional understanding.
>
> In addition, the Ancient symbology, some of it in the form of mandala
> paintings, for example -- complexly combine color (having 3 aspects of hue,
> chroma and shade) with organically, numerically and geometrically related
> forms and figures -- which together with the oral teachings, are capable of
> reaching deeply into our inner intuitive knowledge (e.g., Jung's "archetypal
> memories" which are basically stored in the Akasha) to express highly subtle
> esoteric and occult meanings.
>
> Therefore, even if we were given all this superficial knowledge in any
> language, we would still have to subjectively interpret the esoteric meaning
> for ourselves. That's why, it been said, that unless one can awaken the
> Master within (by, perhaps, recall of one's previous life's training as an
> occultist, or through a transcendental experience triggered by meditation, or
> an understanding practice of Raja Yoga such as Patanjali, both during and
> after thorough preliminary study of the written teachings) -- to arrive at
> the complete understanding of the hidden depths of the "secret" wisdom -- one
> must have a "living Master" teacher or "Guru" to GUIDE one's way through the
> labyrinth and side tracks in order to ultimately untie the "Gordian knot"...
> But, not, I presume, to TELL us the true nature of those truths themselves.
> For how can anyone describe to us the color and smell of a rose -- let alone
> the feeling of the "correlation of one's inner forces," or the "realization"
> of being one with the higher Self -- all of which has to be directly
> (subjectively) experienced for oneself? This also applies to the
> understanding of the psychical powers latent in man (which, those of us who
> chose to be occultists, were enjoined to investigate in the third object of
> the TM).
>
> As I see it, the theosophical teachings were given out on two levels... The
> primary one being more or less exoterically religiously oriented, and des
> igned to instill a conviction in a student's mind of the fundamental truths
> of theosophy as a rationale for the moral-ethical precepts along with the
> incentive to practice altruism, so as to be "better able to help and teach
> others." And the other, the esoteric teachings directed toward those who are
> ready to be initiated in the occult "mysteries" so as to be able to work on
> the higher planes in conjunction with the Masters. Of course, these occult
> teachings could never be disclosed in any public forums -- even if we had the
> language to do so.
>
> So, my suggestion for any new students is to stop guessing and trying to
> formulate or interpret theosophy further than the Masters, HPB and WQJ have
> already taken it, or trying to use linear language (that can only go off on
> tangents, lead nowhere, and add more to everyone's confusion) to speculate on
> nonlinear concepts that are best grasped intuitively. Such students might
> also be far better off, and learn much more by asking direct questions based
> on their study of the original teachings, or on their basic interpretations
> give by those advanced student/teachers (such as Dallas, Peter, Adelesie,
> etc.) who reference their comments directly with the SD or other writings of
> the Masters and Adepts.
>
> Further, my advice for all new students, for what it may be worth, is to
> follow the path laid down by the Masters and focus on self devised and self
> determined study -- along with deep meditation -- with the purpose of
> awakening the higher intuition (or Atma-Buddhi-Manas nature) to the deepest
> nonlinear, multidimensional teachings of theosophy -- that cannot be fully
> expressed in any linear language, symbolic drawing, or numerological
> sequence. Remember, that Theosophy, no matter how expressed in linear
> linguistic terms, always ends up in paradoxical uncertainties -- which can
> only be resolved by awakening one's inner, non linear, multidimensional,
> intuitive knowledge that emanates directly from the original source (located
> within every coadunate "zero-point" in the "auric space" of our own
> seven-fold nature). This can only come about by searching within by means of
> deep meditation practice (following the paths laid down in HPB's Voice of the
> Silence and Patanjali's Yoga Aphorisms) in order to attain the realization of
> ultimate occult theosophical truths that must forever remain purely
> subjective in impression and totally "Silent" in expression.
>
> I hope this gives some further food for thought -- (as well as for "silent"
> meditation in our own "private chambers":-)
>
> Incidentally, my personal attempt to exoterically explain (with a minimum of
> theosophical terminology) the esoteric meaning of theosophy was designed to
> specifically bring modern science and theosophy into a closer conformance...
> Not, primarily to teach theosophists per se (although the symbolical aspects
> could be helpful in meditative visualization of primal energy flows,
> correlation of forces, and the coenergetic field interactions) -- but to
> directly influence scientists to accept transcendental ideas and, through t
> hem, reach all other people for whom they are the current "gurus." This was
> guided by HPB's message to "write (our) own 'Secret Doctrines' in the
> 'language of this age.'"
>
> The aim, also, was to give us the tools to directly reach the minds and
> intuitions of those already caught up in the materialistic scientific
> viewpoint, and bring them closer to an understanding that science itself, as
> HPB predicted, is now on the verge of accepting the transcendental field
> theories of theosophy, which can eventually lead to a final Grand Unified
> Field Theory of Everything -- encompassing both metaphysical and physical
> science in perfect synthesis. This is evidenced by the slowly growing
> acceptance of superstring/M-brane theories that are getting closer and closer
> to acknowledging the theosophical concepts of coadunate, transcendental,
> multidimensional fields within fields within fields, etc., (1) and is, at the
> same time, coordinating relativity and quantum physics with each other --
> which have long been contradictory... (As Einstein said, referring to the
> indeterminacy theories of quantum physics, "God does not throw dice.").
>
> This is the revolution in thought, that HPB enjoined us (as "theosophical
> companions" working conjointly) to try to engender into the group mind of
> humanity during this new (and last) cycle of the "Theosophical Movement." It
> is my hope that many others among us might also join in this effort to bring
> scientific theosophy -- not as a religion, not as a new science, or new
> philosophy, but as a synthesis of them all -- into the mainstream of current
> thought on both secular and religious levels. This means, for those of us
> who are journalists, writers, directors, producers, etc. -- trying to bring
> these ideas into popular mainstream publications and other mass media. This
> could be one of the most effective ways that we can ultimately defeat and
> reverse the growing trend toward an increasingly materialistic and selfishly
> oriented world -- that could only lead to an ultimate worldwide catastrophic
> collapse... Which, judging by the rapid asymptotic acceleration of change in
> this minor Kali Yuga age, is becoming more and more imminent every day. This,
> however, is not to be taken as a "prophesy of doom"... But, as HPB said, if
> we do not succeed in at least tempering this trend -- Humanity could be set
> back "another million years of evolution" before the end of this century.
>
> LHM
> (1) http://members.aol.com/uniwldarts/uniworld.artisans.guild/chakrafield.html
> http://tellworld.com/Astro.Biological.Coenergetics/
>
>

SNIP



[Back to Top]


Theosophy World: Dedicated to the Theosophical Philosophy and its Practical Application