Theos-Talk Archives (March 2002 Message tt00032)

Dear Monica,

Your comments point to a familiar problem, that of the lower ego. 
Surely, if a person is the center of a movement, especially one whose 
focus is spirituality, the temptations and tests regarding lower ego 
are enormous. With everyone following his every word, extolling his 
excellence, it would take a well-developed sense of humility and self-
control to remain true to the message and not fall prey to 
megalomania, as you put it. 

It is very important to remember, however, that one person's leader 
or teacher, while maybe not the one we would choose, is nevertheless 
the one that person reveres and follows. There are many paths to true 
learning and true knowledge. None of us has the right to denigrate 
the ideals of another. We just don't know what lessons that person 
needs to learn, what configuration of forces has brought him to the 
situation he occupies. Aspiration is a precious quality, and we can 
be sure that all will find the way to the one reality eventually, and 
that each is treading the path that belongs to him. 

More important for the sincere student, whatever the discipline he 
follows, is to work sincerely and persistently within that 
discipline, with tolerance of all other ways. All opinions and points 
of view reflect facets of the one reality, and all have their place 
in the general scheme of our collective life.

Best wishes,
Adelasie

On 1 Mar 2002 at 18:25, redrosarian wrote:

> Dear Adelasie,
> 
> It's interesting that you brought up the value of selflessness 
> because it is a valuable characteristic to gauge a potential 
> teacher's authenticity. As one teacher stated, selfishness is 
> Satan's other name. Selfishness is one of the qualities that 
> separates the light from the dark.
> 
> Understanding human psychology is also another good subject for the
> serious student. The most prevalent ones I have found regarding
> messengers, mediators and mediums are narcissistic personality
> disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, megalomania and multiple personality
> disorder. I've known some "messengers" who have insisted that they
> are not mediums but mediators. Then again, you have those
> "goody-goody" people with their "airy-fairy" attitudes who are still
> trapped in maya, glamors and illusions believing that they truly are
> messengers of light. As far as I'm concerned, it could be entirely
> possible for mediators to fall prey to certain mental disorders
> because of their egos, vanities, and pride.
> 
> Knowing what one is dealing with can help one discern the difference
> between the Sons of Light who are on the right-hand path and the
> Brothers of the Shadow who are on the left-hand path.
> 
> According to The Occult Glossary by G. de Purucker, "...The Brothers
> of the Shadow...stand in sharp and notable contrast with the white
> magicians or the Sons of Light who follow the pathway of self-
> renunciation, self-sacrifice, self-conquest, perfect self-control, and
> an expansion of the heart and mind and consciousness in love and
> service for all that lives."
> 
> "The existence and aims of the Brothers of the Shadow are essentially
> selfish. It is commonly, but erroneously, supposed that the Brothers
> of the Shadow are men and women always of unpleasant or displeasing
> personal appearance, and no greater error than this could possibly be
> made. Multitudes of human beings are unconsciously treading the path
> of the shadows and, in comparison with these multitudes, it is
> relatively only a few who self-consciously lead and guide with subtle
> and nefast intelligence this army of unsuspecting victims of maya. The
> Brothers of the Shadow are often highly intellectual men and women,
> frequently individuals with apparent great personal charm, and to the
> ordinary observer, judging from their conversation and daily works,
> are fully as well able to "quote scripture" as are the Angels of
> Light!"
> 
> Oftentimes, knowledge comes through first-hand experience as you have
> stated previously, "I would say that the first step is to accept
> responsibility for our process. If we are serious students, applying
> our lessons to our own lives and beings, we discover through
> experience what 'works' and what does not."
> 
> Sincerely,
> Monica N. Suzuki