Theos-Talk Archives (March 2002 Message tt00349)

Dear Dallas,

Thank you very much for your informative and helpful collection of 
information on this subject. So often it happens that we begin to 
study occultism and are immediately seduced by the glamor of the 
psychic possibilities. After all, our materialistic society does not 
admit of the reality of such potentiality, and yet many people, often 
those attracted to occult study, have had experiences that cannot be 
explained any other way. So when we find theosophy, we find that 
there is an explanation which validates our experience, and at that 
point we are in danger of becoming subject to "astral intoxication." 

Any student would do well to read and study the material you offer. 
The psychic planes are full of danger for the uninitiated, but that 
danger, like so many of the negative forces that confront us, is not 
easily noticed. It operates in us in subtle ways, and works its 
damage before we are even aware of what is happening. 

Perhaps the most important thing for the student to remember is the 
importance of living a virtuous life, and undertaking a rigorous 
program of self-examination. As has been clearly shown, without 
advanced self-knowledge, patterned upon the virtues taught by all 
wisdom, ancient and modern, the student cannot hope to develop the 
powers necessary to sustain him during the long and arduous 
initiation of use of inner forces. 

For most of us, that time of instruction is far off, and it has been 
rightly said that all true growth is slow growth. But as we study and 
apply what we learn to our daily lives, we begin to realize that 
there is no need to rush or try to push our development in unnatural 
ways. There is plenty to do, just to learn to control ourselves, to 
focus our lives in a positive and virtuous direction, to stimulate 
the growth of altruism and brotherly love in our own hearts until it 
is our only motivation. It is always useful to sincerely and honestly 
examine our motive an all we do. There lies the truth about the 
effectiveness of our endeavors. 

This is the only path to higher development. All else leads to 
madness and destruction. What student seeks that?

Best wishes,
Adelasie