Theos-Talk Archives (November 2003 Message tt00120)

Dallas wrote: <<Dear Mauri:Are our own 
thoughts esoteric? Then we give them a voice 
by writing or speaking: Do they then become 
exoteric because they are shared? Dal>>

Dallas, I've been thinking of the words 
"esoteric" and "exoteric" in "basically" 
relative terms (rather speculatively, as you 
might've noticed, maybe ...), or, in other 
words, as both being "essentially exoteric," 
in a sense, in that (my "important qualifier" 
here, speculatively speaking): in that, on 
the generally-experienced level (or 
"generally experienced level of reality," if 
there is such a thing beyond some kind 
statistics, maybe ...) ... so on "a level of 
general explerience," in a sense, of this 
"physical plane," both of those words, as I 
see it, might be (easily enough?) seen to 
refer to essentially dualistic notions, 
theories, Theosophies, worldviews, etc, 
regardless of whatever 
"transcendent/intended" meaning they might be 
offered as representing or "hinting at in 
context," as in the case of such as "Esoteric 
Tradition."

In other words, as I tend to see it, if one 
doesn't have any kind of what might be called 
"intuitive input" (in keeping with my 
attempts to turn over some kind of newer 
leaf, I'm resisting the temptation to go on a 
tangent here about "karma," you might be glad 
to know) ... so if one doesn't have much of 
what might be called "intuitive input" about 
some kind of "broader meaning" re such as the 
"Esoteric Tradition," then ... ^:-/ ... and 
so both of those words, or their combination 
(exoteric/esoteric) can seem, in a sense (or 
obviously enough?), I tend to suspect, 
possibly somewhat elicitive of curiosity (in 
some cases?) as to what might be "really 
meant" (ie, regardless of how anybody might 
see themselves as speculatively, or 
otherwise, using them, with or without 
"enough" qualifiers).

Anyway, the preceding seems to me to be more 
or less in keeping with some kind of 
speculative "somewhat more-specific" attempt 
on my part to describe something about the 
interpetive reaction I seem to have formed as 
a result of the feedback I've had so far from 
some people to my use of "exoteric" and 
"esoteric" on these lists. But if my 
impressions are not seen as relevant enough 
with respect to whatever sense of reality or 
relevance, I think it would be nice to hear 
about that kind of thing "more specifically" 
(instead of just getting the likes of 
"there's no such thing, period," etc, not 
that I'm suggesting anybody might've used 
those exact words, necessarily).

I just noticed that I'm replying to a post 
that appeared on a list where my posts and 
qualifiers ... ^:-/ ... Not that ... uh, so I 
hope you don't mind, Dallas, if I post this 
reply on another list, as well, just in case 
... Actually, in a sense, I think, I tend to 
find myself being grateful to the moderators 
of that other list. After all ... ^:-/ ...
And seeing as I am, after all, trying to turn 
over some kind of newer leaf ...

Dallas, could you let me know whether or not 
I answered any of your question/s in this 
post, or whatever?

Speculatively,
Mauri

PS in case you forgot, I'm still offering 
that symbol ^:-/ in reference to a 
confused, speculative guy who, while 
scratching his head, thought he might've had 
something "reasonably relevant-enough" to 
say, maybe, but ... ^:-/ ...