Theos-Talk Archives (November 1993 Message tl00062)

As with the other principles, Kama has a dual nature. It can gravitate
upwards, or be drawn down. When is it drawn down, our principles
function as:

    Highest Triad (Paramatman, Swabhava, and Auric Egg)
    Upper Triad (Atman, Buddhi, Manas)
    Lower Quaternary (Kama, Prana, Linga Sharira, Sthula Sharira)

Function in this manner, Kama drives the outer existence, the fourfold
outer form. This is our current state of things. We are driven by
desire, driven by the need to give expression to ourselves and to
experience life.

As Kama is mastered, and united with our spiritual natures, it will
gravitate upwards, and our principles will function differently:

    Highest Triad (Paramatman, Swabhava, and Auric Egg)
    Intermediate Quaternary (Atman, Buddhi, Manas, Kama)
    Lower Triad (Prana, Linga Sharira, Sthula Sharira)

When we have reached this point, we are active in the formless worlds.
Our actions now are indirect upon outer life.

Formless existence, though, really can go down as far as the nine
principles, minus only the physical body, where we can be localized at
a particular palce, will full sensory input and possibly the ability to
cast an image of ourselves, but have no organic physical body, no body
of living flesh to act from.

When Kama is turned inward, upward, towards the spiritual, we find it
directed towards self-creation, towards self-actualization, towards
individualization. When it is turned downwards, towards the material,
outwards into the physical world, we find it directed towards
acquiring material things, towards physical experiences, towards
giving tangible, concrete expression to ourselves.

The dual nature of Kama, though, is not a division between good
(upwards) and bad (downwards). Both aspects of it are useful and needed
in a full expression of our lives. We must be drawn to the spiritual,
to uplifting ourselves, to the inner light, and yet at the same time be
driven to give outer expression to the love, wisdom, and beautiful
inner qualities. We need to both be drawn deeper within as well as
to give greater outer expression to ourselves.

The nature of Kama takes on a good or a bad face depending upon where
our *seat of consciousness* is. Where are we centered? What part of
us acts as the originator, the instigator, the initiator of the
consciousness? From what point within does the consciousness of the
seven principles arise in unison? Are we centered in lower Kama, with
the viewpoint on life and draw of consciousness thereby downwards and
away from the spiritual? Or are we centered in higher Kama, with the
orientation upwards, towards the holy?

We have all the principles, and they are all active, but where is the
point from which our consciousness arises? Where among the seven
principles? That point determines the quality and nature of our
consciousness.

It may seem a paradox when we say to make Kama active, both inwards
towards the Self, and outwards, towards the world of forms, wherein
we can express ourselves and affect others. It may seem a paradox when
we say to do that, and at the same time say to keep our seat of
consciousness deep within, in the highest possible principle, in its
most upward orientation.

It is not really a paradox, because it refers to two different
teachings. One is the essential nature and elements of consciousness,
the seven- or ten-fold principles. The other is regarding the
origination of consciousness, how it arises, and the monadic nature
of man. We have a multitude of selves within, and are composed of
many centers of consciousness. These are called the Monads.

Kama is the bridge, the link between our essential self, our unique
sense of being, and the outer world, the world of live and activities
and forms. Like Fohat, which unites the driving life of the universe
with its outer manifestation and forms, Kama unites our natures with
the world of forms.

Kama is a useful, important part of our lives, both now and long in the
future. No matter how far we evolved, how high a plane we are able to
exist on, how vast a being we have become, we will always have Kama
and depend on it. It is an essential ingredient of consciousness, an
esential part of our makeup, and we depend on it.

Think of all the beauty that could exist in the world, if only we
would will that it would happen. Think of all the happiness and wisdom
that could be done. Dwell on the expression of all the noble sentiments
that we contain. Make things happen in life. Become a spiritual force
for good in the world!

                           Eldon Tucker (eldon@netcom.com)