Theos-Talk Archives (December 1993 Message tl00025)

Eldon writes:

>In entering chelaship in a particular lifetime,
>we go through a period of probabtion, a period
>of about seven years in which the karma of the
>current life can come out and be dealt with.

I confess that when I read this, my initial reaction was that a
period of 7 years is bunk. Why does everyone want to fit things
into sevens? After thinking about this awhile, I decided to look
at my own past. I was sickly as a child until I was about 14,
when I learned how to heal with Christian Science. I went
through a period of extreme health until I was 21 and I left the
church (I was accused of teaching yoga and other eastern ideas in
my Sunday school classes. I quit. Later I was told that the
offender was someone else. They apologized and I was asked to
return. I declined and have never looked back.) In 1963 (when I
was 21) I had a SEE (a significant emotional event) which almost
did me in. My older brother died from a gun that wasn't supposed
to be loaded. I met the Angel of Death, face to face. Although
I had encountered death before, he had never been so close to me.
Now I could see his face and look right into his eyes, and I was
terrified. I only survived this with the loving help of my wife,
who introduced me to the texts of eastern religions, more from
desperation than anything else. I credit her with getting me
through my last year at the University of Maryland. Anyway, I
struggled with life, lost my religion, adopted yoga, and went
through what could only be called a very dark night of the soul.
In 1969 I came into theosophy and corresponded with Jim Long, the
leader of the Pasadena Society, who had also once been a
Christian Scientist. His letters helped me, and somewhere in
1970 I came out of my funk and became a human being again (I have
written about this, including Long's letters to me, in a book
called Dear Companion, but it is yet unpublished. Grace Knoche
liked it, but wouldn't publish it, preferring some other
publisher but I haven't found one yet). However, it is only now
that I realize the period from 1963 to 1970 is seven years! Is
this a coincidence? I don't know, but I now have a lot more
respect for Eldon's statement and for the number seven.

         Jerry S.