Theos-Talk Archives (December 1993 Message tl00137)

Arvind.  According to G de P and some others, karma exists on,
and can be generated on, every cosmic plane including the
physical.  If you accidently drop a glass onto a concrete floor,
it will shatter - this is an example of physical karma.  This of
course is using karma in the sense of the law of cause and
effect.  Cause and effect exist on all 7 cosmic planes of our
planetary chain because they work wherever time exists (i.e.,
MOTION through spacetime creates cause and effect).  While it is
true that the mental causes effects on the physical, the reverse
is also true (go without eating for awhile and see how this
effects your thoughts and your dreams!).

There is a branch of therapy called cognitive therapy that
suggests all of our problems are mental and that by changing our
thinking, we will better our lives.  While this theory and its
practical application have had some good results, it is obvious
that it is not significantly better than other therapies (which
would probably no longer exist if the cognitive could be
demonstrated as superior).  Probably the best (in the sense of
the highest "cure" rate) modern therapy today is called
cognitive-behavioral which is a combination of mental and
physical.  Personally, I don't believe that the mental is cause
while the physical is effect.  In some cases this may be true,
but our physical situation can also be a cause of our mental
condition.  Also, it is very easy (and somewhat naive) to assume
that *everything* is karmic.  Read my article on chaos and think
about the Chaos Factor for awhile.  I am not trying to change
your mind here, but am simply suggesting to you that there may be
more going on than you think.

Thanks for the SD reference.  The idea is that the Dhyani Chohans
exist above our four lower cosmic planes (containing Globes A
through G) but can embody themselves at will through the
temporary monads that do exist on the four lower planes.

Omar.  I first discovered Kundalini Yoga through the Tibetan
books of W.Y. Evans-Wentz (who, incidentally, was a theosophist)
and I practiced the "yoga of psychic heat" years before I came
into theosophy.  This, and other yogas, can be found in his
TIBETAN YOGA (Dover paperback that can still be found in most
bookstores).  Back in those days, books in the Chakras and Nadis
were hard to come by.  I bought several books by Woodruff (highly
recommended) which present the Hindu view - there are both
Buddhist and Hindu schools of Kundalini Yoga.  The only problem
with most of these books is that you have to wade through a lot
of Sanskrit.  For some more info, check out our Theos-l library
for the articles by Don.  Don gives a bird's eye presentation of
the teachings.

Your question "is it Tantra?" is hard to answer.  I would say,
probably, but not necessarily.  Most of the original material is
certainly Tantra (again, there is a Buddhist Tantra and a Hindu
Tantra) but today there are westernized teachings of it that have
little tantric flavor left.  I am guilty of this myself because
my ENOCHIAN YOGA book westernizes a lot of Kundalini material.
But I am certainly not alone - the Golden Dawn, O.T.O., and many
other western magic schools also incorporate the Chakras and
Nadis (centers/globes/flowers and pathways/channels) in some
form.

One of the better books today on the Tibetan version is CLEAR
LIGHT OF BLISS by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso (Tharpa Publications)
which I recommend, although it may be hard going because of the
terms used.  I would also suggest you read THE CHAKRAS by
Leadbeater.  Probably the "granddaddy" of all is THE SERPENT
POWER by John Woodroffe, which is an excellent "how to" from the
Hindu version.  Kundalini (a goddess, by the way) uses its own
vocabulary much like theosophy has its own vocabulary.  Today we
see a lot of modern English translations of the Sanskrit terms,
but I am not real happy with most of it.  The pranas have become
"winds" and the bindus have become "drops."  So we read about
raising the drops up the channels by controlling and directing
our winds.  Something seems lacking to me in this translation,
but I have no real problem with it because I already know what
the texts are saying.

While I am on this subject, let me mention Leadbeater's "vitality
globules."  These, he suggests (in THE CHAKRAS), come from our
sun to vitalize the chakras.  I have noticed that for many years
I have had different results in my yogic meditations depending
upon whether I practice during the day or at night.  This
suggests to me that Leadbeater may have been onto something with
his solar vitality globules (i.e., they could be blocked by the
earth itself at night).  However, I have not heard anyone else
ever mention this or even hint at it (it is not in any eastern
texts that I am aware of).  Anyone else notice a difference
between day and night meditation? For example (and this is
probably the biggest difference) death is more frightening and
more meaningful at night, while during the sunlight of the day
death seems but of small account.  Is this why rituals that
invoke the Lord of Death must always be conducted at midnight?

Regarding the seasons:  You have to always keep in mind that the
seasonal initiations and solar/lunar myths, etc., are all
relative.  The 2500-year avataric cycle is also relative.  None
of these things exist in an absolute or permanent sense.  You are
right; think of it as the longest and shortest days of the year
rather than summer or winter and you will be even closer to the
truth of it.  Katherine Tingley said it best when she wrote "At
any moment in every life the hour of revelation may be at hand.
It requires no epoch or special season, nor the beginning or end
of any outer cycle."  (As quoted from SUNRISE, Dec 93/Jan 94, p
96.)

Eldon.  I enjoyed your "Seven Principles as Conscious Spectrum."
A quick look at a blade of grass and it appears very simple and
straightforward.  But the closer we look and study it, a blade of
grass turns out to be highly complex and even contains mysteries
that science can't unravel.  Life has layers of complexity, and
it is this that frustrates new students as well as writers like
myself who try to put it into words.

                                  Jerry S.