Theos-Talk Archives (August 1994 Message tl00011)

As soon as God gets His promotion, there is no one left to talk
to.  The One doesn't do dialogue--except on a bad day when It has
forgotten part of itSelf.  .  .  .

There have been many periods in my life when meditation and
theosophy has left me overly smug, subtle, and sophisticated.  I
have too often believed I was sitting so high on Transcendental
Mountain that I could distain those who seemed hopelessly
tethered below by their story-level-religious explanations and
ceremonies.  Oh yes, no one knows me for a fool better than I do.
.  .  .

Take prayer for example.

It now seems inconceivable to me that I ever had my doubts about
the efficacy of prayer.  I should have applied one of my own
axioms to the subject: "Nothing that human beings do is ever
completely right or completely wrong." If human beings are
involved, expect to find at least one flaw and at least one
virtue right in there, keeping them company.  Furthermore, the
things which human beings have been involved with the longest not
only usually have the most serious type of flaw, but also the
most substantial and powerful type of virtue.

But then how could I have underestimated simple prayer? After
all, so, so many people have been praying for so, so many years.
Did I think that its continuing omnipresence in human history was
merely the result of some wimpy virtue like "giving emotional
comfort" to old ladies and sinking sailors? Yes I did, but now I
don't.  Now, I think that prayer has lasted so long because it is
a proven and powerful way to get things, do stuff, and be what
you want to be.

But there is prayer and then there is theosophically assisted
prayer.  While I am convinced that all prayer works, I am also
convinced that theosophy gives some important clues about how
certain individuals, in certain Degrees of Self-realization,
should best set about to pray.  Not only can the system of
Rounds, Root-Races, Sub-Races etc.--looked at in what is fast
becoming my signature, "psychologically analogical," and
only-a-little-bit-heterodox way, of course--make a contribution
to the "Degree"-proper form and wording of a prayer ("I-am
affirming" is praying, but at this point I would only recommend
it to enemies whom I wanted to further ensnare in semi-Self
delusion), but the honored old esoteric system can, I believe,
also suggest a magical-practical way to work with "analog karma"
as well.  Simple really: Just say "thank you" for a circumstance
which is not-yet-quite-reality.  (I hate these occultists and
their obfuscatingly dangling ways of sharing the important
secrets, don't you?!)

But say it to What/Whom? Even among theosophists, the
One-Without-a-Second does not always seem like the most
psychologically satisfying "Entity" to say "thank you"--or
anything else--to.  Jehovah would have remained the better
choice--if only we could have kept Him at story-level.  Alas,
however, for many, meditation and theosophy has made God a little
too "All-Pervading and Interpenetrating" for a good chat.

Enter the Masters?

Maybe yes; maybe no.  As I said previously, I try to sidestep the
issue of Their actual existence.  What I don't try to sidestep,
however, is the obvious fact that many individuals who have
claimed a dynamic relationship with a Master have seemed to
profit from it enormously--some, perhaps, even getting an
Ultimate Promotion.  .  .  .

Warm regards,

Richard Ihle