Theos-Talk Archives (August 1994 Message tl00156)

Eldon wrote:
>
> >      Rather than using the "finger pointing at the moon" analogy
> > to depict the place of the Teachings in our society, I'd use the
> > "journey of a thousand miles." There are a near-endless series of
> > steps to be taken, in the desired direction, in order to reach

    I see your point too, but still think the previous analogy has
its own value.

Paul wrote:
> Exactly so, and well stated.  But there's a paradox here.
> HPB claimed that images were reversed in the astral
> light, which echoes the kabbalistic idea that alternating
> planes were somehow reverse to those above and below them (help
> me Jerry S. on this one).  Also the Zen story about the
> mountain being real, then illusory, then real again.  So it
> really doesn't seem to me that we go forward in a straight
> line, but rather around and around in a spiral, during which at
> any given time we are going "in the opposite direction" from
> where we were a half-cycle ago (viewed two-dimensionally) and
> yet going in the same direction in terms of the third dimension
> of height. (Plane to plane if you will).
>
This point in your discussion raises one in my mind.  Have
either of you ever heard of the notion that "heaven is as
near as our elbow" or some such thing as that?

I remember a discussion with Bing Escudero once about
meditation and I think he made the point to me that as one
practices meditation we stretch ourselves, using the
analogy of a finger inside a ballon which is being pulled
tighter and tighter until finally the finger "suddenly"
burts through the membrane of the ballon.

Progress from one state of consciousness to another is a
slow step-by- step process, but the transition is sudden.
It takes alot of effort to pull the ballon tight enought to
poke our finger through it.

> So when you talk about going the "right direction" this can be
> tricky and hard to discern.  And it's especially tricky to see

I think HPB lamented the fate of so many of us setting sail
on the ocean of occultism without the benefit of compass or
rudder...very "tricky".:)

                    Lewis
llucas@mercury.gc.peachnet.edu