Theos-Talk Archives (November 1994 Message tl00057)

paul@actrix.co.at (Paul Gillingwater) writes:

> Martin Euser has written an excellent essay on psychology and
> theosophy, which is quite long (if people don't mind, perhaps it
> could be sent to the mailing list?)

> For those who want to check it out, and have access to the Internet,
> check out this World-Wide Web reference:
>
> http://actrix.gen.nz/users/paul/theos.html
>
> Paul Gillingwater
>

Yes, I read this.  It was very impressive, I thought, with some
good practical suggestions.  However, one question occurred to
me, which relates not only to this essay, but most theosophical
dispositions on the spiritual anatomy of (wo)man.  The
composition of a person is generally set out as going up from the
physical body and personality ie the "lower vehicles", to the
Atma, Buddhi ie "higher vehicles" in a very hierarchical
arrangement.  It is somehow implicit that anything emanating from
the personality and body is worse, or "less developed" that
something emanating from the "higher principles." The question is
this: what if the Divine Principle is equally active on all
levels but in different ways? What if this hierachy of "higher
and lower" is soley an imposition of the human mind? I am
reminded of certain hermetic teachings " As above, so below."
"There is nothing high, nothing low, in the divine economy,"
nothing more important than anything else...

This rigid division of functionality and, implicitly, morality
has a result in its members.  Because the physical world is
generally distained, many members tend to be quite inactive in
the world - "armchair theosophists", you might even say.
"Action" on the inner planes is deemed to be more effective ie
sitting around thinking about things.

It is true that this hierarchical view is not unique to
theosophy.  It seems to be implicit in Xianity, some forms of
Hinduism and Kabalistic teachings as well.  In Buddhism - I think
that some of the deeper teachings may recognise the "emptiness"
of all forms, both physical, mental and spiritual - and if
everything is empty, then everything is full....But this is
getting too far away from a discussion of theosophy.  In some
forms of Hinduism, _everything_ that exists is the Lila, or play,
of the Lord, and thus both inherently Divine and illusionary at
the same time.  What does this mean to us as human beings? Any
ideas?

ASTREA