Theos-Talk Archives (December 1994 Message tl00134)

Hi, Jerry,

First let me clear up one thing quickly, because we're talking
past each other.  At 1 point in your post you said something that
I understood to mean that l'affaire CWL was a pimple on something
much deeper & fundamental concerning the split in the TS's.
That's what I wanted you to clarify off the net.  As far as
catching mud slung at the ghost of CWL, I'm done with that game.
As Martin Euser said, (I don't remember the exact words, but the
gist, I do) why don't we get into something more productive?

What would I propose April to do.  Make up a format for us to
operate out of.  Ideas for it are already on the net from various
people, as quoted below, I may have missed some of them.  The
only thing I know about the workings of conflict resolution comes
from reading, years ago, the grand daddy of all conflict
resolution books, "Getting to Yes".  That's not state of the art
today, I'm sure.  I think at least a format would be a great
contribution on the part of April.  If after that, she'll consent
to being arbitrator, others agreeing to it, I think that'd be
good too, and maybe with the mechanisms we'll put in place, we'll
hardly ever need one.  .  Here are some ideas for the format,
which I picked up from today's posts: John Crocker writes before
he had his people tackle the controversial subject, he had them
relate to each other in another way.Each one had a set period of
time to teach the other something, and then to learn something
from the other.  Maybe that would ease the tension, if we took a
week or 2 to talk about each other's spare time activities, or
you about Loki & me about Chouchou, & all the other cat fanciers
about their cats, & dogs, & horses & etc.  Just relaxed talking
about other concerns.  Chouchou is being raised on a Theosophical
model, which is my pride & joy, ie I treat her as an entity with
Spirit, intelligence, & will.  Then with the tension eased, maybe
we could talk to each other, with "mutual trust" (Brenda Tucker's
words) & empathy.  We could do that for a few weeks, & then go
back to relaxed talk.  Brenda also talked about Brotherhood.
That's our big ideal.  Let's discuss & try to find ways of making
that ideal a reality.  John Crocker said it's never been done.
He posed the question succinctly "How does a group of people who
are all strong ...  ie., none able to be dominated by others and
none willing to simply swallow their perspectives for the sake of
a _false_ harmony ...  how can such a group create a Universal
Brotherhood?" Let's see if we can establish a such a model
amongst ourselves.  That'd be worth discussing back & forth.
What qualities would it take? And what mode of communication? How
would we handle disagreements, while being respectful of each
other's integrity?

Jerry, you talk about the inevitablity of angry flair-ups.  I
suppose you're right.  But I've been taught that anger is
destructive, (if anyone has ever loo ked at "Thought Forms", the
picture of a thougth form of anger is very graphic....  these
fiery, sharplly pointed darts being propelled out from a muddy
thought form in all directions ...  doesn't take much imagination
to say "ouch!" Real or fancy, I wouldn't want to chance having
one of those flying at me, if I could help it.) We're all trying
to construct bridges.  Well, Dora says emotions are a force that
can be channeled.  When she gets angry at something, she thinks
of the Love she has for her grandchild, & then she turns that
Love towards the person she's angry at.  Or maybe we could think
of a silly phrase, & when someone starts to blast off, someone
else will say 1,2,3, etc to 10 & the silly word.  Something that
would make us all giggle.  Anything like that to defuse.  You
don't suppress, you transmute.

Let's also, incorporate Nicholas Eklund's poem & comments in
honor of Je Tsong -khapa's birthday today, 12-27

Eldon Tucker talks about there being a conflict in the philosphy
taught by CWL.  That would be a valid topic for discussion to me.
I don't even know where the conflicts are, but I'd like to find
out.  I'm just as curious as my Chouchou.  I'm not so sure that
we can profitably discuss CWL's psychic investi gations, unless
some of us are real well trained psychics who can compare what he
writes about with their own first hand investigations.  Anyone
who isn't psychic, I think, would just be guessing.  I know I
would.  I've seen a few good psychics in action, & I've guessed
at how it's done; Serge King, tried to teach us the rudiments of
some of the techniques last year, but I can't really do them
well.  To quote Eldon again "We are taught to shut down psychic
experiences as an early important step of spiritual training, and
to instead awaken 'The mind's eye' ".  Exactly what I've been
taught by my Theosophical teachers.  It's not a toy.  & one needs
to develop a lot of other qualities first before psychism can
become useful.

Jerry you say "...  the alienation between members in the Adyar
Society alone is more than enough to keep us busy".  If that
could be done in a way that'll help the factions, ok, but I'm
afraid that this one'll land up being another mud slinging fest.
On 2d thought, I have a sneaking suspicion (not based on anything
I know, but on a hunch) that John Algeo is busy behind the scenes
mending fences.  I'd be inclined to leave that one alone for now,
at least for another year or 2 & see first what develops.  John
hasn't been President for very long, & already Wheaton has
changed much for the better.

Towards the end you refer to the interchange between Paul & me.
I'm not planning on saying very much about it anymore.  As far as
I'm concerned, the matter is concluded.  I thought I was putting
up conciliatory peace flags here & there, but never got any
response.  I just now reread Paul's post entitled "in Search of
Agreement".  Apparently, he very honestly thought he was
presenting the 2 sides fairly.  Well, just let me tell you that
not one iota of my side is represented in it.  What he wrote is
biased & one-sided.  He's weighing his side against his side.
What's the use?

Time to feed Chouchou.

Ciao

Liesel