Theos-Talk Archives (April 1995 Message tl00117)

Paul G writes:
<Here are mine:
<
<1.  Cycles -- the cyclic nature pervades
<2.  Hierarchy -- As above, So Below, also known as the
<                 Law of Correspondences
<3.  Unity -- the fundamental underlying unity of all Life
<4.  Polarity -- basic duality that overlays the unity
<5.  Evolution -- proceeding from one state to another
<6.  Order -- that the universe is fundamentally orderly;
<    that there is a Divine Plan
<7.  Number -- number underlies all, 1, 2, 3, 7 etc.

I can agree with all of your topics, Paul, except Order.  This
smacks too much of Personification for me.  Besides, Order is one
side of a duality (the other being Chaos) and so your no.  6
conflicts with your no.  4.  Of course, Evolution also needs to
have an Involution for the same reason - balance.

I would like to suggest that just as our universe is
fundamentally orderly, so it is also fundamentally chaotic.  It
is the chaos factor that allow for change, and thus for growth.
Order by itself tends to stagnate.  I also have a personal
problem with a "Divine Plan." I used to see this as well, but in
my twilight years I have changed my mind.  I think that the only
"plan" is the one we humans give; Jung calls it meaning.  Now I
tend to agree with Meister Echkart, who taught that the world
needs no purpose or plan, life is for living.  The universe
exists only so that we monads might express ourselves therein for
a time.  I admit that this is a mystic view, and probably not
very theosophical.  Nonetheless, this is where I have come to,
from a lot of years of study and thinking about it; so I want to
offer it for what its worth.

  Jerry S.