Theos-Talk Archives (September 1995 Message tl00002)

>Eldon,
>
>Exactly, the teachings have to become a living reality to
>whoever is studying them. That means they have to be flexible
>enough for the learner's imagination/intuition to be able to
>interpet something meaningful into them. It also means that
>whatever he reads must become part of him, be absorbed &
>understood, not just be words in a book. I think the idea that
>not all the esoteric wisdom was given out & that we can now
>build on what was written is also important. We live in a
>different world now, & the teachings have to mean something to
>us today, & also must further our 3rd object "to explore
>unexplained phenomena in nature & in man." To me, that's the
>most exciting object of the 3.

The words in a book are an attempt to express something that is
living, dynamic, and far too complex to captured in writing. But
we must make the attempt! Each such attempt is a work of art, as
we attempt to give tangible expression to unspoken beauties.

I also have found that this idea of "going beyond the words"
is not just a theory, but is a very useful thing to do. I've
had some success in coming up with what I consider, for myself
at least, to be deeper Teachings than were in the words before
me. Can I teach those new ideas as Theosophy? Only if I can show
that they are consistent with the core Teachings, and somehow
demonstrate that they are consistent. That means that most of
what I may come up with, in my private studies, stays to myself,
until it is solidly a part of my mind and life and is so well-
understood and proven in my life that it's ready to share.
Perhaps some of the off-the-wall stuff that people say at times
is similar materials, presented prematurely, before the speaker
has had the time to fully work out and prove the ideas in the
speaker's life?

>In closing, I was just thinking that in one form or another the
>Wisdom Religion has existed for thousands of years, so it's not
>very likely that we'll dilute it beyond ressurection. We might
>distort it, but in some form or another it's always been with
>us.

> Liesel

We shouldn't worry so much about spoiling the whole thing. The
Mahatmas have the "real stuff," and they're always going to keep
it pure. They do so not by rote learning, but by continually
proving and reproving it in their lives -- by personal experience --
and they are always behind the sceens working to let out whatever
fragments of Truth that are appropriate and needed in outer society.