Theos-Talk Archives (September 1995 Message tl00141)

JRC:

>I do not in any way universalize my
>experiences ... and am not making any claims that I am telling
>the "truth" about the angelic realm in any absolute sense.

Here is one area where we could get into unintentional disagreement.
One can take the approach of writing from personal experiences, and
never to universalize. Another may be writing about a broad philosophy
that is universal in nature, that describes the general patterns of
life. The two approaches are almost like speaking in different
languages, and from one standpoint the other would have to be rejected.

> Nor have I attempted to force the experiences to fit into
>any particular conceptual paradigm (such as Theosophy, Kabalism,
>etc., etc.). Though I studied a number of such systems when I was
>first working with them, and some of the systems seemed to
>possess pieces that matched inner experience ... I ultimately
>determined that I needed to throw the whole lot out the window
>and go at it with no preconceptions ... and see if a paradigm
>fluid enough to fit their world could emerge from the world
>itself ...

Again, taking the "personal experience" approach is contrary to
working with an elaborate philosophical framework. But that does
not discredit the philosophy; it only addresses its usefulness for
one when taking the personal-experience approach.

>Virtually every one of us, as humans, is born with at least
>some form of sensation that surfaces as a sense of "purpose". Few
>of us could believe we are just "randomly" here. We can rarely
>every fully *conceptualize* that purpose (though now and then we
>can articulate the current piece of it we actualizing), but we
>cannot help but feel as though we are here for *something*. Many
>on the path almost obsessively ask themselves "What is my *true*
>purpose ... what *should* I do?" This sensation of "purpose" is
>so core to human life that it is virtually unnoticed, and its
>almost impossible to imagine what day to day life would feel like
>without it.

The search for meaning or purpose is really, I'd say, a journey of
spiritual self-discovery, a journey that needs to be repeated with
each lifetime. We discover meaning through finding things to to (and
ways to be) that are useful, of value to the world, and that we can
readily *lose ourselves in.* These are things that readily allow us
to lease the sense of separate self, and to transcend the heavy
burden of a sense of personality. These are also things that are
unique to our essential nature, our Swabhava, things that are related
to our own unique contributions we are capable of making to the world.

-- Eldon