Theos-Talk Archives (September 1995 Message tl00728)

Got the 1st 2 parts so far. Makes interesting reading. I agree
with some of it, & not with some of it. Will just go along the
letter & comment.

VDL - The world ... is no longer .. interested in theosophy

LFD - well I'm not so sure. They may not know theosophy by
name, but our ideas have sure taken hold in the New Age.

VDL - There is a serious falling off of book sales.

LFD - not true. Checked with the TPH in Wheaton. They're
selling just fine.

VDL talks a lot about revelation.

LFD - One of the first things I was taught by Bill Nicholson,
my 1st theosophical contact, was to try to use my then dormant
intuition (which is a first step to "receiving messages"). He
taught me to check whatever intuition I'd had against what was
reasonable. If the 2 coincided to use the intuition. If they
didn't, then to forget it. In other words I am the boss of what
I think do & believe, & no one else.

VDL - in practice one who thinks differently from the rest,
though perfectly free to do so, will find no platform to
express his thoughts.

LFD - I'm not sure of that one. It, for sure, was JRC's
experience. I found that some people accepted my different
points of view & some didn't.

VDL - he should rather emphasize the sound state of the lungs
than the diseased condition of the heart.
LFD - Again, yes, & no. There is a tendency not to harp on
illnesses, because it is said then everyone else thinks of you
as ill, & that reinforces the thought forms. I think that's
true. But I haven't found anyone who hides their head in the
sand & denies either the illness or the treatment. The illness
is just talked about lightly.

VDL (the section beginning with) Actually what we call the
world surrounding us is the way in which *we* interpret the
reality that affects our consciousness.

LFD - I agree with that whole outlook.

VDL - Theosophy is a philosophy of the Beyond ...
 modern man .... (sees) the fulfillment of life ... in the
realization of life here & now....
The men & women of the new age ... have no interest in a
philosophy of the Beyond.

LFD - that's not totally true anymore. They're interested in
the material here & now, but they're also looking towards
enriching their spiritual life, rather at the present moment
than with the idea you've got to be a good girl (boy) so you'll
go to heaven.

VDL - Theosophy ... claimed to have an answer to the problems
of life .... Here the desire for truth is not so great as the
desire to make life fit in with a preconceived system

LFD - The preconceived system I was taught is very fluid. I
think you can't exist without some sort of a belief system. For
instance we all say that 1+2=3. But this is not an absolute
truth. It's a convention we all agreed on, because it's very
useful to us. The preconceived sytem I was taught states that
life & everything in it changes; also that if I tried to solve
a problem one way & it didn't work, I was to try another
approach, until I found one (an ethical one) that works -
(that's part of the teachings of both Harry and Serge). What I
have found is that very often when I'm in a bind & don't know
what to do, something I've learned somewhere along the line
during my studying theosophy helps me solve my problem. So
preconceived system, yes, but a very flexible one for me, & one
that leaves room for the other person to follow their own
system.

VDL pits realization against revelation, ie discipleship.

LFD these 2 may work hand in glove. I think discipleship is a
form of learning. It's needed, because some knowledge/wisdom
can only be passed on from one person to another. There is no
other way. Maybe at times this is done psychically. But where
does it stand written that you must accept whatever your
teacher tells you hook line & sinker without ever questioning
its veracity or applicability? If anyone did that HPB's ghost
would rise up & spank them. I think theosophists follow HPB
when she makes sense & often take on the Buddha's sayings, like
"Be ye lamps unto yourselves" or "work out your own salvation
with diligence." I'll end with something I heard Harry tell
his group at Orcas last year (I heard it on tape). "CWL never
taught me anything. I learned!" If any Theosophist is obedient
to "power from above", she (he) does so because she(he) thinks
that what the "power from above" tells her (him) makes sense.
Anyone who does otherwise, is a darn fool, in my opinion.
I'm going to put the rest on another message

Liesel