Theos-Talk Archives (September 1995 Message tl00889)

"As we become more centered, stronger, knowledgable, doesn' t
the need/desire for outside authority atropy? I think it does,
when you're talking of your own evolution & spiritual growth,
but how about in an organizational setting? Do you need a
hierarchy there? Someone to be the boss? Attempts have been
made that I've read about, to give everyone in the organization
a voice, but there was still always a boss at the top in the
material I read..

"I can imagine that some take the master to be the mom & dad
they never related to & want to be cuddled into consciousness
by a benevolent higher being." I don't agree with that point of
view, & will refer to 2 books I've read & followed up on. Serge
King, in one of his suggests imagining a huge anthropomorphic
God, who holds you in his arms, & makes you feel safe. I tried
that. It's the most wonderful feeling. The other book was about
healing the relationship between mother & daughter. The writer
was of the opinion that one could profit from adopting a
surrogate father and/or mother at any age to heal out whatever
had been neglected in one's childhood. Following this, I found
me a surrogate father & a surrogate mother, because I felt I
needed both. It was a very healing experience, even though I
rarely saw either one & most of our contact was over the phone.

Now to part II

"A thinker is always a disturbing influence" Agreed. To take
the thought a little further anyone who's different is a
disturbing influence. And it's really strange that among
Theosophists, who are mostly rebels, more thinkers than the
avergae person, who don't just believe what everyone else
does, the thinker & the different person can still sometimes be
felt as being an unwanted presence.

"Beware when the Great God lets loose a thinker on this planet.
Then all thing are at risk. As an aside, I don't consider the
present Republican Congress men & Senators to be great
thinkers, even though they' re "Putting everything on the
table... ie all things are at risk."

Art I can understand that you're reluctant to become involved
in another spiritual organization. It is, no doubt taking a
risk. But I'm hoping that bit by bit you'll come to understand
how beautiful & how life enhancing Theosophy is. To convey that
understanding, to a true Theosophist, is goal enough, whether
you get more involved, or whether you choose to stay on the
side lines. No matter that I say to you "I hope you'll get more
involved". I think Theosophy has something to gain from your
presence, but if you choose in the long run to stay on the side
lines, then so be it. Get what good you can. There's lots of
it. One thing you say is really very funny "I am a questioner
of all tradition." That happens to be the hue & cry of all
Theosophists, at least of the Adyar section, at least of my
generation.

"Brotherhood". A number of us have agitated against that
nomenclature as outdated. I think the word stands thus, because
people in Adyar won't move. They're known to be slow. For
instance, they lose communications, when you write to them. I
don't know what else they lose or snarl up. I'm not that
familiar
with Adyar, but I've heard tell.

I think you're a member of the theosophical family, when & if
you feel that you are. I can only tell you of my own
experiences. I nevr felt coerced by group values, or to go to
conventions. I went when I wanted to & when I could afford it.
For a long time, I didn't accept reincarnation. & I felt a bit
of inner pressure because I wanted to belong. Lateron it made
sense to me, so then I accepted it. For a while I was
vegetarian. When I moved to Summerfield I had a choice, cook &
eat for myself in my apartment, or eat at least chicken & fish
& eat in the dining rom, where I could socialize a bit. I chose
the latter. That makes my body not quite as susceptible to the
finer vibes, but I chose what I thought was the best thing for
me to do, & I don't feel any less a Theosophist. I didn't agree
with what was happening under the Presidency preceding John
Algeo's. I think I was excluded out, as were others, because I
voted for the presidential candidate who lost the elections. &
I also thought that the TS was being poorly run. One of the
reasons being that the then President never tried to heal the
rift between herself & the loser. It had been quite a close
election ... twice. At that point, I asked first to be made an
international member attached to Adyar. Adyar never answered,
so then I became a member in Canda. Good thing. If you drop
out, it's said that you lose your connection formed to the
masters. Whatever truth there is in that, my TS membership was
too dear to me to want to drop it. Ther is the beauty of it,
but ther is also politicking. If we have wise & stable
leadership, as we had under Dora Kunz and now have under John
Algeo (who's also a man with a great imagination, & a sometime
twinkle in his eye), then I for one am willing tontake the
necessary politcking. But if the leadership detriorateds, I'm
not willing to take it. OK now that's very clearly & honestly
one person's experience.

I can't find just what you said here, but I wrote down to tell
you that we say there are 2 esoteric paths, that of the Mystic
who goes by feeling & visions, & that of the Occultist who goes
the reasoning scientific route. But at one point, the 2 meet.

You end with "Incrementally, this paradox of passion and
disinterestedness might combine to form a spiritual character,
I live hopefully toward that realisation." It seems that the
combination of passion & disinteresstedness to lead to greater
spiorituality. One of the things Harry teaches to do when you
meditate (to Beethoven's music) is to observe your feelings.
That's not as poetic as what you said, but the meaning is the
same.

Namaste

Liesel