Theos-Talk Archives (October 1995 Message tl00452)

Daniel:<First question: In the phrase "some of the original TEACHINGS", what,
Jerry S.,
do you mean by this? Can you define what you mean by "original TEACHINGS"?>

I mean HPB's description of the Gupta Vidya Model as
given in the SD and as described briefly in the MLs. This model
describes the globes and planes of the Earth planetary chain.

Daniel:<Second question: It would be interesting to try to ascertain why, for
example,
Jerry S., Rich and Eldon interpret these "original TEACHINGS" differently?>

I interpret the diagram on page 200 as being a working
comparison between the Sephiroth of the Tree of Life and the Globes
of the GV Model, showing how each globe/sephiroth is located
on the cosmic planes. To me, this picture is a graphic representation
of the Earth planetary chain, and so on, as I have outlined it in many
postings on theos-l. For reasons best known to themselves,
Rich and Eldon interpret this differently, and I suspect that neither
has a working knowledge of the Qabala (I apologise if wrong here)
and therefore this comparison means little or nothing to them -
otherwise I don't understand their far different interpretations of what
a planetary chain is. To me, it is an alternate view of the Tree of Life.

Daniel:< Sometimes I have got the impression (which may be wrong!)
that (for example) Eldon and Jerry S. were not always having a "discussion"
with each other but sorta talking "at" each other.>

I think we are sharing ideas and viewpoints. Although
our sources are the same (we both use Purucker for example) we
have very different ideas about the Globes and Planes. We also
differ on the teachings of bodies/principles, and I think that this
even goes beyond semantics here. For example, I believe
that we have a body & senses on each of the 7 cosmic planes
with one consciousness that can shift its focus onto any of
these bodies or vehicles in order to have experiences on the 7
cosmic planes. This model explains to me many otherwise
mysterious experiences such as dreams and psychic phenomena.
Eldon does not agree with this. Let me give you a quote to
show everyone where I am coming from:
 "There are two basic ways of viewing man: one as being
 compounded of the seven cosmic elements, as H.P.B.
 at first presented it; and the other, as being a composite
 of interacting monads or center of consciousness
 working in and through and by means of the instrumental
 aid of the seven cosmic elements which give to man his
 seven principles" (CW XII, 647: ES Instruction III, taken
 from Purucker's FS of O p 442)
I interpret Purucker's teaching of two views as being a
subjective view (monads or consciousness centers)
and an objective view (7 cosmic elements or bodies).
We can view man in terms of either our subjective states
or states of consciousness, or in terms of our vehicles
for those states. Purucker then goes on to say:
 "Now the seven principles are the seven kinds of
 'stuff' of the universe. The higher part of each kind
 is its consciousness side; the lower part of each
 is the body side through which its own consciousness
 expresses itself." (p 444)
And finally:
 "...we must not have our minds confused with the
 idea that the seven principles are one thing,
 and the monads are something else which work
 through the principles as disjunct from them.
 That is wrong." (p 444)
So, while Eldon and I both use Purucker as our source,
we interpet him differently. I see the above quotes as
saying that we all have a subjective and objective side on
each cosmic plane and that these two working together
form the 7 principles, one on each plane. Because I see
Purucker teaching this, I can shift over to AB/CWL's
description easily.

 I believe that what AB & CWL did, was to eliminate the concept
of monads as being confusing as well as unnecessary (and I
would agree that they are, because I think "monad" is a poor
name) and instead equate "principles" with "bodies." I
see little to nothing wrong with this, and therefore can't
understand the horror that most Pasadena, Point Loma, and
ULT folks associate with the AB/CWL description of bodies.
If we can get around the semantics and see what is really
going on, we find that we have an objective and subjective
self (or at least a sense of self) on each cosmic plane.

Jerry S.