Theos-Talk Archives (April 1996 Message tl01045)

Paul Johnson writes:

>In response to JHE's comment that theos-l is a place where one
>can learn new things: it missed my point.

JHE
      This is hardly surprising.  I can't recall ever writing a
response to you that has not missed *your* point.
      Actually, my reply was not addressing your point.  Since I had
never accessed medit-l, I had no bases to evaluate your point in
the first place.  Rather, I was trying to diplomatically make a
point of my own, and to send you my best wishes for your discovery
of a board that better fits your needs.  The point I was trying to
make was that perhaps you are being a little harsh in categorizing
theos-l participants as "inflexible."  As I mentioned, different
people have different capacities for flexibility and inflexibility.

KPJ
>My comparison to medit-l was not focused on whether
>it is possible to gather informative nuggets, but rather on the
>possibility of engaging in discussion with people who are
>*actively in process of transforming their minds, emotions,
>bodies...*  rather than defending their boundaries.

JHE
      I understand you saying that you experience medit-l people to
be more into "transforming their minds" and theos-l people more
into "defending their boundries."  My personal experience with
transformation is intimately connected with new information and
perceptions that brings new realizations, that bring new points of
view, that bring new attitudes, that bring new feelings....  This
is one way I and many others experience transformation.  But
perhaps your process is different.
      Nevertheless,  Liesel's posting of a medit-l contribution
yesterday gives me an idea of what you are finding to be
attractive.  It appears that the discussions center around
meditation and personal experiences garnered from its practice.
The sample posting struck me as quite appropriate for the subject
matter.  I have seen posts on theos-l concerning experiences
garnered from meditation or some mystical practice or psychic
experience which have much the same tone.  But we don't see
postings of this type very often--do we?
      Perhaps, the discrepancy between the two boards has more to do
with the mystic/occultist paths.  In other words, perhaps different
people have different methods of transforming their minds and
emotions.  Some are attracted to mysticism while others to
occultism.  It seems that theos-l tends to attract those inclined
to the occult path, while medit-l tends to attract those inclined
to the path of the mystic.

KPJ
>The rigid vs. flexible continuum is the objectively-observed
>result of a subjective tense vs. relaxed continuum.  People who
>are psychologically or mentally tense are prone to
>behave in ways that manifest this outwardly.  For example,
>taking rigid positions and defying the world to disprove them.
>Or describing everything that is not "in-group" approved as
>being an attack by infidels.  Whereas, psychologically and
>mentally relaxed people, who are more common in ARE than in
>Theosophical groups, tend to *act that way* in being more open
>to new ideas, less easily threatened, less defensive.

JHE
      For instance, ARE people are more "relaxed" in accepting your
published thesis concerning the "myth behind the Masters"?  Perhaps
the best way to test this idea is for you to write a book on "the
myth behind Edgar Cayce's controls." and see how "mentally relaxed"
ARE members become.  I am suggesting here that people's attitudes
tend to be situational.  I can sympathize with your negative
experiences with some people in the TS and on theos-l, because I
have had experiences much like yours.  But I'm also aware of the
actions on my part that brought forth those "mentally tense"
reactions.  People tend to be "relaxed" as a natural state, until
they are threatened.  I submit that you will find this to be
equally true with the people at ARE as well as the people on medit-
l.  Perhaps an interesting line of inquiry might be: what threatens
people on theos-l?; what threatens ARE members?; what treatens
people on medit-l?
      But to return to my point; I think I can make it by quoting
Richard Ihle:

"Godspeed"

JHE

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   |Jerry Hejka-Ekins,                      |
      |Member TI, TSA, TSP, ULT                |
         |Please reply to: jhe@toto.csustan.edu   |
            |and CC to jhejkaekins@igc.apc.org       |
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