Theos-Talk Archives (May 1996 Message tl01326)

Martin, I'd like to respond to your

>I would love to see a newsgroup (that would be the idea-
>wouldn't it?) dealing with real people's experiences - experiences of
>near death for example, experiences with angels, etc. alongside with some
>guidance, explanations, warnings, comfortings, etc. by some experienced
>people, i.e. by those who have a fair share of  real-life experience of
>the 'beyond'.

I'd really like to see something like that, too, but feel that theos-l at
the moment is not quite that forum, despite its wealth and depth of talent.
Perhaps a list specifically devoted to this process would work. I suspect
that, with a process-oriented agenda, many of the same people could coexist
and cooperate on a common work. Meanwhile, the need seems to be strong and
getting more widespread as time goes on.

Maybe more of us should take a look at medit-l, as Liesel mentioned on
theos-news today. It might just help to jolt the collective pattern of how
things go.

To my mind, one of the most important ingredients in a circle of inner focus
for sharing and support is an open attitude, a willingness to listen without
a hint of implied judgement or superiority. In a word, it must FEEL and BE
safe to anyone who is wondering whether they should reveal a part of their
inner life that they probably have to struggle even just to find words for,
let alone cope with complicating reactions from others.

That actually makes it quite hard for theosophists to comply with!
I know from having felt it myself, the feeling that theosophists really do
have a superior knowledge, and the eagerness to share it with others that
can sometimes come across as rather overwhelming and subtly constricting.

There is vastly more going on in the body-mind-spirit system of any person,
even a psychic :-), than either we or they can consciously know. We are
beyond our knowledge of ourselves to depths and a degree that we cannot
conceive, because we are unfinished beings, so to speak. A fundamental
principle of operation of such a group, then, would be to remember that we
are students always, but teachers only when appropriate.

There must be hundreds of millions of people around the world whose budding
intimations of other dimensions of consciousness are crying out for even
just the beginning of a framework of comprehension and something warmer and
more encouraging than the attitudes of society at large. We need to make
sure that any framework we offer is not made of 12 inch thick concrete with
iron bars over the openings. Subtle, appropriate guidance and not just what
we've read out of a book is the thing, clearly.

I came across a neat phrase several years ago that has stuck with me ever
since, and would be another fundamental of such a group, and that is "Listen
with love." It was presented as a way of healing, but I have no doubt that
it does other neat things too.

Maybe we (the list) could brainstorm the conditions that would make this
kind of group work and meet the needs - and even be enjoyable! I realise
that other new groups are starting, but it doesn't hurt to do a bit of
exploring. Could alt.theosophy do this sort of thing?

Murray