Theos-Talk Archives (July 1996 Message tl00613)

Frank J. Dyer wrote:
> 
> Regarding the discussion of whether the Society has a yoga, I recall a quote
> from HPB (the exact source escapes me, but perhaps some of the more scholarly
> list members will be able to supply it) to the effect that Theosophy itself is a
> form of karma yoga blended with jnana yoga. IOW, the Society's emphasis on right
> action is virtually identical to karma yoga (see Vivekananda's book on the
> subject, for example) and the study of Theosophy leads to jnana yoga type
> realizations.
> 
> Perhaps the party who inquired about particular methods was placing an undue
> emphasis on the induction of trance or samadhi states. My view of the effect of
> studying Theosophy is that it produces significant change in the entire
> constitution of the individual over a very long term period, similar to some of
> the metaphors contained in the Dhammapada regarding long term change. One
> acquires a sense of what P.D. Ouspensky calls "scale", an awareness of the
> vastness of the processes that we are involved with and of the extreme
> limitations associated with the confinement of consciousness to a physical
> vehicle. With this comes a relaxed attitude toward time. We are no longer
> frustrated at not seeing dramatic results within six months...a year...a life.
> There is a certainty that we are within the sphere of influence of a profound
> and timeless process of development with which we now consciously choose to
> cooperate.
> 
> --Frank DyerAs the party referred to :-) I couldn't agree with you more. what I was 
asking about was a Theosophical way before the above mentioned effects become 
a part of life. Telling an inquirer that if they take up study of theosophy 
they will have internal changes in a few years time that are recognisably 
different from how that person feels now, doesn't seem to inspire them to 
take up that study but something they can get hold of right at the time of 
inquiry, interests them more. 
Personally I have experienced the gradual change of awareness that you speak 
off through a devoted study of theosophical literature over the past few 
years. 
Bee