Theos-Talk Archives (July 1996 Message tl00767)

K. Paul Johnson writes>
>I have concluded that what people have to lose, if for example
>they let go of certain dogmas about the Masters, is their
>sense of being a special people, a chosen people, HPB the one
>sole chosen messenger of the one brotherhood that preserves the
>one ancient wisdom.   [snip]  . . . for people whose
>illusion is that they are at the center of the universe due to
>some special link with a unique source of truth-- losing that
>illusion destroys their whole world.

So true.  So-so true.

In psychogenetic terms, this represents the temporary creation of a psyche at
the desire-mental (kama-manas) level--"I ~am~ the idea or putative knowledge
which attracts me."  However, like most people, I personally indulge plenty
of these "semi-Selves" throughout the day--and not always keeping the
"Once-Removed Vantage" upon myself, either--so I don't want to speak from a
supercilious, I-used-to-be-like-you position.

Still, I agree that the "Specially Chosen" people can get a little irritating
when they base everything on their little leap of faith concerning some
supposedly indefectable, wonder-working Masters.  Just a judicious bit of
belief about a preternatural Source and not only are the ideas and knowledge
involved instantly elevated above normal scrutiny, but the true-believers
themselves automatically get to parade around with the superior mien of those
who have been judged worthy enough to carry the Arc of the Covenant from
place to place.

But here's something which may surprise you:

I sometimes think I owe a greater debt of gratitude to the
fourth-level-indulging "faithful" who have peopled the TS over the years than
I do my brother and sister eclectic Truth-Seekers who may be more tempted to
egoically delude themselves at the fifth or sixth levels.  At least the
Principal Theosophical Philosophy (PTP) has been carried more or less in tact
to the threshold of the Twenty-First Century.  Without those who have
religiously swatted every deviational fly with THE SECRET DOCTRINE, there is
a chance, as Eldon recently said, that the PTP (or did he say ~Theosophy~
again?) would only be a minor underground rivulet at this point.  

But HPB is still the major river in the TS and for that I am thankful.  I am
convinced that a good understanding of the ins-and-outs of Cosmogenesis and
Anthropogenesis will be necessary before the "mytho-analogical method" can
produce an adequate "Psychogenesis" by means of them.  

Naturally, certain people are unlikely to appreciate the first two components
of the PTP starting to be spoken of in terms of their simple utility in in
the creation of a psychological analog, of course, but hey--let the
Master-propped-up mavins move up and start looking at the matter with some
temporary semi-Selves at least created at the fifth, dispassionate-mental,
level if they are worried that Theosophy (the movement) is starting to leave
them behind. . . .

Do I mean to imply that I believe that Cosmogenesis and Anthropogenesis will
someday be relegated to the status of ~only~ mythological constructs?  No.
 Even if becomes perfectly apparent that they have their principal utility as
magnificient "blinds" for an ancient system of Adept-psychology and the
development of "latent powers," they will continue to stand, I believe, as
~potential~, literal knowledge in and of themselves.

How can one approach this type of possible, non-empirical knowledge?

By means of transcendental, mystical, or intuitive insight or higher
perception, of course:  in short, telling someone else's status-bringing
Master to butt-out up for a minute so that your own Master has a chance to
give you some ineffable ~inner certainty~ about it. . . .

Godspeed,

Richard Ihle