Theos-Talk Archives (August 1996 Message tl00444)

Jerry S. writes>
>	Richard,  I just scanned THE PILGRIM
>AND THE PILGRAMAGE by Emily B. Sellon (given to me
>free in the mail this morning).  She says a lot of what I
>have been saying.  In fact, I was hard pressed to find
>anything in her little book that I would disagree with.  Her
>viewpoint of fohat, for example, is exactly how I define it
>in my ENOCHIAN PHYSICS in 1988.   Wish I had
>met her.

Richard Ihle writes>
I did not know Emily Sellon well, but I had met her a few times, disagreed
with her occasionally, but in the end considered her to be a kindred
theosophist.

This is one of Theosophy's ironies, however, isn't it?--that of the very few
people in this wide world who are most like oneself because they are
theosophists, those are often the exact people whom one sometimes feels a
curious "estrangement" from until they are gone . . . and then we realize
that this--in a very deep and significant way--~really was~ another version
of oneself who just left the scene. . . .

In the company of our conventional friends, family, co-workers etc. we may
sometimes feel much more at ease and "normal":  with them we may often more
easily relax into a comfortable day-to-day life.  Tell me honestly:  is there
anyone on theos-l whom, if they lived in your neighborhood, you would be
inclined to "hang-out" with?  Personally, I don't gravitate socially toward
~any~ fully out-of-the-closet magicians, shamans, yogis, theosophical
scholars, astrologers, philosophers, etc.--even though I might be some of
these things myself.

No, give me any day the theosophically innocent to rub elbows with in the
work-and-play-world.  Let me just make occasional and special "pilgrimages"
to see the ~overtly~ deep and overly complex "pilgrims" if and when I feel up
to it.

Still . . . it is interesting, isn't it?  When one's more common compadres
pass over, one is very sad, but there may sometimes be the realization, "I
loved this person, but it must be admitted that he or she was not really
after the same thing I am in life."

Conversely, when Emily Sellon, whom I scarcely knew at all, leaves us, I find
myself thinking that it was unfortunate that I didn't make more pilgrimages
to see someone who was undoubtedly pursuing the ~exact-same~ Theosophical
Verity as I am.  Despite myself, I am sure I am going to feel this way about
the entire Theosophical "Cast of Characters" I can manage to survive:  Joy,
Dora, Radha, John--who knows, maybe even Chuck and Alexis. . . .

Wait a minute . . . let me throw some cold water on my face. . . .

Godspeed,

Richard Ihle