Theos-Talk Archives (September 1996 Message tl00083)

Keith :
>HPB does insist on KILL, KILL, KILL past hope of resurrection all our little
human
>frailites etc.  What an order!   I can't go through with it!  I am glad I have
>seven lives to go.  (Cheshire grin:)
>
>Namaste


Dear Keith
Will all its archaic and difficulties the VOS is a great book-teacher for
ages to come as a roadmap of the Path.
Regarding "The Mind is the Slayer of the Real.  Let the Disciple slay the
Slayer,"
I simply interpreted the work "kill" as "Nirodaha" from the Yoga Sutras of
Patanjali.
He defines Yoga as Chitta Vritti Nirodaha, usually translated as
'restraining' (in VOS as 'kill')
the mental modification. The reason I went to Patanjali is because earlier
in the Voice HPB mentions the word Dharana or "concentration" (more or
less) from the 8 limbs or steps of the Yoga system.
I found Taimni (Science of Yoga) translation and commentaries very useful
on this subject.

Peace and Harmony to all,

Martin

_________________________________________________________________-
Keith:
I think many have chewed this over and decided she really didn't mean "kill" as
in destroy past resurrection or reincarnation (here the reincarnation of a
astral or pranic body may indeed be an appropriate metaphor).

Yet read what she writes a little further on.  HPB:
Before thou standest on the threshold of the Path; before thou
crossest the foremost Gate, thou hast to merge the two into the One
and sacrifice [53] the personal to SELF impersonal, and thus
destroy the "path" between the two - Antaskarana. (9)

(AND IN THE GLOSSARY SHE CONTINUES):

ANTASKARANA IS THE LOWER MANAS, THE pATH OF COMMUNICATION OR COMMUNION BETWEEN
THE PERSONALITY AND THE HIGHER MANAS OR HUMAN SOUL.  AT DEATH IT IS DESTROYED AS
A PATH OR MEDIUM OF COMMUNICATION , AND ITS REMAINS SURVIVE IN A FORM AS THE
kAMA RUPA- THE "SHEEl">

Keith:

I think we are getting into some interesting 19th century waters here and I am
certainly not the expert on the historical context or the precise meaning of all
of this.  But I would ask one to consider (and I have heard variations from
various theosphical speakers and commentators) that

1. man as a seven-fold being is the result of the unconscious impersonal
involution of  divinity into matter and this Divinity is now struggling in an
individualized, personal  and conscious way  back into divinity
2.  Unconscious Perfect Mind uses man as an alchemical vessel if he is willing
to turn from selfhish involution to alturuistic and group orientied spiritual
evolution
3.  The path of communication or communion links the lower mind and higher soul
through the Anataskarana or dualizing, intellectualizing, rationalizing mind (by
definition Maya and Slayer of the Real)
4.  This demon-like lower mind is the rainbow bridge (like Daath in the Cabala)
whereby one can cross the Abyss and lift the Veil of Isis in a devine union, an
alchemical marriage.
5. The fruits of which are identification and eternal union with the Beloved One
after death, or frustrated limbo like existence as a shell or spook that seeks
to seduce others (often said to be in the seance room of the spiritualistic
paradigm of the time.  One wonders in these shells are inhabiting the New Age
Bookstores in the 90's after leaving the disco's in the 70's :))!

I am looking at THE PATH by Reginal W. Machell painted for the Pasaden Lodge
back in 1895!  It is a more representational art work that fleshes out the
abstract symbol of the theosophical society.  The sun above pours out the energy
to the Solar Logos whose angelic wings enclose the globe of evolution.  The
aspiriant crosses over a dead dragon of personality to greet first the Saviour
as archetype of the Master and Son of the Higher Self  and then Isis as Divine
Wisdom as Virgin Mother and then the Logos itself.

To get back to your original point Martin, I think if she said kill, she
probably meant it whether we like it or not.  We could open up the can about why
did God put a serpent in the garden of Eden in the first place, but after 20
centuries, the talk is musty, but in essence it seems to be necessary to be
exactly like it is and for us to struggle, suffer and kill it, though this
doesn't seem warm, fuzzy, logical, ethical or in fact "nice" in anyway.  But
there you have it!

Namaste
Keith Price