Theos-Talk Archives (December 1996 Message tl00085)

Ann Wrote:

My first thoughts on the proliferation of birth control have to do with
economics and women's freedom.  As for the psyche of spiritual
aspirants, each would follow their own path according to what they
feel is right for them according to their astrological bent.
>
> How does the near constant presence of sexually stimulating content in
> our culture at large affect our ability to perceive ourselves and each
> other?

Near constant presence?  Where have you been surfing on the Net?:-)

Seriously, I see two routes here.  Join the crowd and enjoy it.  Or
turn off the television.

********
- What I'm trying to get at is the idea that birth control has tipped
the balance of the natural consequences of sex to the point where we CAN
developed cultural attitudes that concentrate more on the pleasure of
sex than the children from sex. I'm not saying this is bad or good. I'm
just wondering what effect this might have vis a vis spirituality in the
culture at large. HPB didn't, couldn't have spoken directly to this
issue. Does it help raise us up, spiritualize sex, set up tensions that
draw our energies down and out, involve us more in personality life than
spiritual life, etc? I'm just fishing ...

The same goes for the presence of images in the culture at large that
seem to reinforce an emphatically sexual, personality orientation toward
identity rather. Watch TV for an hour, read just about any magazine. You
don't get a preponderance of uplifting images of humanity (unless you
watch talk shows!). You have to do mental gymnastics to spiritualize
even a little of what hits your eye every day. Before you know it your
buried in the mass miasma and have to trudge yourself up the ladder of
identity again. Sure you can just relax and enjoy it, but what effect
does that have on your progress if your habit is to cease the
spiritualizing effort? We need to accept and realize our humanity:
participate in it fully. But the image that Theosophy presents of human
identity is a lot more robust than that of merely being sexy
personalities.

Of course, maybe I'm just incredibly sexy and afraid to accept it. Yeah,
that's it. I'm just nuts. Please disregard this post!
Mark