Theos-Talk Archives (December 1996 Message tl00590)

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> From: Jerry Schueler <GSchueler@worldnet.att.net>
>
> Doss, here are my responses to your excellent questions:
>
> >In pp. 17, The Mahatma Letters to APS (Third Edition TPH Adyar 1962) is
> >the following statement.
> >
> >    "It is true that a married man cannot be an adept, yet without
> >striving to become a 'Raja Yogi' he can acquire certain powers and do
> >much good to mankind and often more, by remaining within the precincts
>of this world of his."
> >This should be "It is harder for a married man to be an adept, ..."
> As written, the quote is in error (IMHO, of course).
>
> >I for a moment do not doubt what is stated in the ML.	Well, I certainly
do.  The words given in  the ML are not
> biblical canon, and must be taken in context with other teachings. The
> very way that most were delivered (psychic precipitation) leaves
> lots of room for small errors.

I remember quite clearly that Ramakrishna, the Indian Saint, was married,
yet achieved high
states of illlumination, along with his wife. Whether they had what would
be termed a traditional
marriage would be another matter.  They helped each other achieve each
other's spiritual goals
and mission, which is probably what every marriage should be like.

> >How do you reconcile the fact that Buddha (who is supposed to have been
> >an Adept even in his previous lives) was a married man?
> >Is it possible that there are exceptions to the rule?

	Easy, a married man can become an adept, but usually
> he will be a lousy father/husband (see Herman Hesse's (??spelling)
> Siddhartha for an excellent example of this).  On the other
> hand, a good father/husband has little time to become an adept.
> In general, I would say that it is possible to do both, but
> what usually happens is that one is unable to do justice to
> either roles.

My experiences with astrology tells me that we each have chance to
to have lives that are family-oriented and lives that may be solitary and
spiritually oriented.  No doubt each one is valueable for the advancement
of the soul that is projecting the personalities.

> >In the general model followed by TS(Adyar) after HPB, there is a
> >general belief about the need to avoid meat, alcohol and if possible
> >sex (both within the marriage and outside).

Sounds like they were creating an ashram for sannyasins.  I have
seen people embrace this because it was natural to their ascetic
personalities.  And then there were others who were highly advanced
and did none of the above.  Blanket rules are only good for those
who are already bent towards those ideas.  Then, some people like
HPB, forge their own path.

	This is the general TS model, yes.  But recall that
> a great Master once said that it is what comes out of your
> mouth that profains you, not what goes into it.  Abstaining
> from sex in order to be godly is, IMHO, a stupid, albeit an
> understandable, mistake, and psychologically dangerous.  Give
> up sex because you have no real desire for it and you will be
> OK.  Give it up in order to be spiritual, and you are only
> fooling yourself.  Look to your motive here.  I think that
> as one becomes spiritual, one begins to realize that the
> opposite sex is within themself, much like Jung taught. One
> will naturally begin to seek wholeness within rather than
> without.  But this should occur naturally, and not be forced.
>
My theory is that there is really no such thing as giving up sex.
If you aren't involved in a personal relationship with a person
and following a spiritual path, one is probably having a sense
of unity with one's higher self.  Rather than foccussed in the lower
chakras, the energies are activated in the higher chakras.  The
point fo contact between the soul and the personality is in the
the third eye, causing what could be termed orgasmic union.
The saints, including Ramakrishna, certainly have blissful and
extremely happy looks on their faces.  They are rapt in union
with their higher selves and then, everything around them.

Peace to all the beings of the world,

-Ann E. Bermingham