Theos-Talk Archives (July 1997 Message tl00309)

According to Kym:
> 
> Sometimes spiritual teachings do seem to discourage active working on
> behalf of humanity.  The belief that humanity (per Theosophy and others)
> moves from advanced to depraved can be disheartening.  Conversely,
> science and humanism declare the opposite - that life begins as
> rudimentary and progresses (according to fossil study).
> 
Western traditions also tend to be more optimistic and to view
history as unfolding in a direction towards a goal, rather than
round and round indefinitely.  I like the Ismai'li ideal of a
spiral in which all the seven principles of a person or cosmos
are evolving so that in the next cycle each one has been
transformed into something higher.  In Theosophical terms,
manas becomes buddhi, buddhi returns to atman, etc.

> If there is such a thing as manvantaras - where, at the end of one, all
> is supposed to be wiped out by a flood, except for a few humans - just
> to have it happen all over again - then "what's the point?"

Consciousness is supposed to have evolved through all the
vehicles which will ultimately be destroyed, and the next
manvantara will reflect that evolution.

 (We're
> supposed to have anywhere up to or beyond another 400,000 years in Kali
> Yuga, which is the cycle we’re supposed to be in now - I think  - I got
> lost a long time ago in the jumble of vast and differing numbers).

Since there's no evidence in favor of the Kali yuga theory, and
all evidence seems against the Brahmin chronology, *and* it's a
bummer to contemplate, I reject it.
> 
> If one really believes that humanity worsens - or individuals only reach
> spiritual perfection in their own particular time - or that trying to
> change someone’s opinion/action is hampering their development and, in
> addition, getting you a extra heap of karma to have to deal with - why
> bother?  Where do we go from here? Just work on ourselves?  Stay out of
> politics, debates, conflicts, wars?  Trust that all is well and going
> according to plan? Is it really not possible to hasten another person's
> "progress?"  Is it really not possible to end the "cycles" for all
> beings?  If so, then the suffering of beings - although different ones
> at different times - is eternal.  So, then perhaps, hell does exist -
> but it's not someplace we end up, just something we all have to pass
> through - but why?  If "Being with God," or the "Primary Source," etc.,
> is so grand - why did we ever disjoin in the first place?

We got bored.

  What are we
> supposed to do with all the "wisdom" we're gaining as we pass through
> incarnations - just to end up back where we originated?  

But we never "end up" anywhere permanently either.  It just
keeps going around.  We, however, do not have to.
> 
> The more I read, the more I end up chasing my tail.
> 
The doctrine of cycles is too simplistic in Theosophical
literature and leads to tail-chasing IMO.

Cheers,
KPJ